Some suggestions for those graduates with little or no working experience

Some fresh graduates who have little or no working experience may face a similar problem, in that they cannot get experience until they get a job, but cannot get a job as they have no experience. Fortunately, many large local and multinational companies, - most of them prestigious - have their own campus recruitments targeting fresh graduates who have no working experience. One of the problems that fresh graduates face is how to attract employers’ attention and make themselves stand out. Here follows some suggestions for becoming a successful candidate.

Firstly, candidates must try to avoid low level mistakes in their CVs. When sifting through hundreds of CVs, it’s far easier to find reasons to eliminate candidates than to grant them interviews. Spelling mistakes, lack of clarity and meaning will conspire to reward the application with instant rejection, because no employer wants to have to train someone in such fundamental skills. For those graduates whose written communication skills are weak, practicing frequently is a good way to improve the written skills.

Secondly, try to make non job-related experience count. Although fresh graduates have little or no job-related working experience, they are still likely to have much to offer employers. The secret is to think about the aptitudes required in the job and consider how well their campus and social experience might have prepared them. For example, working in teams, managing time, and dealing with difficulties are skills that can be developed in campus and social activities.

Thirdly, try to make the best use of the knowledge learned during college and ACCA studies. During the interview, an interviewer always asks some job-related technical questions, and candidates need to answer these questions by using the knowledge they have learned during their studies. Some important parts of accounting and finance knowledge should be prepared before attending any interviews, and impressive answers to the technical questions can be the key to successfully being offered the job.  

As the global economy goes into meltdown, recruiters are under intense pressure to justify any expenditure related to hiring staff, and more people are coming on to the jobs market. Those who make recruitment decisions are in a strong position to raise the bar when screening candidates, so it’s important for graduates with little or no working experience to try their best to improve their employability in order to get the job offer they desire.

Comments

[Muhammad Faisal Faiyaz]

It is very much true for me. For almost a year I have been an affiliate and I am still stuck with no experience! No luck yet with employment (or even training for that matter).

Hoping for the best!

[Natalee]

Hi

CAT is manageable - the costing papers are a little tedious but if you work hard you will succeed. I did papers 1 to 3 in June and I passed all three.

[Rick]

I'm a fresh grad. I believe this is very appropriate for me. I would love to try my luck on ACCA. Thanks guys for the info.

[IKRAM]

I am an ACCA affiliate and am currently working in a CA firm in Pakistan. As ICAEW has exempted an extra two years training requirement for CA (ICAP) Pakistan because they are satisfied from their good quality training. Most of the ACCA students in Pakistan get training from the same firm and in the same environment they are supervised by CA Pakistan.

Why can ACCA students not complete ICAEW training requirements from these firms? Why should ACCA students and affiliates bother for ICAEW registered firms? If ICAEW is satisfied from CA Pakistan members' training, then they should also be satisfied with ACCA training in the same firm.

[animated banner maker]

I am new to Australia. I am an Indian student pursuing a masters degree in business management. I am looking for a part-time job in Australia. Please could anybody suggest any valuable information.

[aliaslam]

Hi everyone,

I'm living in Pakistan and studying ACCA from SKANS, but now I want to come in UK for my studies. I have passed 3 exams of ACCA. I also want to take a job in the UK with my studies. May anyone advise me how I can do this?

[Need A Job in Australia]

Hi

I am new to Australia. I am an Indian student pursuing a masters degree in business management. I am looking for a part-time job in Australia. Please could anybody suggest any valuable information.

I am very thankful to this ACCA student blog. Really feeling happy with posting this message here. Once again I am thankful to ACCA student blogs...

[Nuaman Yousaf]

Hi,

I m registered with ACCA and planning to start my studies at home and take exams when I am ready.

I would appreciate your suggestions on the following:
Can I take any of the exams outside June and December? At the moment I am doing teaching and have no relevant work experience.

Is it possible to do a few exams first like 8/10 exams and then gain work experience or is there a deadline to submit my work experience?

Many thanks,
Nuaman

[asifnawaz]

I have recently done my FSc in pre-engineering and now I am thinking about ACCA. Can anyone guide me in thinking that am I correct - is there any scope of ACCA in the world?

I will be waiting for your replies if anyone is able to guide me.

Thanks and best regards

[ayu noortasha]

Hi...

Before I started studying, my friends were always discouraging me, telling me that CAT is very tough and I can't do it. Now I have already taken the CAT on for 2 months. How can I manage my study and get the excellent results before I sit the December examination and can you give the tips to get a job on ACCA or tips to get the excellent results in CAT?

I need your help!

[john]

I want to meet ACCA students in Nigeria. You can email or call me at [email protected] / 2347033630615.

[Mana]

Hey everyone, I was going to register for an institute in Sydney in order to study ACCA , but I read this page and also a job ad in accounting which suggested they all need a CA/CPA qualification.

Now my question is, from people in Australia, what is their suggestion - should I still go for ACCA or is it better to go to for a "bachelor of accounting" in a university or college in Sydney instead? Secondly, who are CA/ CPA - are there any providesr directly in Australia ?

[Jackie Masuku]

Hi,

I'm an ACCA student in South Africa currently doing my Professional level. My major concern is that I want to do my training in an audit firm but it seems to me that the ACCA Qualification is not recognised and ACCA has not been accredited by the IRAB, so how will I get to qualify as an auditor if I can not afford to work overseas?

[Sunil]

I will migrating to Brisbane in two months. Can someone guide me in my prospects of getting a job. Worked for big 4 for 1 year and 8 months in audit.

I have completed my ACCA.

