About the WH Marks Sattin Job Doctor

WH Marks Sattin is a specialist recruitment agency dealing with accountancy, finance, tax and consultancy professionals. This is our Job Doctor forum/blog.

Looking for a career change? Want some advice on which industries are good to get into at the moment?

Go on, ask our consultants some questions! If you want you can comment on our answers... We hope you find it useful!

To ask a question follow these steps:

1. Click "comments" on any of the previous posts (even if it isn't related to your question
2. Type in your question in the box
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We will try to answer your question in 3 to 5 days.

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Looking for jobs in IT? Why not talk to our sister company Greythorn - specialist IT recruiter.




Thursday, 9 August 2007

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
Posted by at

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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.

12 August 2007 at 13:03

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