Accounting career - post degree with 3rd

I graduated with a third in accounting and am looking for any advice if it's still possible to continue my career in a worthwhile way. I know it's better off not including a third on your CV to employers and I won't write a list of reasons to why I performed so poorly at university. I know self funding yourself through the ACCA exams is a possibility, albeit not ideal in comparison to studying ACCA through a university with loans due to the difficult nature of these exams. I know getting a third is a waste of time and money but I'd like to get another chance to succeed in this career. From what I've been told ACCA is ideal if you 've gotten the exemptions through your degree. There are people who have been successful after getting a third but they are the minority and I'm not sure what to do.
If anyone has any advice on any routes I can take, I would love to hear them. Thank you.

Look - a lot depends on why you got a third. What were your A level grades? How many ACCA exemptions do you get?

I guess we all need a job so may as well be in accounts if thats what you fancy.

For your main questions:

if it's still possible to continue my career in a worthwhile way

Possibly, yes. If someone with strong academic skills and decent interpersonal skills had had a bit of a nightmare at university but go on the first rung and passed professional exams they would do just fine. I know a couple of people with thirds who have careers in accounts - they were both from other countries, didnt get a grant so worked pretty much full time hours while studying in a second language.

I know self funding yourself through the ACCA exams is a possibility, albeit not ideal in comparison to studying ACCA through a university with loans due to the difficult nature of these exams

I may be a bit out of date but this seems highly misinformed:

- university courses covering the later ACCA exams while pretending to be a masters degree are pretty new innovations. Are they any good? I don't know. I dont think they have much pedigree, and university salaries are very, very low compared with the tutors at the top accountancy colleges. Not sure I'd pay for a university course. If money was no object the likes of BPP and Kaplan work well for people. Still, I'll bet a large majority who pass have self studied most or all of the exams.

There are people who have been successful after getting a third but they are the minority and I'm not sure what to do.

The trouble is you are looking at a small number of people who probably had slightly unusual circumstances. Thats not really a good guide. A lot depends on where you live as to how to look for some entry level job to make a start.

sixth formers go into accounting apprenticeships and come out qualified, possibly doing the exams alongside their job

have you looked into it? you may know more than i do

I graduated with a third in accounting and am looking for any advice if it's still possible to continue my career in a worthwhile way. I know it's better off not including a third on your CV to employers and I won't write a list of reasons to why I performed so poorly at university. I know self funding yourself through the ACCA exams is a possibility, albeit not ideal in comparison to studying ACCA through a university with loans due to the difficult nature of these exams. I know getting a third is a waste of time and money but I'd like to get another chance to succeed in this career. From what I've been told ACCA is ideal if you 've gotten the exemptions through your degree. There are people who have been successful after getting a third but they are the minority and I'm not sure what to do.
If anyone has any advice on any routes I can take, I would love to hear them. Thank you.

I have taken a look at the Prospects website and from what i can see, they require a 2:1 grade for most of the jobs/routes that are listed on there.

Working part time/ full time to pay for the ACCA exams and self studying is an option available but i'm not sure if it's worth doing or the correct choice due to my poor university grade and no experience in an accounting job. For me, getting a grant is not an issue, i will most likely be accepted as i'm not an international student, the issue i'm currently facing is that universities are requiring atleast a 2:1 grade to be accepted onto the ACCA progam they're offering. I'm not sure what you mean when you're referring to ACCA exams pretending to be masters degree, as i take it, they're completely different things. Options are to do ACCA/ACA governing bodies exams through the universities or study a masters, i'm not interested in doing a masters, not that i'd be accepted by a university onto the course anyway. I think you're talking about university courses that do ACCA courses being sub-par and definitely not on the same level as Kaplan and BPP, which is true but i obviously can't afford them. I don't know whether majority of ACCA students who pass do it via self-study or through university/other organization. However, i know that nearly all my peers at university continued to study the ACCA exams with the university, and nearly all of them got atleast a 2:1. I don't have A-levels, i studied BTEC and It's basically useless. Accounting degrees give you i think 9 exemptions from your ACCA exams. So there are still plenty to do and according to lecturers, they're quite a bit harder aswell. I've been taking a look at the Prospects website to see what options are available and whether there's a suitable job that allows studying for the ACCA exams, but they're mostly requiring 2:1 grade aswell. These are based in Manchester which i'm fine with working at as the other locations are too far but the issue once again is my grade. University course may not be that great but it's still additional help which you won't have access to if you're self-studying. Also i think you're able to get a grant if you go the university way but if you self-study, you're essentially forced to pay for each exam out of pocket straight away right? I need to know whether continuing a career in Accountancy is worthwhile now and if i realistically have a chance at being successful while being at a huge disadvantage compared to my peers who did well at university and have already gotten relevant job experience in the field. If so, what steps do i need to take in order to catch up and get on the right track? Ideally, one would want to do a job related to accounting whilst also studying for the ACCA exams or taking the ACCA exams through the university. I think this is near impossible for me due to not having any previous job experience in Accounting and poor university grades so i'm not left with many options. Thanks for your replies, i'm still looking for some advice on what my options are.
Forgot to add, this may be in the wrong section and should be in the post-graduate section instead?

Do you have any sort of experience and internships? If so then you can simply search for jobs who'll accept a third. I've stumbled upon many roles on indeed that do not ask for your degree results provided you have a few experiences and knowledge. In your case I would apply to these by making a speculative application. Try and avoid grad scheme and big companies, and look for traineeships.

