An MBA or an ACCA?

Kristina wrote:

Hello, I would like to know what is better, to study for MBA or ACCA?

I have a Bachelors degree in Finance from US. I have been working in billing department for more than a year, but I want to advance in my carrier. Even though I am not American, but I understand US market better than UK. Could you please advise what are my prospects if I get MBA, ACCA or both.

Sincerely, Kristina

An associate director at Marks Sattin replied:

Hello Kristina

This is a difficult one to answer without knowing the direction that you would like to take your career.

If you are looking to go down an 'accounting route' then the ACCA would be the first step as that will be done whilst working in industry and most companies will provide study support throughout the process. An MBA is generally done as a set study period, again depending on the timescales someone wants to complete this in. An MBA would be a more professional level, but will lend itself to more strategic and less accountancy type roles, depending on the MBA structure/set up.

If you are looking to relocate to the UK and need to be working whilst studying, I would suggest looking into the ACCA, CIMA or even ACA (again depending on the direction you would like to take your career) and follow this up with a MBA. You could even do a CPA before relocating from the States, (again depending on your personal situation and desire to move abroad now or in a few years)

Please bear in mind though, arriving with a degree and just over a years experience in billing, you will have to start off again with a company and work your way through the business whilst studying for either of these disciplines.

Please contact us again if you need any more advice.

Good luck!

Tax - a foot in the door

Yuliya wrote:

A few years ago I was awarded an MBA by one of the top business schools in the UK. However, on successful completion of my course, I made a decision to redirect my career into accountancy and started an independent ACCA study.

I am now in the final stage of my qualification and, experience-wise, I have completed a 6-month training contract with a small accountancy practice in London which involved, apart from accounting tasks, assistance in preparation of individual tax returns.

I have an ambition to further specialise in taxation and aspire to procure a job in a bigger practice. Needless to say, I would be willing to undertake any additional study required, such as CTA. I am 32 and I also have experience in customer-focused (UK), client-facing (non-UK) and teaching (non-UK) roles.

What are my chances of getting into a practice with a tax team and what are the possible routes? Would temping be an option just to get a foot in the door?


A senior manager in Marks Sattin's tax team replied:

Dear Yuliya

I would suggest that you are on track as you are currently working in a mixed tax and Audit role. The MBA should also be a benefit as larger firms will be looking for individuals who have the commercial awareness and ability to forge lasting relationships with existing and new business. I would suggest getting yourself registered with the CTA so that potential employers can see that this is a rout that you are serious about undertaking. Try to bring your most valuable Tax experience towards the top if your career and actively seek tax work in your current position.

Hopefully that helps please feel free to contact the Tax team for more information.

All the best

Investment research in the UK

Seyera wrote:

Hi,

I am an Asian, hoping to join my spouse in UK on a dependent visa. I am a CIMA passed finalist with 1.5 years of experience in investment research (mainly equity)and 1 year experience as a business systems analyst. I also have a first class bachelor's honours degree in finance from a well-recognized local university. I am an ACCA finalist as well. I wish to continue working in the investment research field when I come to UK, but I have the impression that the chances of me getting a job in an investment bank or research firm are slim.Please educate me on this. I am very much interested in the management accounting field, as well. Since I dont have management accouting experience, would i stand a chance of finding a job, in this field? Will the firms consider my CV before I come to UK? What are the chances of me being considered for a graduate trainee position? Would much appreciate your advice

Thanks

Seyera


A senior recruitment consultant at Marks Sattin replied:


Hi Seyera,

The transfer of equity research skills to the UK market would be unlikely due to the need for experience of UK markets and specifically the equities focused on. There would be potential to undertake a graduate scheme, but potential employers are likely to question the reasons for coming in at this level if you are so far down the CIMA and ACCA qualification paths.

Yes UK employers will consider you from abroad, but you need to be prepared for extensive travel to the UK, and it is generally a given that candidates can keep on top of the interview process (and keep flight costs down) much better by taking the plunge and relocating. It's a tense time, but based on your qualifications and previous exposure to management accounting, you should find it relatively easy to secure a role in commerce & industry or even financial services.

Please fell free to contact us through email, and we can call you to asses the depth of accounting experience you have and what level of role you should be targeting in the UK.

