INDUSTRY SECTORS
Accounting and Financial Management A
career in accountancy is opportunityrich, financially-rewarding, diverse and globally mobile. In fact, professionals can be found working in all industries and sectors around the world. Graduates typically start off as trainees as they work their way towards the required certifications – a process that normally takes a minimum of three years. Aspiring Chartered Accountants who wish to practise in Singapore must complete the Singapore CA Qualification, previously known as the Singapore Qualification Programme, and all practising accountants must be registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (ACRA).
Job-hunting tips
You’ll need…
Deadlines
• Numeracy skills
Applications to the top firms, such as the Big Four, typically have deadlines ranging from August to September. On the other hand, large corporations and financial services groups have deadlines that can run up to October or November. Mid-tier firms and SMEs often accept applications year-round.
• An interest in business • The ability to work well under pressure • To be a team player • Problem-solving skills • Good communication skills
Types of jobs • Corporate finance • Internal auditing • Financial accountant • Management accountant • Tax accountant • Consultant
• A majority of employers use online application forms and competencybased interviews • Certifying institutes typically have lists of members and/or recruiting organisations available on their websites
Work experience Hopefuls can consider internship programmes with the Big Four or some smaller firms. Otherwise, successful applicants can expect to be mentored and trained on-the-job.
Did you know? Luca Pacioli, who was born in 1445, is considered the father of accounting. The world’s first accountants worked for temples, keeping track of taxes paid in sheep and agricultural produce. During this time, the practise of writing was invented in order to keep receipts. Before this, token systems were used to document the exchange of goods and services.
Most popular employers 1. PwC 2. Deloitte 3. KPMG 4. EY 5. Baker Tilly 6. BDO LLP 7. Grant Thornton 8. RSM Stone Forest 9. Shell Source: Singapore Graduate Barometer 2021 edition
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