FindingANewCareer.co.uk

Financial & Sage Bookkeeping Careers

Changing careers can lead to a much more positive life. Wouldn't it be good to wake up every morning and look forward to going to work? Instead of feeling frustrated in our job, we could be recognised for making an interesting and valuable contribution.

What Career Options Do I Have?

The difficulty is - which is the right new career to start training for? 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. Try looking at retraining to become financially certified - there are many options within the finance/accounting sector. Colleagues usually have a high regard for accounting personnel, and salaries reflect the important work they do.

Naturally there isn't just one course or training programme for everybody - and so you should start by looking at the job you might get into, and then work backwards to see what training will be needed.

You might start as an Accounts Clerk, a Purchase Ledger Clerk, a Book-Keeper or a Cashier. As you progress, you'll find opportunities to head up departmental teams, or become a manager in the finance department. 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. Evaluate the different programmes they have on offer, and the different teaching methods they use. Reassure yourself that any courses you're contemplating are industry- recognised. You need to know when you look at the job ads that you've passed the right exams.

What Should I Be Taught?

If this is your first experience of learning anything about accounting practices, you'll be taken through a range of key skills and procedures. 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. When you're ready to enhance your skills further, there are more complex procedures to tackle. For example - creating accounts from incomplete records, preparing final accounts vertically and horizontally, Ltd companies, operating accounting systems etc.

What Work Is Available?

After you've trained and qualified you'll have the opportunity to seek employment in whichever sector of industry or commerce you choose. You have plenty of scope as every company needs at least one person to deal with their finances. There are positions within large companies for many book-keeping members of staff. However, you may work alone if your employer runs a small company. Working in finance can be a very good way to move up the career ladder, as many top managers have come from accounting and finance backgrounds. Finally you could work for yourself, looking after the books for a number of one man or woman businesses in your locality.

Is This Really The Career For Me?

Well clearly you must have the capacity to do figure work. 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. Jobs in finance are for people who can think logically.

Finally, the work is often of a confidential nature, and so you must be very honest and ethical.

"One that desires to excel should endeavour in those things that are in themselves most excellent." - Epictetus.

Investigate Your Options

You'll find that a lot of colleges provide training in finance and book-keeping courses. There's only one way to whittle it down, and that's with in-depth research.

It's a mistake to look at one and think you know enough - you'll get to know about things you hadn't previously considered if you familiarise yourself with a good number of trainers. Whilst some colleges offer all home-based study with tutor support upon request, others are all class-based. A third category have a blend of both.

It's really all down to your circumstances, and whether you prefer to work at home at your own pace, or in a class with several others all working through the syllabus together.

Shortlist a handful, then to get an idea of how satisfactory their training is, request some examples of the coursework and see how you get on with it. After that, reach your conclusion and make a start. Once you've made your verdict, you'll be swept along with the momentum of your bright new future career. You know you're worth it!