Accounting and Finance Is and Will Continue to be a Sought-After Career Path.
Every business, small or large, needs an Accountant. From the smallest business that will hire someone externally, medium companies that employ a Financial Administrator full time, to large corporations that have a dedicated Accounts team, there is opportunity no matter where you look.
Accountancy and Finance jobs are in the top 3 advertised positions on the internet. Currently, there are more open positions for Accountants and finance Administrators than positions in the IT sector!
Salary Opportunities
Although salaries often depend on experience, you can expect to start off with good wages at entry level. Remember that salaries are also affected by other factors like: location, size of the company, and your qualification.
Gaining a recognised and valued qualification like the ACCA or CPA will ensure your salary prospects are much better and you don’t have to work in the sector or have work experience to start studying.
Common Career Paths for Accountants
Accountant – avg. Salary €38,912
Financial Accountant – avg. Salary €45,997
Financial Controller – avg. Salary €57,339
Finance Manager – avg. Salary €53,303
Finance Director – avg. Salary €93,291
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – avg. Salary €110,600
Even though offers sometimes vary drastically across the country you can still expect to earn more over time and there are growth prospects in the Accounting sector that allow for your career to really move forward.
How Long Will It Take to Become an Accountant?
Sure, you might be already working in an accounting or relating position and that’s great. If you don’t, you will need 3 years of experience on top of an ACCA qualification to become a registered Accountant. Don’t worry, you can gain this experience while you study.
You will have up to 10 years to complete all Knowledge, Skills and Professional level examinations. You can also finish much faster than that! All depends on your dedication and time available to study.
Find out more HERE about the ACCA qualification.
Common Misconception
‘I am not suited to study accounting, I am not good at maths…’
This is a well-known statement that couldn’t be further from the truth! Being good with maths is not necessary at all, you only need the very basics in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and a very limited algebra. If you are ok with this, you have all the maths that is needed to become an accountant!
The much more needed attribute is attention to detail to avoid mistakes.
*Average Salary Figures: https://www.payscale.com/research/IE/Job=Accountant/Salary
