Starting accounting career

Delta1138

Firstly, I worked in shops (Supervalu and tesco) since I left school and while I was in college. I have a history and English degree, but when they put the cost of the hdip up I couldn't afford to do it.

So I went back to college and I completed the Accounting Technician Course and i want to carry on with CPA or Chartered Accountants. Don't really know the difference if anyone wants to help out.

Also if someone could tell me if it would be better for me to start doing the exams before I get a position or not. I have no problem paying for them, in fact I'd rather as I don't want to feel I owe anyone something.

Now I know I lack experience so I was looking for entry level jobs. Grand, have to start somewhere.

So I've been sending out CVs for 6 months and I got 3 interviews, one of which I could tell they didn't want a fella. So anyway I got this email saying I was short listed for a job doing payroll for a maternity contract, great I thought, so I call up this crowd and she tells me it was an accident, now she didn't say sorry or anything but jaysus it was horrible.

So what would you guys suggest I do. I work a part time admin job at the minute but ya know working 15 hours a week at €10 doesn't really help out my 5 year plan. Any advice lads?

mugsymugsy

Try getting a job in admin in a finance team and work from that. You could then progress / take on more finance related tasks/ learn the finance IT packages they are using and improve your excel skills etc

Delta1138

mugsymugsy wrote: »

Try getting a job in admin in a finance team and work from that. You could then progress / take on more finance related tasks/ learn the finance IT packages they are using and improve your excel skills etc

That's what I was thinking when I started my admin job. It's a mnc based in the states but it has 10 people in Ireland. I was hoping I could do payroll, vat pretty much anything that would kind of being me on.

In fact the reason I left working in shops was that they wouldn't train me in fact j was told and I quote

"Why would we let you do it? When we get someone of job bridge for €50. We can justify training them, but if we take you of the floor we can't justify a job bridge person to stack shelves"

Asshole, 6 years I worked for that guy.

Avatar MIA

Delta1138 wrote: »

"Why would we let you do it? When we get someone of job bridge for €50. We can justify training them, but if we take you of the floor we can't justify a job bridge person to stack shelves"

Not true either, people were taken on under JB to stack shelves in Supermarkets.

Anyway, You can study any of the Professional body exams part time without a training contract. If you continue on that route you'll prove to potential employers you have "the smarts".

If you can pass the ATI exams you should be fine to pass the next level Prof exams.

Well done getting three interviews, you're not far off getting on the ladder.

Delta1138

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Not true either, people were taken on under JB to stack shelves in Supermarkets.

Anyway, You can study any of the Professional body exams part time without a training contract. If you continue on that route you'll prove to potential employers you have "the smarts".

If you can pass the ATI exams you should be fine to pass the next level Prof exams.

Well done getting three interviews, you're not far off getting on the ladder.

Thanks for the reply.

if I do the exams will that not kind of limit me, I wouldn't be overly familiar with the industry but if I do CPA (I get more exemptions) will that limit me if I go to work for a chartered accountants firm or an ACCA firm ?

OttoPilot

Delta1138 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

if I do the exams will that not kind of limit me, I wouldn't be overly familiar with the industry but if I do CPA (I get more exemptions) will that limit me if I go to work for a chartered accountants firm or an ACCA firm ?

I work in a big four accounting firm and I've only ever met people doing aca and acca, and acca would be fairly rare. I don't think there is a restriction on you working for any firm if you have CPA instead of either of the above but people tend to look on their own body more favourably.

Avatar MIA

Delta1138 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

if I do the exams will that not kind of limit me, I wouldn't be overly familiar with the industry but if I do CPA (I get more exemptions) will that limit me if I go to work for a chartered accountants firm or an ACCA firm ?

Only from the Big 4. Most of the others wont care, maybe some of the CAI practices.

OttoPilot

https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/Prospective-Students/Training-Vacancies/Vacancies

A lot of smaller aca firms are looking for trainees now, they usually don't require much beyond a college degree with at least a 2:2, sometimes 2:1. I think you would have a fair chance at an interview. They should pay for your aca exams too, just have a good reason that you've now decided to move into accounting.

Disclaimer: this is the accounting body I chose so naturally I'm biased.

Tom Dunne

You need to be clear on a few things.

First of all, what do you want? Do you want to become a fully qualified accountant? If so, you will need to do the 3 year training in either a practice or one of the Big 4.

To do this, you need to be clear on the various professional bodies and what is on offer and how that ties in with the organisation you are applying to.