Gaining practical experience

Gaurangkumar wrote:

Hi, My name is Gaurangkumar and I am looking for some help and advice from Marks Sattin. I am an accounting student & I have finished two years of accounting and advance accounting of a degree course. I have recently started CIMA with BPP. For accounting it is very important for me to have practical experience as well, so I am looking for a platform where I can gain some valuable experience. My intention is purely to gain experience and not money and would like to do some part time work and have some experience. Again my intention is to get experience and not money and I don’t mind working for free if I am getting good experience in management accounting or any related position. I have been advice from BPP to contact Marks Sattin for help and advice. I am wondering if you can help me in getting some work. I am really keen to do some work related to my academics. I can provide my academic certificates and would like to meet if its okay with you.


A consultant in Marks Sattin's commerce and industry division replied:

Hi Gaurangkumar

The best thing for you to do is to send your CV in to us. We can then take a look at it and have a chat with you as to the best way to proceed.

Finding part-time work can sometimes be hard. As an agency 99% of the jobs we have are full-time. We can certainly keep a look out for roles that are part-time and we do get some in sometimes which is why it is a good idea to register with us.

Another idea is to look in the job sections of local papers such as The Metro or Evening Standard. There should be no need for you to work for free although one place that you could approach is Phillip Kobbs and Co. They do good work related placements.

I hope this helps and if you have any other questions, please get in touch with us again.

Getting into practice with little experience

Anonymous wrote

Dear Doctor,

I am CIMA finalist, ACIS, MAAT, Pg dip in finance and Accounting.

I worked local authority finance for 18 years, been made redundant two years ago. Since then I worked as Temp for District Council finance for about 7 months. I have been trying to get new contract but having no luck .

I am a British Asian. I have used different computerised Accounting system, eg SAP, Cedar financial.I have used Excel, Word in my previous position.I have successfully completed SAGE line 50 course run by a firm of chartered Accountants and passed City and Guild Examination in Computerised Accounting.

I want to get in to small Accounting Practice who prepare accounts from incomplete records, VAT return, and related accounting and Tax works.

I have applied to many Firms , but most of them ask for few years practical experience, which I do not have, though I am confident of picking up the skills quickly. I have also applied to small to medium businesses to work as Assistant Accountant/ book keeper, but so far I have not been offered any positon.I am over 50 years but below 60 years of age.

Please advise me what else do I need to do to get back to Job market either in Practice or Commerce. Look forward hearing from you.


A consultant in Marks Sattin's public practice division replied:

Unfortunately finding roles in practice is extremely difficult if you do not have any experience in a client facing role. Even candidates that have trained /worked in practice and then move to commerce and industry find it hard to move back to practice. My advice would be to pursue a career in Public Sector as it is an area where you have experience.

If you have your heart set on practice though it might be useful to approach sole practitioners or small firms in your local area as these are the most likely options for you. You can find contact details of all registered practices on the ACCA and ICAEW websites.

Accounting experience for graduates

Adam wrote:

Hi

I am about to finish Certificate in Accounting year course with Open University. I am fluent in Enlish and Russian. I have never done any accounting jobs. I would like to start somewhere and develop my skills. One of my fellow students have found a job while studying and he told me that his employer will give him all the training he needs. I think something like that would have been ideal to gain experience. Could you give me an advice on how to get started?

Thank you very much

Adam


A consultant at Marks Sattin replied:

Hi Adam

Unfortunately Marks Sattin currently doesn't handle many graduate level positions, but we can provide you with a bit of advice which will hopefully get you started on your career.

In the first instance, probably the best thing to do is to try and get as much office experience as you can. If you are in a position to do so, try and get a work placement in a finance department to build up your experience. If you are lucky, this could lead to a permanent entry-level role in payroll for example.

If you aren't able to do this sort of work experience, general office admin temp roles are a good way to start. You can then demonstrate some of your skills and build up your CV. Again, if lucky, you may be able to move into a permanent position. If possible, try and use your Russian language skills to your advantage as I know that there are a number of UK companies with interests in Russia. If you need further assistance, it is probably a good idea to get in contact with your careers advisor as they may have a relationship with companies that could help you out.

