Passed FAE but nobody to sign off on work experience

AtticusFinch86

Hi All,

I worked in a manufacturing company until recently. I completed my FAE exams in 2017 and finished my work experience diary shortly after. However, although both of my bosses are accountants, they don't meet the criteria to sign off on my work experience (one let his membership lapse long ago, the other is relatively recently qualified himself).

Before I signed up to the job back in 2014, I was promised the company's auditors would sign off on my experience. Once I finished my exams and work diary in May 2018, the auditors informally agreed to sign off on my work experience.

I changed jobs back in December 2018 and I've been pushing the auditors to get the ball rolling on the matter. Two months ago, the Audit Partner got in touch with me to tell me he wasn't comfortable signing off on my work experience as he had no work relationship with me. He said he had to speak to his Ethics partner on the matter and would revert in the coming weeks. I heard nothing. I've contacted him again two weeks ago and I've still gotten no response.

I am at a loss as to what to do. I'll be livid if I have do work up another 3.5 years work experience before I can become fully qualified.

I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas as to what I might be able to do? Would any other accountants be willing to act as a mentor and sign off my work experience? I know my bosses would vouch for all work done and would be willing to sign off on hard copies of the experience. I'd of course be willing to compensate for the time it takes to review and sign off on the diary.

Any help or advice is much appreciated

antix80

Did you contact your professional body to ask them? Or what do you think your affiliation fee is for?

AtticusFinch86

antix80 wrote: »

Did you contact your professional body to ask them? Or what do you think your affiliation fee is for?

There are no affiliation fees. I'm not a member. Yes. I've contacted them. I need a registered accountant with 3 years post qualification to sign off on my diary.

Jim2007

AtticusFinch86 wrote: »

There are no affiliation fees. I'm not a member. Yes. I've contacted them. I need a registered accountant with 3 years post qualification to sign off on my diary.

You need a registered accountant with actual experience of your work and are happy to sign off on it. Signing off on it is not something to be taken lightly because if there is any issues afterwards it will come back to them... Don't expect anyone to risk a disciplinary hearing just to sign off on this.

I would suggest you contact the institute (I assume you are still a student in good standing) and seek an appointment to discuss it with someone in person to see what can be done. You can't be the first person to have this happen, although it is unusual to not even have someone to sign off on part of it at least.

AtticusFinch86

Jim2007 wrote: »

You need a registered accountant with actual experience of your work and are happy to sign off on it. Signing off on it is not something to be taken lightly because if there is any issues afterwards it will come back to them... Don't expect anyone to risk a disciplinary hearing just to sign off on this.

I would suggest you contact the institute (I assume you are still a student in good standing) and seek an appointment to discuss it with someone in person to see what can be done. You can't be the first person to have this happen, although it is unusual to not even have someone to sign off on part of it at least.

Thanks for info

I've spoken to the institute previously and they would be happy for the auditors to sign off in my experience. The auditors would have had no experience of my work bar working with me on year end audits. Even at that, they'd have been different team members at each point. I get them impression the institute would be happy either way.

I understand what you're saying about someone not wanting to take a punt on an unknown quantity. I had hoped that if my previous bosses signed hard copies of my diary that that might alleviate the risk to some extent.

Jim2007

AtticusFinch86 wrote: »

I've spoken to the institute previously and they would be happy for the auditors to sign off in my experience.

Probably about the worst option. Public accountants tend to be very careful on the ethics side, they have to be.

AtticusFinch86 wrote: »

I had hoped that if my previous bosses signed hard copies of my diary that that might alleviate the risk to some extent.

Have they done this? One would think there should be some kind of option for people in industry.

jus_tin4

So I was in the exact same position as the OP.

ACA will help you if you have no one, but they wont tell you this openly and in truth its not the best idea idea really.

if there is no one suitable in your work place, you need to network, find an lost uncle, a friends father to sign your experience. They dont have to be ACA, however it would be more suitable come the applying for membership. i would imagine everyone knows someone in their wider circle. I did this with my aunt who was an ACCA member. I was never in a work environment with her. This should get you over the diary part.

When it comes applying for membership you need a ACA member. Again network. Worse case, ACA will get you someone for this part. They arent going to refuse the fees due to you taking up the option of working in industry where there is less aca accountant. At the end of the day, they want your money so i know they will accommodate if you are truly stuck. This was offered to me but i managed to find someone.

AtticusFinch86

jus_tin4 wrote: »

So I was in the exact same position as the OP.

ACA will help you if you have no one, but they wont tell you this openly and in truth its not the best idea idea really.

if there is no one suitable in your work place, you need to network, find an lost uncle, a friends father to sign your experience. They dont have to be ACA, however it would be more suitable come the applying for membership. i would imagine everyone knows someone in their wider circle. I did this with my aunt who was an ACCA member. I was never in a work environment with her. This should get you over the diary part.

When it comes applying for membership you need a ACA member. Again network. Worse case, ACA will get you someone for this part. They arent going to refuse the fees due to you taking up the option of working in industry where there is less aca accountant. At the end of the day, they want your money so i know they will accommodate if you are truly stuck. This was offered to me but i managed to find someone.

Thanks, this is the info I was hoping for. I have a cousin that's an ACA accountant in UK, so this might be an option. Otherwise, my brother works with an ACA accountant and he seems to think he'd be open to the idea of signing off on it. First and foremost though, I'll need to get in touch with the institute again.

Thanks for all the info

jus_tin4

AtticusFinch86 wrote: »

Thanks, this is the info I was hoping for. I have a cousin that's an ACA accountant in UK, so this might be an option. Otherwise, my brother works with an ACA accountant and he seems to think he'd be open to the idea of signing off on it. First and foremost though, I'll need to get in touch with the institute again.

Thanks for all the info

No problem! Honestly its not a strict as you might think. It seems that way at first but once you asked the right questions and really pull your in a bad spot with it, they will give more options.

But really getting your diary signed off by someone outside the instite is the best thing. they can be ACA, CIMA,ACCA(you will see the options on the mentor form).

If you really cant get someone to sign of your membership form(have to be ACA) the institute will help.

Best of luck!
Glad i could help after you shared your notes at the time!