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So You Want To Be A Chartered Accountant

This document provides an overview of becoming a chartered accountant. It discusses that chartered accountants work with clients on audits, taxation, finance and more. They dress professionally in suits. While the profession has a dull image, chartered accountants occupy pivotal roles in top companies. The skills needed include numeracy, communication, and working well under pressure. To begin, one needs a degree, though 30% of entrants have non-business degrees. Trainees undertake exams and work training. Firms range from large international ones to small partnerships. Salaries increase from modest starting levels to high levels for partners.

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Kamran Tahir
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8K views1 page

So You Want To Be A Chartered Accountant

This document provides an overview of becoming a chartered accountant. It discusses that chartered accountants work with clients on audits, taxation, finance and more. They dress professionally in suits. While the profession has a dull image, chartered accountants occupy pivotal roles in top companies. The skills needed include numeracy, communication, and working well under pressure. To begin, one needs a degree, though 30% of entrants have non-business degrees. Trainees undertake exams and work training. Firms range from large international ones to small partnerships. Salaries increase from modest starting levels to high levels for partners.

Uploaded by

Kamran Tahir
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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So you want to be a ...

Chartered
accountant
Am I the right type? I love maths and I’m never happier than when poring over figures. Look for another
career. You need to be numerate but not a mathematician. You would deal with business matters as well as
figures. So, what would I do? Work for clients on: audit, financial services, taxation, corporate finance, insolvency,
and consultancy. Clients range from multinational businesses to individuals whose idea of financial record-keeping
is to store invoices and receipts in a bin liner and cheerfully dump this on their accountant in the last week of the
financial year.
How would I dress for work? In a suit, although some large city firms have moved to “smart
casual”.

Image problems? The profession has a dull image. There is even a book called Sixty ways to
avoid becoming an accountant. The truth is that chartered accountants occupy some of the most
pivotal positions in many of the top companies.

Skills? Numeracy, interest in business, communication skills, ability to explain matters to non-
specialists, discretion, willingness to work under pressure.

How do I begin? With a degree. There is a route from A level, but more than 90 per cent of
entrants are graduates — 30 per cent of whom have an arts or social sciences degree. You would
undertake a training contract and study for professional exams while working. New exams, with
an increased focus on business advice, have just been launched.

Who would give me a job? Accountancy firms in “practice”. These range from the “big five” —
Arthur Andersen, Deloitte & Touché, Ernst & Young, KMPG and PricewaterhouseCoopers, each
with several thousand employees — to small partnerships. You could also work in industry,
commerce or the public sector.

How much could I earn? Salaries can be modest while training — the national average starting
salary for trainees in 1998-99 was £14,752 but some employers pay more than £20,000. Salaries
often double on qualification. Partners in top firms earn are on six figure-plus packages.

How could I progress? To partner, if you stay in the profession. Alternatively, you could use your
qualification as a stepping stone to senior managerial positions.

What is the current situation? Intake of trainees accurately reflects the economy. Firms cut this
instantly in a recession.

What does the crystal ball see? No lack of employment. Who else can work for clients who
could equally well be flourishing (all that tax work) or in trouble (rescue packages, insolvency)?

Tips? You would have to devote time to staying up to date. Tax law changes constantly. Don’t
underestimate the time needed to study for professional exams. It will make considerable inroads
into your leisure time. Further information from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of England
and Wales, 01908 248108, www.icaew.co.uk/careers; in Northern Ireland, 028 9032 1600; in
Scotland, 0131 225 5673, www.icas.co.uk Beryl Dixon Up the Ladder, by Beryl Dixon, covers a
variety of potential careers and is published by HarperCollins, price £6.99 (including p&p). Call
0870 160 8080, or visit www.times-eshop.co.uk

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