Sam Jeffrey

10 reasons to become an accountant

Have you ever considered a career within the Finance & Accountancy sector but unsure what it can offer? We can help. We regularly advise candidates of all levels on the best job roles for them. Here we answer the questions we always get asked and outline the top reasons why so many of our candidates choose to become accountants. Today the Finance & Accountancy sector is huge, and accountancy specifically is an integral part of most businesses across the globe. However, despite the size of the sector we are still constantly on the lookout for high-calibre, qualified accountants to take key positions across the UK. In this blog I take a look at what I think are the top ten benefits of becoming an accountant and why people should really consider it as a legitimate career move. 1. Excellent development and career prospects: you will get out what you put in while working in finance. If you are career driven, hardworking and focused the world really is your oyster. The training on offer and the opportunities to learn new skills and develop both personally and professionally in this sector are second to none and hard work always pays off. 2. A better than average salary: accountants can work in high pressure environments, and the salary often reflects this. Accountants in the UK can earn anything from £25,000 as a gradate entering the profession to over £100,000 as an experience chartered accountant. There are also opportunities to earn upwards of £500 per day as an interim contractor, making it a very well paid profession for candidates that are willing to work hard. To find a job with a better salary today, head to our jobs page! 3. Job Security: businesses will always need accountants, so overall accounting is a very stable industry to work in, and while no field can guarantee anyone a job, the prospects in accounting are excellent and are likely to stay that way. 4. Variety: as an accountant you will be able to work in almost any industry, so the variety and choice within the role is excellent. You will also work with a range of people across the business you are in, giving the role variety and making each day different and interesting. 5. A number of career options: as an accountant you will also enjoy access to a vast number of different roles on a permanent, contract and interim basis. This gives candidates in the Finance & Accountancy sector a much greater chance of securing work, and if you are flexible with what you want you will likely be able to secure a role you want with relative ease. Roles that you could get into include audit, reporting, business partnering and commercial and analysis. 6. Ability to make real change: today’s finance professionals do much more than just crunch numbers. Accountants are often required to have technical abilities coupled with a commercial acumen that enables them to advise decision makers on strategy and business processes. This makes the role of an accountant incredibly varied, challenging and often very exciting. 7. Technology and the ever changing environment: technology is changing the way finance leaders run their teams and how they conduct business. As a result, more finance leaders are investing in digitisation of the finance function, opening up opportunities to gain efficiencies and analyse trends. This again means varied career paths as professionals who are tech-savvy have an opportunity to excel, and trained accountants will be at the forefront of exciting business change. 8. You will gain transferable skills: the skills you will learn and develop as an accountant are easily transferable to other roles and even sectors. For example, accountants could go into teaching, trading or recruiting, so if you ever want a change of scenery you will have plenty of other options to choose from. Many accountants also become business leaders in their own right, securing Managing Director roles and setting up their own businesses. 9. You have the option to travel: with qualifications like CIMA, ACA and ACCA, you can work in more than 120 countries. Giving you the ability to travel with work and pleasure. This is especially advantageous as you might end up working with a big firm with multiple offices in different countries. 10. No need for a university education: you don’t need a degree to become an accountant. Having an accountancy degree can enable you to skip a few exams on the way to full qualification, but generally it will not matter whether or not you have been to university. I believe becoming an accountant is a clever career move for anyone that is ambitious and focussed. I have seen so many candidates progress through the ranks relatively quickly within finance. It is a sector that is constantly growing, and I firmly believe that the role of an accountant will always be needed. If you are interested in a role as an accountant and want to discuss how you could get on the accountancy career ladder, get in touch with me by emailing martin.parr@sellickpartnership.co.uk. Alternatively, you can check out our latest Finance & Accountancy jobs here.

Will Integrated Care Systems impact the public sector talent pool?

Integrated Care Systems have started to be rolled out across the country in a bid to streamline the way the NHS works, and deliver care to patients across the UK. In short, Integrated Care Systems plan to combine NHS commissioners, providers and local authorities, making them work more collaboratively to improve healthcare for the populations they serve. It is hoped that by combining these services, the NHS on the whole will work more effectively, making the service quicker and more efficient. These changes will undoubtedly have an impact on the permanent and interim talent pool across the public sector, specifically back office areas. But what does that mean for candidates and NHS organisations in the short and long-term? Short-term considerations Short-term it is looking likely that services will run a ‘business as usual’ approach. There is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the new systems, and I am confident that we will not see any huge changes until a more concrete plan is in place. However, I do think that organisations should consider taking on interim staff to assist with any changes that are coming in. Interim staff can be used to help embed new ways of working, whilst keeping the day-to-day activities running, something I believe will be crucial when the transition to become an Integrated Care System starts. If the organisations involved do not invest in staff they may not have the support needed to ensure the transition goes smoothly. If I am correct and the demand for interim candidates increases, it is likely that organisations will be competing for the same talent as the market remains very much candidate-led at the minute. I would therefore advise that organisations seek out interim support early on to ensure they have a chance of securing the best candidates on the market. Longer-term considerations Longer-term I believe that these changes will have a hugely positive impact on the care patients receive across the country. Aligning these services, and building a more collaborative approach will only make our NHS stronger long-term. However, I do believe organisations and candidates working in this sector should start to prepare. Whilst streamlining these services, it is likely that back office support roles will be reduced after the initial influx of interim workers I mentioned previously. For example, currently there may be four or five finance teams working within one geographical area. With a new Integrated Care System in place, there may only be a need for one slightly larger team, allowing the NHS to save costs and streamline this function. This could be problematic for many interim candidates that rely on work within the NHS. I would advise candidates in this area to look at widening their experience or to start considering permanent vacancies. By widening their public sector knowledge outside of the NHS, candidates could give themselves a much wider scope for securing new interim jobs. Failing that, now could be a good time to look at permanent vacancies, especially within organisations that are being integrated. Progress and opportunities as a result of Integrated Care Systems Integrated Care Systems have only been in operation for a year, but there are encouraging signs of progress, and I am confident they will improve the sector overall. Evidence shows that partner organisations and their leaders are working more collaboratively to manage performance and finances in a way that was not happening previously. If this progress is replicated across the country, Integrated Care back office roles, such as Management Accountants, will be highly sought after, and organisations that are demonstrating progress and are working efficiently will likely be at an advantage and be able to attract and retain the best candidates in the market. The changes also present a huge opportunity for any interim or permanent candidates that are looking to strengthen their CV, so anyone that may want this exposure should consider looking at opportunities sooner rather than later. Our advice moving forward Whatever happens, organisations that are involved in the Integrated Care System changes need to ensure that they are communicating and working with their employees at every step. Change and uncertainty can be challenging to manage, especially if there is a likelihood that job roles may be impacted. It is therefore important for business leaders to be genuine, honest and listen to the wants and needs of the organisation as a whole. Organisations will not be able to achieve their goals if the staff are not performing, so as a priority organisations should open the lines of communication between management and employees, and talk openly and regularly about any concerns. Finally, I would advise both candidates and NHS organisations not to worry. There is currently very little to indicate that the new Integrated Care Systems will have any negative impact, so until more is announced there is very little anyone can do. For now I would keep as up-to-date as possible with developments, consider speaking with a recruitment professional about the market and how the changes may impact it and ensure that employees at all levels are kept motivated and informed with what is going on. We have a wealth of experience assisting candidates and businesses with situations similar to this. So if you are currently working for an organisation that may be impacted by the new Integrated Care Systems, or are a business leader and need advice on sourcing the right talent, feel free to get in touch. You can email me on adam.rouse@sellickpartnership.co.uk or you can call me directly by ringing 01332 542580.