Getting a related job after AAT level 3

[justisntwhatiwanted]

I've done AAT level 3. I'm now looking for a job and there's nothing around. Apprenticeships are all to study level 3 and actual jobs all want experience. I've been looking in my local area and my closest city since last year and I've seen one level 4 apprenticeship advertised.

I'm thinking that I made a mistake doing level 3 without a job to back it up and I'd love to hear any success stories or advice from anybody working in accounting.

Just giving this one last hopeful bump...

I did AAT L3. Found exactly same as you, all jobs want experience. Catch 22. I gave up, didn't do L4 and now do something completely different. Sorry not helpful I know.

Can you look at office management or admin posts that have a finance element and then build on that? Lots of small businesses have finance as part of other roles.

Or a school business manager role?

Are you being proactive enough?

We don't advertise positions at that level generally as we get enough speculative applications to fill them. I would write to all the local commutable accountancy firms explaining your position.

Hearing that somebody else has experienced the same is helpful! I did a lot of research before starting studying and the internet is full of people saying it's a great way to retrain, all sorts of opportunities, progression, flexible working, work from home, self-employment etc. and I just don't recognise that at all. At least it's not just me.

I have very minimal, very old admin experience. I have applied for very basic, entry level type admin jobs and when I have had the odd interview, it's been 'other candidates have more experience'.

What is it that you look for in speculative applications? I haven't sent any because I don't really know what to say. I've got no relevant experience and very little office experience. My current job is very simple so I don't have much in the way of transferrable skills. Just looking for somebody to give me a chance really.

With speculative applications, we want someone who has a basic level of computer literacy.

Evidence of enthusiasm for the job.

Evidence that they can be self-motivated.

For these two points, the fact that you have chosen to self study and fund aat level three off your own back, and are being proactive in finding a role are in itself good evidence.

Some employment history - it doesn't particularly matter in what. One of our current trainees came to us from working as labourer and he's doing grand.

Thanks for your help :)

A lot of accountants might hire book-keepers with those type of jobs being filled by their own accounting trainees / grads.

However, AAT is valued in contracting jobs for banks particularly in purchase ordering / vendor management / procurement - and you won’t need experience if you’re willing to temporarily accept a low rate. Go to Hays or Reed and ask them about contracting opportunities.

*Might not hire

Do you have experience of that?

I wonder just how relevant AAT is to the real world now everything is computerised. I find it interesting and have really enjoyed studying but most of my class work in practice. Unless most of them are on the verge of getting sacked... It doesn't make sense to me that you can work in bookkeeping and scrape through bookkeeping modules. There are people two years in who still mess up calculating percentages and ratios and basic maths. We're also given lists of steps to basically memorise how to do stuff like accruals without giving any thought to what's actually going on.

Definitely a bit of a confidence thing on my part but I don't feel like I've learnt anything that's part of an actual job unless there are people who draw t-accounts for a living

I head up a finance team and we look for people at all levels. The fact that you have studied up to level 3 will show that you are keen to progress, a good basic understanding (yes, T Accounts are still useful especially when talking through more complicated scenarios) and I think that you would be an asset (sorry) to a team.

Approach larger organisations with AP, AR and GL teams as you would find it easier to access a role there. I got my first role in AP and worked my way up. I hadn't started my AAT at that point either.

Good luck

With Accounting and finance often experience and organisational understanding is a lot more vital than the technical skills which can be learned either on the job or via AAT. Most companies do prefer to train up their own own employees into book-keeping positions. They tend to be junior positions and then an employee typically receives more training so they can become ACCA part qualified.

However, and I have experience of hiring in the finance team of a bank, these jobs are rarely employed any more in major banks (just contracted / consulted) and so now skills are far more important than experience

I’m currently studying level 2 and am so lucky to already be in a ‘trainee accounts Assistant position’ within a firm. This is the second firm I’ve worked for. I feel so sad for the people I’ve seen who’ve studied so hard for level 3/4 and can’t find a job.

I’d studied accounts at college so when I finished I got an admin job which had some Sage/Payroll aspects to it. I then applied for a really basic low level job in an accountants which I got and because I had the experience from my previous job I basically did way more than was advertised for that role. I then used that experience to my current job.

My advice is would be to see if you can get some sort of office administrator role for a company which has some bookkeeping/payroll, stay there for a year and then start applying for low level jobs in a firm.

Good luck.

AAT is so helpful when you’re actually producing accounts btw! The work experience and the learning really do go hand in hand and my work compliments my studies and vice versa. I’ve found my job much easier since starting studying but I’ve also got more experience now so could be that.

Someone’s said speculative applications and that’s actually a really good idea. I have a friend who basically wrote to every firm she could travel to and she did get a job out of it. Explain you’ve self studied and how keen you are and I really think you’ll be onto a winner.

I've just applied for a typist job. I am applying for anything office based whether related to AAT or not. There's not much around here though and I can't actually afford to work in my nearest city without family help, which has been offered but it's a ridiculous position to be in at my age.

Doing something unrelated would throw a spanner in the works with AAT too. If I don't start level 4 this Sept, my level 3 will be too old to do it at college Sept 2020. I've really left things a bit too late. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Thanks for all of the replies and suggestions :)

Do you want to work in an accountant practice or do you want to work in Industry? If you have any kind of finance experience, even doing the accounts for the PTA then you have something to put on your CV. In my experience, it is really hard to get a job in a practice without practice experience.

We've previously taken on staff with no experience to do purchase ledger and we have put them through AAT but it is sometimes hit or miss as to whether they are suited.

I'd start level 4 anyway, so you can complete under the old rules, you don't have to become a member of AAT afterwards (I never did) and it is something that you have for the future.

I do know that one of the groups I am in on facebook related to CIMA often has members posting job opportunities that are coming up at their workplaces. Is there something similar for AAT students?

I wanted to work in industry but at this point, I'd take anything.

I've seen volunteering for PTA/sports club accounts mentioned a few times but I really don't feel like I've learnt enough to take responsibility for something like that. I do struggle to see how the qualification relates to the real world and I wouldn't have a clue where to start with actually doing accounts.

There's a Facebook group that has the odd job post and I keep an eye on the job section of AAT's forums but I've never seen anything near me unfortunately.

Doing PTA accounts is no harder than keeping track of your own account. It will be straight income and expenditure accounts for the most part and so no accruals accounting needed. So just keeping a record of the cash paid out and the cash receive in and ensuring that enough information is held so you can split it out at the year end. Most roles will have a handover and you can see how the previous person did their accounts.

If you'd like to ask me anything then please just PM me.

I would definitely write to any company you would like to work for with a speculative application asking if they would be willing to take you through level 4, evening they are only advertising level 3.

You could also ask if they would be willing to give you 1 or 2 weeks of work experience to prove yourself. I know of someone with no relevant experience who took level 3 at college who did exactly that. He is now 9 months into a level 4 apprenticeship with a firm who had not considered taking anyone on in that role.