accounting cadetships - good or bad? (1 Viewer)

[tanjin]

hey all im really interested in accounting cadesthips and from the research i've done it seems like an excellent opportunity....but i've asked around ( cadets and accountants) and some have said that it's unbelievably tiring, stressful, boring and that you are grossly underpaid! Is this true? I've just started yr 12 and accounting is one of my school subjects- i dont think its boring and i really enjoy it....so can anyone tell me the advantages and disadvantages of cadetships? Thanx

 

[Affinity]

When you do something 12 hours a day 5 days a week ...

 

[tanjin]

surely there must be some advantages!

 

[turtleface]

I think the work is boring to some people because it isn't accounting work...just general office duties, data entry etc. If you like entering 5000 amendments into SAP, by all means

I can't understand why some are surprised by this, as if they let you do the client side stuff when you've just graduated from high school.

Cadets have very good job security. Thats the main advantage I can think of.

 

[Vagabond]

The benefit?

Well...

Full-time uni.. while your friends are putting together their CVs and references to apply for vacation work you have more work than you could want possibly available.

End of uni.. while your friends are worrying about their future you know that you can only go up as you have a job secured

Employability wise.. what looks better? 2 years woolworths work experience while you were at uni. or a chartered accountancy firm?

Underpaid? For straight out of hs I think not... take average salaries into account and it's not bad at all for a springboard position. I've had someone say to me once: "lol! I dropped out of year 11 and work in childcare and I'll make more than you next year"... My retort was something about them earning that same amount in 10 years time.

Yes I'm bias, but the bottom line is its work and its not meant to be a breeze. And besides, if you're in the 'I want to be an IB' bandwagon there's nothing like full-time work/part-time uni' to prepare you for those hours

Other benefits would include networking and a better knowledge of how stuff works imo.

The worst that could happen is that you completely hate it. But hey, better knowing that now than later? And work experience is work experience. In such a formal environment you'll be hot pie to many fields.

 

[tanjin]

yeh...well i am still going to apply for it even if there were many disadvantages...because when i first researched on cadetships, it sounded awesome..and it still does...i just wanted to know because lately some evil people who want to ruin my future are trying their hardest to steer me away from cadetships...anyways thanx for all the advice!

oh yeh just another quick question...i recently dropped down from adv math to general math...because i hate adv math and i was pretty much failing...so would doing gen math affect my performance with a commerce degree? and would i have to do a bridging course? That wasn't very quick at all...thanx again

 

[velox]

I think the work is boring to some people because it isn't accounting work...just general office duties, data entry etc. If you like entering 5000 amendments into SAP, by all means

I can't understand why some are surprised by this, as if they let you do the client side stuff when you've just graduated from high school.

Cadets have very good job security. Thats the main advantage I can think of.

Better than entering it into an AS400 system:rofl:

 

[keithmoon]

I don't know if this applies to all accounting cadetships but for the PWC (or is it E&Y, one of them), you're contracted to work for them after you graduate for certain years. In other words, you aren't left with many options after you graduate.

Also, accounting is a shit boring subject, because it's not intellectually challenging at all. If you like doing easy shit over and over and over again, then you'll probably enjoy accounting, at the same time, you're also probably a dickhead for enjoying it.

All in all, you'd rather not do cadetship and get good grades.

Of course, apply for the cadetship, go for the interviews, see what it's like, and all that shit, but it just wouldn't be a good idea to ACCEPT the offer. It's basically slave work, except for you're dressed in some shitty/fancy corporate uniform.

Also, ADV. maths isn't necessary for ACCOUNTING per se however it is strongly suggested for the commerce degree where you do subjects that involve maths.

 

[tanjin]

Keithmoon...did you apply for a cadetship....get and and experience it? or are you just saying it because you're a dickhead? And why the hell would i be a dickhead for enjoying it? What i've done so far in accounting is not the same shit...but thanx anyway

 

[AppleXY]

Keithmoon...did you apply for a cadetship....get and and experience it? or are you just saying it because you're a dickhead? And why the hell would i be a dickhead for enjoying it? What i've done so far in accounting is not the same shit...but thanx anyway

hahaha u tell her tanjin (mayb Kiethmoon is referring to tafe bookkeeping lol)

 

[turtleface]

End of uni.. while your friends are worrying about their future you know that you can only go up as you have a job secured

Employability wise.. what looks better? 2 years woolworths work experience while you were at uni. or a chartered accountancy firm?

For something like accounting where the majority of grads get job guarantees at least 12 months before graduate, and sometimes in 1st year, the job security is less of an issue.