Another option is to get involved in some sort of graduate training programme, providing your qualifications are sufficient. These are available but are very competitive. A recent survey carried out by Financial News noted that this year banks are recruiting more graduates than in previous years, so this may be a good thing for you and other people in your position.

The key thing here is experience; the more you can get, the better your chances are of getting a good permanent role. It may be difficult in the beginning, but it will pay dividends in the future.

All the best

Job prospects in the UK for CPAs

Anonymous wrote:

Hello, I was looking into the prospect of moving to the UK. I am currently in the US and just finished my CPA and was wondering what the job prospects are in the UK for a CPA? Also I wanted to know what is the appropriate salary range for CPAs in the UK? I appretiate your guidance on this.


A consultant in the commerce and industry division of Marks Sattin replied:

The UK market is very strong and will continue to be. The kind of rates you should be looking for are £40k-45k on a permanent level and £25/hour on a contract level.

My advice would be to come over to the UK (London) and look at both contract and permanent roles. A contract position would allow you to gain UK experience and stand you in good stead to get a permanent role in the future if that’s what you are looking for.

If you do decide to relocate to the UK then please contact me directly. You can get my details by writing to jobdoctor@markssattin.co.uk.

Best of luck

Getting back into Management Consultancy

Imy wrote:

Dear Jobdoctor,

I am British citizen with an engineering qualification (B.E) from Bombay. In total I have 9 years of industry experience. I have worked in private and public sector IT projects in England as an IT consultant (System Analyst) for about 6.5 years.

After completing my post graduate course in education (PGCE) from a university in London, I am working as an ICT teacher in secondary school/sixth form college in London from last 2.5 years. I am currently doing my part time MBA from a business school in London. I intend to get into management consultancy once my course is over.

Based on your experience I want to know my prospects in getting a job in management consultancy sector. What kind of roles should I look for and the salary range I should expect or aim? Anticipating your kind reply.

Thanks & Regards

Imy


A consultant in Marks Sattin's management consultancy team replied:

The management consultancy sector is extremely competitive with many candidates possessing MBAs and consultancy experience. With your background you could look at IT consultancy/ system integration roles for consultancies that deal in this area (but, you may have been out of this for too long/ and very few consultancies will bring people onboard if they cannot “hit the ground running”). In the recruitment process consultancies look for a clean CV, which shows logical progression. Although, I do not think it is impossible to get a job in consultancy, I do believe it may be quite challenging. You should look for a maximum of £35K otherwise you risk pricing yourself out of a very competitive market.

I hope this helps you with your decision.

CPA coming to the UK

Anonymous wrote:

I am a 36 year old Australian CPA with degrees in Commerce and Economics. I am not eligible for the Highly Skilled Migrant Visa at present, however I am looking to obtain work in the UK for a period of 2 - 5 years.

I have 13 years experience in banking and financial services, as follows;

7 years banking - business banking, retail banking, area management, training

6 years financial services - qualified in Australia to provide financial advice (financial planning & general insurance).

My target market was SME business (turnover $1M - $20M AUD). For the past 5 years I have run my own financial advisory businesses (x2) and have experience in all areas of business management. I am interested in the types of positions that I might be eligible for in the UK, the likelihood of obtaining work (min salary expectation 50,000 GBP) and the likelihood of obtaining an employer sponsor?

Thanks for your assistance.


A manager in Marks Sattin's Banking and Financial Services division wrote:

The first option for many people in this position would be to apply for a 2YWHV - but I understand that the age limit for applying to work in the UK from Australia is 30. This can be checked on line locally or with links to the home office here http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/.

Without seeing your CV in more detail it is difficult to see why they would not qualify for the HSMV, but am assuming with the last 6 years in Advisory roles, that that is not an area of skills shortage here in the UK. Therefore we would need to see the experience from before within the banks to ascertain if the clients here would be interested in sponsoring this person.

Clients are willing to sponsor for the right people, if there is a skills shortage in that area of skill base, but as an agency, we primarily focus on the most relevant accountancy based experience /qualification, rather than the advisory in financial planning or general insurance.

It would really depend on the individual's specific experience and our capability to assist in that area based on our contacts within our client base.

