Early careers advice

ACCA stands for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, a leading international accountancy body. It is the largest and fastest growing qualification in the world with over 500,000 members and students in 170 countries. The ACCA qualification proves to employers that you are a competent finance professional.

To gain this qualification you must pass a maximum of 13 exams in English and have relevant practical experience, which you can gain in any business sector you are working in. You can take up to four exams each session, and you have ten years to do it. It takes most people two or three years to qualify

• ACA

The ICAEW Chartered Accountant qualification, or ACA, is one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available. It is valued around the world in business, practice and the public sector.

To become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant, you must study and pass 15 exam modules focused on different aspects of accountancy, finance and business. Designed to provide you with in-depth knowledge across a range of topics, each of the ACA qualification modules is directly relevant to the work that you will do throughout your training.

•  CIMA

 CIMA is a specialised management accounting qualification, which would suit individuals looking to work as a management accountant and manage a team. When you become a qualified CIMA candidate, you can use the designation of Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), giving you an industry-recognised qualification.

On average, students complete the 12 professional qualification exams in four years. Most students attempt two or three exams at each sitting, but they can be completed in three sittings.

What salary, bonus and benefits can I expect as a trainee accountant? 

Where can I find graduate finance and accountancy roles, and how can Marks Sattin help me? 

There are several places you can find graduate roles. Specialist job boards like Milkround (for graduates) and CityJobs (for finance and accountancy), generalist job boards like REED, and professional networking sites like LinkedIn.

Marks Sattin is a great place to start exploring your options in a more personalised way. Our consultants stay abreast of the latest trends in the graduate recruitment market. Whether it's commercial finance, financial services or professional services. This detailed overview of the commercial landscape enables us to advise professionals where their best career opportunities lie.

As a specialist recruitment firm with over 30 years’ experience, we've helped many professionals find their next exciting opportunity, whether that's within global organisations or growing SMEs.

Search for your next commercial finance job, or register your details to shortlist jobs and sign up for job alerts so you're the first to hear about our latest opportunities.