Anonymous wrote
Hi
I am currently working for one of the big 4 accounting firms in Financial services audit. I have completed all my ACCA exams with first time passes and will time qualify in the next few months. I also have a first class honours degree in accounting and finance. However my A levels are poor and thats what I am worried about. After qualification, my next aim is to get into a back office position in something like the hedge fund industry. Do you think having poor A levels will mean that I have no chance for such positions and in general do employers look at A levels once you have a professional qualification.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
An Associate Director at WH Marks Sattin replied
From the sounds of your proactively in assessing your career options now and the clear focus you've applied to your academics and career post A-level, most employers will be re-assured and satisfied by this. As a qualified accountant with ambitions for a career in the back office then you should be reassured that you sound like you have all the qualities needed to make this move as an ACCA. However, the hedge fund industry is notoriously competitive, and this sector more than most do place emphasis on continuous academic excellence or industry experience of the buy side in your audit clients. Equally there is the additional challenge of the general market conditions, and if you are competing against a number of candidates then this could be a deciding factor in the current economy. My advice would be to pursue your ambitions, however remain flexible. A career in the back office is well within your grasp, however make sure that you are also considering all financial services and accounting options and not just limiting yourself to the world of hedge funds.
Best of luck
WH Marks Sattin
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2 comments:
Speaking from experience, someone who also has a 1st class degree and a Masters, A-levels definitely do matter! So many firms, specifically the big four, consulting firms and other financial institutions, will not even consider your application unless you have 340+ ucas points! It is a joke, when you consider how much we have improved since A-levels, we are hardly the same person. I see it as a simple way to filter out the masses, but by doing so they miss out! An example of this - With Deloitte I had to lie about my A-levels explaining that I had family problems, in doing so they looked past my a-levels and I was allowed to sit the online tests. I passed all these, got invited to 1st round interview, I passed that with flying colours, got to the 2nd interview, passed that too, and then finally got to the assessment day, where I only narrowly missed out. Competition was very tough on the day with Oxbridge grads in their hoards. Point being that, those firms who scrutinise over A-levels, miss out. There is nothing you can really do, especially when its all done online and A-levels can be checked against a government system. Good luck with it all though, sounds like your doing all the right things to get over this hurdle.
Hi
I am currently working for wholesale insurance brokerage where i am a Business Development Manager. My qualifications include a Degree in Informatics and am currently studying towards the SII Diploma in CF.
My intentions are to join an insurer/bank working within FIG.
Would i be able to land a position in CF given my current profile?
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