To ask about your income as an accountant?

[M2R2]

Posting here for traffic.
Anyone have an ACCA qualification? Part qualified? I already finished 6 papers thinking if i should continue or not.
Plz help me with an idea if i can get a part time job while studying and need it to be counted as experience. It feels like a long way to go. Please share your story
Thank you

[Kiroro]

Do you have a training contract or are you just doing the papers yourself?

[whatisgoingon1]

In accounting profession experience just as valuable as qualifications.If you fully qualify as ACCA and have no experience,dont think you will get a job of a fully qualified accountant level.
Don't think why you can't get part qual job now(Bookkeeper,accounts assistant,payroll assistant ) but the more experience you have now,the easier it will be to progress in career once you qualified.

[JustinOtherdad]

Most jobs will look for at least 2 years post qualification experience to take you on at that level. I.e. you won't be able to step into a fully qualified role straight after qualifying.

However, an accounts junior or accounts clerk role should be open to you if you're already 6 papers in. Hell, I got my first two accounting jobs without any qualifications at all!

I think everyone I studied with was working in a finance role in some capacity at the time. Experience counts for so much as the papers can only teach you so much of the theory, but how you actually apply things in practice can only come from being on the job.

[joystir59]

I always assume every accountant I meet is wealthy.

[Hillarious]

Not so, joystir - most of the children of accountants I come across at university have maintenance grants and bursaries, due to a low household income or perhaps they're just very clever accountants .

[Mrsblackfrancis]

I am an ACCA qualified Accountant, I qualified just over 10 years ago and have 15 years experience ( I studied whilst working). I am currently self employed and earn around £130k per annum.
I would expect as an employee (non-director role) to earn in the region of £80-90k plus benefits/bonus, more as a Director of a large practice.
Definitely worth sticking in!

[Fortybingowings]

You are very marketable if you can work while training. DH had accountancy business and is desperate for good ACCA part qualified or qualified help. You'd be looking at doing basics to start with, payroll, accounts assistant etc.

[TrollMummy]

I certainly think a part time junior role as something like a payroll assistant or clerk in an accountancy firm is vital to gain experience while continuing with qualifications. No idea what the future salary is but those I know seem to do very nicely so keep going.

[whatisgoingon1]

I would expect as an employee (non-director role) to earn in the region of £80-90k plus benefits/bonus
Not even HOD in large companies are on that, not sure where you get your figures from

[M2R2]

Kiroro just doing it myself

[M2R2]

Whatisgoingon1 i am currently working as a part time bookkeeper. But i was thinking of the 3 years experience needed to qualify

[M2R2]

Thank you everyone.
My problem is that i am currently doing bookkeeping but not in an accounting firm and my boss is not ACCA qualified.
So my current job won't be counted towards my needed 3years.
It just feels like a long way to go and with my family responsibility.
It would be a shame to quit not 😞

[whatisgoingon1]

You will need 3 years of fulltime experience so if you work part time(half a week) you will need 6 years in order to claim 3 years worked in relevant role.

[M2R2]

Yeah thats what i am thinking of.
Full time + study + family. life feels like suicide mission

[whatisgoingon1]

There should be someone in your workplace to be able to sign off your experience.It doesn't have to be ACCA qualified person(could be CIMA or member of other relevant body).I would go to ACCA with this question,as it doesnt seem fair you are missing out through no fault of your own.

[M2R2]

No one of accounting knowledge where I work

[whatisgoingon1]

Oh,come on plenty of us managed . I did certainly and never regrett it

[pringlecat]

You need another job. The longer you wait to jump ship, the harder it will be. Accountancy practices are very good with people with no qualifications and fully qualified - sometimes even PQ. But a qualified accountant with no experience? They won't know what to make of you as you won't slot into a neat box.

[M2R2]

I think my next step will be looking for a part time job in an accounting firm.
Any idea of starting salary from where i am now?

[whatisgoingon1]

Not sure about London,but up north it would be around 18-20K for a full time role. Traditionally wages in practice are lower than in industry,but give you better longterm prospects careerwise. FWIW I never worked in practice as never managed to even get interview in one while starting my career ,and later on it seemed as bad move as I was on bigger salary comparing to what practice could offer.