I am opening this discussion because I feel a bit boxed in. I would like to hear from other people who where in my situation, I am asking you to help me to solve this problem. So, I have been studying with AAT now for nearly 3 years. I have completed Level 2 and 3, now I am doing Level 4. While I was going trough the levels I took on a SAGE 50 training to get more experience. I am not from the accounting industry, only have administration experience. However, I have passed all my exams with ease until now and I am sitting my first level 4 exam tomorrow. My problem surfaced when I have started applying for work.
I was thinking that once I have the qualification I could get a job and start a new career in the finance industry. It turned out I was so very wrong. I have a very good CV, I know that, because I got a number of compliments on it. I always write cover letters where appropriate. I also have a good professional profile on a website, I do not want to mention here. As I have started to apply for jobs I realized I have to start from the very bottom. I was going for Trainee positions and support positions. But, hardly get any interviews. I was like, ok you need to rethink that and start again. I have registered at every agency I could find in my surrounding. I started to get some answers and interviews, but was always left out because I do not have experience. The final drop was when a recruitment consultant told me that the agencies getting paid to bring in experienced people and not people who are new to the industry. She suggested I should try and apply to small companies on my own. So I am doing this now. I have also reevaluated my situation and decided to work on my experience issue.
The first and obvious choice was volunteering, I registered with my local volunteering office. All the opportunities that they had where way out of my league. They needed people with experience to do it. Again, back to the drawing board. I am full time employed, what can I do? Got holidays! So I went of and approached local accountants offering free work for a couple of weeks, till my holidays last. Didn't ask for money, only wanted the experience and perhaps a reference letter. No need to tell you, this did not work either.
Start again! After I have finished level 3, I applied for AATQB status. So, I looked up bookkeeping. Starting up my own business would be a bit challenging, but that is ok, nothing is easy. It turned out I would need a licence to do that. Looked up the licensing requirements and guess what? You need to have experience to get a licence from the AAT. I have been applying for jobs for nearly two years in Lincolnshire, Nottingham shire and Leicester shire area. Nothing, no experience no job. As I am 33 years old and have a family and a mortgage I can not take on a apprenticeship role, need more money than this could offer me. My bottom limit would be £16000.
I do not want to consider the money and time I have put into this qualification as wasted, but right now I have run out of ideas. Do not know where I could go from here. What else to try? If there is anybody who was in similar situation and made it out, could you please help me out? Actually, any advice from anybody is most welcomed! Thank you very much for reading these lines and for your help!
Kind regards,
Lajos Lukacs
-- Edited by Lajos on Tuesday 4th of July 2017 08:11:09 AM
welcome to the forum. I will respond properly later today but unfortunately (fortunately!) at the moment absolutely inundated. Just didn't want to leave you hanging thinking that nobody was responding after such a heart felt plea for more constructive advice than you have been getting so far.
Lots of people here have hit similar walls in career changing. The experience requirement can in many ways be considered a pit trap that prevents many capable people from entering the profession. But there are ways to gain some experience.
Don't despaire. sure that we'll pep up your job search and worry not, the time and money that you have invested in getting a quality qualification is not wasted.
It may be late this evening before you get a proper answer from me but one is coming. In the meanwhile there are many others who have troden a similar path to yourself who I'm sure will also help with sound advice... Maybe not a job... but advice to get you on the right path to getting one.
Keeep your chin up,
all the best,
Shaun.
__________________
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.
Where to start. With the negatives, but with some suggestions (sorry its a bit rushed and unstructured and if it sounds harsh, its no way intended that way, but Im bombed with work!)
1) Im assuming you are talking about Linkedin? I had a very quick look since you mentioned it (despite no website name mentioned!) - one or two suggestions if I may
Get rid of your middle name - made you hard to look up, until I put in your town name as well.
AATQB - are you actually allowed to include that in the way you have done, if you havent actually got the AAT AATQB licence as my understanding is that you cannot? Having the licence is a key part to using the letters after your name, same when you get your level 4 - you cannot use MAAT, until you are MAAT MIP. You can however include the qualification itself in your list of qualifications (do you list your quals, I cannot recall now!). Care as using it incorrectly can lead to strong sanctions from the AAT (fines or expulsion). Besides not many folk actually know that that is, so maybe trainee Accounts Technician, converted to Accounts Technician when you have your level four, or some such wording might be better.
Get rid of Home Learning college - not respected, but it shouldnt take away from your achievements so just lose it.