[shihansalim]

I want to know, if I have already completed ACCA, how I can get an MBA?

And also, if I am now 18 years old and taking CAT, can I take ACCA when I am 19 or 20 years old?

[ACCA Australia and New Zealand]

Dear liebstraum,

ACCA Australia and New Zealand was sorry to learn of the difficulties you are experiencing in your employment applications. We are only too aware of the mammoth undertaking completing your ACCA Qualification is.

Allen Blewitt, ACCA 's former global CEO is back in Australia as a consultant working with ACCA Australia and New Zealand to secure improved recognition for ACCA members locally. We appreciate that the current lack of recognition is far from ideal and can be restrictive.

ACCA membership numbers in Australia are relatively small in comparison to other territories globally but both student and member numbers are growing significantly and we have ACCA members represented in all sectors from partners in the Big Four to senior managers in industry and commerce; many of whom are doing an exemplary job of raising ACCA's profile within the employer community.

ACCA Australia and New Zealand is committed to significantly raising the profile of ACCA in Australia across all stakeholders from employers and recruitment agencies to universities, tuition providers and through the media.

Visit the Australia members section on ACCA Discuss (www.accaglobal.com/members/engage/discuss/), where you can interact with other members from the area on our discussion boards.

We have much to do and with the support of our membership we can achieve great things.

Kind regards,
ACCA Australia and New Zealand

[Bilal Ahmad]

I am B.com student from Pakistan.

I also want to join ACCA, but a lot of my friends are discouraging me, telling me that ACCA is very tough and I can't do it.

Please can any one tell me if this is true?

[liebstraum]

I so agree with Thu. I am facing the similar situation! I am a qualified ACCA full member who is struggling with finding jobs in Sydney....

I had 3+ years of audit experience in Big 4 in an overseas country and just come back to SYD after I become a full member of ACCA.

"I've worked so hard and invested so much money on my ACCA qualification and now have to face even more trouble trying to convince employers of my ability."

Yes, it seems that ACCA is highly regarded in the UK and other Asian continents, but not so in Australia.....

As can be seen in the job ads, employers are reluctant to recognise ACCA in Australia and only CPA/CA would be stated and hardly see any ACCA is required...

Can ACCA provide any employers who are more willing to employ ACCA members in Australia/New Zealand?

[Japheth Ochieng' Odhiambo]

Hey,

This is a very important article not only to ACCA students but for undergraduates generally. The current job market is very competitive and owing to the financial crisis, potential employers are busy retrenching instead of employing.

It therefore becomes very important for inexperienced, fresh graduates from campus to prove that they can indeed trusted with responsibilities by the potential employers. They can only do this by adhering to this advice.

It is also important to consider how they present themselves for interviews if called for one. Thanks for the article.

[ACCA Australia and New Zealand]

Dear Thu,

ACCA Australia and New Zealand was sorry to learn of the difficulties you experienced in your recent employment application. We are only too aware of the mammoth undertaking completing your ACCA Qualification is.

Allen Blewitt, ACCA 's former global CEO is back in Australia as a consultant working with ACCA Australia and New Zealand to secure improved recognition for ACCA members locally. We appreciate that the current lack of recognition is far from ideal and can be restrictive.

ACCA membership numbers in Australia are relatively small in comparison to other territories globally but both student and member numbers are growing significantly and we have ACCA members represented in all sectors from partners in the Big Four to senior managers in industry and commerce; many of whom are doing an exemplary job of raising ACCA's profile within the employer community.

ACCA Australia and New Zealand is committed to significantly raising the profile of ACCA in Australia across all stakeholders from employers and recruitment agencies to universities, tuition providers and through the media.

We have much to do and with the support of our membership we can achieve great things.

Kind regards,
ACCA Australia and New Zealand

[Ananta Gupta]

Hey,

I face the same problem with a diversified academic qualification and no experience in the related field. The problem is that I live in Nepal where access is limited about employment opportunities.

Thanks for these valuable suggestions.

Regards,
AG

[Bhavini]

Hi,

So true; your article does really help the newly qualified affiliates. I did really good at exams, but was really sad when I saw that employers wanted experienced candidates rather than qualified ones...

[Dyl D]

Hi,

I would just like to hear from any graduates currently studying ACCA, but who have done it themselves. I would like to do it but don't want home study providers. Just wondering really how they found the course and would you suggest you do it on your own?

Thanks,
Dyl

[Thu]

Hi, just thought I should share my experience with everyone here.

I have just came back to Sydney from a two-year working holiday visa in London where I commenced my ACCA program.

I will be sitting my last exam in June 2009. I have five years of Chartered practice experience in Sydney and am currently having major issues with finding a job here because my ACCA qualification is not recognised by major employers here in Sydney.

I was rejected by an employer two weeks ago just because the other candidate has started their CA qualification, whom the employer thought would be able to add real value. Voila! I've worked so hard and invested so much money on my ACCA qualification and now have to face even more trouble trying to convince employers of my ability.

A word of warning for those contemplating on taking up ACCA studies... Please do your homework - ie find out whether your market will value the qualification you're about to invest in. I am not trying to discredit the institute as I know ACCA is highly regarded in the UK and other Asian continents but unfortunately not so the case down under.

I just hope that future students are aware of this and hopefully the institute could do something about it soon.

[Kamau Francis]

As you have stated, many companies require persons with work experience. Every week I look at the classifieds and everyone wants persons with 1-5 years experience.

Many companies are not willing to train and thus the same persons are rotated from company to company, with fresh minds left out in the cold because they can't get a head start.

I am facing completing my ACCAs and not being able to practice because of hurdles like these.