Ok slightly selfish post cos it's all about me :) I've read through previous posts and i am still unclear as to what jobs i will be qualified to do or what areas of finance to submit applications when i reach this status. I'm still a good while off becoming MAAT but i'm just weighing my options. At the moment i'm considering Bookkeeping and that was my sole intention when i started my studies last year but as i progress through the qualifications i'm starting to get an interest in Management Accounting. I am looking at CIMA after AAT. After searching the net i'm a little confused as to what to apply for after completing AAT3 and the same for AAT4, obviously i know which areas are covered in these qualifications. If this doesn't make sense it's because of lack of coffee and i'll try to explain it better.
Understand the caffeine line completely. I buy my red bull in handy litre size bottles from Tesco's (Kick brand but more or less the same content).
On the what to apply for, basically everything that you think is of interest to you.
If you go to work in industry such as in banking you will find that much of your time is spent on management rather than financial accountancy tasks. Either CIMA or ACCA cover the same material but CIMA is more accomodating to it's members setting up as freelance bookkeepers.
Don't forget that CIMA is no longer a CCAB member and it's alligning itself more stateside so you may want to consider future prospects for CIMA in the UK before commiting yourself to them. That said, no matter what they do their qualification is sound and it will always get you exemptions from other quality qualifications should you need it to.
If I were you I would be applying for every accounts assistant role that comes available at the moment in order to land a role that will give you the experience requirement in order to eventually move up to MIP status. Think about CIMA but get that AAT under your belt first as that's the key to the first door.
Once through that I would go forwards to the CIMA door as the ACCA one has a trapdoor under it when you're coming to it from the bookkeeping route!
However, if you get a job in industry or practice (and don't want to set up freelance as a bookkeeper) then I would actually advise ACCA rather than CIMA as your best route either after or instead of AAT.
Just my opinions and only half way down the bottle of kick at the moment!
talk later,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