Also, I think the experience is overrated if you are a low level cadet. I'm not saying cadetship experience is crap, I think its excellent, but in defense of Woolworths, maccas etc. you get valuable experience at store operations level. This will prove invaluable if you ever want to pursue a future career in commerce/industry, as well as helping you identifying business risks as an auditor/risk management specialist, and will also help with future general management careers you may wish to embark on.

 

[Meads]

Hours are not shit.

You are not underpaid.

Accounting is not easy/boring for everyone.

I strongly suggest you work at your Maths because you need it!

If you want to do a cadetship, then do it.

 

[tanjin]

So you're saying that i need to do adv math for the cadetship or not? because i have dropped from advanced to general!

 

[seremify007]

I think the work is boring to some people because it isn't accounting work...just general office duties, data entry etc. If you like entering 5000 amendments into SAP, by all means

Just as a note- that's not what a cadet does. That's what a corporate accountant or accounting clerk does
I do agree that the work exp gained in say retail is valuable- any experience will be beneficial. But I don't think you can underestimate the knowledge gained from being a cadet- I'm not just saying in terms of promotional opportunity, but looking at it from a more basic level, cadets and grads do the same stuff. So when you (as a cadet) finally do graduate, if you have all the knowledge which a grad doesn't have, you're already miles ahead.

Of course I speak this from my own experience, and I don't know how other firms treat their cadets but for us- being a cadet isn't an excuse to get out of doing proper work.

With regards to what keithmoon said,

1. Even I find accounting in uni to be a bit 'dry' at times; but I still enjoy learning about the way things all link and so on... once you master it, it becomes alot easier. The stuff you'll do at work (on a cadetship) is not book keeping- it'll be more application of a few topics you learn at uni.

2. As for bonding- you're only bonded if you receive the study grant whilst studying full time I believe. And then, if you choose to join another company/firm (or simply leave the firm) upon graduation, you must repay the monies received. Fair enough I think.

 

[Vagabond]

I don't know if this applies to all accounting cadetships but for the PWC (or is it E&Y, one of them), you're contracted to work for them after you graduate for certain years. In other words, you aren't left with many options after you graduate.

Also, accounting is a shit boring subject, because it's not intellectually challenging at all. If you like doing easy shit over and over and over again, then you'll probably enjoy accounting, at the same time, you're also probably a dickhead for enjoying it.

All in all, you'd rather not do cadetship and get good grades.

Of course, apply for the cadetship, go for the interviews, see what it's like, and all that shit, but it just wouldn't be a good idea to ACCEPT the offer. It's basically slave work, except for you're dressed in some shitty/fancy corporate uniform.

Also, ADV. maths isn't necessary for ACCOUNTING per se however it is strongly suggested for the commerce degree where you do subjects that involve maths.

Umm.. lol..

Firstly, you are wrong about the contract. Do you know.. anything? If you survive your first two years, THEN they give you the offer for the contract.

Signing the contract means you get free money while at uni, and promise to work for them after.

Though this work is essentially the compulsory experience you need to get your CA, which is their main focus. They want to get you qualified ASAP. Considering the opportunities that come with that in the long term, I dont see how that culls your options.

If you dont want your CA/more work, you dont sign. Simple. So simple. This isnt a negative.

Accounting is boring? Well thats your personal opinion. Now even if you don't like accounting... figure.. its a pretty basic foundation for the business world? I think its quite flexible. I'm just speculating here, but I'd expect that a lot of high tier positions in the businessworld could value from accounting experience.

As for Adv Maths.. I'd agree with you on that.. From what I've seen accounting maths is a piece of cake.

 

[seremify007]

I think the obvious question which needs to be emphasised is- if you don't like accounting, then why pursue a career in accounting or an accounting cadetship?

 

[tanjin]

I like accounting...i just want some opinions on what cadetships are like because all i've been hearing is negative things.... oh and can some please give me a definite answer as to whether or not general math would affect me at uni studying accounting...because from what i've done so far in accounting at school...it's like im back in kindy.

 

[turtleface]

Do enough maths for University pre-requisites

From what I've seen, Accounting requires knowledge of how to add, subtract, divide and possibly take a number to the nth root. Year 7 maths suffices I think

 

[seremify007]

In the real world accounting you won't need anything special for maths (general will be fine), but in uni, maths is quite challenging if you haven't done 2u Advanced. You'll need to know your calculus for sure.

 

[tanjin]

great! I really know my calculus (no sarcasm intended) I aced the calculus section of my yearly paper. So thanx heaps for all your help people!