You’ve passed your accountancy exams – what next?

Congratulations on passing your professional accountancy exams! Becoming a qualified accountant is no easy feat, so be sure to take the time to celebrate this massive achievement. All your hard work has paid off, and your newly qualified status brings with it a bright future, an abundance of job opportunities and a variety of potential career paths.

This is a majorly exciting time in your professional journey, but if you’re also feeling a little overwhelmed that’s completely understandable. With so many new doors opened up, it can be tricky to know which route to go down or where to even begin. Fortunately, we’re here to answer the question that almost every newly qualified accountant is asking themselves: what next?

Research your options and set a long-term career vision

As you stand at likely the most pivotal moment of your career so far, it’s time to decide which road you want to take. It’s not a decision that should be rushed, and it’s important that you remain firmly in the driver’s seat – after all, you’re not a passenger in your own career. Now is the time to reflect on your options, desires and long-term goals. It’s vital that you research all the potential options available to you now that you’re newly qualified, or risk missing out on a career path that may have been the perfect fit for you.

You have the opportunity to explore specialist roles in management accounting, financial planning and analysis (FP&A), regulatory reporting, internal audit, tax, forensic accounting, and much more. Remember that your new qualification will make you an ideal candidate for many of these jobs, so don’t apply for anything and everything, as some roles will suit your needs better than others. Bear in mind that you’re not just finding a job, you’re planning a meaningful career.

Simplify your research by looking at our recently published Journey Ahead Guide, which includes a handy overview of the varied job roles within finance and the key responsibilities for each. It would then be a good idea to chat to an expert – at Hays, we’re here as your lifelong career partner, guiding you through your journey with specialist insights and advice for both your short-term job search and long-term career planning.

Kickstart your job search

Once you have a clear career vision set, you should start to think about the kinds of job opportunities you want to look for. If you’re keen to move internally within your current organisation, set up a meeting with your manager to discuss your aspirations and next steps. Alternatively, if you want to explore opportunities elsewhere, you could consider writing a post on LinkedIn about your recent achievement and include a brief overview of the kinds of roles you would be interested in hearing about.

If you’re looking to move from your current company, then now is also the time to refresh your CV. First, add your new qualification, making sure to include how many first-time passes you achieved and whether or not you’re also time qualified. Then edit your profile to better demonstrate your suitability for the type of roles you will be applying for – you can include points about your relevant experience, achievements, skillset and motivations. Finally, to ensure maximum success, when tweaking the main body of your CV be wary of common CV mistakes, such as unexplained gaps, the wrong level of detail and a lack of quantifiable data.

Value quality over quantity

After updating your LinkedIn to reflect your newly qualified status, it’s likely that you’ll receive a tirade of messages from recruitment consultants letting you know about job opportunities. However, you should be careful about entering into conversations with too many recruiters, as this can make it much harder to keep track of which jobs your CV has been sent to, potentially resulting in duplicate applications that can be off-putting to prospective employers. It’s also unlikely that you’ll be able to have meaningful conversations with multiple recruiters if you’re spreading yourself too thin. Instead, it’s better to have one recruiter that truly understand what it is you’re looking for – not just in terms of your next role, but also your long-term career vision.

At Hays, our expert consultants want to understand your motivations and future goals. We introduce talented professionals like yourself to organisations that meet their requirements, not just on a service level but to a meaningful degree. To get the most out of your initial call with one of our consultants, make sure you express what values you would want an employer to uphold – this may include public support of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), a strong social purpose, an evidenced commitment to sustainability, and a benefits offering that aims to support employee wellbeing. By gaining a deep understanding of your career aspirations and values, we’ll be able to present you with only the most suitable job opportunities and support you in achieving your lifelong goals.

As you stand at a pivotal moment in your career, take care not to allow yourself to be pulled in multiple directions by applying for any roles that your experience and newly qualified status would make you a good fit for. Ensure you remain in control of your job search – with the support of our experts – to increase your chances of securing your dream job and getting on the path to achieving your lifelong career goals.

If you want to find out more about potential career routes, which industries you could work in, the future of finance, and much more, then check out our Journey Ahead Guide for an in-depth look at the exciting possibilities available to you. Interested in a more bespoke career consultation? Get in touch with us directly to discuss your options.