Book Keeper

Evie has a formal IT qualification but has many years experience in the book keeping and finance area, which she really enjoys.

Her problem is that when she visits recruiters they see her as a technology candidate not a finance candidate. What can she do?

First, understand that a recruiter has a range of particular jobs to fill at any given time. They are not career coaches in that they cannot really shoot the breeze about what you might like to do. That is not a criticism of either party, okay? It’s just a matter of practicalities. If you present as a strong candidate in a particular area and not another, then the consultant will want you to be interested in their agenda rather than yours. 

So for Evie, re-write your resume so the emphasis is on your finance and book keeping experience rather than your IT experience. Visit recruiters who specialise in financial admin and accounting.

Lastly, Evie should consider getting her skills formally assessed by the National Institute of Accounting. The process and prices are on the organisation’s website – www.nia.org.au but NIA education manager Dennis Adams provided me with an overview.

“There are many people who have come into book keeping from all sorts of places, which means they do not have a formal qualification that recognises their skills,” he said.

According to Mr Adams, the NIA consulted with the Commonwealth Government and employers to ensure the assessment qualifications would be recognised. Qualifications include a certificate, a diploma and an advanced diploma. The service, which launched a year ago, can be accessed from anywhere in Australia via the web. So far, about 500 people have sought assessment.