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The Book-keepers Forum -> Recruitment & Jobs -> Advice on looking for my first job in accounting.
Post Info TOPIC: Advice on looking for my first job in accounting.
Adam M


Member

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Posts: 5
Date: Thu Dec 1 12:25 2011
Advice on looking for my first job in accounting.
 

Hi everyone,

I'm currently studying the AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting and looking for my first job within accounting and start putting what I'm learning into practice.

I've been applying for jobs that looked like they might be taking on someone without experience but have not been hearing anything back, should I not bother applying for any jobs until I've finished the first course? do you guys have any general advice on where to look and what to look for, for someone who has no real experience yet?

So far I've been applying for roles around Leeds that have job titles such as Accounts Assistant, am I going down the right track here?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I'm looking to get into this and build up my experience as soon as possible!

Thanks,

Adam



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jenand


Veteran Member

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Posts: 41
Date: Fri Dec 2 15:29 2011
 

Hi Adam.

First of all good look with the course.

What current work experience do you have? In the current job market, there will be several people applying for the jobs and some may be more experienced than you. They may be taking jobs/ pay they would not have done 3 years ago.

Perhaps you could apply for roles such as Sales or Purchase ledger clerk, at least it is still within finance.....

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Jenna

Spamkebab


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Posts: 619
Date: Fri Dec 2 15:44 2011
 

The Sales and Purchase ledger jobs around the Greater Manchester area are actually paying more than an Accounts Assistant role. I am in the same position while studying AAT level 3 and would consider applying for Purchase ledger clerk over Sales ledger. The jobs i've seen advertised for Purchase ledger seem to offer opportunities towards a more varied accounts role while Sales ledger offers more credit control and i don't want to be stuck in a credit control role.

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Shamus


Forum Moderator & Expert

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Date: Fri Dec 2 15:52 2011
 

Hi Neil,

you know why that is.

to get your post qualification experience signed off it has to be in a relevant role and for some bodies sales and purchase ledger work is considered as bookkeeping rather than accountancy so it doesn't count towards the experience requirement.

The rates paid for accounts assistants really takes the proverbial considering the extensive knowledge base that one is using if it's legitimately that role rather than really Sales or Purchase ledger work called accounts assistant work in order to pay people who are perhaps more qualified less money!

That experience requirement really gives accountancy practices an never ending source of cheap yet eager labour.

Clever move there by certain bodies.

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All responses are copyright and may not be repoduced or referenced in whole or part outside the forum. Answers given are for outline only and formal advice should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
Spamkebab


Guru

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Posts: 619
Date: Fri Dec 2 18:01 2011
 

I hear ya Shaun.

Gimme another 12 months and i will be a Purchase Ledger Technician lol

Neil

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Adam M


Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 5
Date: Mon Jan 2 05:42 2012
 

Thanks for the responses everyone, I've taken it on board and been applying for Sales and Purchase Ledger roles as well as the Accounts Assistant ones that pop up. Sadly no luck thus far, in fact I never seem to hear anything from anyone I've applied to! I clearly must be doing something very wrong, or my current role just confuses people and they don't see the transferable skills...

Jenand, my current experience with accountancy is nil. I've spent the last two and a bit years working for an Airborne LiDAR survey company, which is a highly technical field but also very rare and obscure, there are no competitors for what we do in the UK for instance... which is one reason why I'm doing this accounting course, if this company goes under there is no one to go to! Day to day I do a heck of a lot, far too much to try and list and it wouldn't make much sense anyway, but a lot of time is spent in Excel and product development, hopefully employers like that. My whole job title is 'Remote Sensing Technician, Marketing Design & Photography' as I now essentially have two roles there...

Spamkebab, are things better over in the Manchester area than Leeds? I wouldn't mind moving over there...

Ultimately I just want to be a good successful career without going to university, I can't stand the idea of not working for 3 years. I figured accounting was the way to go but I may have been wrong, but I know that's probably the winter blues talking! I'm only 26, but it feels like the clock is ticking.

