Four courses to help you get a job in accountancy

Four courses to help you get a job in accountancy by Michael Cheary Interested in becoming an Accountant but don’t know where to start?If you’re naturally good with numbers and have excellent attention to detail, accountancy can be an extremely rewarding career move. The problem is, knowing how to get qualified in the industry can often be confusing.To help you get behind the acronyms, here are four qualifications which could help you break into accountancy right now:AATAAT stands for the Association of Accounting Technicians.It’s the UK’s leading professional membership body for accounting staff, and has over 120,000 members in over 90 countries worldwide â€" with many more still studying.Not only is AAT sponsored by four of the UK’s leading chartered accountancy bodies, it’s also greatly respected right across the financial industry, with employers ranging from the NHS to Proctor and Gamble using it as a benchmark for their own accountancy teams.The qualification comes in four different levels, ranging from AAT Access Level one, through to the more advanced Level 4 diploma.Advantages of AAT include a globally recognised qualification, not to mention earn more money. In fact, achieving full AAT member status could see you earning up to 51% more than your unqualified colleagues. You know, if you like that kind of thing.What do I need? There are no formal pre-requisites to get started.What do I start with? AAT Access if you have no previous accounting knowledge (although you can go straight to Level 2 if you’re looking to get qualified fast).How long will it last? Each level should take somewhere between six months to a year.Perfect for: Aspiring Accountants looking to take their first step.View all AAT courses now  CIMACIMA, or the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, is the world’s largest professional body of Management Accountants.Their professional qualification is split into three different levels, which help to validate your skills in areas ranging from risk management a nd financial strategy, right through to management accounting. Once qualified you’ll be business ready, and ready to put your skills into practice in organisations across the world.And even if you have no previous knowledge of accounting, don’t panic. Anyone can study CIMA, whether you’re new to business and accounting or already have some experience.So once you become fully-qualified, there are literally no excuses not to make your move into management accounting.What do I need? A basic understanding of management accounting.What do I start with? The CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting.How long will it last? The CIMA Certificate takes one year to complete, while the CIMA Professional Qualification can take up to four.Perfect for: Anyone interested in becoming a Management Accountant.View all CIMA courses now  ACAACA is the ICAEW Chartered Accountant qualification.It’s one of the most advanced learning and professional development programmes available, not to mention val ued around the world in business as one of the best financial qualifications out there. In short, it’s kind of a big deal.ACA aims to provide learners with an in-depth understanding across accountancy and finance, and involves practical work experience as part of your training. However, it’s not for the fainthearted, and you’ll need to complete 450 days of work to get fully certified.It’s made up of 15 modules split over three levels â€" Certificate, Professional and Advanced. Once completed, you’ll be able to officially call yourself an ICAEW Chartered Accountant.What do I need? No formal prerequisites to get started.What do I start with? The ACA Certificate.How long will it last? The whole qualification will take between three and five years to complete.Perfect for: Aspiring Chartered Accountants.  ACCAFounded in 1904, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is a global professional accounting body.In their almost one hundred year history, they’ve built thei r reputation on quality and assured qualifications, something that certainly shows in the amount of businesses which value ACCA.In fact, there are over 8,500 approved ACCA employers globally, 162,000 members and almost half a million students still studying, showing just how respected this qualification is around the globe when it comes to international accounting standards.There are three levels of ACCA, running from the Fundamental through to Professional, which mean you not only learn all the basic knowledge needed, but also how to put it into practice and progress your career.If this sounds like something you’re interested in, find more about becoming a ACCA certified today.What do I need? Three GCSEs and two A Levels, in five separate subjects.What do I start with? ACCA Foundation Level.How long will it last? Three to four years for all three levels, on average.Perfect for: Aspiring Chartered Accountants.View all ACCA courses now  Ready to find the perfect qualification for y ou? View all available accountancy courses now.