Working in Accounting - Current Environment

smcgiff · 16-12-2014 11:32am #1

I just wanted to make my own observation, and to seek other recent experiences.

From my own experience I've seen a noticeable change in recruitment agencies chasing me, unsolicited, for roles these past couple of months.

I've also noticed an increase in relevant jobs direct from employers.

I'm due to start a new role within walking distance of my front door in the new year, which will make a huge change. Even at my recent acceptance stage I'd a final round interview for another role, and a truck load of interviews for excellent positions lined up. Just last night I got the most recent call from a recruiter about a role she thought I migh be interested in. She found my CV on IrishJobs.ie. I didn't even know I'd a public profile on that site.

This was in complete contrast to a year earlier, when there seemed to be very little on the go.

So, fellow wage slaves - how are you finding the market out there? How are wage negotiations going? Are there promotion prospects?

For those with their own practice, how are ye doing? Are clients paying on time? Are there more opportunities, more fees?

Students, how are ye finding it getting your feet on the ladder?

Good news and not so good welcome.

McTigs · 16-12-2014 12:36pm

A year ago things looked pretty bleak... unemployed, recruitment agnencies telling me there was nothing happening and anything that was there was on vastly lower remuneration (about 35% lower) than my previous salary.....and i had not even all the ACCA F papers completed.

Now I have just 2 P papers left to do (i hope!) and I am the sole company accountant for two (small but about to get significantly bigger) companies within a larger group.... with maybe more to be added. Reporting directly to the group financial director

I've had a few calls since starting here last June with infinitely better proposals than were on offer last january but i'm happy with the prospects where I am.

Definitely a big change in the landscape in Galway

annaP79 · 17-12-2014 8:16am

It seems it is improving but it is still employers market
I got called for few interviews recently, I sent tones of CVs but so far no luck, it seems to be very difficult to move up the ladder internally and externally i think, or maybe it is just me and the company i work for

employers are not willing to train you in and there is loads of people they can choose from

what i noticed happening, as it unfortunately happened to me, is that they are happy with what i can do but there are areas that i have no experience in, so what agencies and employers do is that they do invite me to the interview only to tell me couple of days later that unfortunately they hired someone with more experience

i always wonder, can they not read my CV to know what i can and cannot do?

anyway, there is possibly one interview ahead in January and if that doesn't work then will need to start looking again but i am not very hopeful so if i wont be able to get my current employer to train me in, I will be stuck for good it seems

i would be very interested to hear if anyone was in a similar situation and what did you do to get out of it?

R0N BURGUNDY · 17-12-2014 12:11pm

Lads, any point of looking for jobs outside of job agencies?

smcgiff · 17-12-2014 12:34pm

R0N BURGUNDY wrote: »

Lads, any point of looking for jobs outside of job agencies?

Absolutely, I'm always way more excited about seeing a job I want coming direct from an employer rather than through an agency.

I've built up some very good relationships with agencies, but I've had some really poor experiences as well.

With a job application direct to the employer, you know it's real for a start and you have direct access to the person making the hiring decision.

With an agency they have the control, which may not suit you.

smcgiff · 17-12-2014 12:40pm

annaP79 wrote: »

what i noticed happening, as it unfortunately happened to me, is that they are happy with what i can do but there are areas that i have no experience in, so what agencies and employers do is that they do invite me to the interview only to tell me couple of days later that unfortunately they hired someone with more experience

i always wonder, can they not read my CV to know what i can and cannot do?

If you were called for an interview you were deemed to have the required skills /experience to do the job at hand.

However, someone came across better at interview. That's not to say that an interviewer wont have a favourite person pre interviews, but you were still in with a shout if you did an excellent interview.

Why did they say the other person had more experience? Well it's possibly true, but it's also a diplomatic way of closing the discussion.

It's easier on them than explain they had a better rapport with the other candidate.

annaP79 · 18-12-2014 7:50pm

yes i agree, referring to experience is an excellent way of finishing the conversation despite the fact that it looks silly because as you said, they saw someone's CV and deemed the person skills to be sufficient so with referring back to experience i think employers do shoot themselves in a foot in a way

I dnt know why they said that other person had more experience, interviews were arranged via agency so i didn't get to talk directly to the employer after the interview

i would be on the brink of thinking that i am a horrible interviewee but at least one interviewer, i was told, admitted i was excellent at the interview

so to come back to original topic of this forum - it is employers market where they can really pick and choose as they please, lots of people doing accounts at the moment also so supply of workforce is not an issue, at least for part-qualified personnel

addressing the issue of job agencies - give it a try, some are better than others, the advantage is that once they select your CV and send it to the employer, yours will be one of 10 CVs, if not less, so you can get noticed better, when you e-mail directly the employers your CV will be one of 100 or more so it is easier to get lost

Autobotsarego · 05-01-2015 1:31pm

I work as an audit manager in a small practice (about 3/4 qualified accountants including sole practitioner & then trainees). I've 10.5yrs experience with 6.5yrs being PQE.

Not sure what my prospects are now though???

All 10.5 years in the one practice - is that a major turn off? Should I move on now and get experience in another place? I'm worried if I leave it longer it may become a major turnoff and I'll be 'trapped' here forever if I ever want to move on.

Current job is well enough paid though and small chance I could make partner - suppose I should possibly suggest/ask (it's been vaguely suggested). Place does get to me though at times and only real challenge is against deadlines/time on jobs.

Most audit manager jobs seem to be via agencies - not sure which if any to approach.

Thoughts? Feel I'm at a bit of a crossroads - here forever or make a move shortly.

Prettyblack · 08-01-2015 5:16pm

Autobotsarego wrote: »

Thoughts? Feel I'm at a bit of a crossroads - here forever or make a move shortly.

Depends if you like working there, and if you want to stay. If you like it, and want to aim towards becoming a partner, then stay. You need to put the time in and getting the chance to get partner is pretty big.

If that doesn't float your boat or you don't really care either way about being partner, then go for sure. You can probably go for more senior roles with your experience. I don't know if a long spell in a job is a turn off for employers; if anything, you can say that you were happy with a secure job in a very insecure time. Now that the jobs market is easing a bit, its a good time to look around.

There's ways around every objection!

smcgiff · 08-01-2015 10:17pm

Autobotsarego wrote: »

small chance I could make partner -

I'd not hold my breath. I've known some that spent years in small to medium practices, giving their best years only never to be made partner. They were given just enough hope and in one case told it was certain to keep them around.

One guy I knew turned down a very good job in a big 4. He admits now he'll never be made partner and now too old to leave.

I'm sure there are exceptions to the above.

Autobotsarego · 09-01-2015 1:46pm

smcgiff wrote: »

I'd not hold my breath. I've known some that spent years in small to medium practices, giving their best years only never to be made partner. They were given just enough hope and in one case told it was certain to keep them around.

One guy I knew turned down a very good job in a big 4. He admits now he'll never be made partner and now too old to leave.

I'm sure there are exceptions to the above.

I'd fear the above too. I'm pretty sure it could happen though but even if it does what's to say I'll want to be in one place my whole working life.

I went and got an interview for new job anyway in mean time - just to assess my options.

Been reading blog post on firms website - the amount of technology (practice engine, dragon dictation, expd8, autorec, business card reader etc etc) is scary.

But in a way that tells me I might need a move. We are fairly low tech practice (just Sage Apex & other such softwares), so unless I definitely want to be here for good it might be time I looked at learning new things.

Working in Accounting - Current Environment

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