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