Is accounting and finance considered a good degree by employers

Original post by Abd65476

Is accounting and finance considered a good degree by employers or is it best to go with a degree like economics or maths?

It depends on the type of employer, and the type of job. What are you interested in?

Reply 3

OP

Original post by ajj2000

It depends on the type of employer, and the type of job. What are you interested in?

I’m looking to become a chartered accountant but not 100% sure. But will definitely be taking a career related to maths.

Reply 4

Original post by Abd65476

I’m looking to become a chartered accountant but not 100% sure. But will definitely be taking a career related to maths.

Most jobs for Chartered Accountants are numerical but not really mathematical. Might be worth looking into what you might be doing in such jobs to see if it appeals. If you want something more mathematical look into jobs for data analysts and actuaries.

What grades are you aiming for and which universities?

do economics

OP

Original post by ajj2000

Most jobs for Chartered Accountants are numerical but not really mathematical. Might be worth looking into what you might be doing in such jobs to see if it appeals. If you want something more mathematical look into jobs for data analysts and actuaries.

What grades are you aiming for and which universities?

Im doing maths, business, welsh bacc hoping to get AAB. In terms of uni applying to Cardiff, Bristol, maybe Swansea but it’s not that good. Is chartered accountancy a lucrative career

Reply 7

Original post by Abd65476

Im doing maths, business, welsh bacc hoping to get AAB. In terms of uni applying to Cardiff, Bristol, maybe Swansea but it’s not that good. Is chartered accountancy a lucrative career

Chartered accountancy can be a lucrative field, but as with other lucrative fields you have to get into it, and pass professional exams. In general firms are not particularly concerned with what you study at university although some prefer numerate/ business/ economics type degrees.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by ajj2000

Chartered accountancy can be a lucrative field, but as with other lucrative fields you have to get into it, and pass professional exams. In general firms are not particularly concerned with what you study at university although some prefer numerate/ business/ economics type degrees.

Hi ajj2000 I think I’ve seen u in many other threads. Are u qualified accountant?

Reply 9

Original post by Abd65476

Hi ajj2000 I think I’ve seen u in many other threads. Are u qualified accountant?

Yes - chartered.

Reply 10

OP

Original post by ajj2000

Yes - chartered.

Oh that’s great, now I can get some advice from actual people who know the industry really well.

If you don’t mind me asking can you just tell me a bit about your background, for example your degree.

I’m looking to go to university next year do you have any advice or things you would do differently.

Lastly as a career would you recommend it, is the pay good enough, do working hours provide good work-life balance?

Thanks

Reply 11

Original post by Abd65476

Oh that’s great, now I can get some advice from actual people who know the industry really well.

If you don’t mind me asking can you just tell me a bit about your background, for example your degree.

I’m looking to go to university next year do you have any advice or things you would do differently.

Lastly as a career would you recommend it, is the pay good enough, do working hours provide good work-life balance?

Thanks

Well, I did a non relevant humanities degree at a red brick university, joined a big 4 firm on a grad scheme, qualified then moved into industry after 4 years. I guess thats a pretty standard route.

The things I would consider would be whether to join a firm as an apprentice at 18, or look to some of the join training/ university schemes such as the one PWC offer. You should also consider the pro's and con's of doing an A+F degree compared with doing something else - either for enjoyment or for different career options. Where would you hope to work?

I guess accounting pays reasonably well - I think the publicly available salary data is reliable. Apart from a very few people its nothing like the level of magic circle law firms or the city type jobs, but is much easier to get into. Its worth checking regional pay rates. In London accountants are paid far more than teachers once qualified - I'm not sure that would be the same in South Wales or some other areas of the country.

Work / life balance is highly variable and there is a lot of luck involved. You have lots of deadlines which is very tough if the department is short staffed.

Reply 12

OP

Original post by ajj2000

Well, I did a non relevant humanities degree at a red brick university, joined a big 4 firm on a grad scheme, qualified then moved into industry after 4 years. I guess thats a pretty standard route.

The things I would consider would be whether to join a firm as an apprentice at 18, or look to some of the join training/ university schemes such as the one PWC offer. You should also consider the pro's and con's of doing an A+F degree compared with doing something else - either for enjoyment or for different career options. Where would you hope to work?

I guess accounting pays reasonably well - I think the publicly available salary data is reliable. Apart from a very few people its nothing like the level of magic circle law firms or the city type jobs, but is much easier to get into. Its worth checking regional pay rates. In London accountants are paid far more than teachers once qualified - I'm not sure that would be the same in South Wales or some other areas of the country.

Work / life balance is highly variable and there is a lot of luck involved. You have lots of deadlines which is very tough if the department is short staffed.

I was thinking about an apprenticeship but for some reason i feel like a degree will give me better opportunities and make me more reputable, is this necessarily true?

