Accountancy and business services : Typical employers

Big players

The ‘Big Four’ offer a great range of graduate recruitment schemes. Minimum academic requirements are 300 UCAS points and a 2:1 degree in any discipline.

• Deloitte employs over 11,000 people in the UK. There are graduate opportunities in management consultancy, tax, accountancy and corporate finance. Deloitte recruits approximately 1,000 graduates. 
• Ernst & Young has 144,000 people working in offices in 140 countries. Opportunities exist in audit, tax, corporate finance and business advisory.
• KPMG has more than 140,000 professionals delivering outstanding services in over 140 countries. KPMG offers tax, audit and advisory services. It has offices in 22 locations in the UK. 
• PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) is one of the world’s largest professional services firms that provides a range of opportunities to graduates in audit, assurance, consulting, business recovery and corporate finance. PwC has offices in 150 countries worldwide and is the largest recruiter of graduates in the UK.

Other big firms that offer graduate opportunities include Baker Tilly, Grant Thornton, HAT Group of Accountants and Moore Stevens. For a more extensive list of accountancy firms visit ICAEW Directory of Firms , ACCA Directory of Members  and Society of Professional Accountants (SPA) .

Other companies such as BAE Systems, Unilever and Tesco Stores Ltd offer graduate opportunities in their accounting departments for those who wish to work within an internal provider.

Finally, many opportunities exist in the public sector. The main public sector employers include: charities, local authorities, National Audit Office, NHS trusts, universities and further education (FE) institutions.

Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) 

SMEs are organisations that make a positive contribution to economic growth requiring well-rounded finance managers and advisers to ensure small business survive and grow. Working for a smaller company can be rewarding because you are more likely to forge a path for yourself within the company, although opportunities to try other departments may be limited.

SMEs are unlikely to use the testing and assessment techniques of larger companies, or follow lengthy recruitment procedures. SMEs are more likely to advertise their vacancies through the local press, university careers service bulletins, local graduate vacancy listings, jobcentres, and word of mouth, rather than rely on their reputation and a presence at graduate recruitment fairs.

Careers services should have listings of jobs with small firms. Also see the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). 

Self-employment

Once qualified, accountants attain a practising certificate to serve their own clients, and may practically work as self-employed. This is a possible career path for those who enjoy being self-employed and who feel confident running their own business. Apart from being certified and a decent amount of work experience, business and marketing skills are important if you want to work as a sole practitioner. Find out more about self-employment.