My best advice at this stage, is to either forward us a specific CV to help ascertain if we can assist with the clients we currently deal with and the issue of sponsorship; or assuming that you have applied already for a HSMV and do not qualify, to pin point where they fall down on the point systems and target those areas in the next year to increase suitability to the HSMV rrequirements. These could be education, qualifications or as I understand, recent relevant work experience that UK businesses are looking for.

I hope this helps. Please feel free to forward your CV to us so that we can look at it in detail.

Good luck

Visas for coming to the UK

Qian wrote

I am a Singaporean hoping to start a career in the UK. At the moment I am a senior associate with KPMG Business Advisory Singapore specialising in providing Insolvency and Restructuring services. Both my parents and grandparents are non-British citizens and I understand that the working holidaymaker visa will only entitle me to work for one year of my two year visa with no extension. I would like to know if employers in the UK are more than willing to apply for work permit for their foreign employees or otherwise. If they are, would it be better for me to fly to UK, assuming I cannot secure a job before I fly to the UK, with just a visitor visa (6 months in the UK for Singaporeans) or the working holidaymaker visa? I have checked and confirmed that I am still not eligible for the highly skilled migrant permit at the moment. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further information for your assessment of my situation.

Regards

Qian

A manager in Marks Sattin Public Practice team responded

Dear Qian

The best chance you have of starting a career in the UK is applying for a Highly Skilled Migrant Visa, or as you said company sponsored visas. Company sponsored visas are hard to come by and really only offered by the Big 4, thus the HSMP is the most logical. If you are interested in Big 4 opportunities please don't hesitate to contact us. Click here for more information on Big 4 at Marks Sattin.

I am sorry we can't give you more a more definitive answer but the key thing is to get your visa organised before you come to the UK.

All the best

A career change to banking

Anonymous wrote

I just moved to the UK recently with a Holiday Maker visa. I'm a part qualified CPA (finishing my final paper this year) with about 6 years of working experience in Australia in financial and management accounting, HR functions and a little bit of IT support in a not for profit organisation. I was thinking to venture into banking sector for career change. What are the chances of me getting a job in the banking sector? And what role should I be looking at (since I don't have any banking experience)? The salary range I should aim for? Thank you.

A manager in Marks Sattin's Insurance and Investment Management division wrote

It is possible for a candidate with no banking experience to move into the financial services sector, the types of roles would be financial/management reporting due to the candidate having no product knowledge. In terms of salary range, I would expect someone with this level of experience to earn between £22 and £26 per hour, although without seeing the CV I can’t guarantee this.

If you haven't already sent in your CV, please do so and we will be more than happy to see if we can help you further.

Good luck.

Advice on getting into banking or accountancy

Anonymous wrote

I would like some advice on my situation if possible.I am currently in my final undergraduate year, studying BSC Hons Economics, and I am slightly stuck in my career prospects. I have been looking to get into Investment Banking via Graduate Schemes , but most of these schemes require a minimum of 300 UCAS points (I only have 260), and so I believe it will be very difficult to break into the City.I have been recently looking at accountancy, and would like to work for one of the Top 10, if not one of the Big Four. I realise with the Big Four firms, 260 UCAS wont really help me much.I am not sure whether to follow the ACA or ACCA or the CIMA route. I understand ACA is preferred. If I obtained an ACCA training contract, how much would it hinder my chances of breaking into Investment Banking in the future?Also, having 260 points, is there still a chance I would be considered by one of the Top 10 firms which require 280 by pleading my case? My A-level results are not a true reflection of my ability.

A consultant in the public practice team at Marks Sattin wrote:

First of all, if you achieved low A level grades because of particular circumstances then firms will understand, however you must demonstrate academic ability at university and achieve at least a good 2:1 grade.

If you have no mitigating circumstances for your A levels then you might want to consider looking at regional offices as they are more flexible and usually have lower requirements for their trainees.

The ACA is often perceived by employers to be the best and most prestigious accountancy qualification available, and may be the best way of progressing in your career. It does however vary from person to person and many employers will go for the best person for the job regardless of which of the qualifications they have.

This is a brief answer to your questions however I would need to speak to you in more detail in order to give you more comprehensive advice. Please send an email to jobdoctor@markssattin.co.uk and you will be provided with my direct contact details.