Also if u had the option to do an apprenticeship with one of the big 4 or go to a uni like Cardiff, Bristol bath(Russell group basically) which one would u choose and why?

I’ve done maths business and welsh bacc for a levels so apart from a+f I’m really not sure what else I can do, only other careers i can really think of is either becoming something like a statistician so doing a degree in maths. I’ve also been told if I want to become a CA a+f would be the best chose as they will give exemptions.

In terms of pay do u think it’s realistic to earn 70-80k with a good 10 yrs experience

Reply 13

Original post by Abd65476

I was thinking about an apprenticeship but for some reason i feel like a degree will give me better opportunities and make me more reputable, is this necessarily true?

I'm not sure. Chartered Accountancy training was so focused on graduates for so many years I'm not sure what effect not being a graduate might have. I've worked with plenty of non graduates in good jobs in industry so its clearly not a major block. I guess the issue is if you get an offer for an apprenticeship now you might not get a graduate offer in three years time. The economy and recruiting preferences change very quickly.

Original post by Abd65476

Also if u had the option to do an apprenticeship with one of the big 4 or go to a uni like Cardiff, Bristol bath(Russell group basically) which one would u choose and why?

It depends - partly for the reason I've noted above, and because you could always go to university after an apprenticeship. If I was from a family with a low enough income to get the full loan, and possibly a university scholarship on top (which could be £2k a year at some of those universities) I think I would go to university. I enjoyed drinking and partying too much to miss out!

However, if my parents couldn't contribute and I only got the minimum loan I think I'd take the apprenticeship unless I was really up for the challenge of working part time jobs throughout university.

Original post by Abd65476

done maths business and welsh bacc for a levels so apart from a+f I’m really not sure what else I can do, only other careers i can really think of is either becoming something like a statistician so doing a degree in maths. I’ve also been told if I want to become a CA a+f would be the best chose as they will give exemptions.

There are load of courses which lead to loads of careers you could consider. Maths (or maths + stats, MORS, financial maths), computer science, management for a start. I think maths and computer science open a lot of doors and equip you very well for whatever the future holds.

For Big 4 and other larger accountancy firms I don't think exemptions are such a huge benefit. They pay for courses and the training tends to help with later exams which you can't get exemptions for. Plus the firms sometimes change their view on their trainees taking to many exemptions so its not always as helpful as you might think. If you have a real problem with exams such as intense exam nerves its not the career for you anyway.

Where I do think A+F degrees win is for two circumstances:

- you decide not to train in the large firm or are not successful gaining a contract. Generally smaller firms and companies in industry are less generous with their funding for training so its very helpful not having so many exams to sit. Likewise it may be easier to find work with a relevant degree.

- you are, like many people I've worked with, a practically minded person and not so interested in academic things. You may well prefer studying accounting to more esoteric subjects like maths or economics.

On forums where this is discussed by middle aged professionals like myself (normally wondering what their children should chose) the general advice seems to be to study what you fancy. I'm a bit more inclined towards A+F if you think that might be a good career for you as it feels a bit of a safer way to make a start, plus it can make passing the exams a lot quicker and less painful. That being said certain degrees combined with ACA can lead to interesting jobs (STEM/ IT type courses and languages for example).

QUOTE=Abd65476;79875226] In terms of pay do u think it’s realistic to earn 70-80k with a good 10 yrs experience

If you join a big 4/ top 10 type firm, qualify in three years? Its certainly realistic if you are career focused and don't get caught out in a recession at the wrong time and are working in London/ South East. Including bonuses I think a lot will earn that amount or more by early 30's. Outside of the South East I'm not so sure - the pay looks a lot lower but its would be better to ask someone who works in areas you are interested in.

Reply 14

Dankey

Until it eventually gets automated of course

Reply 15

OP

Original post by Dankey

Until it eventually gets automated of course

I believe it will be one of the last jobs to get automated. People see accounting as an easy job which can be easily replicated by a computer but thus is not necessarily true. Some parts such as bookkeeping will probably become automated but other parts probably won’t

Reply 16

OP

Original post by ajj2000

If you join a big 4/ top 10 type firm, qualify in three years? Its certainly realistic if you are career focused and don't get caught out in a recession at the wrong time and are working in London/ South East. Including bonuses I think a lot will earn that amount or more by early 30's. Outside of the South East I'm not so sure - the pay looks a lot lower but its would be better to ask someone who works in areas you are interested in.

I will probably apply for both and at the end of the yr hav a good think about it and choose one

In terms choosing a degree I’m open to doing financial maths, statistics, a+f, economics or something similarly related but it’s really choosing one quickly as UCAS is literally round the corner.

Do u think there’s any uncertainty around the future of accountancy?

Reply 17