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Accountancy sector 'has various entry routes'
Accountancy News |
11/06/2012
There are a number of possible entry routes into the accountancy profession, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has claimed.
James Johnston, business relationship manager at the organisation, said the schooling route, graduate route and open access route are potential options for people looking to enter the sector.
He explained that ACCA offers a professional qualification for students finishing university after studying a relevant degree in accountancy.
Alternatively, candidates can go straight into work and transfer the qualification with experience with an employer and then eventually qualify as a professional.
Mr Johnston said employers are looking for both natural ability and a willingness to work on an application.
"What I find in the university graduate arena is that employers will want students who can demonstrate a number of employability skills, which will touch on things like communication, teamwork, leadership and commercial awareness," he added.
These are attributes that can help an organisation understand how a graduate can fit into the role, Mr Johnston stated.
"That can be demonstrated from the experiences that a student has at university – whether it is has been through a club or society, previous work experience or a part-time job," he added.
Employers want students who can show an application that is "a step ahead of the game", Mr Johnston commented.
When trying to impress employers, documenting previous work experience on a CV can be a wise move, the ACCA expert stated.
"We are finding now that with a number of employers the way that they separate the students who have come out with great degree classifications is that [they look for] those with an internship or a work placement under their belt too," he added.
"What is key about that is that it helps the graduate market themselves to an organisation and have the kind of key skills to fit into a role so that they can get the ball rolling."
Mr Johnston noted that students with a good number of credentials and a strong degree may be given a chance, but work experience may prove to be the deciding factor.
Posted by John Lynes
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