All the best

Big 4 or Bank?

Anonymous wrote

I am an Indian by nationality. I recently got a job offer from one of the Big 4 firms to train at the Internal Audit department as a graduate trainee. The company will sponsor my ACA also in the meanwhile.I did my under graduation from the University of Delhi in India and got an additional degree from Germany after that. I did one internship with this Big 4 in Germany for 6 months and then was sent by the company (as one of the best interns) for a rigorous traineeship to Manhattan, New York (again 6 months). The company now finally offered me a full time job (Graduate Trainee - Internal Audits, Advisory) with the ACA training. I am 24 years old. My work visa is of course sponsored by the company and is valid for 5 years. So now, I was wondering about the next prudent step. The important question for me is if the top league investment banks value the Internal Audit experience + ACA degree from a Big 4. Or shall an MBA after 3 years be the better step? I took my GMAT exam recently and got a score of 730. (just for information - the average at Harvard Business School is 710).Or I could have some offers to work as an analyst right now with some banks. But do the analysts at banks really learn? I heard all they do is data collection. But of course they are better paid than the Big 4 jobs. But then again the Big 4 offers excellent client interaction. I heard that after my ACA and MBA from a top bracket school, I could become an associate directly with an investment bank. How true is that? So there are so many things getting creating confusion at this time. Kindly suggest an action plan. I would be grateful!

A manager at Marks Sattin wrote:

In such a complicated situation, our best advice would be to come in and talk to one of our consultants - assuming your current requirements are for work in the UK. If you are looking for work in the USA - which is the impression you are giving, you are probably best talking to a US-based recruitment consultant as they will be better placed to offer advice on the US markets. I'm sorry we couldn't offer more help on this occasion.

All the best in making that decision!

From public sector to commerce

Anonymous wrote

I am an ACMA with over 20 years experience in financial and management accounts. For the last 5 years I've worked in the public and not-for-profit sectors, latterly in FP&A, but have found that I'm now 'typecast' in these roles.What are the steps that I should take to successfully return to the commercial world?


A consultant at Marks Sattin wrote:

Although working in the public and not for profit industry can be rewarding, it is not generally perceived to be good experience from which to move into the commercial sector, and you will find it difficult to make this transition. Your recent experience within FP&A also means that the roles that will suit you best will be commercial positions that are highly sought after. I would suggest moving into a more competitive area of public sector such as the housing organisations as these are better respected.

All the best

A career change from accountancy

Anonymous wrote

I am a recently qualified accountant (ACA). I trained working for a large audit firm. I have a Multimedia systems degree and three As at A Levels. My degree covered diverse areas from animation to web and database design, although I limited programming experience. I am looking for a career change. I was wondering if financial software companies take on accountants as trainee developers?

Managers at Marks Sattin and her sister company, Greythorn, who specialise in IT recruitment wrote:

One thing that you will have to face is that you will experience quite a considerable pay cut if you want to move away from accountancy. You will however be in quite a good position due to your understanding of financial systems.

Our recommendation would be to approach the HR department in your current company to see whether a secondment into the information systems department would be possible. If this opportunity is not available to you, you are best trying to apply to financial software companies on their graduate training programmes. Even if it was a while ago that you graduated, the new laws on age discrimination mean that you will still have a chance to get on to these programmes.

Unfortunately Greythorn doesn't deal with graduate opportunities, but by all means come back to us in the future if you need help.

All the best in your search

Practice, commerce or legal accounts...

Conor wrote:



I am a qualified AAT (2001) together with a few other similar level accounting quals. My most recent assignments were in Internal Audit with a big 4 & a top 20 firm. Due to Regulatory changes in Sarbanes Oxley, I have been made redundant in March. Since then I have been completing the AAT Bookkeeping Certificate Course, Excel NVQ level 3, and Sage Line 50, so that I may return to an accounting role working as part of a team on a salary range of between £20 to £25K, I am interested in either practice, commerce or the accounts office of a legal firm (they always request legal accts experience?) What areas do you suggest? What challenges / difficulties will I face to get back into work?



A manager in the public practice team wrote:

It's very difficult to say with the limited information you've provided, though junior roles for individuals with this sort of experience are not in abundance within Public Practice. Internal Audit candidates are always in demand and the most likely avenue for you to pursue should be within the commercial sector where the demand is greatest.

