A career in accountancy
Accountants work in every area of business and are integral to the smooth running and continued success of every firm. Contrary to the tired stereotypes, accountants can have very varied careers involving plenty of travel and foreign secondments. Within the business community they are well respected due to their focused expertise and the importance of their work.
The high level of training required to become a qualified accountant is mostly provided and paid for by your employer, making an accountancy qualification an appealing alternative to a Masters degree, especially when you consider that you will be working and being paid while you study.
All local accountancy firms and many companies that employ accountants have established training arrangements in place, with some even offering bursaries for Guernsey undergraduates. Within these firms there will often be several trainee accountants studying at the same time, so the level of support and encouragement is huge.
Once qualified as a professional accountant there are limitless career opportunities. Whether you stay with one firm and gain promotions and, should you wish, take secondments in other countries or go it alone as a freelance accountant, there is always a strong demand for capable accountants. If you are looking to a career in accountancy you will need to be comfortable with figures and have sound writing skills but the A Level subjects you have taken, or are taking, are not really important and you can start your accountancy training straight after leaving school.
When looking for a job in accountancy you should take some time to research the firms you are applying to and look for those that will suit you best. Do not be discouraged if you are not made an offer by the first firm, keep applying to others that appeal to you, while one firm may not be hiring this may not be the case across the board.
Please make use of the details on accountancy firms and companies employing accountants listed on this site and if you are planning on continuing your education at university you may be interested in one of the bursary schemes offered locally.
Download 'Sweet', our student brochure, for more information.