Janet and John or sorry whatever they are called - their business name looks a bit odd. I know it might be their real name but might be worth losing the name and just referring to it as something along the lines of professional experience provider (will ponder when I have two minutes, if I ever get them, as to how that can be phrased better)
Dont just state what the company you work for does, including the older job experience, but what you do for them, ie sell yourself, not sell the business. (#)
2) CV - who are giving you compliments? Recruitment companies? Ignore them, they talk rubbish, unless they have actually got you an interview or a job! Instead - ask your current boss what they think (assuming they know you are leaving, which I assume they do as its on Linkedin). Even better - extend that to any business owners you know of, ask for their constructive criticism. Also get them to check your cover letter. Although please note that CVs and cover letters should always be tailored for the job itself.
How to sell yourself on Linkedin and in your CV etc - dont just say what you have done in a role, but what you have achieved and how that benefitted the company. Use the STARs system. For each of your achievements and skills listed you should have a STAR - this will help you write your CV AND will help you answer questions better in an interview. You say you 'hardly get any interviews' which indicates you have had some so why were they not successful?
STARs = Situation, Task, Action and Result. Google it. Its used in very structured interviews, but if you go prepared for such you can easily adapt it for less structured ones.
My Linkedin isnt populated well as I dont use it for what it is intended, nor am I job hunting, but I do have my CV ready to go at almost a moments notice. Every line in it, even my volunteering section has a STAR ready to go and a mini STAR (one line) embedded within the CV.
How does your CV look any different from the 500 or so other ones that are landing on someones desk for each job advert? THAT is key!!!!!
3) Recruitment agents - waste of space, generally, but not always. OK - they will always fill a place with someone fully or as near fully qualified as they can. They get paid thousands for filling a slot and if that person is later found to be not suitable and leaves, even anything up to in 6 months time, then they have to give a rebate back to the client, which can be anything up to 100% of the original fee, depending on the timescales, so they will never send someone who they think will leave, unless they are needed JUST to make up the numbers when someone has their name in the frame (yep)! But what they will do is promise you the earth. Always use with a healthy dollop of cynicism.
4) Volunteering - dont bother with the volunteering office. Just apply for local charities, small ones who cannot afford a fully qualified in house person, but who has an Accountant on hand for awkward 'stuff'. Better still , start with the childrens local football or guides/brownies packs and move on from there. Yes the latter will not involve accrual accounting unless a particularly large group, but gets you on the ladder of charity groups and can lead to some of the others. Also - schools governing bodies are a good one if you have some good life experience as most on such teams have no clue so a good financial person is a godsend, especially at primary school level.
5) Work experience with Accountancy firms. Even when offering to work for free this is a difficult one. Put yourself in their shoes. Despite not paying you they will be investing a hell of a lot in monetary and time terms to train you for that week or 6 months or whatever. They cannot just leave you to get on with a role, it needs constant supervision and that means a member of existing staff not being as efficient with their own workloads as they would normally be. So you can see why they would not want to do such. I certainly wouldnt have the time (#2), but I would welcome someone on a more permanent footing. Mostly such firms want commitment - at least a two year timeframe where you will work with them so they get some 'payback' from that investment. No Im not suggesting you work for free for 2 years, that would be illegal, but I hope that helps you understand why you are getting the responses you are getting. Of course any forward looking business rates training as much as any other part of their business as such generally provides for longevity of their business, succession planning and loyalty!
So - along with some of the suggestions within the comments above, get your level four - you will be more employable with that. No training and exams are ever wasted. Definitely apply to smaller companies, but again at this stage, perhaps ones with small Accounts offices rather than a one man/woman Accounts (non) 'team'. Even with level four you are most likely going to be starting at the very bottom, but as you state the minimum wage of £16k this is probably achievable (albeit some jobs seem to start at £12k for entry roles!), but one thing Ive heard time and time and time again is that you may need to do a fair few applications. Ive heard people do 200 but still stick it out and still then achieve the entry into such a job market. Unfortunately the AAT and the like are pumping out too many students for the number of roles so you just have to persevere and make sure your CV etc show you as different to everyone elses. You will need to be looking at data entry type roles, such as purchase or sales ledger for the larger companies, unless as I say you find one with a small team of say 2-3 people who just get stuck in with everything. 200 sounds scary and can leave you feeling very despondent, but my Dad had exactly the same as a highly skilled engineer, with his multitude of qualifications, just because he was looking after owning his own business and therefore considered he may be 'unmanageable'. It only took one to see his skill set was not worth passing him over for. That one is all you need so just keep going.
