Weird question I know.

But I was just wondering is this possible and do you think it would be a good idea for someone who is finding it hard to gain experience.

This is a terrible idea. Im sorry, Im in the same boat myself but this is no solution. All this does is weaken the value of being a qualified accountant.

Its absolutely incredible that we’ve gotten to this situation where, not only do people not value their time and expertise adequately but actually come to the position of offering to pay to make someone else/a corporation more profit. Terrifying.

Especially when you consider that, with the debt culture that currently exists in the west, you could argue that most of us already do ‘pay to work’, at least in relation to our parents generation.

This is not a dig at you, and believe me I know how frustrating it is not being able to get relevant work experience, but this is not the way forward. Your time would be better spent gaining other practical skills - that can all be gained with merely a library card and strong intent - or getting involved with a political/community based movement than damaging the workforce through cheap oversupply. This, for me, is a major drawback to ACCA and while part of me is glad it rewards hard working students willing to get off their ass and better their situation, part of me believes the industry needs to be regulated more strongly to prevent a culture of churn-and-burn growing up.

God, modern life got very complicated. I feel a war around the corner personally.

Thanks for the reply and your words do have a lot of truth to them.

Im at wits end here because I am close to being an ACCA affiliate but with no experience to back it up.

Ive tried everything from offering my services for free to working for minimum wage but nothing has come of it.

I honestly do not know what to do next.

Have you tried offering your help to any local charities or anything like that?

I am in same boat. I was not a great believer of luck but last five years have made me believe what I was not used to believe before. I had over five years of experience with worlds largest charity in finance department as financial coordinator before coming to UK in start of 2005. Five years on ...... apart from my regular master degree in finance, I started ACCA and hope to finish by this June ....... hundreds and hundreds of job applications ........ no response at all ..... ended up doing a security job.

And I am moving out of UK by the end of this year to Canada, middle east or somewhere, where people respect the education, time and hard work you put in to get that.

But anyways, Good luck to you and me as well .........

Im think working in a non-accounts role and trying to work in some accounts experience is the way to go about it.  Either by doing so much administrative stuff for a very small company that it includes accounts work by default, or by volunteering and trying to maneuver yourself into the accounts areas.

I don’t know if you can pay for work experience.  But even if you can, I don’t think you should.

SalinaA - February 12 2010 08:12 AM

Have you tried offering your help to any local charities or anything like that?

Im in the process of applying for voluntary work and i will see what comes of it.

ZIG - February 13 2010 04:31 AM

I am in same boat. I was not a great believer of luck but last five years have made me believe what I was not used to believe before. I had over five years of experience with worlds largest charity in finance department as financial coordinator before coming to UK in start of 2005. Five years on ...... apart from my regular master degree in finance, I started ACCA and hope to finish by this June ....... hundreds and hundreds of job applications ........ no response at all ..... ended up doing a security job.

And I am moving out of UK by the end of this year to Canada, middle east or somewhere, where people respect the education, time and hard work you put in to get that.

But anyways, Good luck to you and me as well .........

Very depressing reading posts like this.

Hope it works out for in another country

good luck

Keep trying - get a list of all local charities, you never know they would be silly to say no really

SalinaA - February 15 2010 08:14 AM

Keep trying - get a list of all local charities, you never know they would be silly to say no really

Thanks - will do!