Becoming an Accountant

[Underparmummy]

I would like to train as an accountant alongside my normal work (family business). No on the job training as such (other than in the business I am already helping to run..). Aim is to take over the finances when current FD retires.

Any advice on which course would be best for me? Googling is pointing me to CIMA but is ACCA the more generally recognised 'best' one?

My aim feels slightly off course to what the websites are selling!

[Chewbecca]

They're equally well thought of in most circles. In my workplace (banking head office), finance job ads usually say 'ACA/CIMA/ACCA'. I know the FD is CIMA, whereas you might have expected her to be ACA.

But if you are wanting to do more 'proper' or traditional accounting work to support small businesses, I'd suggest ACCA is better.

[Underparmummy]

Thank you! I am looking to offer maximum support to our business (12mil now, aim is probably near 20mil) (and gain a transferable skill for myself!). Not looking for high finance/global business type skills.

So, probably ACCA is my best bet then. Thank you! Definitely took all the support and advice systems at school and uni for granted back in the day, its a lot harder outside of those systems!

[Ellypoo]

If you want to support an SME, I would really recommend CIMA - it is more industry focused, a lot more on business management and leadership than traditional bean-counting number-crunching (which is more in line with the ACCA syllabus).

[Sansculottes]

Not an accountant but do a lot with them - ACCA and you could start with the AAT if you wanted.

[OllyBJolly]

I work with accountants - FDs and FCs in house and advisors and auditors in practice. Mainly with SMEs £10m-£20m but some larger, some smaller

I think it's quite amusing listening to them jostling for position as to whether CIMA, ACCA or ACA are the better qualifications. I'll refer to an accountant and my CA friend will say "He's only a CIMA" and vice versa!

As an outsider, shit hot accountants are good communicators, have forensic minds, and are open to ideas. You're already at an advantage having direct industry experience.

I rarely meet an accountant who feels they made the wrong career choice. Wish I was better with numbers!

[Star21]

CIMA for Finance Directors, ACA or ACCA for working in practice and audit. The qualifications are all equally good although in my experience accountants with ACA seem to think they are superior.

[Underparmummy]

Thank you all! Yes, no need for auditing or practice.

Will look at CIMA more then, aim is to equip myself to offer the business everything it needs in the arena and also to gain a transferable skill should I ever need it.

Have been looking at an Msc at a local uni as well (finance and accounting) - seems to cover a good proportion of CIMA.

[Ellypoo]

If you do CIMA then you often get credits for quite a lot of MBA's certainly, so you probably would with the MSc but CIMA is a lot more transferable than an MSc and has a lot more recognition in business.

[Underparmummy]

I have decided the answer is a CIMA online starting with the certificate qualification that should take approx a year. It will be online distance learning.

Does anyone have any recommendations for online learning platforms? Is Babington considered a good option for this?

Thanks!