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Accountancy and Tax

Research careers and find opportunities in accountancy and tax

About

Accounting and professional services firms are one of the largest recruiters of new graduates.

According to a report by High Fliers, 7,752 graduates were recruited by accountancy and professional services firms in 2022.

The same report shows that there is a targeted 6% increase in graduate recruitment during 2023. An extra 428 vacancies are planned, compared with 2022.

After securing a graduate role you may study for professional qualifications. Most accountancy employers will give you time to study and pay for your exams.


Roles, skills and salaries

The range of companies and sectors you can work in is huge and can suit graduates with a variety of skills. You can find opportunities in various roles, including chartered accountancy, auditing or tax adviser.

Job profiles

Have a look at Prospects and targetjobs to find out what roles in this sector involve and how to get into them. These are some of the job profiles available:

Skills employers look for
  • analytical and problem-solving skills
  • numeracy skills, particularly working with statistics
  • a methodical approach, with accuracy and attention to detail
  • communication and interpersonal skills
  • leadership and effective team working skills
  • initiative

Employers will want you to show a real interest in and awareness of finance and business. They will also expect you to be proficient with IT.

Most graduate roles in this sector require you to study while working. Self-motivation, commitment, time-management and working under pressure to deadlines are all important.

For roles in tax, you need the ability to interpret and explain complex legislation to non-specialists. Tact and discretion are also essential, as you will be working with confidential information.

Salaries

Starting salaries for graduate jobs can vary depending on the position and location of the role. According to a 2023 report from High Fliers, the average starting salary for graduates in accounting and professional services was £35,000.

For information about salaries for specific roles use the following resources:

For information about how to negotiate a salary, visit Handling job offers.


Be inspired

It’s not always easy to know which roles to apply for. The resources in this section can help you find inspiration from previous students and know where to get further support.

Inspiration from people working in the industry
  • Browse our NCL Graduate Employment Outcomes directory. See examples of what our graduates were doing 15 months after their studies.
  • Use LinkedIn’s Alumni tool to find out what Newcastle graduates are doing now. You could ask to connect with them, to gain advice and insights into their career. See Newcastle Alumni on LinkedIn to help you get started or watch our quick tutorial on Getting inspiration from others [3:13].
  • Search our NU Work Experience Directory. You can see where our students have had internships and placements in the last five years. To see all results in a search category, keep the search field blank.
  • Attend alumni events, such as Newcastle Develop, to hear directly from our graduates.
  • Sign up for mentoring support with Graduate Mentor and The 1 Hour Project. These aim to match students with industry professionals who can provide invaluable insights. Register to be connected for a one-hour meeting.
  • Attend events such as recruitment events and employer and sector insights. Hear about graduate jobs and placement schemes, build your network and ask questions.
Online reviews

Searching for reviews online can be a useful way to get an idea of what to expect from certain roles or employers. Reviews are written by employees with different opinions about what makes a good employer.

Use the following review sites for inspiration and insight into the recruitment process:

· RateMyPlacement placement year reviews written by students.

· The Job Crowd – graduate job reviews

· Glassdoor – company reviews from employees

Not sure what you want to do?

If you’re not sure exactly what you want to do, we can help. You can book a guidance appointment via MyCareer. Our careers consultants can help you explore your options or plan your career.

 


Sector and industry insights

Researching the industry is essential, whether it’s to:

  • help you decide which area to work in
  • identify who to apply to
  • tailor your application
  • impress an interviewer with your knowledge of the sector

Here are some resources to help you get started.

Career guides

The following websites give advice about careers in accountancy:

For tax and financial management there is:

Industry news

Use online magazines and journals to follow news from your industry. Reading about trends and developments can be useful for applications and interviews.

Examples include:

Attend events

Attend events to hear directly from professionals in the industry.

Many big employers and the professional bodies in this sector run events and other opportunities. EY and PwC advertise their student events on their websites.

ICAEW run careers events, including interview skills and improving public speaking.

See our events, including recruitment events and employer & sector insights.

Student societies

Join accounting or tax specific student societies. The Accounting and Finance Society often organises and promotes events and invites guest speakers to talk about their careers.

Social media

Use social media to find industry insights.

Join sector-specific groups on LinkedIn to keep up to date. Posts often include news, events and opportunities. You can also find useful insights on careers on X and TikTok. Treat these with caution, as not all content may be accurate.

Find out more about how to use social media for your career.

Professional bodies

Consider joining a relevant professional body/industry network

Professional bodies often:

  • run networking events
  • have specialist groups you could join
  • post vacancies on behalf of their members
  • have member directories, useful for speculative applications

Key organisations include:

The main professional UK institutes for accountancy include:

There are also accountancy associations and financial regulation authorities, including:

Organisations related to tax include:

Finding professional bodies worldwide

GoinGlobal’s country guides include details of professional bodies. Find them under ‘Professional and Personal Networking’ on each individual country guide.


Guide to finding opportunities

Many large recruiters, such as EY, Deloitte, PwC and KPMG, advertise summer internships, year-long placements and graduate training programmes in accountancy and tax.

You can also find opportunities within government agencies and public bodies, such as the NHS and the Civil Service.

There are various ways to find internships, placements and graduate opportunities. We’ve added some tips below to help you get started.