There is a very healthy market right now for trainee accountants. If you are anyway good, you should have no problem getting into a training programme. But remember, you are up against high-points individuals who have been studying this area for 3-4 years. So you need to be clear, articulate and confident.

Delta1138

Thank you all for the replies lads.

Out of curiosity, how are accounting technicians viewed by practices/companies in your experience ?

Am aware I have more exams than a graduate (2 for ACa and 1 for CPA) and I don't mind paying them, but is it a hindrance to hire a technician over a level 8 ?

Avatar MIA

Delta1138 wrote: »

Thank you all for the replies lads.

Out of curiosity, how are accounting technicians viewed by practices/companies in your experience ?

Am aware I have more exams than a graduate (2 for ACa and 1 for CPA) and I don't mind paying them, but is it a hindrance to hire a technician over a level 8 ?

If I got a CV in and someone had their Accounting Tec and another person had a level 8 with an accounting element, I'd put them on par or it wouldn't be a deciding factor. If someone had progressed on the prof papers, especially shortly after completing their acc tech or level 8 then they would receive significantly more notice.

Tom Dunne

Delta1138 wrote: »

Thank you all for the replies lads.

Out of curiosity, how are accounting technicians viewed by practices/companies in your experience ?

Am aware I have more exams than a graduate (2 for ACa and 1 for CPA) and I don't mind paying them, but is it a hindrance to hire a technician over a level 8 ?

Pure Accounting graduates would have more exemptions.

Practices/Big 4 typically look for a Level 8 in Accounting, or a Level 8 in Business/Finance with Accounting modules. In my opinion, accounting technician would be somewhat down the pecking order. However, as I said above, it's a graduate's market and given the right candidate, with the right attitude, it would not be impossible to get hired.

Delta1138

So if j start CPA (deadline is Friday I think) and work my own way through it I suppose slowly would be the best way due to funding for the monute. Would that be a bad idea ?

In the end I don't want to open my own practice, I'd like to get the practice experience but Id really like to work on the accounts department of a company (Microsoft, dell etc) because I think it's easier to plan than react to information.

Avatar MIA

Delta1138 wrote: »

So if j start CPA (deadline is Friday I think) and work my own way through it I suppose slowly would be the best way due to funding for the monute. Would that be a bad idea ?

In the end I don't want to open my own practice, I'd like to get the practice experience but Id really like to work on the accounts department of a company (Microsoft, dell etc) because I think it's easier to plan than react to information.

There's no 100% correct answer, it's subjective.

No one cans say, doing X will be the best option for you. I've seen CPA's do well in Dell, but I've never worked in Microsoft. But, in my time with Dell (not today or yesterday) most accountants were either ACCA or ACA. This may have simply be down to the fact that the general accountant is more likely to be ACCA or ACA.

CPA's may be more appreciated in some US multinationals, usually startups because the main US designation is CPA. Once HR is more settled in and indigenous this isn't a factor.

Delta1138

Ok, so I thought about it for the past few days and did more research.

It turns out ACA might be the best option.

Firstly, there's 26000 of them. Now am no genius but if it wasn't good am sure their would be less.

Secondly, the exams seem easier, according to them, with a higher pass rate than the other bodies. Also there seems to be less than any of the other bodies, even with my exemptions 7ACA, 9 CPA, 11 ACCA)

Thirdly, given my current situation it does seem to be the most cost effective option. €440 per subject in cap1 and that's my entire expense, CPA want €900+ for one subject.

I'd like to thank you all for commenting on this thread as you help give my mind peace.

Thanks lads

Avatar MIA

Delta1138 wrote: »

Ok, so I thought about it for the past few days and did more research.

It turns out ACA might be the best option.

Firstly, there's 26000 of them. Now am no genius but if it wasn't good am sure their would be less.

Secondly, the exams seem easier, according to them, with a higher pass rate than the other bodies. Also there seems to be less than any of the other bodies, even with my exemptions 7ACA, 9 CPA, 11 ACCA)

Thirdly, given my current situation it does seem to be the most cost effective option. €440 per subject in cap1 and that's my entire expense, CPA want €900+ for one subject.

I'd like to thank you all for commenting on this thread as you help give my mind peace.

Thanks lads

Not sure about some of the above, but good luck.

Delta1138

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Not sure about some of the above, but good luck.

Which parts ?

Avatar MIA

Delta1138 wrote: »

Which parts ?

Higher pass rates =/= easier exams for starters.