Getting a good job after graduation

[CreamShoes]

Hi, I'm seeking advice on how to get a good job after graduation on behalf of my son. I'd like to hear experience of others as we have been rather disappointed with progress so far. Graduated last year , 2.1 in Maths from Russell group, A levels Further Maths Maths Economics A, A, B. Good set of gcses ' 5 A, 6 A, 1 B. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do but together we decided Accountancy might be good because of good career prospects and seemingly always in demand. We also thought of teaching but salary not so good and also judging from comments on here, a lot of teachers very dissatisfied. Anyway for the last year he's applied for around 30 Chartered Account training positions, had around 5 or 6 first interviews, 1 in-person final interview ( he didn't get the position but was told he was second choice). Feel quite deflated about the system not working. You go through school, work hard, get decent results get good degree, but then no job! I'd have thought he should be able to get an Accountancy training position. He's an easy,-going person, friendly, outgoing, if anything a bit laid back - could be an issue I suppose. Any advice? Any chartered accountants out there that can give some perspective on the jobs market for training positions?

Sorry - thought I was posting I work - gave asked for it to be moved to work - however any advice from anyone here is welcome smile

How’s he doing in interviews?

Does he have other hobbies, things that he’s active in?

Why does he want to do accountancy other than it’s a ‘good, safe’ career?

Has he worked elsewhere at all? Bar work, shop work?

Has he done some interesting travel and/or volunteering?

Does he have an idea of what type of business he’d like to work in? Public/private sector? Practice or in-house?

Is he prepared and willing for all the extra professional study?

Does he know where he wants to live whilst all this is going on?

Has he made his own decisions about this outside of with you?

I teach at a Russell Group Uni and many of my students are struggling to secure graduate jobs and placements. It seems to be very competitive at the moment. I must say it all seems to work out for them in the end but involves a lot of applying. Hope your son secures something soon.

Hello!

I'm a qualified accountant, got a graduate job and been there ever since.

Does your son have any accounting or tax
Experience / modules at uni ect? If he doesn't he will probably always be pipped to the post by those who do as there's such a demand for graduate accounting positions.

I would say he needs to start his ACCA / CIMA qualification, he would then be "part qualified" and employers will look favourably on this and probably pay for the rest of his course. There's free courses on YouTube, books go on eBay relatively cheap and exams are around the £100 per go mark.

As he has a maths background perhaps he might find it easier to get into an non audit company (any other company with an in house
Finance team) doing a different flavour of accounting, perhaps pricing, programme financial control etc.

I'm currently advertising for a trainee accountant but our company policy is that we have to have someone with an accounting degree / experience or self study. Something to think about.

Wishing him all the best.

Has he a job at the moment?

What about tax? Has he looked at smaller companies? What about using a recruitment agency?

Thanks Verve. You've hit on a few key points I think. Looking for 10 months since graduating last July. Worked in coffee shop since then which has limited the time he gas been able to devote to applications because they were short staffed and wanted overtime all the time. He has just given that up now to do gig work over the summer. He has never had a definite ambition but thought Accountancy might be a good choice mainly for the reasons I said. I know this could be an issue. He has been looking for practice partnership type firms. He is very prepared to learn. Understands fully the demands of the extra study and professional exams ' - around 4 years worth. Happy to live at home or away if a position is available anywhere. Decision is his. I suggested accountancy, data science, or teaching and he thought accountancy might be best out if those three. But this could be the issue, lack of definite passion for anything. As I said he is very laid back. But does one have to be full-on passionate to get a job. Is it really that hard ? No interesting travel or volunteering unless you count boozy weekends with his mates on European capitals. grin
.

Did he work while at uni?

If not then he needs to take anything and get some experience in a workplace.

Having hired a few graduates they can be a nightmare to manage as have no experience of building relationships with colleagues, adhering to company policies, applying theoretical knowledge to real life.

If I had the choice between a recent graduate with no work experience and a graduate with 2 years bar/retail etc experience I'd choose the one with work experience.

my eldest graduates this month after getting his degree in accounting and finance. He has a passion for it and has worked towards this since he was in school.

he has just secured a trainee accountant position and I think it’s all down to his love of what he’s been learning and his confidence in the interview. The job description required at least a 2:1 in accounting/finance.

he worked all through uni apart from 4th year as wanted to concentrate on his last year of his degree and the interviewers commented that his showed dedication and focus on his degree which was a great asset for the job he will be doing.

Thanks for the replies some good points. I'm getting the feel that perhaps a Maths degree is not good enough for accountancy given there are many degrees specialising in accountancy, finance, and so on. Graduates of those understandably have an edge. Thanks for the good advice.

Maths is a brilliant degree to have. DH did a masters following his undergrad and is now in a very comfortable and well paid job with relatively low stress considering. There are lots of paths he can take beside accounting!

Thanks Letitrow. DS has a masters too in a way. He did the four year MMath integrated Masters undergraduate degree. What sort of work is your DS in?

My ds graduated two years ago and is now a part qualified chartered accountant and works in audit. Graduates at his firm come from a variety of backgrounds: maths, biochemistry, business etc.
The interview process can be quite challenging. My ds completed online tests (numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning etc) and then situational judgement tests, answered recorded questions all before the ‘interview with a human stage’. Could your son get some practice in this area? Do you have any friends or family members working in accountancy that he could chat to regarding roles, expectations, strengths to highlight in an interview?