I hope this is of some help to you. Good luck.

Becoming an account assistant

Anonymous wrote:

I am currently studying for Foundation In Finance (Diploma) and have successfully completed basic bookkeepig, purchase ledger, sales ledger and final accounts 1. But still studying for Sageline 50, excel proficient, data entry, and powerpoint profient. I am finding it difficult to work as an account assistant as the recruiters seem to want someone with some experiance, any advice?

A consultant at Marks Sattin wrote:

It is always very difficult to get your foot in the door as employers do tend to look for as much experience as possible - even for more junior roles. I would suggest that you do some voluntary work for a charity and also get as much advice as you can from your careers officer or tutor (if you are studying at a college). If not, I can only recommend that your are very persistent and write to lots of firms in your local area.

All the best in your search!

Moving away from reinsurance?

Anonymous wrote:

I am a Reinsurance Technician with over 30 years experience. I have held positions ranging from Supervisor and Team Leader to Manager and Senior Technician all in a processing environment. I have internal audit and management information and gap analysis experience with advanced MS skills.I am today 59 yrs of age and looking to break into a more admin functional type role utilising my numerical, analysis and MS skills. I am finding this an impossible task, what am I doing wrong.


A Divisional Manager in Marks Sattin's Investment Management and Insurance Division wrote:

Whilst I cannot be clear on exactly what you mean by "admin functional type" the advice I would give would be stick to your strengths. People are going to hire you for what you have to offer, not just your ambitions. London is a huge people market and there will always be people with more to offer in a function you have no direct experience of.

With 30 years experience in something as specialised and complicated as reinsurance, and with a genuine skills shortage in internal audit I would recommend you play to your strengths and continue with roles that may include control review of a reinsurance claims dept or audit of reinsurance documentation etc.

Best of luck with your search.

Getting into financial services

Jan wrote:

Disguised as "ERP Systems Manager" I successfully performed MI Reporting and Analyst roles at an £200m/yr manufacturing company. I thoroughly enjoyed the tasks at hand, including inventory control, variance calculation and analysis. Whilst I am not a qualified accountant, I do hold other qualifications such as a QS/QA auditing diploma. Colleagues, clients and friends have often praised me for having a unique set of numerical, business and scientific skills, which they say, should be readily transferable to the financial / banking sector, with huge value-adding potential. What is the best approach to get in?

The Divisional Manager of financial services at Marks Sattin wrote:

Jan,

The skills you need to get into financial services are unlikely to be your accounting/numerical skills, but actually your systems skills. The internal complexity of financial services organisations' financial systems is unparalled and, because of strict regulation protecting clients, they have to be squeaky clean and perfectly controlled.

While accounting for income within financial services can be technically challenging and unique, the costs are not. They are pretty predictable and similar to any service organisation. The one thing manufacturing is famous for is strong cost control for production line costing - the activity based costing models that are used are very transferable as the complex process of for example, executing and settling a trade, has a production line feel to it.

I would therefore say that your best bet is to aim for cost focussed systems implementation roles. These will be far more prevalent on a contract basis, but may also be possible as a permanent role.

Best of luck with your search.

Starting out in accounting

Anonymous shouted (please don't write in capital letters!)

I AM POST GRADUATE FROM INDIA IN COMMERCE AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.I CAME TO UK 2 YEARS AGO AND NOW HOLD A PERMANENT VISA HERE. I AM IN THE FINAL STAGE OF ACCA. I HAVE WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF MS OFFICE, EXCEL AND POWERPOINT. AT THE MOMENT I AM WORKING IN TESCO AS A TEAM LEADER. CAN I GET A JOB IN ACOUNTING WITH SUCH BACKGROUND AND WHAT SALARY I CAN EXPECT.

A consultant in the commerce and industry division of Marks Sattin wrote:

It is possible for you to get a job within accounting. You have all the theoretical knowledge, but no practical knowledge, which means that even though you are in the final stages of your accountancy qualification you will need to start in a slightly more junior role to gain experience. There are many great junior roles out there, which would offer you support for your studies and the opportunity to progress further on. It may be an idea to start off in an accounts assistant role. You should aim for a salary of £20k minimum.

Moving from banking into practice

Anonymous wrote:

I am a newly qualified ACCA. I have trained in banking although work has included stat account prep for pensions and companies. What is the easiest way for me to get into practice and what salary could I expect?

A consultant in the practice team at Marks Sattin replied:

It is usually very difficult for someone who has not worked in professional services to join a practice. One of the most important aspects of working in public practice is the client interaction and communication. Someone who has not trained in a client facing role will lack some of the soft skills required. However the fact that your work has included accounts preparation would be advantageous. If you have sent in your CV, one of our consultants will be able to look at your work experience and academics and see if we can help you.

Good luck!

Moving into an accounts department

Anonymous wrote:

I worked as a senior process executive in order management department in India. Now I moved to the UK with visa status HSMP dependant. I want to move to an accounts department but my educational background is in accountancy and finance. Please let me know how can I approach this change.

A manager at Marks Sattin replied:

Firstly, I would need to know what the process executive role entailed. My initial thoughts are that it is the equivalent of the purchase ledger department in the UK. If so, the obvious route would be to look into this area of accounts. Many accountants start at this level and gradually work through the ranks. The next position would be an accounts assistant and then either assistand management accountant or assistant financial accountant, depending on your experience gained.

My advice would be to keep your options open and use the knowledge gained previously. It may be that you won't be able to start out as a senior but by proving your ability, the advancement in large corporations is very quick.

Good luck

How quickly will I find a job? I have an HSMP visa...

Anonymous wrote

Hi, I am a candidate who is seeking employment in the UK, I have the HSMP with my visa. I just want to know how FAST AND EASY it will be before I get a job in the UK. I have over four years experience with one of the Big 4 audit companies, am currently a senior.

A manager within the professional services team at Marks Sattin wrote:

It really depends where you are currently working. If you're qualified with an ACA/CPA in a country that is recognised by the ICAEW (Accounting board England and Wales) such as Australia, South Africa or New Zealand then it will be very easy, otherwise it may be more difficult. It's also worth bearing in mind that we have more ACAs qualifying from the Big 4 than ever before this year and as such, moving away from audit may not be as easy as it once was.


We hope this answers your question. For more information on Big 4 jobs at Marks Sattin, visit www.markssattin.co.uk/big4

Moving away from commerce

Anonymous wrote:

"I have been working within commerce for the past five years. How easy is it for me to move into another area such as banking or public practice?"


A divisional manager for IMI at Marks Sattin responded:

It really depends what you have been doing in commerce and what level you are at. The more senior you are the harder it is generally to make the switch as people are spending significant sums of money to acquire skilled people in positions that are often more client or commercially facing, and so industry experience becomes more key.

A move into practice is a good possibility if you possess year end statutory skills, or applicable skills to corporate recovery, insolvency, tax or transaction services. Accountancy practice is undergoing a boom in demand for their services, so demand for good candidates is also strong and they are very good at providing the necessary training to get you up to speed.

The financial services industry is somewhat different. Financial services is famed for paying huge salaries and is an attractive sector, so the supply vs demand equation is more skewed towards the employers. For roles that are management reporting focussed, particularly around costs, the industry experience tends to matter less as typical costs in financial services companies are very similar to any other service sector. When it comes to statutory reporting in financial services, companies tend to demand relevant industry experience because of the unique nature of the business and the complexity of their balance sheets. With recent accounting standards changes under IFRS that apply mostly to financial services companies around, eg embedded derivatives, revenue recognition and deferred accounting, experience of financial services becomes more important. The breadth of financial services roles for accountants is often wider, eg in risk and fund reporting, so applicable skills are sought.

I hope this helps, and please feel free to call any financial services consultant for more tailored advice surrounding your own individual experience.

Does Marks Sattin reply to these comments?

Anonymous asked:

Does the Marks Sattin Job Doctor ever respond to these comments? Is there an alternative resource for assistance where this forum is limited to "blogs"? Thank you!

Marks Sattin replies:

The Marks Sattin Job Doctor does its best to respond to all enquiries posted or emailed. Obviously, our responses come from people within the company who are busy placing candidates like yourselves into new jobs. For this reason, responses may not be posted straight away, but we will do our best to get them on within a week.

You will see a number of questions and responses on this page. We hope that all of the questions have been answered to a reasonable level.

Our consultants look at the CVs of all candidates registering on our website and when we feel we can help, an interview with that candidate will be arranged. Those coming for interview will have ample opportunity to ask their consultant any questions they may have.

We hope that our candidates find this service useful and we will continue to provide it as long as we have questions to answer.

All the best in your job search!

Marks Sattin Job Doctor

Highly Skilled Migrant Programme

I am a potential candidate who will be seeking employment in the UK within the next 6-9 months. On a preliminary basis, would you advise me to acquire the HSMP before seeking employment or should I rely on my potential employer to acquire a work permit for me? Thank you.

The advice from our Human Resources Director would definitely be to acquire the HSMP before you come to the UK. This should make the process of finding work a great deal easier as you are a far more desirable candidate for UK employers.

A useful website for information on work permits for the uk is www.globalvisas.com

I hope this helps

Age and employment

Is it true that the big companies only take newly qualified or graduate trainees rather than people who have lots of experience and are mature - say 40 to 45 plus?

Large businesses such as FTSE 100 companies for example will have graduate schemes in place to provide skilled management to the company from grass roots level, so they will not have the need to recruit as many people at a senior one. They will employ people at a high level with experience when required, which is often the case.

If so, is it worth it to study at 40 or 45 to gain professional qualification?

Yes of course, accountancy is regulated by professional bodies and institutes and therefore requires a professional qualification. The majority of clients will not recruit anyone who is not qualified. A qualification will greatly improve your chances of finding a new job.

Overseas candidates

A number of you have asked questions relating to getting a job in the UK when you are coming from other countries. Below is some advice from a manager in our Professional Services division:


You're in a very typical dilemma that candidates with overseas experience often have.

The UK market is very fussy and candidates without UK experience will always struggle to find work, especially if you're not yet based in the UK.

My advice would be to be very flexible about what opportunities you consider and the salary you're commanding. This will give you a chance to get your foot in the door in a UK company.

For more information on overseas qualifications go to the ICAEW website

Good luck

Big 4 articles

Is doing articles for Big 4 at very low salary for 3 years better than working in full time employment for 3 years at good salary?

Big 4 experience is highly valued by employers and the articles guarantee a certain calibre of candidate, assuming you pass them of course. There are few other options within the accounting field that carry such prestige as a Big 4 ACA qualification.

It is worth noting that the Pakistan ACA qualification is not recognised by the UK (and many other countries) governing body, the ICAEW.

I hope this answers your question.

Market trend for investments

Here are some comments from Marks Sattin's Divisional Manager for Investment Management and Insurance:

The current market trend for investments is unquestionably away from listed equity and into liability driven investments (debt) and property, although most commentators suggest that this may prove short lived and the trend in property will continue to be out of UK investments and into the higher yield investments offered by Eastern Europe and India.

Private equity fundraising is still moving apace, but a rise in interest rates may affect the cost of leverage which may be fewer investments, and after a rough time for hedge funds the predicted market volatility of the next few quarters may provide a much needed shot in the arm.

Getting into any buy side firm as an analyst is tough. I would look into what you have to offer in terms of experience and head down the most obvious route from there. Many analytical skills are transferable, but the depth of the skills is key.

Good luck with your search.

What do you want to talk about?

The purpose of the Job Doctor is to open up an informal dialogue with you. We want to give you the chance to ask questions relating to your job search and hopefully help secure you an interview at a top London company.

We will sometimes open up for discussion on various topics and issues and allow you to exchange your views on accountancy and finance recruitment.

Let us know what you would like discussed and we can start the ball rolling. Ask us a question and if it's a good one, one of our expert consultants will post a response.

We hope you find this useful - let us know if you have any suggestions on how we can make it better for you.

A force to be reckoned with

As you might be aware, Marks Sattin has joined forces with global recruitment company Greythorn.

The group of companies operating under Greythorn will provide recruitment services to the IT, accountancy, finance and creative sectors across the world from London to Sydney.

For us this is a very exciting time and we look forward to all the new challenges we will face as a global company.

What do you think about this? Any questions about how it will affect you? Please give us your comments.