Apologies for taking so long to reply, for some reason I wasn't able to get on this website and a few others at home, DNS issues ISP side we think.

Cheers,

Adam

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Spamkebab


Guru

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Posts: 619
Date: Mon Jan 2 09:19 2012
 

How advanced are you with Excel? Have you listed your Excel capabilities under skills on your C.V.? Would you say that you are an Excel expert or have advanced Excel knowledge? this would be the area i would focus on within my C.V if i used Excel on a daily basis. It is a strength that recruitment agencies look for.

Good luck,


Neil



-- Edited by Spamkebab on Monday 2nd of January 2012 09:19:53 AM

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Adam M


Member

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Posts: 5
Date: Fri Jan 6 12:35 2012
 

Hey Neil,

I'm really not sure how confident I should be with my Excel skills (mostly making macro's and what I call my 'machines'), whilst I am one of the best in the office we are of course not Accountants, we're surveyors (of sorts) and whilst I know how to use it for our needs I'm afraid that Accountants might use Excel entirely differently! But I suppose that's just a context thing.

But I think I will make it a bit more of a point about my Excel skills, it's not exactly difficult to use and I've never had any issues with it - to be honest I often find it baffling that people find it hard to use...

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Shamus


Forum Moderator & Expert

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Posts: 4055
Date: Fri Jan 6 12:47 2012
 

Hi Adam,

Excel is one of those things like learning to play Othello. Takes an hour to learn and a lifetime to master.

Good to hear that you're at the top of your game in your office (and really nice to hear that you're using Macro's) but if you wanted a bit more insight into how accountants use Excel get a copy of this book which will really open your eye's to some of the things that Excel can do.

If you're running Excel 2007 there's a version here to look inside

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Office-Excel-2007-BPG-others/dp/0735623961/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1325853661&sr=8-14

And if you're using Excel 2010 have a glance at this version.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Excel-2010-Analysis-Business/dp/0735643369/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1325853661&sr=8-3

There used to be a free Excel course for accountants over on accountingweb that took people from basic end user stuff that most people use to real experts in Excel. Unfortunately when Microsoft moved to 2007 the course was not updated and I can't even find the link now. Shame. It really was an excellent course written for people who already know what they're doing with Excel and just want to know more.

Kind regards,

Shaun.

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All responses are copyright and may not be repoduced or referenced in whole or part outside the forum. Answers given are for outline only and formal advice should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
Spamkebab


Guru

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Posts: 619
Date: Fri Jan 6 13:09 2012
 

I've looked everywhere for the guitar chords for Othello, can't seem to find them so i can't say whether or not i can play it but if you hum it Shaun, i'll play it.

Adam i would definitely include experienced Excel user or even Intermediate to Advanced user in your C.V. from what i gather from your post. Excel had me frightened to death
before i opened the software up and i was put off applying for jobs that needed Excel experience because i thought most users would be whizzkids. However
after reading some of the posts on here and being quizzed at interview it seems peoples perception of what an Excel intemediate or advanced user varies
tremendously and starting positions in an accounts environment don't expect too much more than data entry.

Take care

Neil

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We get heavier as we get older because our heads are filled with more stuff!
Shamus


Forum Moderator & Expert

Status: Offline
Posts: 4055
Date: Fri Jan 6 13:28 2012
 

As you say Neil, it varies from site to site.

Some employers don't even look for Excel in the CV's as it's assumed knowledge.

Actually, quite fancy playing my son at Othello when he finishes school today. (Its a grudge match, he beat me the last twice we played and the little sod's only 12!).

The fact that Adam mentions Macro's I'm pretty sure that he could put down advanced provided that he is prepared to sit a test at interview which is likely to involve Pivot tables and VLookups.

Also worth noting that Excel 2007+ cannot be assumed as many businesses still use Excel 2000 and 2003.

