Moving into Accountancy: general course or ACCA?

K

kellyp15

Registered User
Messages
4
Hi all,

First post here. I'm a radiation therapist looking to move into a career in Accountancy (a big switch, I know;).

Anyway, after a couple hours of research, it seems to me that the best way to go about this is to do the ACCA exams.
My question is, should I do a basic course in accounting and finance (e.g: DBS's one).

OR should I jump straight into studying for the ACCA and do a course in that (e.g: again DBS does one of these).

Any help I could get with this would be hugely appreciated! If I could just jump straight into the ACCA that would obviously be preferable to spending 4 years doing a normal course before having to do the ACCA exams anyway. But my problem is, I'm afraid that no employer is going to take me seriously (even with the ACCA qualification) without a basic grounding in accounting and finance!

Anyway, as I said, any help with this conundrum would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks!
 
Hi Sue,

Thanks for the reply, those were very interesting. The main question I have is: will employers look down on me if I just have the ACCA qualification and don't have any sort of business/accounting/finance undergraduate degree?

Thanks!
 
Hi,

I didn't study business/accountancy for my primary degree and did ACCA lectures in DBS whilst working in the private sector in accountancy roles. I qualify this by saying that I completed a graduate diploma in business after my original degree. I never had issues with not having a business/accountancy degree, although I don't actually know if not having one meant I wasn't shortlisted for job interviews at various times. My ACCA studies, qualification and actual work experience gave me good career progression.
 
Practice or industry.

Are you in a position to go back to collage for 2/3/4 years and then work for low pay for 2-3 more?

Why are you leaving your current profession to become an accountant.

There are many more questions than should you do a degree.
 
Joe_90 said:
Practice or industry.

Are you in a position to go back to collage for 2/3/4 years and then work for low pay for 2-3 more?

Why are you leaving your current profession to become an accountant.

There are many more questions than should you do a degree.
Click to expand...
...............

As per Joe , you need to know why you should move etc.

Also , on future jobs ; the Economist ran a survey on which jobs are future -proofed.
Clergymen scored well ie likely to have vacancies.

Accountancy scored poorly.
I understood that to mean that Technology/Apps/Computors/on-line would take away a lot of work.

Wish you well.
 
Hi Kelly

Best of luck with the career move.

If you are going to take the leap into accountancy, why not look for an apprenticeship with an accountancy practice? I'm suggesting this as a friend of mine did the tax exams and then went looking for a job in tax. Even though he was qualified, he had zero experience in tax. The same will apply to you if you do the exams while continuing your current job. You will be a qualified accountant competing for jobs with people with the same qualification plus 4 years experience.

You could always give the ACCA a call and ask to speak to someone. I'm sure they can point you in the right direction.

Steven
www.bluewaterfp.ie
 
Hi all, thanks for all the replies they really help!
Steiner, it's good to know I can make it without that initial business degree although by the looks of some of the other posts it would be difficult to find a job after I graduate without any kind of work experience. My problem is that I need to stay in Radiation Therapy now just to make sure I can pay rent etc... and my plan was to do the ACCA exams part-time for about 2 years.

Is it possible to get an apprenticeship without having any kind of business/ accounting qualification? Could I do say half the ACCA exams and then be in a better position to go hunting for an apprenticeship after? And then do said apprentiship while continuing on with my studies?

I saw the CPA exams but (and please correct me if I'm wrong) aren't the ACCA ones slightly more recognised internationally?

Anyway thanks for all the help so far I really appreciate it!
 
There is nothing stopping you from starting the exams before getting the experience.

Might be worth checking out ACA as well. They now let you do the exams while remaining in your current job and getting the experience later. You still need the experience to qualify but as you say, it is easier to get a decent apprenticeship if you have some good exam results.

Might also be worth checking out the big 4 trainee programmes to see if that is a route you might be interested in going down. I know people with medical and engineering degrees with no business backgraound that were accepted on these. While the pay isn't great, it is generally a lot better than you will get in smaller practices and the training and support is generally better.
 
kellyp15 said:
Is it possible to get an apprenticeship without having any kind of business/ accounting qualification? I did just that, so it is possible but it was over 14 years ago and the economy was booming. There are always entry level positions though. Could I do say half the ACCA exams and then be in a better position to go hunting for an apprenticeship after?you can of course do any number of ACCA exams before getting a position. An employer will recognise that you have a number of exams under your belt and also won't have to pay for all your lectures etc as you have done some yourself And then do said apprentiship while continuing on with my studies? thats ok, so long as you can get a job

I saw the CPA exams but (and please correct me if I'm wrong) aren't the ACCA ones slightly more recognised internationally? I don't know anything specifically about the CPA international side, today all qualifications would have recognition and affiliation. The firm where I trained had a healthy mix of ACCA, ACA, and CPA at partner/senior/trainee level doing the same work. I have done some good CPA day courses.
Click to expand...

see my thoughts above.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top