Worried I have made the wrong choice - please help

emski

I have almost completed Level 3 and plan to start Level 4 in September. I chose to study AAT because I was informed that you do not need work experience in finance to acquire the diploma. I would like to apply for professional membership when I finish Level 4. However, I have recently read that I would need to have completed 12 months work experience in a financial role to be considered for full membership. This was never made clear when I first signed up and I am now concerned that I may have made the wrong choice in studying AAT.

I have a degree in Graphic Design but have worked as a Contracts Administrator for a provider of financial software for the past 6 years. I chose AAT as I thought it would be an excellent professional qualification to support the work I have done for the past few years. My job is not a finance role but it does involve working with calculations, margins and mark-ups, raising of invoices and credit notes, and signing off maintenance costs for payment.

Please can someone clarify what kind of work experience is required to apply for full membership? If I am not considered for full membership, would there be any other reason for me to pay my membership fee next year?

Thanks in advance.

NicF

Hi, it sounds like part of yor role could be classed as accounting work - the bits where you work with margins, mark-ups and raising invoices and credit notes. I worked in a project accounting role and I would say this was 100% accounting and part of my role was dealing with margins and raising invoices and credit notes. You need a full years work experience since starting your AAT qualification, but this doesn't have to be as a full time role. If the accounting part of your job was 20% of your role then you could build up a years work experience in 5 years.

Even if you cannot gain full membership once you have completed your AAT qualification you can say you are AAT qualified, which may help getting another role if that is what you want. Even if you are happy in the work you are doing the AAT qualificaiton will give you further insite in to the accounting side of what you are doing. I certainly think it would be worth you continuing with the qualification and I would suggest doing Credit Management and Control and possibly External Auditing as options in level 4 as I think they would be helpful to you in your current role.

Incidentally I have an MSc in Computer Studies but this counts for nothing in the accounting world. Having AAT (when I finally complete my ICAS) will give me a qualification in the area I have been working in for the last 10 years. I'm living in Australia now and AAT isn't something employers here have heard of, but it is still better than not having any accounting qualification.

Flakie

Hi. I have been asking membership questions also and I wanted to let you know that should wish wish to chat to somebody from the AAT, a lady called Victoria on 0207 3973003 is fabulous. When you call, if you say it relates to comments on the forum Victoria said she will take your call. I have e-mailed her btw to ask her permission. She helped me. Good luck x

StuartW

To anyone else reading this considering full membership - you might be interested to know that we're hosting a couple of free webinars on this topic next week.

Everything you want to know about MAAT - Tuesday 4 September 2012

Do you have questions about becoming a member? Not sure whether MAAT is for you, don't know what the next step is, or confused about what counts as work experience? Sign up to one of our webinar sessions below and get the answers you need.

Sign up for the 12.30 webinar

Sign up for the 17.30 webinar

The webinar will cover:

1. Benefits – why apply for MAAT

2. How to apply for MAAT

3. What counts as work experience

4. After MAAT