  • search for advertised vacancies using the vacancy sites listed below
  • look at the careers sections on company websites for student and graduate opportunities. Use Researching Employers to help you gain insights into companies
  • attend events such as recruitment fairs and employer and sector insights
  • contact employers speculatively – see Non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs to help you find organisations to approach
  • follow companies on social media for latest news and updates
  • consider registering with a recruitment agency for graduate jobs
  • register with EmployAbility if you have a neurodivergent condition, mental health condition or another disability. They can offer advice and support on applications to Newcastle students. They also run first year, internship and graduate programmes with inclusive employer partners.
  • ask family and friends if they have any useful contacts who may be able to offer you work experience
  • consider alternative ways to find relevant experience and develop your skills
  • create your own opportunity by starting your own business or working freelance – see Work for Yourself

 


Advertised work experience

Placements and summer internships are usually aimed at undergraduate students in and above their second or penultimate year of study. Some companies will also consider first and final year students.

When to apply

Apply for advertised opportunities as early as possible.

UK applications typically open early in the academic year from September or October. Some close as early as November-December. Many employers close applications as soon as their places are filled.

Search for internships and placement years

Use our resources to get started:

Search the following external sites for more opportunities:

Accountancy Careers

NCL Internships
  • The Careers Service runs flexible term-time and summer internships with local employers and on campus. NCL internships are aimed at all students, from any stage.
  • You can search for these under Vacancies on MyCareer - just type in ‘NCL internship’ into the text search box.
Worldwide experience

Access GoinGlobal for internships in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:

  • additional vacancy websites
  • CV, application and interview advice
  • Advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world
Looking for ideas

If you’re looking for inspiration, try searching our NU Work Experience Directory. You can see where our students have had internships and placements in the last five years. To see all results in a search category, keep the search field blank.


Advertised graduate vacancies

When to apply

The resources in this section advertise both graduate jobs and graduate schemes. See our graduate jobs page to understand the difference between them.

For graduate schemes, apply as early as possible.

UK applications typically open early in the academic year from September or October. Some close as early as November. Many employers close applications as soon as their places are filled.

Graduate jobs tend to be immediate start positions which can be available all year round. You are more likely to apply for these towards the end of your studies.

 

Vacancy sites
  • MyCareer - search for graduate schemes and graduate jobs in the North East, UK and overseas. Register/log in to access vacancies and sign up for personalised email alerts
  • Careers Service: Graduate Jobs – lists graduate vacancy sites

Accounting and finance vacancy sites

Public sector, audit, tax and corporate treasury

Graduate schemes:

Graduate jobs:

Professional bodies – training vacancies and immediate start jobs

Worldwide vacancy sites

See International jobs for details of overseas vacancy sites.

Access GoinGlobal for job adverts in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:

· additional vacancy websites

· CV, application and interview advice

· Advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world


Non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs

Not all internships, placements and graduate jobs are advertised. In fact, many people create opportunities through:

A speculative approach is common for finding work experience and graduate jobs. This is where you approach a company directly to ask if they have any opportunities available.

How to access hidden opportunities

Start by identifying organisations you are interested in. Our guide to finding organisations below can help. Then use the following steps to approach them speculatively about possible opportunities:

  1. Identify a contact name to address your cover letter to. Call or email to find out who handles recruitment within the organisation. Or, find a key contact in the department you want to work in.
  2. Send them a tailored CV and cover letter. Express your enthusiasm for the sector. Show that you have researched the company.
  3. Follow up your speculative application with a phone call, or email, around a week later. This shows you are serious and motivated.

If your application was unsuccessful, ask for feedback or advice, and keep trying!

When to contact organisations

You can use this approach at any point in the year. We recommend that you:

  • start your research as early as possible to gather relevant contacts
  • contact organisations around three months before you want the opportunity to begin
How to find organisations

Use the resources below to find organisations in the North East, UK and worldwide.

Professional body websites sometimes include member directories, which are helpful for finding employers:

Chartered Accountants Ireland – listed by county

Worldwide organisations

Search GoinGlobal’s employer directory for company information in 196 countries. Their country guides list professional bodies around the world.


Specialist recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies can be useful for finding graduate jobs in accountancy and tax. These tend to be for immediate start positions. It's worth registering with one or two agencies towards the end of your course.

Specialist agencies include:

Accountancy Recruit

The Accountancy Recruitment Group

For more specialist recruitment agencies, search Agency Central.

See Recruitment Agencies to find more agencies.

Finding overseas recruitment agencies

GoinGlobal’s country guides include details of recruitment agencies in specific countries. They are listed under the following headings:

· Staffing agencies and temporary help firms

· Executive recruiters and search firms

Recruitment agencies may not operate in the same way in different countries. In the UK agencies are free for job seekers, but this may not be the case elsewhere. Explore the terms and conditions of an agency before signing up to use them.


Other ways to gain relevant experience

We've added some suggestions to help you develop your skills and gain relevant experience.

  • complete a free virtual internship. For example, with Forage, you can filter by career interest to find virtual internships in accounting and client services.
  • sign up for free online courses to develop new skills. Coursera runs free online courses in accounting and tax.
  • attend events and network to make contacts and connections
  • enter an accountancy related competition - prizes can often include internships. For example the ICAEW 100 includes the chance to win sponsored prizes.
  • volunteer. Charities recruit volunteers for finance opportunities. You can volunteer as a finance assistant for Oxfam through NUSU. See Volunteering for more opportunities.
  • Become an active member of a society. You could volunteer to be the society treasurer.

Work for yourself

Working as self-employed or freelance is common in the accounting sector.

Our START UP team can help you explore working for yourself at any stage. Whether you want to explore an idea or have already launched a business or freelance career, you can access the following help:

  • support with idea generation
  • provide tailored advice
  • help you develop your skills
  • introduce you to like-minded peers
  • refer you to further support from mentors
  • award grant funding up to £3,000

Related sectors

You might also be interested in the following sectors: