At HIRE IQ, we are biased when it comes to careers in Accountancy and Finance. Most people assume Accountancy and Finance is just staring at numbers all day but it is much more than that. Think about how many businesses and organisations need accountants for their day-to-day working lives. The possibilities are endless in the world of Accountancy.
Here are the many reasons to choose a career in Accountancy and Finance:
The Accountancy and Finance industry in Northern Ireland is booming, with over 30,000 people employed in the sector. Employment rates are very high in this sector, with 88.7% of finance and accountancy graduates in employment within 6 months. Traditional accounting roles, such as payroll and finances are greatly sought after, alongside the growth in demand for roles in data and analytics. It is a prosperous industry to enter. Also, due to these uncertain times, smart business decisions are more important than ever so companies will be looking for accountant advisory roles.
In the current economic climate it is important to have a stable career path, and Accountancy and Finance can provide just that. Due to the skill set accountants have, such as bookkeeping, auditing and maintaining financial records, it is a career that will always be in demand- no matter what the economy looks like.
When entering the career ladder, there will be opportunities to gain qualifications. These most likely will be through the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). Many companies in the industry offer to pay for graduates to get these qualifications. These qualifications allow you to become chartered accountants and chartered tax advisors. With these opportunities, you can work internationally, work for big corporations or even go out on your own and become self-employed.
Once you have gained all your required qualifications and experience, accountancy can be very favourable in terms of salaries. When training for your qualifications, you have a starting salary of around £20,000, once part-qualified this can jump to £25,000. Currently, fully-trained accountants are commanding £30,700. Bonuses are also a very prominent employee benefit in the sector with many employers offering an annual bonus of 10% of your salary. If you are a graduate on £20,000, a 10% bonus would be more than welcome!
There aren’t many industries that you can have the flexibility to go out on your own and set up your own firm but in Accountancy you have that option. You can have flexible working hours, working from home options and there is no such thing as ‘Annual Leave’ when you are your own boss. You have the ability to take your career into any industry you want to. Accountants are needed everywhere.
At HIRE IQ, we would be more than happy to help you enter the accountancy industry. Contact us today to see what opportunities are available