New industries. Different causes. Global possibilities. The world is changing, and with it, there are new opportunities for you to shine. Chartered accountants are more than just number crunchers – they are talented professionals, prized for their ability to effect change.

What’s the difference between an accountant and a chartered accountant?

Becoming a chartered accountant means you have received intensive training, you will have studied the trade for at least three years and you will be a member of a professional membership body with a royal charter.

Chartered means you are at the top of your profession, and you are ready to take on challenges and equally be rewarded for them. As a graduate, the average starting salary for chartered accountants depending on location is £35,000, with the potential to increase to £57,000 within two years of qualifying.

* 2023 High Fliers The Graduate Market in 2023 Report.

What do chartered accountants do?

As a chartered accountant, you are never limited to one discipline. You can take your career into a diverse range of specialist areas including auditing, taxation, corporate finance, forensic accounting, business recovery, and the not-for-profit sector. Chartered accountants hold influential positions within leading organisations – you can develop in an industry you care about all over the world.

Chartered accountants can choose to specialise in various areas such as working in the finance area of the beauty industry for example or even working for a celebrity in the film industry. Being a chartered accountant means that you have a high level of training and skills to apply in various areas of work which can offer more opportunities for accountancy jobs.

There’s more to the qualification than number crunching. Successful chartered accountants will have strong people skills, creative thinking and, clear communication, which are instrumental in their development.

Depending on the area you choose to specialise in, typical tasks could include:

• Taking control of managing financial systems and budgets.
• Delivering responsive financial audits – an independent check of a company’s financial position.
• Research and communicate financial data and advice to clients.

Technical knowledge is vital, but it’s also about being able to understand business challenges. Solving problems, finding answers, analysing information, and interpreting facts and figures to make business recommendations, and then being able to communicate this information are key.

Types of Accountancy

As a chartered accountant there is a vast array of career paths open to you – you can take your pick.