Accountancy, audit and taxation

It depends on the area of work you choose to go into. There are a variety of different roles in this sector, and you should research which ones may be right for you. Bright Network provide a good overview of the different areas and things you should consider before making applications. The Financial Reporting Council provides links to each professional body. 

Read our blog: Six ways to prepare to be an accountantBelow we have outlined some roles that are of interest to Nottingham students with links to further information:

Accountancy

Chartered accountant – manages the finances of customers, from individuals to large multinational corporations. Keeps financial records and makes recommendations for strategy and business needs. Chartered status is gained after a period of relevant work experience and completion of a chartered accountancy qualification (e.g. ACA). The Prospects chartered accountant job profile provides further details. Note whilst a chartered accountant tends to work in a particular country or region a chartered certified accountant has a more international brief.

Forensic accountant – liaises with the solicitor of a client, looks at and prepares papers related to financial and contract matters and presents them to court. Answers any questions or scrutiny about the work presented. These positions tend to be taken by experienced accountants. The Prospects forensic accountant job profile is a useful resource. 

Management accountant – analyses, researches and reports on financial aspects of a company to support senior managers' decision making. Advises on financial spending and distribution, and future financial planning. Typically based in industry across a range of sectors. Check out the chartered management accountant job profile from Prospects. 

Read Jonathan's blog: Accountancy Journey as a Russian Graduate

Audit 

Auditor (internal or external) – provides an independent review of an organisation's finances, assessing their past performance and their future income generation, to see if they are 'fair and true' and to give confidence to board members and shareholders. They may also conduct an audit of a company's other business areas, including Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), health and safety, etc. For more information, access the Target Jobs auditor job description. 

Taxation 

Tax is a mixture of law, administration and accountancy and it draws on a range of intellectual, presentational and personal skills. 

Tax adviser – works with companies and individuals to create the best tax strategies for them. The diverse nature of taxation means that tax advisers rapidly develop areas of specialist knowledge, including corporate, personal, international, inheritance tax, VAT, national insurance, and trusts and estates. The Prospects Tax adviser job profile provides further details. 

Tax accountant – maintains financial records, produces reports and makes recommendations. A similar role to that of a chartered or management accountant but specialising in tax. 

There are opportunities worldwide and they would typically be in: 

Professional services firms - essentially, professional services involve a range of different occupations that provide support to businesses in the form of advice or performing tertiary roles. You may have heard of the ‘big four' which refers to PwC, Deloitte, KPMG and EY. There are also many other professional services firms and accountancy firms in the UK and worldwide. 

Industry and commerce for example, manufacturing, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG)

Public sector such as civil service, local government and the NHS. You may qualify through the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) if you choose this route. HMRC are one of the largest employers of tax specialists and offer a graduate tax professional programme. 

There are a variety of trends that will affect the future of the profession from hybrid working practices to digital and technological advances.

Some of the key issues are covered in The Future of the Chartered Accountancy Profession in 2024. However, the industry is positive about continued need into the future, even if the nature of the roles may change. Read the article from Future accountants: a bright future awaits

MyCareer - Our vacancy portal (only available to Nottingham students and alumni)  

You can find roles in larger professional service consulting organisations such as Deloitte and PwC directly through their websites. 

Generic jobsites, such as TargetJobs, Prospects, and Indeed.com, are also worth searching for vacancies too. 

The Nottingham Internship Scheme offers spring and summer paid internships for Nottingham students with a number of these roles in the technology sector. 

Also try RateMyPlacement.com and other internships sites

Attend the Management, Finance and Consulting Careers Fair (held annually in October) 

Sign up and attend employer workshops and presentations  

Join NEFS (Nottingham Economics and Finance Society) and attend networking events 

Take part in the Nottingham Internship Scheme 

Look for summer internships as these are often a pipeline into graduate schemes. You will need to start applying for these in the autumn term of your second year. 

Try online work experience platforms such as Forage 

Accounting, audit and taxation career options are complicated and so there are several links depending on career path chosen