Education Careers Service
If you are currently in education then why not talk to your schools careers service. Schools have staff who provide advice and guidance to pupils. In order to help you find your first job in accountancy, schools are able to provide students with access to some external sources for careers guidance. These include things like local career fairs, websites and mentoring.
You might even have some careers fairs going on at your school which you can attend and meet local employers. Don’t be afraid to ask the employers for their names, positions and email addresses – you could send them an email afterwards to introduce yourself and show your interest in working for the company.
Organisations
There are organisations out there like Form the Future or The Skills Service who bring schools and businesses together so students can learn about employment opportunities in their regions. They link businesses, education and training providers together.
Recruitment Agencies
Finding work through a recruitment agency can be a good choice for some, especially those who find the whole idea of selling themselves tough – recruitment agents do this for you!
Recruitment agencies know the job market and actively search for work on your behalf, so this can also lead to finding a job quicker than expected.
There are national recruitment agencies that deal with accountancy & finance positions like Hays, Reed, Michael Page. Or more local recruitment agencies like Pure and TheOneGroup in East Anglia and Sharp Consultancy in Yorkshire. Just have a quick google and see what local agencies you have.
Apprenticeship Fairs
If you are ready to take on the world of work and pursue a career in accountancy, an apprenticeship is a fantastic way to get into employment, earning a salary whilst you continue to learn new specialist skills to help you develop and progress in your career.
Apprenticeship fairs are run up and down the country throughout the year. The North’s largest apprenticeship recruitment fair takes place in Leeds where they have over 100 organisations exhibiting apprenticeship vacancies available. You also have them run in Peterborough/Milton Keynes – again just have a quick google and see what local apprenticeship fairs you have.
Careers Fairs
Careers fairs are a great way to talk to employers directly. Companies pay to attend these events and their aim is to talk to people interested in finding a career. Use this opportunity to network and find out about how their application process works.
Social Media
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network on the internet. Making it a great platform to use to find the right job. By connecting with leading figures in your chosen industry you can promote your achievements and build up an online presence. A complete LinkedIn profile can help you connect with opportunities with employers and agencies that you might not have normally seen.
Qualification Websites
You can also look directly on each of the qualifications website as they have job boards for you to search AAT, ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW.
Websites
We also suggest these websites as good place to start:
https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/
https://www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk/
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch
https://www.findapprenticeships.co.uk/
Every year First Intuition centres across the country invite local students at school, college and university to come along to one of our Accountancy Summer Schools to find out more about the accountancy profession and the careers available within it. Read our blog about Careers in Accountancy & Finance.
