Think strategically

How can you help give yourself the best chance of gaining the breadth of work experience required to achieve your performance objectives?

A proactive approach to achieving the practical experience requirement (PER) will help you reach your ultimate goal of ACCA membership.

A strategic mindset, based on a thorough understanding of what’s required, is recommended.

If you are to benefit from the hard work required to pass ACCA exams, then they must also drive the achievement of your performance objectives. This experience does not have to be gained in one three-year stretch, and can come from different jobs – paid or unpaid – at different times, even from before registering with ACCA.

To count towards membership, any experience must link to a performance objective, and be signed off by a practical experience supervisor. This can be done retrospectively, if necessary, but it is obviously much easier if experience is signed off as soon as it is gained.

By validating any relevant experience, you can start to meet performance objectives as early as possible.

Have you considered any of the following? 

  • Actively suggest different methods of gaining experience to your employer
  • Discuss with your practical experience supervisor how you can gain more experience
  • Work experience outside of paid work
  • Shadowing and secondments to broaden experience
  • Move departments (or even jobs) to gain the necessary variety
  • Volunteer to gain enough experience to get your ‘foot in the door’ and secure the next job you want

Helping you achieve performance objectives

The Performance Objectives booklet (PDF, 740 KB) provides guidance on each performance objective, how to achieve them, examples of relevant workplace activities and which exam each performance objective links to.

This booklet contains useful information to help your practical experience supervisor support you – make sure you provide this to them.

Visit the PER section of the ACCA website for more support.