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Whats the job market like for accountants?

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  • 14-03-2013 8:28pm
    #1
    Carnegie
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭


    I'm thinking of moving jobs and was looking at all the recruitment websites, the situation looks dire! The few jobs listed in Dublin are mainly for 6-9 month contracts to cover maternity. Seems to be very few permanent jobs and they were all typically only interested in candidates from big 4 firms. So are things as bad as they seem or is it a case of agencies having so many people on their books that they don't bother advertising them (wishful thinking I know!).

    I might consider going to London to get a new job but then things may be as bad there so my preference is to get a job in Ireland.


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    #2
    TonyStark
    Registered Users Posts: 851 ✭✭✭TonyStark


    Carnegie wrote: »
    I'm thinking of moving jobs and was looking at all the recruitment websites, the situation looks dire! The few jobs listed in Dublin are mainly for 6-9 month contracts to cover maternity. Seems to be very few permanent jobs and they were all typically only interested in candidates from big 4 firms. So are things as bad as they seem or is it a case of agencies having so many people on their books that they don't bother advertising them (wishful thinking I know!).

    I might consider going to London to get a new job but then things may be as bad there so my preference is to get a job in Ireland.
    Are you Chartered? Did you try their careers and placements service?

    http://www.charteredaccountants.ie/en/Members/Careers-Advisory--Placement-Service/Vacancy-Listing/


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I'm looking to get some accountancy experience at the moment. I have a few ACCA exams under my belt.

    I'm not fresh out of college, I've been working in the financial industry for over 5 years after leaving college.

    I don't think I technically count as part qualified.

    Does anyone know, have I got much of a chance in the present market?

    Will my chances improve AFTER becoming part qualifiied, or do I need to get experience first.

    Any advise / info, however small, will be greatly appreciated.


  • Options
    #4
    keano2012
    Closed Accounts Posts: 561 ✭✭✭keano2012


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I'm looking to get some accountancy experience at the moment. I have a few ACCA exams under my belt.

    I'm not fresh out of college, I've been working in the financial industry for over 5 years after leaving college.

    I don't think I technically count as part qualified.

    Does anyone know, have I got much of a chance in the present market?

    Will my chances improve AFTER becoming part qualifiied, or do I need to get experience first.

    Any advise / info, however small, will be greatly appreciated.

    How many ACCA exams have you under your belt? If you have a few then you can class yourself as part qualified. I know people who have exemptions from ACCA and even though have never sat an ACCA exam still count themselves as part qualified on their CV which is technically correct IMO.


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    keano2012 wrote: »
    How many ACCA exams have you under your belt? If you have a few then you can class yourself as part qualified. I know people who have exemptions from ACCA and even though have never sat an ACCA exam still count themselves as part qualified on their CV which is technically correct IMO.

    I have 5 ACCA exams under my belt. In the process of doing 3 at the moment.


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    #6
    keano2012
    Closed Accounts Posts: 561 ✭✭✭keano2012


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I have 5 ACCA exams under my belt. In the process of doing 3 at the moment.

    then you are part qualified.......


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    #7
    The Big Red Button
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,390 ✭✭✭The Big Red Button


    I changed jobs a few months back, I'm part-qualified (passed all CAP1s and half of CAP2s, while working in a Big Four firm.)

    After a finished up in my old job, I was off work for less than two weeks, and literally had interviews every single day of that time off - between one and three interviews a day. I swear it was the hardest and most tiring couple of weeks work I've ever done in my life! :pac:

    Got a few offers out of it, and am very happy in my new job.

    I don't see anything wrong with taking a 6-9 month contract! I'd definitely apply for those if I were you (and I did, when I was looking, but ended up going for a permanent role in the end.) You'll make contacts, get experience to put on your CV, and might even end up being kept on - you never know.

    So in my experience, there are accountancy jobs in Dublin. It's one market segment that's never really going to dry up, there'll always be work there.


  • Options
    #8
    collegeme
    Registered Users Posts: 512 ✭✭✭collegeme


    Can anyone give an idea of what salary to expect as a part qualified chartered accountant? First clas hons degree and just 1 exam left from Cap2 with 2.5yrs experience in audit/accounts prep/management accounts etc and 10yrs bookeeping experience?

    Not happy with current salary and am sure i could do better.


  • Options
    #9
    The Big Red Button
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,390 ✭✭✭The Big Red Button


    collegeme wrote: »
    Can anyone give an idea of what salary to expect as a part qualified chartered accountant? First clas hons degree and just 1 exam left from Cap2 with 2.5yrs experience in audit/accounts prep/management accounts etc and 10yrs bookeeping experience?

    Not happy with current salary and am sure i could do better.

    Where in the country?

    Big difference between Dublin and elsewhere!!


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    #10
    collegeme
    Registered Users Posts: 512 ✭✭✭collegeme


    Sorry Dublin.


