Typical employers of accountants
- Private accountancy firms.
- Professional services firms.
- Banks.
- Charities and not for profit organisations.
- Commercial and corporate organisations.
- Governmental bodies.
- Public sector bodies.
Vacancies are advertised on targetjobs , by careers services and on national newspapers’ websites. Professional accounting bodies (such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) also advertise graduate roles.
Qualifications and training required
There are routes into a career in accountancy for both university graduates and school leavers.
Requirements for graduate jobs reflect those set by the various professional bodies offering the professional accounting qualifications you’ll work towards. However, generally, graduates need an honours degree in any discipline, although if you’ve passed specific accounting, business, law or management modules, you may be exempt from some of the steps on the way to qualification.
You’ll also need three GCSEs and two A-levels (or equivalent) to be accepted to study some professional accounting qualifications. Traditionally, graduates needed at least a 2.1 degree, but some firms – including the Big 4 – have relaxed their entry requirements.
Professional accounting qualifications take at least three years to complete and can be demanding as you’ll be working while studying. Employers will offer graduates study leave and support while studying, and it’s important to consider these carefully to give yourself every chance of success.
As part of the training, you must complete three years of relevant work experience. Prior experience gained through internships may count toward this if it meets certain development objectives and was supervised by an employer approved by the qualification provider. Here's a list of key organisations offering professional qualifications in accounting:
