Interviews

[Bombadil 0]

i had my interview in leeds on wednesday, it was 3/4 day of a bloody thing, group work, presentations and one on one interviews, anyway i got offered the job on the day and took it, so i'm now a Sales Development Executive for a leading soft drinks firm. company motor too !!

 

 

travelling salesman for cadbury Schweppes then?

 

[ChezGiven 0]

Nowt wrong with starting as a sales rep.

 

Most high volume sales companies promote good reps up to the very top.

 

The head of our US organisation started as a rep. He now runs a $25bn business.

[paddy 17]

i had my interview in leeds on wednesday, it was 3/4 day of a bloody thing, group work, presentations and one on one interviews, anyway i got offered the job on the day and took it, so i'm now a Sales Development Executive for a leading soft drinks firm. company motor too !!

 

 

travelling salesman for cadbury Schweppes then?

 

 

nope

[Ally 0]

Hurrah i'm employed!!

 

Don't start til the 16th but at least i'm finally in employment, no McDonalds for me, Gemmill.

[ewerk 30166]

Well done mate, now if only I can get the jobs I'm after. Looks like I'm going to have to spend a few years doing my ACA exams which means shit pay.

[Guest Toplass-101]

..

Ally and Paddy

 

and good luck ewerk

[Gemmill 44107]

Well done mate, now if only I can get the jobs I'm after. Looks like I'm going to have to spend a few years doing my ACA exams which means shit pay.

 

Following in the great one's footsteps eh? A wise move.

[Geordieboyo 0]

Well done mate, now if only I can get the jobs I'm after. Looks like I'm going to have to spend a few years doing my ACA exams which means shit pay.

 

Following in the great one's footsteps eh? A wise move.

 

You're yesterdays news mate.

 

He's following in the footsteps of a true dedicated ACA member, not some drop out like yourself

[ewerk 30166]

Well done mate, now if only I can get the jobs I'm after. Looks like I'm going to have to spend a few years doing my ACA exams which means shit pay.

 

Following in the great one's footsteps eh? A wise move.

 

I'm not going to be no accountant.

 

Though I wouldn't mind your work load.

[peasepud 59]

I'm not going to be no accountant.

 

Though I wouldn't mind your work load.

 

Gemmill has a hefty workload...

 

he just doesnt do it.

[Geordieboyo 0]

Well done mate, now if only I can get the jobs I'm after. Looks like I'm going to have to spend a few years doing my ACA exams which means shit pay.

 

Following in the great one's footsteps eh? A wise move.

 

I'm not going to be no accountant.

 

Though I wouldn't mind your work load.

 

So you are doing 3 years of bitch-like exams to become an accountant, but aren't going to be an accountant?

 

[ewerk 30166]

It's not accountancy as such, I've applied for jobs with advisory departments for a couple of the big 4 firms and part of the training is the ACA exams, obviously there will be accountancy involved in the job but I won't be an accountant if you know what I mean.

Edited July 1, 2007 by ewerk

[Gemmill 44107]

It's audit. Are they still calling it "Business advisory"? If you're doing the chartered accountancy exams, you're an accountant - deal with it.

[ewerk 30166]

NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!

 

I won't be an accountant, I can't be!

 

It's not exactly what I want to do but I need a job, even if I get one of them I'll probably apply for a few consultancy jobs come the milkround.

[Geordieboyo 0]

NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!

 

I won't be an accountant, I can't be!

 

It's not exactly what I want to do but I need a job, even if I get one of them I'll probably apply for a few consultancy jobs come the milkround.

 

Speaking as one who has recently come out of the other end and is with one of the big 4 here is some advice.

 

Only do it if either:

(a) You want a career being an accountant (Business Advisory is a con, its audit and then if you're lucky accountancy)

( You can stick a dull job which is a bitch to do when unmotivated (which is the majority of the time)

© You're a mentalist

 

Loads of people get stuck in audit thinking its 'something to do' and will get me a qualification (I was one). If you go ahead then good luck, the exams are a bitch and the work is dull as dishwater.