Have you looked into other roles such as finance assistant? It has a decent pay (depending on the organisation and location, you can expect to earn £20-25k as a trainee), and some employers will fund for qualifications.

Working part time/ full time to pay for the ACCA exams and self studying is an option available but i'm not sure if it's worth doing or the correct choice due to my poor university grade and no experience in an accounting job.

Why? Most people who go this route have had no prior experience in an accounting job when they start. It also has the huge benefit of being cheap - if you decide accounting work is not for you you haven't blown a load of money or wasted the opportunity to study other things.


For me, getting a grant is not an issue, i will most likely be accepted as i'm not an international student, the issue i'm currently facing is that universities are requiring atleast a 2:1 grade to be accepted onto the ACCA progam they're offering.

How do you get a grant for postgrad accounting studies? Are you in England? I don't think there are any (maybe a couple of scholarships. Why would an international student have a harder time being accepted? They pay more?

Could you link to the ACCA programme you are considering?

I'm not sure what you mean when you're referring to ACCA exams pretending to be masters degree, as i take it, they're completely different things.

Not necessarily. Since the government stating dishing out loan for masters degrees universities have been particularly keen to attract students. Courses which might have been ACCA specific are sold as masters degrees in order that students can collect the loan money.

However, i know that nearly all my peers at university continued to study the ACCA exams with the university, and nearly all of them got atleast a 2:1.

I don't think that very representative. Strong applicants get jobs which pay for course as well as paying a salary - no-one offered one would do a university course. I've not yet seen a CV from anyone who did ACCA exams on a university course (other than undergrad exemptions). I see a lot of CV's from people who self studied or went to Kaplan etc.

Accounting degrees give you i think 9 exemptions from your ACCA exams.

They vary between 5 and 9. It's worth checking on https://www.accaglobal.com/vn/en/help/exemptions-calculator.html to see what you have.

So there are still plenty to do and according to lecturers, they're quite a bit harder aswell.

If you have 9 exemptions there are only 4 to do. Yes - they are generally a lot harder than university exams

Also i think you're able to get a grant if you go the university way but if you self-study, you're essentially forced to pay for each exam out of pocket straight away right?

If you can get a grant. I doubt there are any - see my point above. If you self study you do probably have to pay unless you find an employer to pay for you.

I've been taking a look at the Prospects website to see what options are available and whether there's a suitable job that allows studying for the ACCA exams, but they're mostly requiring 2:1 grade aswell.

True - no reason not to apply for grad jobs but there are probably a long shot. They will continue to be a long shot if you stay at university to complete ACCA. If you apply with real experience companies are more accommodating.

I need to know whether continuing a career in Accountancy is worthwhile now and if i realistically have a chance at being successful while being at a huge disadvantage compared to my peers who did well at university and have already gotten relevant job experience in the field.

You will have a harder time getting into a first job which offers training/ grad scheme benefits. You have a perfectly reasonable chance if you have the ability to perform in the job, and ideally to pass professional exams.

If so, what steps do i need to take in order to catch up and get on the right track?

By all means look at the prospects website etc but I think you'll struggle there. The best way is to get a job related to accounts - such as purchase ledger, accounts assistant etc. You are plenty qualified enough. Make sure you know enough about Excel to be able to contribute on day 1. Maybe target temporary jobs are they are easier to get as a first job.

You need to get a good CV together, be well prepared and then register with big agencies such as Reed and Hays. Look though ads on linkedin, Reed, Gaapweb and Indeed. Apply for lots of things even if they state minimum experience which you don't have. Its important to be able to interview well and demonstrate that you understand the career paths and type of work you would be doing.

To add - and as someone has asked above: what work have you done before? Bar work? Shop work? nothing?

You've asked a few times whether it i worthwhile. What are your other options/ interests? If you were in a great sales or commercial job I could understand sticking with it. If you are not then there is no downside to pursuing accountancy.

I don't have any job experience or internships, only a degree. I'm currently looking around to see if i can find a job but i want to further a career in accounting and not sure what exactly to do. I have taken a look on indeed but have not found anything that doesn't require experience and other qualifications i don't have. If i can make 20-25k as a trainee and get funding for qualifications, that would be ideal but i don't see anything like this available to me at the moment on prospects or indeed.

Every job requires some sort of experience. Do you have non at all, be it super market, retail or even volunteer jobs? You're not going to find any job in accounting or finance that doesn't require experience.

If you genuinely want to go into accounting, then you could try to apply to some apprenticeship, though the salary will be very low. Another suggestion is starting as an admin, finance assistant to build up your skillset and then break into accounting after a few years.

I don't have any experience at all unfortunately. How do i get job experience in an accounting job if no accounting job is willing to take me? one cannot be done without the other, don't understand it. What do you mean by admin? what skills would i need and what job do i look at to find such a position?

I don't have any experience at all unfortunately. How do i get job experience in an accounting job if no accounting job is willing to take me? one cannot be done without the other, don't understand it. What do you mean by admin? what skills would i need and what job do i look at to find such a position?

Could you give answers to questions people have asked previously. We need information in order to give advice.

I've answered the question in bold already. The other questions can easily be answered by googling tbh. Not sure what you mean by "one cannot be done without the other".

I mean that how is someone suppose to get accounting experience if all the jobs require experience?