where to start looking for accounts job

foxy06

I am looking for accounts work, idealy in a practice in the north Wicklow area. I am studying at night for the IATI qualification and would then like to pursue an accountancy degree. Can anyone tell me how to go about this.
Is it common practice to just email practices your CV with a cover letter or would I be better off going through an agency? The fact that I have no experience is my downfall but I have lots of ambition and determination and can sell myself at an interview, I'm just finding it hard to get that far.
Any help from the experts would be appreciated.:)

Kinetic^

Just wondering why you want to do an accounting degree after your IATI? After I'd done my IATI I went straight into doing the ACA.

As for firms in your area, I'd get out the yellow pages and when you find accountants in your area, do a goodle on them to see if you can find out what they're about and then fire off a CV.

foxy06

Basically because I thought it was the only way to go but obviously not, I should have done my homework!
What should I write in a cover letter to an unexpecting prospective employer?

ams

Hey

There is a list of employers on the ICAI website who are looking to take on employers (for ACA qualification)

http://www.icai.ie/careers/forms.cfm

cover letter should be pretty standard....

Kinetic^

foxy06 wrote:

Basically because I thought it was the only way to go but obviously not, I should have done my homework!
What should I write in a cover letter to an unexpecting prospective employer?

Ah ok, not to worry.......don't mind the homework, ask away if you've any questions.

The route I took was the IATI and then ACA.

foxy06

Well the end result would be working for myself as a fully qualified accountant but not sure now which way to go....ACA, ACCA, CPA? Which is best ( I've noticed a thread on this but opinion is varied). I'm finding it hard to get an interview because of my lack of experience, I have never even stepped foot inside an office! But I have done a manual bookkeeping course, Sage line 50 course and the ECDL. Now i am doing the IATI and can't qualify without 2 years experience. Not really sure what road to take and I have 2 young kids too so that has made it difficult to start full time work in the past.

Any advice?

Kinetic^

foxy06 wrote:

Well the end result would be working for myself as a fully qualified accountant but not sure now which way to go....ACA, ACCA, CPA? Which is best ( I've noticed a thread on this but opinion is varied). I'm finding it hard to get an interview because of my lack of experience, I have never even stepped foot inside an office! But I have done a manual bookkeeping course, Sage line 50 course and the ECDL. Now i am doing the IATI and can't qualify without 2 years experience. Not really sure what road to take and I have 2 young kids too so that has made it difficult to start full time work in the past.

Any advice?

TBH, if you intend on going onto complete ACA, don't worry about your 2 years experience for IATI as it's not needed to progress into it. You just need to get an overall credit pass in the 2nd year of your IATI. See here http://www.iati.ie/Prospective_Students/School_Leaver_Route/ This is how I progressed into IATI. Might be an idea to check this out as well http://www.icai.ie/careers/

I know I say this to everyone but have you considered coming up to the big smoke? Tonnes of accountants and I'm pretty sure we could give you a guide on who's hot or not.......obviously via PM as we don't want Boards.ie getting sued.........again

I put a serious amount of research into this before signing up so if you've any more questions, fire away.