CareerChangeUK.co.uk

Financial & Bookkeeping Training For Careers

Training to get a professional certification can be time well spent! So many of us put up with the wrong job for far too long, when with a bit of effort we can find and work towards a career that suits our personality much better.

How Do I Know Which Career To Choose?

Having said that, it can be aproblem knowing which direction to take! It's important to analyse all the factors that you're looking for in your new career, to make sure you find a good match. It could be that a financial career of one sort or another is right up your street. You'll be respected as a professional by your peers, and can anticipate a generous remuneration package as your career progresses.

Clearly there are many training routes a student can take - so research the job you want to do first, and then look on training sites to see who can teach you how to do it. Starting positions include junior cashier work, assistant book-keeper or accounts clerk.

In time, when you've built up more experience and senior qualifications, you'll be in a position to lead or manage. You could then for instance apply to be a Sales Ledger Manager. You can use a shortcut to add this page to your favourites - Ctrl D. Visit us often and you'll see a good assortment of training colleges are featured. Use them to learn the different options that are available to you, and to compare the benefits offered by each of them. Be wary of courses that only offer college accreditations. You don't want to put effort in and find that employers don't value your certificates.

Which Subjects Are Taught?

There are a range of different skills and subjects to pick up when working in this industry. If this is your first experience of it, you'll need to go through all the basics. This list is by no means exhaustive, but you can expect to learn manual and computer systems, payroll, credit control, double entry, business law, reconciliations and vat. If you've been in the industry for a while and want to progress, there are more difficult subjects to master. Advanced courses can be quite specialised, but might include such things as Final Accounts, Ethics, Special Transactions, Methods of Stock Valuation and Accounting Packages.

Who Would Employ Me?

Anyone with credible qualifications in accounts/book-keeping can offer themselves to all sorts of commercial and public sector organisations. You're not restricted to one narrow area as the law requires all commercial organisations to keep records. You could enjoy the cut and thrust of a big conglomerate, or prefer to be in a small team working locally. Work is available in both the private and the public sector, and many senior managers and directors have worked their way up through their company's finance department. Then again there's nothing to stop you from working for yourself once you've gained a bit of experience.

How Can I Be Sure It's For Me?

Obviously you'll need a good head for figures - that goes without saying. But if you're also the sort of person who is very task-oriented, and can patiently and methodically work until the job's done then you'll do very well in this field. Financial work is suited to assiduous and well organised people.

Employers rely heavily on their financial and accounting staff, and so they look for people who are completely trustworthy and loyal.

"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it." - Margaret Thatcher.

Start Looking Now!

There are a great number of training companies offering financial and accounting certifications. To find the most suitable one for you - you must do your research thoroughly.

As we've already discussed, don't just opt for the first one you come across - the more different organisations you read about, the more you'll discover what you like or dislike about the courses they offer, and their back-up and support. You might want to be left to work through the syllabus in your own time, or feel more reassured if you have deadlines and classroom sessions.

There isn't necessarily a best answer - just a best answer for you and your preferences and circumstances.

Once you've got it down to a handful, get in touch and ask for some training samples so that you can visualise how you'd relate to the format. But ultimately the thing to do is to get on with it. Once you've made your verdict, you'll be swept along with the momentum of your bright new future career. Good Luck!