Lack of work experience...

jg72

Hi,
I'm just about to start my last year of an accounting degree and i'm wondering if a lack of any real work experience in any dicipline will hold me back if applying for a job to an accounting firm, big 4 etc..?

djk1000

A good degree and participation in clubs, societies, sports etc. along with a good interview and well prepared CV and cover letter are what you need for trainee/graduate jobs in accounting.

defiantshrimp

Work experience is less important here than in the UK when it comes to graduate jobs but it is getting more important. You should be fine when it comes to Big 4 applications though. Like the last poster said society involvement, sports, decent grades and a rounded personality are more than sufficient.

jg72

Thanks guys,
Tbh my grades for the last two years of college havent been good. Do you think this will affect me when applying for the big 4 before my final degree is awarded?

Da GOAT

i got my trainee position for aca without prior office experience so dont feel to bad.

jg72

Da Goat,
Just wondering if you could tell me what if you were with one of the big 4 and if you are what you think of it? would you reccommend applying for them?

Da GOAT

I dont see a reason for not applying for them. If you're gonna be in with a chance with them you dont really need to show you have office experience but more of an interest in business. Read the papers, business sections etc. In an interview put your knowledge across and you can stand out.

When applying/sending cvs, print of like 200 copies and send them everywhere then get into the largest practice you can.

Da GOAT

also a few guys in my college class werent very good result wise but got in big 4. They could talk the talk and did have business interests so I would say they filled out application questions very well.

Acquiesce

I pretty much in the exact same situation, I have zero experience, unless transition year counts, plus I have no involvement with clubs, societies and sports. I do have pretty good grades for my first two years, but that could all change this year.

Personally I'm not sure on the big 4, they sound like very pressurised environments, which wouldn't suit be at all. I'm not overtly concern at all about the level of money I would earn either (not that I'm loaded or anything, I just can by on little as it is now), which is another reason why I don't find the big 4 particularly attractive.

jg72

Acquiesce,
My experience is a couple of weeks in an accountants office during tran year! I see your point about the big 4, ive heard it can be a tough work envioronment but imo, it seems to be the best route to take to get into aca...

Acquiesce

That's exactly my experience too, done a couple of weeks in an engineering office as well, doubt it will catch for much though. My CV is going to look very slim, done quite a bit in TY like the president award, apparently I'm some sort of gaa coach as well, after we done a few days training. But basically that's it, aside from whatever type of degree I end up with, hopefully I can get a couple of decent references from teachers and lectures.

I'm edging towards acca personally.

djk1000

jg72 wrote: »

Acquiesce,
My experience is a couple of weeks in an accountants office during tran year! I see your point about the big 4, ive heard it can be a tough work envioronment but imo, it seems to be the best route to take to get into aca...

I'm in a practice with about 30 staff, much much smaller than big four. In my first year I have done so much more than I would ever get to do in a big practice. I could be on an audit one week or doing company accounts the next week, I do tax calculations financial projections farm accounts, sole trade accounts, liquidation work, receivership work. You name it, I've had the chance to get experience on it. Not to mention the number of businesses in completely different industries that I now know about inside and out.

If you want an interesting job where you'll learn a broad range of skills that will help you to be a good accountant, then the big 4 is not always the best way to go.

I'm not knocking big 4 experience at all, it definitely opens doors, but saying it's the best route to take is not true at all. Don't limit yourself and don't think of getting into a smaller practice as a conciliation prize.

dublinmanman

Hi there.
I'm 34 and am strongly considering becoming an Accountant. My primary degree is in Engineering which I completed in 1997. I've worked in various engineering roles and in recent years have been dealing with budgets, customer accounts etc.
I've been reading a number of articles on the merits of various qualifications and I'm leaning towards the ACCA.
Do larger companies, PWC, Accenture etc. consider mature candidates for their training programmes?
In these times are the places going to newly graduated candidates?
Are there other routes that I should consider??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks