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Pre-start Resources
These pre-start resources are free to access ahead of starting or during the early weeks of your accounting and finance role. They have been compiled from our archive of video lecture content and are a great way to get up to speed before your first formal study course. You may be familiar with some of the concepts but with over 7 hours of video content, there should be something for everyone. Get started below:
PRE-START RESOURCES
Introduction
The Role of the Finance Function
Finance roles are varied, but a key theme is providing information to keep the business management informed.
Video: Accurate data vs information
Video: Contribution to business objectives
Communication
Communication is key at all levels of an organisation and can take many forms. There is a wide range of people we need to communicate with within the workplace, and ensuring we take the right approach is important.
Video: Communication introduction
Video: Effective communication
Video: Presentation and grammar
Video: The nature of team working
Telephone Skills
It can be daunting answering the telephone in your first professional role. Here we share some tips to help you feel more confident in picking up the phone.
Proactivity
We all want to be as efficient and effective as we can be in our workplace roles. Being able to identify how you can add value and identify what you should be working on can support your team members.
Rapport
There will be a variety of new people you will be introduced to and will need to be able to interact with. Building rapport supports us in developing relationships with others.
Numeracy Skills
When processing transactions or reviewing/ reporting data some key maths skills will be required.
PDF: Decimals and Rounding Skills
Excel Spreadsheets for Beginners
The use of spreadsheets is a fundamental skill required in the workplace. Spreadsheets can be used to store, organise and analyse financial information, and should be presented in a way to enable informed decisions to be made.
Spreadsheet Basics
Employers often require these types of skills, therefore this assessment is designed to ensure that you understand the underlying principles of spreadsheets and that you can use them competently in an accounting environment.
PDF: Basic spreadsheets – Document 1
Video: Creating or opening a workbook
Entering Data
Let’s take our spreadsheet knowledge a stage further in terms of entering data and will introduce inserting and deleting rows and columns as well as cutting, copying and pasting cells of data. We will look at how the contents of cells can be moved around and how to use multiple sheets within a workbook and consider different ways of entering data into our spreadsheets.
The presentation of our page in Excel is important to ensure the correct data is displayed for the user, to help us do this we will look at the page ‘setup’ information.
PDF: Basic spreadsheets – Document 2
Formatting
Here we will be applying different styles of formatting. The spreadsheet below should be opened and you should work through the activities relating to this chapter as you follow the guidance in these notes.
PDF: Basic spreadsheets – Document 3
Simple Formula
Here we will introduce the basic formulas we may wish to use in a spreadsheet. We will learn how to enter, amend and display the formula.
PDF: Basic spreadsheets – Document 4
PDF: Overview of formulas in Excel
PDF: How to avoid broken formulas
Ethics and Codes of Conduct
Financial Documents
It is important to be familiar with some of the key documentation processed during transactions.
Video: Checks on sales invoices
Video: Step 5 remittance advice
Basic Accounting
The terminology used in a finance department can be quite confusing to start with, here are some of the basics.
Video: Intro to users of accounts
Video: Definitions that will be useful
Video: The financial statements of a business
Video: The accounting equation
Video: The books of prime entry
Value Added Tax
Most businesses are VAT registered meaning it is important to show VAT on documentation and understand how it is calculated.
Video: Calculating gross values from net values
Double Entry Bookkeeping
Accounting systems work on the principles of Debits and Credits. This is a very important concept when understanding how transactions are recorded.
Video: Double-entry bookkeeping
Video: Bookkeeping illustration
Video: General and subsidiary ledge
Video: Posting a transaction to the ledger
Video: Balancing off the ledger accounts
Additional Useful Resources
EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS RESOURCES
Making a Good First Impression
Most companies will have a probation period in their employability contracts. This is a period of time to impress your new boss and colleagues to ensure you are kept on. Even though you may not know how to do particular parts of your role when you first start a new job, there are some things you can still do to make a good impression on your co-workers. Below are some links to useful tips and information on how to make a great first impression.
Video: How to Make a Good First Impression
Links to additional resource
Tips for making a good impression at work:
- https://www.jobsite.co.uk/advice/tips-for-starting-a-new-job
- https://www.livecareer.com/resources/jobs/networking/first-days-working
- https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5831-new-hire-good-impression.html
- https://www.inc.com/young-entrepreneur-council/7-ways-to-make-a-great-first-impression-at-your-new-job.html
- https://www.brazen.com/blog/archive/career-growth/10-tips-for-making-a-good-first-impression-read-this-before-starting-your-new-job
- https://www.thebalancecareers.com/your-first-job-524792
Office Etiquette & Professional Behaviour
When you start in a new role, particularly if it is your first job, it can be difficult to navigate your way around office culture and know how to act or what you can do to help. However, some parts of office etiquette are universal and even it is your first job your employer will expect you to act professionally. Find some helpful links and information on how to act professionally in the workplace.
Video: Professional Behaviours
Links to additional resource
Tips to be professional in the workplace:
- https://www.thebalancecareers.com/professionalism-526248
- https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/11009-new-employee-office-etiquette.html
- https://www.livecareer.com/resources/jobs/networking/office-etiquette
- https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-demonstrate-respect-in-the-workplace-1919376
How to write a professional email:
- https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-professional-email
- https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-write-and-send-professional-email-messages-2061892
Using your phone at work:
Being Proactive
One of the most important things you can do when starting a new job to impress your colleagues and progress quickly is to use your initiative and be proactive. Below are links to some useful tips and information on how to be proactive in the workplace.
Links to additional resource
Tips on how to be proactive at work:
- https://eatyourcareer.com/2010/08/how-be-proactive-at-work-step-system/
- https://www.hays.co.uk/blog/insights/6-ways-to-help-you-move-up-the-career-ladder-during-lockdown
- https://www.thriveyard.com/25-tips-on-how-to-be-proactive-at-work/
More Employability Skills
From finding the right career for you to making a good impression on your first day, this article has a number of resources to help in all aspects of finding a job. Combining original content from First Intuition and links to other helpful resources.
Article: Finding a Job – Employability Skills