Things to learn before applying for an Accountant position.

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Hi All, 

I have been working in Accounts Payable for more than three years and I am also an ACCA finalist with only few exams left to pass.

I find my current job dull and underpaid. I can't see myself doing it for long as I am not learning almost anything new anymore. Furthermore, I would need to find a job such as an accountant in order to pass my ACCA PER in a year's time and also to learn new things...My problem at the moment is that I haven't got relevant experience and therefore I can't apply for those sort of jobs...infact I have never had exposure with bank recs, accrual & prepayments or any other tasks that is normally required for that position.

My question is, which tasks or areas I should get exposure before starting to look for an accountant role outside my company whil having a real chance to be successful? My current company doesn't offer a real opportunity to move into its GL Dept as the two people working there have not got ambitions to move or progress...

One thing i could try is to to ask my company whether I might shadow one of the two people working as an accountant to give me some kind of exposure ( however I am.not that sure that my company would agree).

 

My question is, in case my company provide me with that opportunity but only for a limited length of time which area of that job I should give more priority? Accrual & prepayments? Bank recs? Or else?

Thanks a lot for your help.

 

Replies (7)

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By Parmstrong83
24th Jan 2017 15:38

n/a

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Replying to Parmstrong83:
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By rocks8
01st Sep 2016 19:11

Thanks a lot for your comment. :-)

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counting
By Counting numbers
31st Aug 2016 11:30

As you mention it is a good idea to approach your company and ask if you could shadow someone. If the other two people have ambitions to move up or progress I’d say there is a lot of accounting work that they don’t like to do.

Try to position yourself as trying to help your employer. Ask can you shadow with a view to helping out in busy periods or annual leave periods - as you are keen to learn and help the company in other ways. I think any experience would be beneficial at the start.

If you are successful in shadowing someone in the accounts dept in say an area of bank recs, you can start to ask about other accounting areas. It will also be great in interview position to be able to talk about your motivation to learn more and progress.

Best of luck.

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By cheekychappy
31st Aug 2016 11:44

You say those in the GL team are happy to stay where they are and have no ambtition, but whilst you have been studying, so have you.

Shadowing someone doesn’t give you the exposure you need. You need to do actually do the tasks, and sort problems as they arise to gain a good understanding.

In Barnsley / Sheffield, accounts payable jobs pay around £17-20k. As a finalist, had you looked for other roles as you progressed through the earlier stages, you would have been on at least £25k now.

The problem you now face is that you will shortly think that you are qualified to be an accountant, when potential employers (quite rightly), know that it isn’t the case.

You need to get some experience. Tell your employer your desire to progress, and your frustrations at the lack of exposure you have been given. Meanwhile, call a respectable recruitment agency that specialises in finance roles.

By not moving earlier in your career, you have cost yourself a few thousand pounds.

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By itp3asso
02nd Sep 2016 13:32

Things to learn brfore applying for an accountant s position?

How to duck.

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7om
By Tom 7000
02nd Sep 2016 15:09

Career progression 101

1. Get any job in an accts dept
2a. Pass some exams
2b. Try to get a better one in the co
3. Get a better one elsewhere
3. Pass more exams
4. Go to 2b

5. Passed ACCA...yay go to 2b

6. Get an MBA

7. Wake up as the FD

8. Get bored with being the FD and or fallout with the MD

9. Buy or start your own company

10. Regularly complain to the bank manager and accountant on the golf course the shocking cost of mooring fees for your yacht.

11. Complain to your 3rd spouse that bankmanagers are looking younger and younger.

12. Complain to your lawyer that £xm is a rediculous divorce settlement and you cant believe your spouse moved in with the bank manager.

13. Pay the lawyers £350k bill and ask the accountant if its tax deductible.

14. Remember fondly the good old days when all you had to do was sit on the purchase ledger and had no stress.....

Tom ;)
In the queue at the dentist...

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Replying to Tom 7000:
Scooby
By gainsborough
02nd Sep 2016 18:43

Tom, that brightened up my evening :).

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