Business, financial and human resources

How do I get into accountancy?

Inside Careers guide to Chartered Accountancy has graduate jobs, placements, internships, company profiles, sector news and more.

Prospects

• Job profiles: Accountancy, banking and finance
• Sector guide: Accountancy, banking and finance
• What can I do with my degree - Accountancy and finance

Targetjobs

• Accountancy and financial management job profiles, sector information, employer reviews and more.

Jobs and employers

• Barclay Meade Accountancy has UK-wide vacancies and CV/interview advice.
• CIMA My Jobs has global opportunities from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

• CMA Financial Recruitment has opportunities across the south-east.
• Harvey John is an accountancy and finance recruitment consultancy based in central Brighton.
• Hays has opportunities across the UK and globally.

• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
  Vacancies searchable by industry sector.
• Randstad Financial & Professional
  Recruits in the areas of banking, accountancy, insurance, finance, marketing, HR and secretarial.
• Reed.co.uk
  Vacancies searchable by 'graduate' designation.
• Total Jobs
  Opportunities nationwide.

Further information

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is a professional body with 480,000 student members worldwide.
• Association of Practising Accountants focuses on the benefits of training with a medium-sized firm.
• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is the qualification and membership body for vocational accountants.

• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world's largest professional body of management accountants.
• Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) members work in micro-businesses or SMEs.

How do I get into it?

Inside Careers : Banking and Investments has information on careers in Banking and Investments.

Prospects

• Types of jobs - Accountancy, Banking and Finance
• Job sector - Accountancy, Banking and Finance
• What can I do with my degree - Accounting and Finance

Targetjobs Finance

• Accountancy and Financial Management
• Financial Services and Insurance
• Investment Banking and Investment

Jobs and employers

• Accountancy Age has Finance and Compliance jobs.
• AllAboutFinance careers has graduate jobs, internships and placements.
• Association of Corporate Treasurers has vacancies across the UK.
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) has Finance, Tax and Audit jobs.
• Civil Service Job Search has Finance and related jobs across the Civil Service and central government.
• GAAPWeb has Finance, Tax, Treasury, Audit and Payroll jobs.
• Careers in Audit is a specialist site for all types of Audit jobs.
• PFjobs.co.uk has Public Sector Finance jobs.

Further information

General

• The CityUK champions UK-based financial and related professional services globally.
• The Economist has international news, politics, business and finance.

Banking and Building Societies

• The Bank of England is the central bank of the UK.
• The Banker provides economic and financial intelligence for the world's financial sector.
• Building Societies Association is the voice of the UK's building societies. Networking opportunities and industry intelligence for members.
• The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) is responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers and major investment firms.

Financial Services

• Association of Business Recovery Professionals is the professional association for UK insolvency, business recovery and turnaround specialists. Memberships offers online resources, industry news and networking events.
• Centre for Economic Policy Research aims to foster high quality, policy-relevant economic research. Publications available to download or purchase.
• Finance and Leasing Association (FLA) is the trade association for the asset finance, consumer finance and motor finance sectors.
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the financial services industry in the UK.
• Intercontinental Exchange operates global commodity and financial products marketplaces.
• International Compliance Association provides qualifications and training in anti money laundering (AML), compliance and fraud/financial crime prevention.
• The London Stock Exchange is a diversified international market infrastructure and capital markets business.

FinTech

• FinTechCity has information on companies and developments within this emerging sector.

Investment

• Association of Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) advocates on behalf of the European financial markets. Site includes market surveys and other publications.
• Association of Investment Companies (AIC) is the trade body for closed-ended investment companies.
• British Venture Capital Association (BVCA) represents UK-based private equity and venture capital firms. Includes member and professional advice directory and industry information.
• CFA UK is a global association of investment professionals. Offers online CPD resources, live events and webinars.
• The International Capital Market Association (ICMA) is the trade association for the international securities market. Online resources, training programmes and networking opportunities.
• The Investment Association includes industry news and networking opportunities and support for members.

Taxation

• Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) is the professional body for providers of tax compliance services. Includes student resources.
• Chartered Institute of Taxation is the UK professional body for advisers dealing with all aspects of taxation. Includes student resources.
• Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV) is the professional body concerned with local taxation, valuation, appeals, financial management and local benefits administration in the UK. Offers professional development, information and networking opportunities.

Treasury

• Association of Corporate Treasurers is the global provider of Treasury information.

How do I get into it?

Prospects

• Types of jobs - Recruitment and HR
• Job sectors - Recruitment and HR

Targetjobs

• HR and recruitment

Jobs and employers

• PayrollJobsBoard has payroll and HR vacancies in the UK.
• People Management is the vacancy site from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.
• Personnel Today is the main HR industry journal.
• Simply HR Jobs includes assistant, consultant and managerial roles UK-wide.

Further information

• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has industry news and knowledge resources. Student membership available.
• Recruitment and Employment Confederation is the professional body for UK recruitment agencies.

Graduate stories

Kelsa
BA(Hons) Media Studies

In a change from our usual Q+A format, Kelsa has posted a video to talk about her experience of Community Media 4 Kenya volunteering, and how this helped her meet the challenges of her first graduate role with Selfridges.

Since making this video Kelsa has moved on to new opportunities; "Work is great... I am working for Ted Baker doing training and setting up projects between stores and their local communities/museums/universities to empower people who choose a career in retail and support local communities. I have also just started lecturing part-time in Learning & Development at London South Bank Uni... It all stems from the work I did with [CM4K] which I regularly talk about - so I honesty can't thank you enough."