  • Options
    #11
    The Big Red Button
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,390 ✭✭✭The Big Red Button


    In a similar situation to you, I was looking at €30,000 to €35,000.


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    #12
    collegeme
    Registered Users Posts: 512 ✭✭✭collegeme


    Fluffy Bunny Rabid wrote: »
    In a similar situation to you, I was looking at €30,000 to €35,000.
    In practice? Thats what i felt was the going rate to be honest. Am getting screwed so :/


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    #13
    The Big Red Button
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,390 ✭✭✭The Big Red Button


    collegeme wrote: »
    In practice? Thats what i felt was the going rate to be honest. Am getting screwed so :/

    Oops, no, those would have been jobs in industry that I was looking at - I had no interest in remaining in practice!!

    With the same exams and with three years experience, I was getting €26k in a Big Four firm (with insane hours), so while what I'm on now mightn't seem a lot, it works out at a much better rate per hour!!


  • Options
    #14
    collegeme
    Registered Users Posts: 512 ✭✭✭collegeme


    Fluffy Bunny Rabid wrote: »
    Oops, no, those would have been jobs in industry that I was looking at - I had no interest in remaining in practice!!

    With the same exams and with three years experience, I was getting €26k in a Big Four firm (with insane hours), so while what I'm on now mightn't seem a lot, it works out at a much better rate per hour!!
    Thanks. Am only on 24k at the moment and feel i do a lot for that. I dont get any propper training.
    Coming from bookkeeping i know what industry is like. Would love a FC job but would need someone chartered above me to sign off experience. Did you have that issue?


  • Options
    #15
    The Big Red Button
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,390 ✭✭✭The Big Red Button


    collegeme wrote: »
    Thanks. Am only on 24k at the moment and feel i do a lot for that. I dont get any propper training.
    Coming from bookkeeping i know what industry is like. Would love a FC job but would need someone chartered above me to sign off experience. Did you have that issue?

    My manager is a chartered accountant, as is her manager, so that should be alright. I'm mostly likely going to switch to ACCA for the rest of my exams, anyways.

    In fairness, we got a ridiculous amount of training in my old firm, so I guess that counts for a lot.

    My advice would be, if you're not sure what to do, apply for jobs only with companies (not agencies) for now. I'd say 90% of jobs advertised are through agencies - but I'm really not convinced that many of these are 'real' jobs. Focus on the 10% of jobs you see advertised by companies, and put a huge amount of effort into your applications for these - and see how you get on.


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    #16
    Johnny_Fontane
    Registered Users Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭Johnny_Fontane


    As a director of a recruitment agency for Accountants, I can tell you that everything on our website is very much alive. And most of the roles you see online from reputable agencies are alive, its just that companies at the moment are all kind of looking for the same type of person.

    The problem at the moment is that Clients can be extremely pernickety about exactly the kind of profile that they want.

    So say a role with a Pharmaceutical company in Dublin 4. There are, say 12, in finance and they are looking for a group accountant with two years PQE. They interviewed 7 candidates, all of which had Big 4 ACA backgrounds and had either worked within group of a pharma or was at audit manager level auditing pharmas. Obviously only one candidate can get the job, so it came down to the best personality fit. All 7 could do the role and had the appropriate background. If you didnt have the background, you didnt get in the door.

    Another example of an Insurance Company looking for a finance manager for 15 months. Again they are only looking at candidates with insurance/reinsurance experience, ideally with US GAAP exposure, experience of preparing monthly management accounts for a US Parent and be immediately available.

    The job market in Dublin is very much alive and well, but its very tough and the competition is stiff, particularly for the best roles.


  • Options
    #17
    Johnny_Fontane
    Registered Users Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭Johnny_Fontane


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I'm looking to get some accountancy experience at the moment. I have a few ACCA exams under my belt.

    I'm not fresh out of college, I've been working in the financial industry for over 5 years after leaving college.

    I don't think I technically count as part qualified.

    Does anyone know, have I got much of a chance in the present market?

    Will my chances improve AFTER becoming part qualifiied, or do I need to get experience first.

    Any advise / info, however small, will be greatly appreciated.

    Its going to be very tricky. Approach your HR Manager and tell them that you are looking for a move into financial control - that may not be possible, but its worth a try. Even better is to get to know the FC or the FD and do it that way.


  • Options
    #18
    Johnny_Fontane
    Registered Users Posts: 3,093 ✭✭✭Johnny_Fontane


    collegeme wrote: »
    Can anyone give an idea of what salary to expect as a part qualified chartered accountant? First clas hons degree and just 1 exam left from Cap2 with 2.5yrs experience in audit/accounts prep/management accounts etc and 10yrs bookeeping experience?

    Not happy with current salary and am sure i could do better.

    In Dublin, you could get €35k assuming you want to work at senior level in a top 20 practice.


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