 

The pay is pretty decent though in the big 4, think our new recruits are getting about £20k for the first year and there are decent benefits available

 

Oh and after 3 years of hard slog and a decent wage (mid to high £30ks) you will find it tough to then jack it in and start afresh in another career. Gemmil is one of the lucky ones in that respect

[Geordieboyo 0]

NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!

 

I won't be an accountant, I can't be!

 

It's not exactly what I want to do but I need a job, even if I get one of them I'll probably apply for a few consultancy jobs come the milkround.

 

Speaking as one who has recently come out of the other end and is with one of the big 4 here is some advice.

 

Only do it if either:

(a) You want a career being an accountant (Business Advisory is a con, its audit and then if you're lucky accountancy)

( You can stick a dull job which is a bitch to do when unmotivated (which is the majority of the time)

© You're a mentalist

 

Loads of people get stuck in audit thinking its 'something to do' and will get me a qualification (I was one). If you go ahead then good luck, the exams are a bitch and the work is dull as dishwater.

 

The pay is pretty decent though in the big 4, think our new recruits are getting about £20k for the first year and there are decent benefits available

 

Oh and after 3 years of hard slog and a decent wage (mid to high £30ks) you will find it tough to then jack it in and start afresh in another career. Gemmil is one of the lucky ones in that respect

Damn smilies ruining my a,b,c!

[ewerk 30166]

I'll make sure and tell them that in my interview today.

 

I don't know if I'd even take the jobs if offered them, I might give it a go for a year and see how I like it, I could be surprised (though I doubt I will).

 

It really is consultancy I want to get into and I'm unsure how this work experience would look on my CV, especially the issue of jumping ship so soon should I not like the job and being typecast as an accountant.

 

One of the jobs I've applied for is essentially internal audit, though I've heard that a lot of time spent as audit support is too be expected.

 

The other one is essentially a client side advisory role dealing with accounting systems and processes rather than pure accounting itself, or so they told me, which appeals to me a bit more than the other one.

 

But unless something better comes up in the mean time I'll probably get dragged into the awful world of accountancy.

 

So have you recently qualified then? Are you happy enough in the job? Which service line are you working in?

[Geordieboyo 0]

I'll make sure and tell them that in my interview today.

 

I don't know if I'd even take the jobs if offered them, I might give it a go for a year and see how I like it, I could be surprised (though I doubt I will).

 

It really is consultancy I want to get into and I'm unsure how this work experience would look on my CV, especially the issue of jumping ship so soon should I not like the job and being typecast as an accountant.

 

One of the jobs I've applied for is essentially internal audit, though I've heard that a lot of time spent as audit support is too be expected.

 

The other one is essentially a client side advisory role dealing with accounting systems and processes rather than pure accounting itself, or so they told me, which appeals to me a bit more than the other one.

 

But unless something better comes up in the mean time I'll probably get dragged into the awful world of accountancy.

 

So have you recently qualified then? Are you happy enough in the job? Which service line are you working in?

 

You won't do much accountancy as such even as an external auditor - I do a little bit but I now work in a regional office - if you are in Newcastle, Macnchester, Glasgow or similar you probably wont do any (I didn't in Liverpool).

 

Internal audit should be avoided if you want to do a concultancy role (although you may get some good report writing experience).

 

Your second job sounds like an audit support role, getting in and interrogating the clients systems before the big boys come in and look at the numbers

 

I'd again say that this is of limited use if you are looking to get into consultancy as within your 3 years training you will not ever get to discuss your findings with the client.

 

The only type of audit I'd suggest is standard external audit, I'm with PwC and its the 'ABAS' arm, basicaly audit and advisory. Still don't get much to do with the top brass of the clients but I do now get to suggest things to the finance staff and tell them that they are shit at their jobs.

 

Oh and I hate my job, the only thing keeping me there at the moment is that I've not had any better offers on a comparable wage, I get very well paid for living in Swansea. As soon as I do I'm off.

 

On average 40-50% of all starters leave after 3 years, its expected. So if you do get sucked in keep your options open with consultancy firms and look for a quick get out if thats what you want to do

[Gemmill 44107]

The qualification will stand you in good stead to do loads of stuff, ewerk. I wouldn't be getting the job I'm getting if I wasn't a qualified accountant, even though it's not accountancy work. It's a professional qualification and it's fucking hard, so it sets you apart a bit on your CV. Plus even doing audit work, as dull as it is, it's a good grounding for any sort of role in business, if that's what you plan to do, as you find out how all different types of business operate.

 

It's still as boring as fuck though, but then it's work isn't it.

[The Fish 10672]

The qualification will stand you in good stead to do loads of stuff, ewerk. I wouldn't be getting the job I'm getting if I wasn't a qualified accountant, even though it's not accountancy work. It's a professional qualification and it's fucking hard, so it sets you apart a bit on your CV. Plus even doing audit work, as dull as it is, it's a good grounding for any sort of role in business, if that's what you plan to do, as you find out how all different types of business operate.

 

It's still as boring as fuck though, but then it's work isn't it.

just curious mate, what would you want to do as a career?

 

is there a frustrated musician beneath your pinstripe suit and sardonic jibes?

[Gemmill 44107]

I've no idea. I just don't like working really. I was off last week and getting up to come into work today I was thinking "this can't be right. Being off last week was class but that's only 4 or 5 weeks of the year. The rest is this shit." There's something not right with a society like this, I tells ya. Deferring all of your free time til retirement when you're too fucked and old to enjoy it.

 

BANG out of order!

[ewerk 30166]

Well I had an interview today and the interviewer certainly put my mind at ease regarding how much accounting would be involved. She said she started in audit then moved into business risk services and enjoyed it much more as it wasn't standard accounting but more practical business oriented, so that's slightly encouraging.

 

Also found out I got 90% in my numeracy exam for them, she seemed very impressed.

 

It's true what you say Gemmill, an ACA qualification certainly would be worth getting for the future.

 

 

Boyo, what do know about the PIC division within PWC? I've also applied for it, again it's the accounting side of it.

[Gemmill 44107]

ewerk, where you applying for this work? Is it back in Northern Ireland? Just I know that when I worked for PwC, Belfast was the lowest paid office in the whole of the UK, so it might be worth considering working in Manchester while you're doing your training for the extra £££.

[ewerk 30166]

Aye it's in Belfast and undoubtedly shit wages, though if I'm working in Belfast it gives me the option of living at home which would save a few quid. What pisses me off is that the shit wages used to be justified because of the price of living but that's now bollocks, N. Ireland has the highest UK average house price outside of the south of England.

 

When's the appropriate time to ask about money? At the 2nd interview or wait for an offer?

[Gemmill 44107]

Aye it's in Belfast and undoubtedly shit wages, though if I'm working in Belfast it gives me the option of living at home which would save a few quid. What pisses me off is that the shit wages used to be justified because of the price of living but that's now bollocks, N. Ireland has the highest UK average house price outside of the south of England.

 

When's the appropriate time to ask about money? At the 2nd interview or wait for an offer?

 

There is no appropriate time. Never try to get into a discussion about money in an interview. They'll make you an offer, and with things like this where they have bulk intakes and you're on a scale with everyone else, it's pretty much non-negotiable, so I wouldn't try. Just see what they come back to you with. When I started in Newcastle I'm sure I was on £12.5k or something like that.

 

EDIT! And yeah, last time I was in NI I didn't notice the house prices being low at all. Some really nice places to live though - the ex's mother lived in Groomsport which was a nice little seaside town next to Bangor. Canny nice.

Edited July 2, 2007 by Gemmill