This month of examination got me thinking a lot... about my future plans
if I passed all the ACCA papers by this year, where will I be heading next? (still left last 2 professional papers though)
In order to become an ACCA member, there's a few *I gotta called it* as steps to go through before you officially attain the ACCA membership.
Obviously one of the steps I'm currently doing are the examinations. Total of 14 papers to take up.
(Mine as of now = 5 exempted and 7/9 papers done)
So the future steps I'm gonna take up are the 36 months "Time in my Relevant Role" (3 years working experience) and at the same time, they have the Practical Experience Requirement which I would need to complete their total of 20 performance objectives. (Basically it's like an internship, I would need to write reports and pass up to ACCA for them to approve)
Perks of taking a Professional Course! Hah.
I think a lot, like literally a lot and I've been asking around just as much to anyone that I'm comfortable talking too at the moment.
As of now, I'm having a dilemma on either to go to an audit firm or non-audit firm to work in the coming 36 months and gathered the 20 performance objectives at the same time.
I've been listing down some of the Pros and Cons that I got from the thinking and asking, so yeah.
Audit firm
1) Having the chance to audit many different types of company from different background and able to gain a lot of useful yet incredible experiences.
2) My resume will look more outstanding when viewed by corporate interviewers because they expect that when you're from an audit firm, your knowledge would be wider since they covered everything about accounting.
3) Chances of learning and doing both accounting and auditing work. (Difference of accounting and auditing are explain below)
1) Most probably will be assigned to a specific department to work, for example, Trade Payables department. So your knowledge and experience gained will be limited to this department only. (usually in Big Audit Firms)
2) All if not, most people that had been through with audit firms doesn't have any good feedback (at all) due to stress, a lot of overtime work (everyday) and the lack of rest they could get. Sometimes, gotta work during the weekends or even public holidays because of the tight deadlines.
3) I'm not sure why but people said audit firms paid lower salary compared to non-audit's.
Non-Audit firm
1) Their paid salary would be slightly more than audit firms.
2) Working in a non-audit firm wouldn't be as stress as in an audit ones. Though there will be overtime but not all the time. Work would be much more relax (is it the right term?)
3) It would be interesting when you can work in a company where not all 'files and papers' are all around the offices. (mostly in an audit firms, they handles accounts and accounts only) So, I meant interesting as in working with a wedding planner company, film industry company(eg, Disney or Pixar) or even working in Google. (most people's dreams)
1) Obviously, resume wouldn't be as outstanding as the ones from audit firms. (To be a professional accountant or auditor, resume obviously would be more 'attracting' or perhaps suitable if worked in an audit firm rather than not)
2) Narrower job field since in a non-audit firm, usually the firm would be only in a specific industry-related. So not much experience gained from various types of industries. (though there's still things to learn but limited)
3) The scope of work is only related to accounting but not auditing.
*Difference in Accounting and Auditing* (Let me try to explain using non-accounting term)
Accounting is basically about literally doing and preparing the accounts;
Auditing is like checking the finished set of accounts whether the accountants are doing it right or otherwise.
So can you please help me sought out this dilemma? Heh.
Ps, most probably I'll be going over to Singapore to gain my 3 years working experience though not confirmed. Heh
Till then,
I would definitely come back if there's any fine dining required in the future
