The AAT is great, but, it doesn't really count for experience

MarkT

Yeah, I said it, verbatim from the mouth of a recruitment consultant no more than 15 minutes ago. I've been signed on with this bunch of clowns for months and never thought I'd hear the AAT course trashed like this.

The ad had a part about doing prepayments and accruals, so when I challenged the consultant on this, she said, 'The client was specific, we didn't feel it was right to put you forward and even though you passed the exam, your current experience does not show that, you did these 4 years ago'.

Huh? The fact that I actually passed the theoretical side of the exam and when I asked her how to do them, she said she had no idea, kind of solidified the fact I knew what I was talking about, then she drop kicked me with 'The AAT course is great, but, it doesn't really count for experience'

I'm so annoyed right now I can barely think straight. so, I may as well not go and sit my AP2 tomorrow, because I have no experience of doing partnership work, I will have to wait a decade til I find one of these mysterious roles and do it for a while before I sit it, because, I might just fail :rolleyes:

Yeah, rant over

Monsoon

I'm not sure I follow. The AAT is a qualification. Experience is, well, experience. A qualification is not experience.

I'm not sure I'd expressly require someone with experience in prepayments and accruals. It's double entry - either you know it or you don't. That doesn't make sense, so I'm not sure what she was going on about there.

Sorry, dont want to rain on your rant, but I'm not sure I get it.

crispy

How very frustrating - I always thought that AAT was a more pratical style course and passes in exams are based on your competence, competence that you can then demonstate and reassure to your potential employers. Obviously experience is important, but how exactly are supposed to gain any if you are not even put forward for this type of role ?
I wish you good luck, hopefully you are able to find a suitable position that your work in activly persuing a relevant qualification justifies.

PGM

I agree with Monsoon, when employers ask for experience they want someone with hands experience of the job.

MarkT

Monsoon wrote: »

I'm not sure I follow. The AAT is a qualification. Experience is, well, experience. A qualification is not experience.

I'm not sure I'd expressly require someone with experience in prepayments and accruals. It's double entry - either you know it or you don't. That doesn't make sense, so I'm not sure what she was going on about there.

Sorry, dont want to rain on your rant, but I'm not sure I get it.

I missed out inputting the point that I have some 14 years of accounts experience in AP, AR and payroll - something that the recruitment consultant was well aware of

MarkT

PGM wrote: »

I agree with Monsoon, when employers ask for experience they want someone with hands experience of the job.

I refer to the above post

PGM

MarkT wrote: »

I refer to the above post

Then the recruitment agency comment doesn't make sense; if you have the experience.

Louise89

PGM wrote: »

Then the recruitment agency comment doesn't make sense; if you have the experience.

I wouldn't trust what a recruitment consultant says... they are all about themselves.

Monsoon

PGM wrote: »

Then the recruitment agency comment doesn't make sense; if you have the experience.

Agreed.

MarkT

Sorry to be a grouch here.

The situation I fully appreciate is that there are thousands of people out there looking for work and then there are agencies that have these roles that they then dictate as to who they put forward and some of them do not have any idea of how to perform the roles that they advertise for, yet have enough experience to tell you that you're not suitable because they felt they knew the role better.

PGM

MarkT wrote: »

Sorry to be a grouch here.

The situation I fully appreciate is that there are thousands of people out there looking for work and then there are agencies that have these roles that they then dictate as to who they put forward and some of them do not have any idea of how to perform the roles that they advertise for, yet have enough experience to tell you that you're not suitable because they felt they knew the role better.

Maybe they're just giving you a half assed explaination. We are in tough times, maybe they have a lot of people on their books already.

Could ask them to explain their statement?

MarkT

PGM wrote: »

Maybe they're just giving you a half assed explaination. We are in tough times, maybe they have a lot of people on their books already.

Could ask them to explain their statement?

I have done so, this office is one of the larger names in certain fields and they do not recognise the award as being more than a piece of paper you'd stick to the fridge at home.

They understand that it gives exemption from foundation level of CIMA etc, but would not consider me for a role of say, 'Assistant Accountant'. I know times are tough, but kicking someone when they're fighting to stay above water stinks some times!!

janwal

MarkT wrote: »

, I'm so annoyed right now I can barely think straight. so, I may as well not go and sit my AP2 tomorrow, because I have no experience of doing partnership work, I will have to wait a decade til I find one of these mysterious roles and do it for a while before I sit it, because, I might just fail :rolleyes:

Hi Mark

Your not getting away with it that easy, it is annoying when someone trashed a perfectly good qualification, but get that CBA passed, then I know where to come for help.

Jan

MarkT

janwal wrote: »

Hi Mark

Your not getting away with it that easy, it is annoying when someone trashed a perfectly good qualification, but get that CBA passed, then I know where to come for help.

Jan

Heh... Should know by this time tomorrow :001_smile:

Wait for the nervous breakdown post in about 24 hours

KaySarah

MarkT wrote: »

Heh... Should know by this time tomorrow :001_smile:

Wait for the nervous breakdown post in about 24 hours

Good Luck with your exam tomorrow Mark and I think it's time to change the Agency you are registered with for one that specialises in Accounting Staff.

with my very best wishes
Kay

SarahJS

In your situation, I don't understand, as you DO have experience.

In situations where someone has AAT qualifications and no experience, it's pretty unthinkable to take them on in a role as anything other that a trainee.. I dread to think of the damage I could do without specific supervision and training even though I'm not too bad at the exams!

blobbyh

Regarding your comment on if she (the consultant) could do accruals and prepayments, with respect, recruitment consultants don't have to be able to do them any more than a football agent has to be able to curl a thirty five yard free kick around a five man wall. But I can assure you that the good ones - and there are many, trust me - do know what a job remit given to them by the client is and who is - and isn't - suitable for the role.

And I'd also argue the point that experience in credit control is not the same as understanding the fundamental accounting processes that go off behind the scenes when entering data into an accounts system. I know many credit controllers who wouldn't have the first clue in understanding how the ledger and control accounts are updated behind the software or how to journal cost centre or other errors. Hence, experience of accounts payable and receivables is not necessarily experience of 'true' accounting procedures.

blobbyh

Louise89 wrote: »

I wouldn't trust what a recruitment consultant says... they are all about themselves.

And how does that make sense? If recruitment consultants weren't about placing suitable candidates into suitable roles into suitable clients, the industry wouldn't even exist. But you should always remember that recruitment agencies work for - and are paid by - the clients who use their services, not the candidate who uses them for free to try and find a job and acts like they are the only person in the world (please note this is a general comment and in no way personally aimed at the OP).

Accountancy is a professional career and at this level, in recessionary times, qualifications alone don't cut it. And sometimes neither does experience. In addition to these two, professional employers are now often looking for "fit", whether a person will be the exact one to join their company and usually based on personal attributes. Attitude as much as aptitude are now required and too much bad of the former, will simply see a candidate never even considered by an agency, no matter how good their qualifications or experience might be.

Louise89

blobbyh wrote: »

And how does that make sense? If recruitment consultants weren't about placing suitable candidates into suitable roles into suitable clients, the industry wouldn't even exist. But you should always remember that recruitment agencies work for - and are paid by - the clients who use their services, not the candidate who uses them for free to try and find a job and acts like they are the only person in the world (please note this is a general comment and in no way personally aimed at the OP).

Okay sorry, point taken.