Actually, on that note I was only able to decommission Excel 4 on a machine a couple of months back as I had still been supporting Macro's for someone and they actually went to the wall before moving to a newer operating system... How sad is that, there are still Windows 95 machines out there being used in business!

Anyway, that one peice of software was actually the only reason that I had kept that machine as well. Whilst I have fond memories of Windows 95 and Excel 4 I'm really not missing the boot time of that one at all.

Reminds me, must throw out some of my old hardware. I'm as bad as Peasie when it comes to hoarding this stuff. Still got an old 386dx 25 with a 90mb hard drive around here somewhere (Yep, I really did say meg not gig!). Problem is that these things cost thousands when they were new so the thought of just scrapping them is just totally abhorent to me.

I've meandered again haven't I...

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All responses are copyright and may not be repoduced or referenced in whole or part outside the forum. Answers given are for outline only and formal advice should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
Spamkebab


Guru

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Posts: 619
Date: Fri Jan 6 14:47 2012
 

Meandered? I think the Beatles wrote Long and Winding Road about you lol.

I don't think thats a grudge match Shaun, i think that secretly, deep down you like a bit of total humiliation served with a nice cup of annihilation.

I am one to talk as i thought you were talking about Shakespeare and actually playing the part of Othello, please don't laugh too hard.

Good luck in your slaughter, may it be over quick

Neil



-- Edited by Spamkebab on Friday 6th of January 2012 02:48:00 PM

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We get heavier as we get older because our heads are filled with more stuff!
Shamus


Forum Moderator & Expert

Status: Offline
Posts: 4055
Date: Fri Jan 6 15:39 2012
 

Spamkebab wrote:

Meandered? I think the Beatles wrote Long and Winding Road about you lol.

But look on the bright side.

Every post of mine is a little adventure where you (and I) never know at the start where you might end up by the end wink

 

 



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All responses are copyright and may not be repoduced or referenced in whole or part outside the forum. Answers given are for outline only and formal advice should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
Spamkebab


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 619
Date: Fri Jan 6 15:46 2012
 

Now you sound like Mr. Ben lol

Right i'm gonna stop now as this thread has gone well and truly out the window lol. We must stop hijacking.

Adam i hope that any advice given (if you can filter it out) by myself and Mr. Ben is of some help to you.

Neil

 

My status has been achieved solely by posting absolute off topic (swear word deleted)

Why can't i get "Magical Mystery Tour" out of my head?



-- Edited by Spamkebab on Friday 6th of January 2012 03:48:27 PM



-- Edited by Spamkebab on Friday 6th of January 2012 03:53:59 PM

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We get heavier as we get older because our heads are filled with more stuff!
Amanda


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 892
Date: Sat Jan 7 10:51 2012
 

Hi Shaun,

Is there a book for the 2003 excel like the ones you have mentioned in a post further up on this thread??
If so can you post a link I would bne interested in that one.

thanks

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Amanda
Shamus


Forum Moderator & Expert

Status: Offline
Posts: 4055
Date: Sat Jan 7 13:49 2012
 

Hi Amanda,

the first edition was published in 2004 so that would cover Excel 2003.

See here for a look inside version :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Analysis-Business-Modeling-Package-Bpg-Other/dp/0735619018/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325943860&sr=1-3

The book comes with a CD which contains all of the practice files so best to check that the CD is included before placing an order.

kind regards,

Shaun.

__________________

All responses are copyright and may not be repoduced or referenced in whole or part outside the forum. Answers given are for outline only and formal advice should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
clark88


Newbie

Status: Offline
Posts: 1
Date: Mon Feb 13 12:20 2012
 

hi i have my nvq 2 in aat and im trying hard to gain any other qualifications in accounting,

i have no experience but want to start a career in finance/booking, does anybody know any good agencies around the liverpool area??

that could help me on my way,  thanks



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