Recently Finished a degree

autumnbelle

Hi I have recently finished an accounting degree and I would really like some advice. I have three options, the first being a masters - I have no job to fund this, second do a jobbridge position to get experience and study myself, thirdly try get a trainee position. I am a mature student and would like to not have to attend classes every week night if at all posible as the classes are a distance away from me. Which would you advise?

littlemiss123

autumnbelle wrote: »

Hi I have recently finished an accounting degree and I would really like some advice. I have three options, the first being a masters - I have no job to fund this, second do a jobbridge position to get experience and study myself, thirdly try get a trainee position. I am a mature student and would like to not have to attend classes every week night if at all posible as the classes are a distance away from me. Which would you advise?

Personally, I would go for option 3 and just go straight for a training contract. It's a tough road but at the end of the day once you get through it no one can take it away from you and you have internationally recognised training (as opposed to an accounting degree where you are not actually 'qualified' as anything). I think ACA have started uploading CAP2 lectures online (assuming you have CAP1 exemptions) so you could stream these online which might limit the travelling time to and from lectures allowing you to be more flexible. I don't know how good these are though in comparison to actually attending as I am only starting my CAP2 now.

In my opinion, doing a masters will take more time, cost money and at the end of it you will probably still need to go on a do more training in your particular field.

Can you clarify what you mean by 'study myself' while working getting experience? What will you be studying for, the masters or the accounting exams? Either way, if you're going to study while getting experience, would it not make sense to just get a training contract?

autumnbelle

I have just heard such horror stories that at this stage Im nearly afraid to go into a contract 3.5 yrs seems so long if you hate a job and Im already starting at a late age. Do firms all really expect 14 hour days also everyday

ASOT2012

Getting a training contract in a firm is not easy, but it is definitely the best and shortest route to getting qualified in my opinion. I would suggest doing a masters as an option if you didn't a training contract.

autumnbelle

ASOT2012 wrote: »

Getting a training contract in a firm is not easy, but it is definitely the best and shortest route to getting qualified in my opinion. I would suggest doing a masters as an option if you didn't a training contract.

Thank you, is this the way you progressed? how did you find it was it hard to still have a family life etc

Loughc

autumnbelle wrote: »

I have just heard such horror stories that at this stage Im nearly afraid to go into a contract 3.5 yrs seems so long if you hate a job and Im already starting at a late age. Do firms all really expect 14 hour days also everyday

Option 3 is def the way to go, I had a 4 year training contract, sure the money was awful but the experience was top class and it got me to where I am today. No not every practice expect you to work 14 hours a day. There will be busy times especially near tax deadline time of year, but in practice you wont be working too much over the regular office hours.

Industry however is closer to a 50+ week than 40 now a days.

C16M12

In my experience there is a higher drop rate for more mature students who enter a training contract - basically new graduates have little other professional/working experience and can deal with being treated like slave labour.

ACCA is a more flexible (modular) qualification than ACA and can be spread out over a number of years to suit you. However the ACA had responded with an Elevate Programme which is also much more flexible as I understand it - in my opinion if you can work and gain some practical accounting experience while stuying at your own pace then this is the best option. If you don't like it then you won't have wasted money on a masters or signed upt for 3.5 years.

As an employer I do not put much weight on an accounting masters, i want ACA, ACCA or CIMA and i don't really care how you get it.

Good luck

ted2767

autumnbelle wrote: »

I have just heard such horror stories that at this stage Im nearly afraid to go into a contract 3.5 yrs seems so long if you hate a job and Im already starting at a late age. Do firms all really expect 14 hour days also everyday

Whatever way you go you'll have to do an element of on the job training.
Were I you I'd bite the bullet and get on with it.

Username2011

I'm doing aca so will discuss that but Either way, you're going to have significant time pressures.

If you go big practice you will have long working hours but will be compensated with longer study period which is vital for aca.

If you go industry, the work hours may ne shorter but you will have to work harder during the year with your studies as you get much less study leave. My friend does three evenings lectures each week.

Regardless of where you choose , time pressure wise its going to be tough. In my opinion its worth it, but in saying that, I don't have family commitments to worry about.

Good luck!