Sorry LetitRow. Noticed it was your DH not DS

Has your DS considered being an actuary? A good option if he has a maths degree rather than accountancy.

It really doesn’t matter what you studied at uni for accounting. I work in tax and my accounts colleagues graduated with all sorts of degrees (some didn’t go to uni at all!).

Is he being picky with firms/locations or just applying for everything?

Consider trainee paraplanner roles which can lead to becoming an independent financial adviser in time. Very decent pay eventually.

Started being picky. Now applying for any that look supportive and offer good training. Not bothered about salary or location. Plenty of adverts. Not that much response. Occasional first telephone interview. I don't think he is applying for enough though. I told him to play the numbers game. He's using the ICAEW site for vacancies. Knterestingly he has been applying more for audit. Perhaps as advised by Samsaid a different specialism would be better.

Thanks Sabbatwheel. I'll tell him to look at that.

I second the advice to look at actuarial. Far closer to maths than accountancy. Also more interesting and better paid.

He could tutor gcse and A levl students in maths. He'd earn at least twice what he earns as a barista which owuld give him more time off to apply for jobs.
i agree with PP who suggested he starts working on accountancy qualifications - there are several routes to doing this. And he could also ask to do some shadowing or interning at local accountancy firms and/or with in-house accountants just to get some experience.

He needs to get a job. Any job will do! I fear he’s been too picky and not put enough oomph into it if he’s still treading water after 10 months.

Public sector organisations such as Council (local or County) Police and NHS might have finance/admin jobs that won’t be paid brilliantly but would be great for experience

Ir he could widen his horizons: HR, general admin, banks, paralegal, tech start ups, supermarkets (management, finance) etc etc.

Is he using LinkedIn? This is becoming the principal way jobs are advertised and recruits scouted. Otherwise Indeed.com and keep the search parameters quite wide

I am in a specialist area of accountancy in a big firm. I started my career in big 4 tax.

"Accountancy" is a broad field and you need to be clear on your career path. Industry is very different to practice. A big firm very different to a small firm. ACA different to CIMA. Within practice a tax career is different from audit and advisory.

I very quickly identified i wanted to be in practice and that I preferred a big firm. I did this by researching (pre Internet being makn source of info!) And attending different careers events whilst still at uni. I made a contact at pwc recruitment whilst still in uni then I visited a pwc office and "interviewed" 3 different areas: audit, tax and Risk Assurance. I then applied to a intern type role in my chosen area that gave me experience but didn't require me to commit to a 3 year qualification. Plus its a trial for them. Then they reinterviewed me after about 6 months for a trainee position but it was a slam dunk by then.

20 odd years on I interview graduates. I would view your ds as not very interested in accountancy because he didn't attempt to find out about it at university. I don't want graduates who are just in it for any old role. I want someone who can articulate why my firm? Why my specialist area? Ideally some work experience or qualifications. My recent grads include some who previously worked in an accounts role in industry and have taken first parts of accounting qualifications or did correspondence courses in my specialist subject.

I have nothing against maths grads and your ds qualifications are ideal, especially given A level choices but he's going to need to make more effort with applications and really set his stall out for a career path, not a scattered approach to anything and everything.

Not in this field, but constantly looking to recruit the right kind of grads in technology.

We receive an avalanche of CV's of on paper suitably qualified candidates

The biggest single indicator for success is reliably the 'get up and go' factor, individual's motivation and ability to analyse what is required for their own success.

In education, parents having a steady hand on the tiller can make a big difference to a students success. Some can even provide the contacts to secure roles.

Once they are in the work place, though, it's up to the individual. We are looking for those who we are pretty sure are going to be self starters. This quality is much better predicted of success than anything, including their existing skills and attainments. We can and will teach them whatever they need to know for success.

What we need them to contribute is using that on the job

What you describe He wasn't sure what he wanted to do but together we decided Accountancy might be good because of good career prospects and seemingly always in demand

would make me wonder what he would be doing on his own. Because that is what he will be good at and in demand for.

Hope he finds what that is. Good luck

Your understanding of 'the system' is wrong unfortunately. It's not about a good degree but exploring careers and understanding how the milkround works.

Did your son do anything other than study and party? Go to career events? Use the uni career service?

They should be your first port of call and usually still support alumni so go and talk to them.

The second thing you need to know is that the big grad schemes all open around the same time and are first come first served. The interviews are all structured and you can find all the questions online.

Never mind if he hasn't done well this round, wait for next year and reapply. Practice his competency examples until he can do them in his sleep. For online tests video interviews etc plenty of samples.

It's just practice.

Also accountancy and finance degr es don't help you get a job at all. Some exemptions but that's it

There are loads of other careers technology (analysts and developer), operations etc but it's up to your son to research. There's plenty of information out there...

Also I hire graduates and apprentices on a regular basis and once you get past the filter 'RG' uni means nothing. It's all about your soft skills and what you bring to th table.

Unless you're going into a technical field but your son isn't. He's going for 'generic', jobs and other more switched on people sorry to say will run rings around him if he's this passive.