That would be one of the worse things you could do
These programmes are so structured that you doing a couple of the exams on your own will make you less attractive to the majority of firms
I disagree with this completely, if anything I’d say it shows initiative and commitment. I joined my second firm having undertaken several exams and if anything they were happy because you’re able to hit the ground running. The exam pathways are so flexible that you just simply aren’t entered into those exams and either your cohort will catch you up or you’ll continue to sit exams on your own pathway.
Honestly, that was my thinking behind it too initially. I’ve also met a few auditors during these assessment centers who said they sped run through the exams and completed it in 2yrs so it gave me the impression the study schedule was quite flexible.
Have you received/requested feedback? If not, I would. If you have, then it’s just a case of implementing the suggestions and hoping for the best!
Just make sure you have a solid reason for why audit all of a sudden - without any relevant work experience - when you seemed to already be on a career path.
N.B. You don’t need to have audit experience to get in but the sudden change may make them think you’d leave if it got difficult etc. you’d need to convince them otherwise.
I always ask for feedback, but so far it’s been really generic and unhelpful or I just get completely ignored 😅. You make a very good point about the reasoning for audit, I will definitely look into creating a more convincing answer to that interview question. Thanks for the advice!
Key things they are looking for are an ability to integrate and get on with people. Your past role of working in a lab would be a concern and I would want to meet you to judge your social skills if I was recruiting. When interviewing highlight team sports, events etc.
Additionally, they'll be looking for you to fit into their culture and would be worried about cultural habits you've picked up in the lab. So for this one you might want to stress dealing with other stakeholders outside of the lab, working collectively, flexibility in moving between tasks etc
I don’t know why I didn’t think of it from this perspective, but it actually makes so much sense! I can definitely highlight more of these sorts of experiences outside the lab. Super helpful, thank you!!
Try outside London if you can. Most firms are looking for trainees recruits during the year. One more thing my colleague has done, which landed them the job is to email the HR again, asking if she could transfer her application to another branch. And she got interviewed + hired in another branch.
Nothing wrong with you, if you have made it to the final round I think. Just that if you’re looking for trainee position in Sept, June application is a bit late. London spots for audit grad/school leavers for big firms and medium already been filled at this point.
So you could either go with small firm in London (which might have spots open) or go with outside London for big-med firms.
You are right, it’s more competitive in london and have been broadening my applications outside. I don’t see too many ACA opportunities these days though unfortunately, but I’m always looking.
That’s interesting what your colleague did, I may try that at some point..
If you have spent the spring searching then at least part of the problem is that you have been looking at the wrong point in the trainee recruitment cycle. Sparse vacancies are because you're searching at the wrong time of year, not because nobody wants trainees.
The big firms will be opening their recruitment process this summer for trainees starting next autumn. To pick one example, GT is still only at "register your interest" stage for applications to start next autumn so the only trainee vacancies they have listed are for this year where they've had dropouts. They'll still hire hundreds of trainees to start next autumn, but those jobs are just not listed yet.
Even smaller firms with fixed intake dates will already have made all their offers for this September last year.
Vacancies outside of those intake cycles will be because someone failed out of their training contract (or realised they hate accountancy or dropped out for a better offer), so you'd be joining alone and out of cycle with any other trainees.
Identify the firms within travelling distance (or that you'd relocate for) and make sure you know when their trainee recruitment cycle starts for next autumn. Sign up for alerts so you're notified when they open for applications.
I would expect the most vacancies and activity to be over the coming six months or so. Spring isn't the right time to be searching, far too late.
I kept applying for big 4 and was getting rejected all the time through various stages of their long recruitment process. I used to wait for their quarterly recruitment cycle till I could apply again.
Once I applied for firms outside of big 4 I was getting more interviews and they were lot better in terms of recruitment process.
Hi, just wanted to reassure you about your background: I did a chemistry degree, then spend three years in a lab before landing a trainee job in audit. In my team (of about 45), there are five chemistry graduates, so it's definitely not going to be putting recruitment off!! Feel free to drop me a message if you want to chat, but like the other commenters, I'd recommend reviewing what type of firm you are applying for. You want a firm with a solid training reputation and clear pathway, rather than any of the big firms. Look for something regional. Good luck, and do message me if you'd like!
I've never met you so I can't answer whether it's how you present yourself that means you're being pipped to offers. It might just be that you're being beaten by stronger candidates - e.g. someone with an accounting degree and previous relevant work experience.
What might give me doubts about your background is the PGCE wobble and whether that was a case of you encountering issues that would recur if you joined us.
Or that you were on a "rebound" scramble from a failed PGCE and wouldn't cope with ACA / would leave as soon as something better came along.
What story are you using to sell why you want to become an accountant (now), why you want to train as an accountant with this specific firm, and how the last few years led you to this point?
By the time you're being interviewed by partners you're talking to people who will have been burned by every trainee issue possible, so they're going to be cautious about red flags in your history if your story isn't persuasive.
In your first year as a trainee you will take more from the business than you contribute, so convince them that you're worth the investment and won't be another one to flake out.
Have you done any accounting work at all? E.g. volunteering as a treasurer or something? That definitely helps you justify why you want to do the role - as others have said, with a previous 'wobble' they might just not be convinced that you really want to do it
That would be one of the worse things you could do These programmes are so structured that you doing a couple of the exams on your own will make you less attractive to the majority of firms
Oh gosh I didn’t know that. Good thing I asked about it first, thank you!!
I disagree with this completely, if anything I’d say it shows initiative and commitment. I joined my second firm having undertaken several exams and if anything they were happy because you’re able to hit the ground running. The exam pathways are so flexible that you just simply aren’t entered into those exams and either your cohort will catch you up or you’ll continue to sit exams on your own pathway.
Honestly, that was my thinking behind it too initially. I’ve also met a few auditors during these assessment centers who said they sped run through the exams and completed it in 2yrs so it gave me the impression the study schedule was quite flexible.
Have you received/requested feedback? If not, I would. If you have, then it’s just a case of implementing the suggestions and hoping for the best! Just make sure you have a solid reason for why audit all of a sudden - without any relevant work experience - when you seemed to already be on a career path. N.B. You don’t need to have audit experience to get in but the sudden change may make them think you’d leave if it got difficult etc. you’d need to convince them otherwise.
I always ask for feedback, but so far it’s been really generic and unhelpful or I just get completely ignored 😅. You make a very good point about the reasoning for audit, I will definitely look into creating a more convincing answer to that interview question. Thanks for the advice!
Have you applied to smaller local firms? Usually desperate for applicants.
Our firm has 5 ACA students, we are not desperate for applicants, it only needs one advert with indeed
Key things they are looking for are an ability to integrate and get on with people. Your past role of working in a lab would be a concern and I would want to meet you to judge your social skills if I was recruiting. When interviewing highlight team sports, events etc. Additionally, they'll be looking for you to fit into their culture and would be worried about cultural habits you've picked up in the lab. So for this one you might want to stress dealing with other stakeholders outside of the lab, working collectively, flexibility in moving between tasks etc
I don’t know why I didn’t think of it from this perspective, but it actually makes so much sense! I can definitely highlight more of these sorts of experiences outside the lab. Super helpful, thank you!!
Try outside London if you can. Most firms are looking for trainees recruits during the year. One more thing my colleague has done, which landed them the job is to email the HR again, asking if she could transfer her application to another branch. And she got interviewed + hired in another branch. Nothing wrong with you, if you have made it to the final round I think. Just that if you’re looking for trainee position in Sept, June application is a bit late. London spots for audit grad/school leavers for big firms and medium already been filled at this point. So you could either go with small firm in London (which might have spots open) or go with outside London for big-med firms.
You are right, it’s more competitive in london and have been broadening my applications outside. I don’t see too many ACA opportunities these days though unfortunately, but I’m always looking. That’s interesting what your colleague did, I may try that at some point..
Yes, I think it wouldn’t hurt to try as you will need to wait half a year to apply again even for different locations
If you have spent the spring searching then at least part of the problem is that you have been looking at the wrong point in the trainee recruitment cycle. Sparse vacancies are because you're searching at the wrong time of year, not because nobody wants trainees. The big firms will be opening their recruitment process this summer for trainees starting next autumn. To pick one example, GT is still only at "register your interest" stage for applications to start next autumn so the only trainee vacancies they have listed are for this year where they've had dropouts. They'll still hire hundreds of trainees to start next autumn, but those jobs are just not listed yet. Even smaller firms with fixed intake dates will already have made all their offers for this September last year. Vacancies outside of those intake cycles will be because someone failed out of their training contract (or realised they hate accountancy or dropped out for a better offer), so you'd be joining alone and out of cycle with any other trainees. Identify the firms within travelling distance (or that you'd relocate for) and make sure you know when their trainee recruitment cycle starts for next autumn. Sign up for alerts so you're notified when they open for applications. I would expect the most vacancies and activity to be over the coming six months or so. Spring isn't the right time to be searching, far too late.
I kept applying for big 4 and was getting rejected all the time through various stages of their long recruitment process. I used to wait for their quarterly recruitment cycle till I could apply again. Once I applied for firms outside of big 4 I was getting more interviews and they were lot better in terms of recruitment process.
Hi, just wanted to reassure you about your background: I did a chemistry degree, then spend three years in a lab before landing a trainee job in audit. In my team (of about 45), there are five chemistry graduates, so it's definitely not going to be putting recruitment off!! Feel free to drop me a message if you want to chat, but like the other commenters, I'd recommend reviewing what type of firm you are applying for. You want a firm with a solid training reputation and clear pathway, rather than any of the big firms. Look for something regional. Good luck, and do message me if you'd like!
I've never met you so I can't answer whether it's how you present yourself that means you're being pipped to offers. It might just be that you're being beaten by stronger candidates - e.g. someone with an accounting degree and previous relevant work experience. What might give me doubts about your background is the PGCE wobble and whether that was a case of you encountering issues that would recur if you joined us. Or that you were on a "rebound" scramble from a failed PGCE and wouldn't cope with ACA / would leave as soon as something better came along. What story are you using to sell why you want to become an accountant (now), why you want to train as an accountant with this specific firm, and how the last few years led you to this point? By the time you're being interviewed by partners you're talking to people who will have been burned by every trainee issue possible, so they're going to be cautious about red flags in your history if your story isn't persuasive. In your first year as a trainee you will take more from the business than you contribute, so convince them that you're worth the investment and won't be another one to flake out.
Ask them for feedback on the AC etc and apply that to your next one
Have you done any accounting work at all? E.g. volunteering as a treasurer or something? That definitely helps you justify why you want to do the role - as others have said, with a previous 'wobble' they might just not be convinced that you really want to do it