How do I get into it?

Inside Careers

• Actuarial and Insurance has role profiles, case studies, FAQs and more.
• The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has routes into the profession, careers advice and more.

Prospects

• Types of jobs - Accountancy, banking and finance

Jobs and employers

• Inside Careers - Actuaries and insurance jobs has graduate jobs, internships and placements.
• Insurance Jobs is a general insurance recruitment marketplace with lots of graduate vacancies.
• Lloyds of London has graduate programmes and summer internship opportunities for students going into their final year of study.
• Pavilion Jobs is a Sussex-based consultancy with many opportunities in the local and surrounding areas.

Further information

• Association of Insurance and Risk Managers (AIRMIC) reports on industry issues in insurance and risk management.
• British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) provides development opportunities, advice and support for early career professionals.
• British Insurance Law Association (BILA) contains articles of interest to insurance practitioners.
• Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors includes a dedicated section for current students.
• Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA) has reduced price membership for students and entry-level employees.
• Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) has industry news and networking events. Student membership available.
• Staple Inn Actuarial Society supports younger members of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), particularly students and those with up to five years post-qualification experience.

How do I get into it?

Management roles are open to graduates of any academic discipline. They exist across all sectors and in the vast majority of organisations. There are two main ways to start your management career: through a graduate scheme or by applying directly for an entry-level job with a employer.

ICSA - Guide to becoming a Company Secretary (pdf) has information and advice from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.

Inside Careers - Management consultancy has graduate jobs, placements, internships, company profiles, sector news and more.

Prospects

• Business, Consulting and Management gives an overview of the sector including working conditions, job options and more.

Types of jobs
Public Services and Administration
Business, Consulting and Management includes a variety of management-level job profiles.
What can I do with my degree? Business and Management Studies
suggests career options with a degree in this area.

Targetjobs

• Consulting
• Management and Business

Tom Spencer Consulting Blog

• Guide to Management Consulting
• Guide to consulting interviews

Jobs and employers

Given the breadth of career opportunities in management you should also look at job sites for the specific industry you wish to work in.

• Government Operational Research Service supports policy-making, strategy and operations in many government departments.
• ICSA jobs board from the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).

• Inside Careers - Management consultancy jobs board allows you to search graduate jobs, internships and placements.
• Mindbench is a specialist permanent and interim recruitment for management consultancy.
• Workmaze includes MBA recruitment guides updated twice a year.

Further information 

• Association for Project Management is a free student membership for full-time students on a course which includes a project management module.
• British Standards Institution promotes best practice in management through training and standards.
• Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors represents ergonomists and human factors practitioners. Offering student and graduate membership packages.
• The Economist has insight and opinion on international news, politics, business, finance, science and technology.
• Institute of Administrative Management is a professional body for administration and business management in the UK. Student membership available.
• Institute of Management Services promotes methodologies and techniques for the improvement of productivity and quality, known collectively as 'Management Services'. Includes a journal available on subscription.

• International Federation of Operational Research Societies (IFORS) comprises the national OR societies of countries from Asia Pacific, Europe, North and South America.
• Management Consultancies Association (MCA) is the representative body for management consultancy firms in the UK.
• OR (Operational Research) Society is the world's oldest-established learned society catering to the profession.

Graduate stories

Alexandra
Masters in Public Administration

After the glamour of my Masters in Public Administration (MPA) graduation ceremony, like many other grads, I faced the severe reality of job hunting which lasted for several months.

Luckily I signed for the careers graduate internships mailing list while still a student. This is from where I found out about the internship with Whitehawk Inn. I saw it as an opportunity to gain an excellent understanding of a small community-based organisation, develop insights into the sector and networks within it.

I was quick to draft a successful application, as I was in the groove with this after around 70 previous unsuccessful trials. The internship fitted perfectly to my goals and academic background.

As the intern I was looking at more creative ways of taking forward the development and marketing of the Whitehawk Inn facilities which are currently vacant or under used, in order to increase income for the organisation. I performed a comparative market analysis of the room hire, offering reasonable adjustments on policies and setting up new business procedures for the organisation.

This experience was immensely valuable in terms of my professional growth and helped me a post with the University of Brighton Development and Alumni Office. In addition I was able to grow my network of contacts within the industry as well as outside of it. I currently stay in touch with the Whitehawk Inn and plan to volunteer for them in the future.

How do I get into it?

Inside Careers - Pensions

• Job roles and sector overview
• Finding the right job
• Employee profiles from major sector employers

Pensions Management Institute (PMI) has information about qualifications and continuing professional development.

Jobs and employers

• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has information about applying for jobs with the DWP.
• Inside Careers - Pensions jobs allows you to search for graduate jobs, internships and placements. Produced in partnership with the PMI.

• Pension Careers has opportunities across the UK.
• The Pensions Regulator is based in Brighton and offers undergraduate placement and secondment opportunities.

Further information

• The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the regulatory body for the UK financial services industry.
• Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) is the regulatory body for workplace pensions. Provides introductory and CPD training.
• Pensions Management Institute (PMI) offers membership benefits, training, networking and support services.

• The Pensions Regulator Blog has news and current issues from the pensions sector.
• PensionsAge is the industry news source. Sign up for their digest newsletter.
• Professional Pensions has news from the pensions industry.