Higher ambition?

As the largest international accountancy body, ACCA offers unique opportunities with global organisations. Lesley Meall talks to members and recruitment consultants to give you the inside track.

Multinational companies are the place to be, apparently. When ACCA students were recently surveyed as part of the ACCA2007 project, nearly two-thirds of you indicated that you aspire to work for one.

Although they are not for everyone, large organisations and multinationals can offer ambitious accountants the opportunity to try out a range of professional roles, and geographical locations, without changing employers - which makes for great career progression. John Smith, FCCA, is now the British Broadcasting Corporation's chief operating officer - the third most powerful figure in the organisation. His roots in accounting have facilitated his rise up the corporate ladder. The BBC is a renowned worldwide brand, producing high-quality content across a range of media including TV, the Internet, and radio.

Since joining the BBC's corporate finance department in 1989, John has slowly but surely progressed through financial controller, finance director, chief operating officer, and even has a stint as CEO of BBC Worldwide under his belt. 'I think it's a classic evolutionary step for finance people,' he says modestly. And he has a point - witness the experiences of other ACCA members.

'Working for a large organisation gives you the opportunity to have a career, not just a job,' suggests Paul Kehoe, an FCCA who is head of finance for global treasury with Allied Irish Bank (AIB). Kehoe joined AIB straight from school (unlike Smith, who left school at 16 to train as an accountant, then did a long stint with British Rail, before being headhunted by the BBC in 1989). 'I always wanted to be an accountant,' says Kehoe, 'and AIB supported me both financially and from a training perspective, to enable me to meet my goal.' AIB is an ACCA Gold Approved Employer - trainee development, something Kehoe feels contributed to his success. 'I think that a large organisation can offer better training and development support to people who are studying accountancy,' he asserts.

Since qualifying, Kehoe has worked in all of the significant business areas in the bank: finance and leasing, retail, and global treasury. 'I was aware that there would be lots of opportunities,' he says, 'and that proved to be the case.' After a number of years in the finance department, Kehoe became a senior financial accountant in 1989. He was appointed as financial controller for the corporate banking business unit in capital markets in 1995, then in 2002 he took on his current role as head of finance for global treasury, which has offices in the Republic of Ireland, the UK, US, and Poland. So, as Kehoe observes: 'There is the potential to work in different areas of the organisation both domestically and internationally.'

Broaden your horizons
ACCA member Catriona Dolan also wanted to work for a large organisation, but she took a different route. She trained with the four-partner firm Casey McGrath & Associates, spent a few years in audit with BMN Associates, and then she joined PwC in 2004. 'As PwC is a global firm, you have the opportunity to gain broader work experience than you would working for a smaller firm,' she says, adding, 'and you have the opportunity to travel.' Working abroad was part of the plan she made when she first opted to become an accountant. 'I decided, once I qualified, I would work abroad for a few years.'

The Big Four are involved in all areas of business and commerce and have huge international operations around the world, so the potential for movement professionally and geographically is immense. At the moment, Dolan is on a two-year secondment to PwC Turks & Caicos. 'I have always liked travelling,' she says, 'and working abroad has given me the opportunity to visit places that I would not necessarily have visited.'

If you want to exploit the opportunities that only a large employer can provide, but you are currently working for a small organisation, don't panic. 'A good recruitment consultant can help you to put together a five-year plan that will help you get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow,' says Angus Braham a senior manager with Think Global Recruitment. And, because of ACCA's flexible training and practical experience options, you are not locked into restrictive training contracts. But the difference between working for an employer with a handful of employees and one with tens of thousands can be immense. 'Moving from a very small environment to a very big one can be a culture shock,' warns Braham, 'so in most cases I would suggest doing it in steps. Just keep your ultimate goal in sight.'

Soft skills shuffle
If you are desperate to make the leap sooner rather than later, and aren't phased by the idea of being one among thousands, some skills can help to ease the transition. Even a part-qualified ACCA with the right IFRS or SOX experience could exploit the high demand for specialist expertise as a springboard to bigger and better things. 'The global harmonisation of accounting standards has increased career opportunities,' comments Judy Randle, CPD national product manager at the Financial Training Company. But, she adds, 'the rate of change is huge, and it is important to keep up to date.'

Braham agrees: 'The bedrock on which your entire career is built is your technical accountancy ability.' But large employers are also looking for soft skills such as teamworking, leadership potential, plus that special something that makes you the right sort of person. 'All large organisations may seem the same from the outside,' says Braham, 'but they are very different on the inside. Even the big firms have cultural differences.'

That's why a good recruitment firm will spend time getting to know candidates and assessing their potential. 'It's part of the job,' says Braham, 'if an ACCA applies to me for a post with one of the Big Four firms, I'll start by looking at whether or not they have the necessary technical skills, but I also have to make a judgement on how well they will suit the client. It is not unusual for clients to ask "How will they fit in with us?" And, if you get as far as an interview with the organisation, you can be sure that they will be assessing your soft skills as part of the process.'

If you are interested in moving into industry then cultural fit becomes even more of an issue. 'Different industries are looking for different qualities,' says Zelda Kay, a consultant on the publishing and entertainment team with Witan Jardine. In addition to being able to bring the necessary technical skills, most industries will expect you to look and act the part. For example, some employers will expect you to dress smartly, while others will be happy if you turn up for work in jeans, t-shirt and trainers.

A perfect fit?
'The technical skills may be the same, but a company in the banking sector will look for a very different person than an advertising agency or a film production company,' Kay says, adding: 'media clients are looking for personality.' They will also expect you to able to convey financial information with the minimum amount of jargon. 'They want to know about the P&L and the balance sheet,' she says, 'but you'll need to be able to catch their attention without boring them.' Although they are keen to take on people who want to be finance professionals, rather than those who see finance as a way to get into film, music or television, they also expect you to be interested in the product.

The same is true in other areas. But if you are particularly interested in aerospace, retail or pharmaceuticals then your ACCA qualification can certainly help to open the right doors and give you the opportunity to get involved. 'You won't just be sitting at a desk doing the numbers,' says Braham, 'you could go into the audit department of a biotech tomorrow and in two-years' time find yourself on the R&D side working as part of a small team developing a new drug.' Long gone are the days when working in finance for a multinational was just about sitting at a desk playing with numbers.

Lesley Meall is a writer on business and technology issues