Why choose commerce & industry?

If you are reading this as a newly-qualified accountant, no doubt you'll be thinking about your next career move.

Our in-depth knowledge and experience of placing accountants into commerce & industry means Robert Walters is best placed to give you all the advice you need to make the right decision.  

The commerce and industry sector is extremely diverse, offering a broad choice of organisation type, size and role.
 

If you choose to work in commerce and industry, you’ll potentially have access to an enormous breadth of opportunity across London and the UK, with thousands of companies, from start ups to multinationals, recruiting talented accountants.

It is also worth bearing in mind that international opportunities in commerce and industry are not restricted to the world’s major financial services centres.

Industry variety on offer

The sheer variety of industries draws many accountants into this area – you will have the opportunity to look at companies that operate within all the different fields of the private sector. And because of this variety, you are less likely to be pigeon-holed and your skills are highly transferable. It also allows a much more flexible career path.

If you have aspirations to become the CFO of a start up, or a multinational corporation, or you have wider ambitions to become CEO or COO – then commerce is an excellent route.

Choosing the right sector

The choice of sector and size of the company obviously impacts on the types of roles available to you. Working within energy / natural resources, for example, may mean travel to areas that are mineral rich (e.g. Asia, Australasia, South America and the US) to perform audits or meet and build relationships with local finance functions. However, some parts of the retail market are often country localised and the focus may well be more UK-centric.

The size of an organisation also dictates the level of the finance function’s exposure to the rest of the business, so you will find that although the job description may look similar, in reality, roles can be as diverse as the companies that you can work for.

As a newly-qualified accountant you can work in a huge range of sectors, including:

• Construction
• Energy / natural resources
• FMCG / retail
• IT / hi-tech / telecommunications
• Manufacturing
• Marketing / media / advertising
• Pharmaceuticals / bio-technology
• Professional services
• Public sector / not for profit / charities
• Real estate / property

Working with household names

Working with tangible products and household names makes commerce and industry an exciting area to work in. It also offers the opportunity to become involved in the commercial decision-making process earlier in your career.

Looking for your next accountancy or finance role? View the latest opportunities from Robert Walters.

Or if you have a friend looking for a new job, why not be rewarded for recommending Robert Walters? Learn more about our excellent referral scheme and refer your friend today.

Alternatively, find out how much you're worth with the Robert Walters Salary Survey.

For more career advice please contact:

Nic Sephton-Poultney, Country Manager (South Africa)
nic.sephton-poultney@robertwalters.com
+27 (0)11 881 2414