Other things I can suggest - what is the set up where you work in the Accounts office. Can you do some shadowing or take some of the work and do it in your own time? Other one - is use ANY and EVERY connection you have. My son managed to find an Accountancy firm that was happy to take him on a two week free trial, on the back of an intro from a valued client. He was offered a job with them before his second week was out! #2 I was prepared to help someone get a couple of weeks experience last year - but she was the daughter of an old friend and respected colleague - ie dont under estimate the power of an introduction (ever!)
It just takes one!! So good luck with it.
Edited re typos/spelling
-- Edited by Cheshire on Tuesday 4th of July 2017 12:08:02 PM
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Thank you very much for the quick reply! What I am looking for is advice, someone to point me into the right direction. A job offer of course would be nice, but I am not expecting it to land it in front of me. I am prepared to work for it.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read my lines. First, I would like to say that there is no need for apologies, reality can be harsh and that is not your fault! Thank you very much for taking a look at my profile. You must be very busy and I truly appreciate that you have spent the time with that. I will do my very best to take on as much as I can from your advices.
1)Good guess regarding the social site.
·I have deleted the middle name as you suggested and have removed the AATQB letters. You really scared me with the letters. Credibility is paramount for me, therefor I will get in touch with AAT regarding this. I hold a Bookkeeping membership with them, to my best knowledge this should be enough to show the letters. But I will have this confirmed with the AAT. I think I have read it right. but please have a look for your self: https://www.aat.org.uk/membership/associate-bookkeeping-membership
·I will work on my online profile and take on the advice you gave.
2)If you would be so kind and give me an email address I would be very happy to send you my CV. It would be very helpful to hear your opinion on it.
3)Many recruitment agents where honest with me, I really do value this. I also value their opinion. If they say I need to improve on something I would do my best to do so. I did felt however, that I am only on the interview to fill the space.
4)Thank you for mentioning the schools! Never would have popped into my mind!
Everything you mentioned in your reply makes so much sense. I feel ashamed that I did not come to these myself. I will take all your advice on board! Also something must have happened to my log in info. I had to re-register with a new email address.
I don't know what I can add to Joannes excellent appraisal just to emphasise that completing level IV is where you should be focusing.
Good luck in your studies and getting your foot on the first rung of the ladder. I will say though that for starters coming to this without experience you may have to initially halve your salary expectation. Once you have the right experience then the money should follow.
__________________
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.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read my lines. First, I would like to say that there is no need for apologies, reality can be harsh and that is not your fault! Thank you very much for taking a look at my profile. You must be very busy and I truly appreciate that you have spent the time with that. I will do my very best to take on as much as I can from your advices.
1) Good guess regarding the social site.
· I have deleted the middle name as you suggested and have removed the AATQB letters. You really scared me with the letters. Credibility is paramount for me, therefor I will get in touch with AAT regarding this. I hold a Bookkeeping membership with them, to my best knowledge this should be enough to show the letters. But I will have this confirmed with the AAT. I think I have read it right. but please have a look for your self: https://www.aat.org.uk/membership/associate-bookkeeping-membership
· I will work on my online profile and take on the advice you gave.
2) If you would be so kind and give me an email address I would be very happy to send you my CV. It would be very helpful to hear your opinion on it.
3) Many recruitment agents where honest with me, I really do value this. I also value their opinion. If they say I need to improve on something I would do my best to do so. I did felt however, that I am only on the interview to fill the space.
4) Thank you for mentioning the schools! Never would have popped into my mind!
Everything you mentioned in your reply makes so much sense. I feel ashamed that I did not come to these myself. I will take all your advice on board! Also something must have happened to my log in info. I had to re-register with a new email address.
Kind regards,
Lajos
Hi Lajos
Sorry only just got back on the site after a manic couple of days. Dont beat yourself up about the ideas. Im in the fortunate position that Ive seen it from an employees and employers point of view so it does give different perspectives. Plus Ive gone through a change of direction over the years and am quite a bit older than you so probably had just a tiny bit more experience in such matters, but I still go to others for advice as two heads are better than one. Glad to have helped. Sorry that I cannot help with looking at your CV specifically as Im just hardly getting any sleep running my own business and dont have two minutes to myself just now. Like I say though, run it by as many business owners and the like that you know, but get in as many STARs as you can.
Hope all went well with your first level 4 exam the other day. Good luck and keep us updated.
__________________
Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position