My question is about which software should I study now that I finish the AAT level 2 certificate in bookkeeping. Between this 2 software which one could help me to find an entry level job in this field? Is it the Sage 50 Instant a good software to begin?
Sage is more prevelant than QB and many small business owners still adopt it before realising how unfreindly the software can be. As such there is generally a good demand for people with good Sage knowledge.
Advanced Excel (Pivot tables, lookups, etc) is an expected part of your knowledge base. Even roles that do not advertise for it expect for you to have it.
A lot of the entry level roles available are within larger companies and they tend to use either bespoke packages or SAP. Doesn't take a lot of getting used to as if you have one software (such as Sage, Quickbooks or VT) you will find it easier to move to another as you will know what you are attempting to achieve with the software and what it should be doing so if you are having difficulty doing something you know that it must be in the package somewhere so you just keep digging until you are able to do the same things across packages.
A more major hurdle that you will face is that AAT level II is only at the start of the learning process and you may have real difficulties getting that past the agents desk to the employers as they have a lot of people available who have completed level IV (often combined with experience. Its a tough market out there).
With AAT level II the three temp roles that may be open to you is you are able to show strong Sage knowledge combined with speed and accuracy of data entry are Purchase ledger, sales ledger and credit control.
Credit control is the odd one out there as if you get the right role (rather than a call centre type one) it really uses your accounting skills to track payments and gain an understanding accounting systems and software.
Sales and purchase ledger work is often simply repetative data entry and not at all the work that you would have expected to be doing when you set out down the AAT path.
There is little difference in feel between Sage 50 and Sage Instant but despite this employers are looking for Sage 50 on the CV (Generally to level III certification to show that you know your way around stock control).
Sorry for the rushed answer and any typo's. Got to go to a clients now but will be back later to chat more.
kind regards,
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.
Having a good knowledge of as many products as possible is always useful.
Sage and Quickbooks are good places to start, but you really need to be flexible and able to work with whatever your client likes/wants/or is deluded enough to have bought.
Sage and Quickbooks are common, so are people who know how to use them, they you become on of many in a large market, so learning more obscure packages might give you more of an edge being one of the few in a smaller market.
What you really need to be able to do is to pick up any accounting system, get your head around it and use it, from a CV pov having several packages and showing adaptability might make you a best candidate in a field of candidates where none have experiance with <<obscure product>>.
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Thanks for your welcome, and many thanks for your answare. If I well understood I should study Excel as soon as I can, because even if is not specified as features for the role most of the employers expect an excellent knowledge of that program and after study Sage. Am I right?
ps. I completed the level 2 Bookkeeping in 2 months and I have a second-class honours degree in Business Economics and Management (Italy), so for me it is like I'm restarting again from the very beginning.
its shaun, my userid (and nickname) is shamus so I answer to either.
Excel is something that you should really be using all of the time rather than dedicating large tracts of time to studying it.
On Youtube there is a channel called "Excel is Fun" which hides the fact that the channel with a couple of thousand videos in it teaches some of the most advanced Excel technique out there and it is done in such a way that it really doesn't feel like hard work picking it up. Its something that you can dip in and out of... Although when I dip in I can get lost in there for days as Excel has to be one of the most powerful peices of software available in the market yet people only generally use it for the simplest tasks.
Sage you really need to study properly. The basics are not difficult to pick up but being able to use it as second nature takes quite some time.
As Bruce identifies get knowledge of as many packages as you can (whether you like them or not!).
For starters there's Sage, Quickbooks, VT, Xero, Kashflow, Moneysoft... There really are loads and thats before you start getting onto tax and payroll software!
Once you know one the others come more easily and for the UK Sage has to be on everyone's to do list even if later you dump it (As I did when I moved to VT).
I mentioned SAP in my first reply but as a follow up I just want to add that its not one that you will be able to pick up unless you have a job using it as its incredibly expensive software.
If you know Sage though the move up to SAP with larger businesses is not a major learning curve.
On the restarting from the begining thats not a bad thing in that at advanced levels its possible to forget some of the basics. Personally once a year I do the BPP AAT revision kit for units 1-4 cover to cover over a weekend and the Melville book on taxation for the latest finance act over Christmas week as we are never too advanced to make a fool of ourselves by taking our knowledge base for granted.
Right, sorry, lost track of time, got to go out to another clients...
Talk later Jacob,
kind regards,
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.
