Accountancy and financial management

This sector covers a wide range of financial careers, such as:

accountancy and tax
retail, commercial and investment banking
investment management

Applying early, plus undertaking work experience or an internship, improves your chances of breaking in to the industry, as many banks recruit from their internship programmes. Competition within investment banking is particularly fierce.

Read our blog: Six ways to prepare to be an accountant

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Your next steps

If you have questions about your plans, talk to a member of our team.

Book a careers appointment

Spotlight On

Finance careers attract students from a wide variety of disciplines. Three graduates from different backgrounds talk about their roles in finance.

Finance Analyst

Lydia Hewitt, physics alumna, works as a finance analyst at Jaguar Land Rover.

Lydia explains what she does on a day-to-day basis, the importance of people skills and gives advice on choosing a graduate training scheme.

Tax Associate

Sam Nield, maths alumnus, is a tax associate at PwC.

He secured an internship in his second year and was offered a job at the end of his degree. Sam talks about what he does on a day-to-day basis including the clients he works with. Could a career in tax be for you?

Spotlight On: Science into Banking and Financial Services

At this event we heard from three science alumni who shared their experience of working within the banking and financial sector.

Explore more...

Accountancy

Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) - information about the AAT qualification, career progression and job hunting
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) - information about the ACCA qualification and a student blog
Association of International Accountants (AIA) - information about the AIA qualification
Association of Practising Accountants (APA)(medium-sized chartered accountancy firms) - careers section provides a list of member firms, training information and hints and tips for getting your first job

Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) - information about IIA qualifications
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) - information about the CIMA qualification, case studies and graduate opportunities
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) (public sector accountants) - information about the CIPFA qualification plus graduate job vacancies
HAT Group of Accountants - a training consortium of 50 small-medium sized firms of accountants, their website provides information about training, a list of member firms and vacancies
Inside Careers - provide careers information working with professional accountancy institutions
Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) - information about IFA training and careers
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) - offers the Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification and provides training vacancies and job hunting advice
Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS) - the Scottish equivalent of ICAEW
Prospects for a professional insight into the careers in this industry
TARGETjobs - graduate career information and vacancies

Read Jonathan's blog: Accountancy Journey as a Russian Graduate

Taxation

Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) information on qualifications, careers profiles and case studies
Prospects - for a professional insight into the careers in this industry
TARGETjobs - graduate career information and vacancies

Retail banking and personal financial services

Personal Finance Society (PFS) - offers a membership scheme to university students and provides information on becoming a chartered financial planner
Prospects - for a professional insight into the careers in this industry
TARGETjobs - graduate career information and vacancies

Investment banking and corporate financial services

Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT) - comprehensive graduate careers information including career profiles and qualifications required
Prospects - for a professional insight into the careers in this industry
TARGETjobs - graduate career information and vacancies

Investment management

Investing in Bonds Europe - educational, non-profit, non-commercial website all about bonds. It offers in-depth market data, economic indicators, market news and commentary on the different bond markets
London Stock Exchange - information on job opportunities and the professional development programme for graduate-level staff
Prospects - for a professional insight into the careers in this industry
TARGETjobs - graduate career information and vacancies

Resources covering all of the careers above

Chartered Financial Analyst Society of the UK (CFA UK) - job vacancies and career resources including example interview questions, an outlook for the profession and a recruiters directory
CityJobs - specialist finance and banking online recruitment agency, advertising banking vacancies
eFinancialCareers - financial industry information and career paths, plus a jargon buster and the latest graduate jobs and internships
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) - regulates UK financial services. The website provides information about their graduate development programmes and summer internships
Finimize – a daily newsletter summary of important global news
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) - information about the profession and how to become a chartered secretary
The Institute of Risk Management (IRM) - leading international professional body for the field with a dedicated careers section. Risk managers help make decisions for the financing and control of risks for a specific group, company or organisation
TARGETjobs - graduate career information and vacancies
The Year in Industry Scheme (YINI) - offers placements in business including finance

Careers and Employability Service

University of Nottingham
Portland Building, Level D
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

telephone: +44 (0) 115 951 3680
fax: +44 (0) 115 951 3679
email: careers-team@nottingham.ac.uk