Over 1,000 accountants who finished their training contracts in 2025 attended our CASSI & Barden webinar and live events over the last year. Those who attended had lots of questions, many of which we got to answer on the day. However, time didn’t allow for us to get through them all. We also thought those who couldn’t attend might be interested in hearing the answers too!

We put the questions to our resident ACA Talent Advisors and here’s what they said:

QUESTIONS ON MOVING FROM PRACTICE TO INDUSTRY (AND VISA VERSA)

Q: Is it better to stay in a Big 4 firm after qualification or move to industry? Is it better to get your Post Qualification Experience (PQE) within a training firm or in industry?

A: It’s hard to get objective advice on this one. A partner will always want you to stay on. A recruiter will more than likely advise you to move. Let’s try to get an objective opinion by looking at the question through different lenses. There is no one right answer and this will very much depend on you, your interests and long-term career objectives.

You should seriously consider staying on to become a manager post-contract if:

You should not consider staying on to become a manager post-contract if:

We hear advice on a regular basis that goes along the lines of: “You should stay on to become an audit manager and then you’ll be able to move to the client-side or industry at a higher level when you do make the move.”

This statement is fundamentally incorrect.

Here’s why: if a company is looking for a financial controller or finance manager, for example, they will (99 times out of 100) look for a qualified accountant with ‘x’ years of post-qualified experience outside practice because their first choice will always be someone with practical experience as a financial controller.

For the vast majority of hiring managers, there’s no contest. Practical industry or financial services experience post-contract wins. You’ll move up in salary and benefits as time goes by in practice. You’ll become increasingly valuable in practice but you won’t be appreciating the same value for client-side roles – your peers who moved straight out of training contact will. As a first or second-year manager in external audit, you’ll still be well-able to compete for internal audit, technical external reporting, and project-based transformation positions. Broader financial accounting or analysis will likely become increasingly difficult to access.

For more considerations, check out this blog piece we wrote on this exact topic>>>

Q: What experience do hiring managers look for in a recently qualified accountant? (i.e. leading projects, if they were asked to stay on in practice, etc.)?

A:  The answer depends on who’s looking.

Relevant exposure to similar companies and organisational structures is typically #1 on the list. Hiring managers might also look to see if you got a chance to work with the firm’s more high-profile clients… if you have, don’t be shy about putting that on your CV and discussing it in an interview.

Hiring managers review performance rating, FAE results, and general academic background.  Additionally, they typically look to see if you took on any special projects or secondments or if you were involved in any extracurricular activity for your firm (grad training etc..).

For niche roles, they will, of course, seek niche experience (technical exposure to a particular IFRS for example).

Any/all of the above should be clearly stated on your CV.

Q:  I work in industry and don’t have practice experience. I think this may undermine my career potential. Should I get practice experience?

A:  Ultimately it should not matter if you trained in practice or in industry.  What matters is the calibre of the people you trained with and the calibre of the training you received.

A KPMG-trained accountant and a Kerry Group-trained accountant will have an equal shot at a mutually relevant role.  Some job specs will say “Big 4 trained” on them – what it really means is “big company trained”.

If, however, you have trained in a small company and want to work in a larger corporate, a stint in a big practice will stand you in good stead. The exposure you get from interacting with larger clients will stand to you when applying for roles with larger companies in industry.

Q: Do you have any tips on moving into corporate finance after qualifying? (is a diploma in corporate finance a prerequisite?)

A:  To be honest, transitioning into corporate finance (CF) straight after qualifying or from another department (like tax) is not something that typically happens in a single step. The ‘like with like’ principle applies here – you’re more likely to access a CF role if there’s some overlap with your current or most recent experience.

If you’ve trained in a small practice, you’ve likely had small company exposure, while most CF activity happens in larger organisations. Gaining experience with larger companies (through audit, restructuring, or similar) is a good first step. You can then revisit the CF route internally after 12–18 months.

If you’re in tax, the approach is similar. Aim to be the best in your intake at Excel and financial modelling. Be open to short-term or contract work to gain relevant experience, and consider transitioning into a related team (like transaction services, valuations, or due diligence) as a stepping stone.

A diploma in CF isn’t a prerequisite – it can help, but it won’t guarantee anything. What will help is being numerate, articulate, and deeply committed to the move. Internal transitions tend to be easier than external ones, but be prepared to take a potential pay cut initially.

The reality is that many people want to move into CF, but only a few make it straight away. It’s not impossible, just less likely. Those who succeed are typically the sharpest, most diligent, and proactive in positioning themselves for the opportunity.

QUESTIONS ON WORKING ABROAD

Firstly, read our updates on the market abroad here>>>>

Q: What is your view on working abroad after your training contract and what would be the best way to get work abroad? 

A:  Big fan of working abroad – world/life experience is hugely valuable (and the earlier you do it the better for lots of reasons).  Maybe take a contract in industry locally for 12 months before you go (just to give you a shot at the better jobs when you move), but working abroad in your first couple of years PQE (assuming it’s with a good company/role) is never a bad thing.

Connect with a local recruiter in your target country to get a feel for the situation on the ground before you go (Barden can get you some names and emails of people pretty much anywhere in the world).  Send them a soft message saying you will be moving to London/Canada/ Australia, etc. and say something along the lines of you would be delighted to get in touch more formally closer to the time.

Another very good piece of advice to consider before moving abroad is to use your network, people you may have trained with in your trainee contract, been in college with, or played sport with, who may have already moved to the place you are looking to move. It is 100% worth doing: reach out, let people know your intention to move, as they may be able to help you with roles before they ever go on the market. Considering your contact may be getting on very well there, the employer will see their reference carry a lot more weight than even the finest-looking CV, so be sure to use your network.

It is worth bearing in mind in particular if you are moving to Australia where you will most likely be operating in the contract market, contract roles tend to be needed at short notice and the processes can be fast moving, if you reach out a few months in advance the recruiter most likely wont be able to do much for you, but a friendly message expressing your intentions for further down the line may leave a good impression on them.

Other alternatives might be to work with an Irish company and move internationally with them in time or work in Internal Audit (IA) and travel the world while still remaining anchored in Ireland.

Q: In relation to tax exams, I’d be very interested in how useful they are as you move abroad. I understood the exams to be very ROI specific and that they don’t translate abroad i.e. you need to do additional exams – what’s your advice on this matter? 

A: Yes, the tax exams are specific to Irish Tax legislation, but many tax professionals secure roles abroad in jurisdictions with similar rules (e.g. UK and Australia), and some tax qualifications in Ireland have international recognition through affiliate networks.

Of course, some Tax Consultants who move abroad choose to also complete the relevant tax qualification in the country where they are working, but it’s not always a requirement. Many of the tax professionals who move abroad tend to secure roles as financial accountants, which allows them to further broaden their experience and skillset, so this is also an option.

QUESTIONS OF CVS AND TRYING TO STAND OUT

Q: How could recently qualified accountants stand out when applying for jobs? Especially given that there are so many “Big 4” qualified accountants coming out of contract in April?

A:  It’s hard to stand out in a great crowd.  Check out our CV advice section here >>> for some details on how to do your best to get noticed. We also provide a personalised CV advisory sessions, feel free to reach out to any of our Barden consultants to register.

Q: What are the most standout characteristics/skills/interests sought after in industry? Please let me know if there are things I can do now that would help my CV.

A: Ultimately, it’s about exposure to relevant organisational structures (for example, group functions), relevant activity on the supply chain (for example, manufacturing vs retail), and relevant industry exposure (FMCG vs pharma).  If you know you want to work in a particular company/industry then you should do your very best to get exposure to similar clients and when applying or interviewing for jobs, focus the conversation on your most similar clients and experience.

Q: Do you have a CA-qualified CV template?

A:  Why of course – drop an email to cassi@barden.ie OR check out our guide here >>>.

We’ll even do one better for you… If you want one of our recently qualified accountant recruitment team (all of whom are Big 4 trained Chartered Accountants themselves) to cast an eye over your CV, just let us know at cassi@barden.ie.  We’d be happy to help.

QUESTIONS ON FINDING JOBS AND RECRUITERS

Q: Where is the best place to find job opportunities?

A:  A good talent advisor/recruiter in a reputable firm should always be your first port of call (of course we’d say that!!).  Drop us a line at cassi@barden.ie, or ask around to get referrals; a good recruiter, who specialises in accounting, who is an accountant themselves, and who is interested in giving advice is WAY better than any Big 4 Partner, auntie in HR, or friend that moved jobs recently, for advice on getting the right job and access to the right job.

LinkedIn, Irish Jobs, Indeed (and similar) and your own network (your manager from 2 years ago that has left etc.) are all other very credible sources.

Q: If possible, can you provide a bit of an assessment on recruiters? Could you potentially explain whether recruiters are the best way of finding a job in the industry?

A:  Just so happens that we wrote an article on just this topic. Check it out here>>>> or just drop us a line (to cassi@barden.ie) and one of the Barden team can give you a steer.

QUESTIONS ON SETBACKS 

Q: What is the best way to present setbacks in your career thus far, like exam repeats, training contract terminations, etc.? Do you try to gloss over them or try to dissect the situation?

A: For newly qualified accountants who struggled to pass their exams or faced setbacks like training contract terminations, these challenges can make it harder to access larger, corporate teams. However, setbacks are an opportunity to show how you’ve overcome adversity, learned from it, and grown stronger as a result.

If there were mitigating personal circumstances, be honest about them – transparency can help contextualise the situation. But more importantly, demonstrate your resilience and what you’ve gained from the experience. Flexibility regarding the role or company can also make a big difference in making a fresh start.

The further you progress post-qualification (PQE), the less relevant earlier setbacks become. Experience you have from dealing with a setback/ overcoming a problem in your trainee contract will carry more weight than it would from your college projects/ or part-time jobs. And remember, some hiring managers actively ask for examples of setbacks to understand how you handle challenges and whether you bring the grit and self-awareness that can be invaluable in a corporate environment.

OTHER QUESTIONS

Q: What’s the best way to find out if a company culture is a good fit for you?

A:   The simple answer is to meet the people there.  You should get a very good insight into the company culture from a two-stage interview process with the hiring manager. Use interviews as an opportunity to find out as much as you can about the people you will be working with. Company culture is defined by the people who work in the company, not by some set of values on a website.  Find people you like, admire, and respect, and you’ll be on the right track.

Q:  What advice would you give someone on the flexible route who is not in a practice/training contract?

A:  To be honest I’d give the very same advice as I would to people in practice.   Our Newly Qualified Career Guide here >>> covers lots of those basics and the advice/tools apply regardless of where you worked when you completed your exams.

However, the like-with-like concept means that you will have only gained exposure to one (or two) types of companies/structures rather than to many types as you would in practice.  That said, your practical accounts prep experience could well give you an edge; a lot of people who trained in larger practices don’t have this experience. Make sure to highlight this on your CV! If you want specific, granular advice on this relevant to your experience/circumstances, drop us a line at cassi@barden.ie, and one of the team can give you a call to discuss.

And that’s a wrap!  For more details on any of these questions and for expert advice, bespoke to you and your future, just drop an email to any of the Barden team or to cassi@barden.ie, and Barden will look after you from there.  Easy.

Finishing your training contract in 2026? Do you want to make sure you make the very best first step after qualifying? Do you want a coffee meeting with an experienced talent advisor; someone who is a qualified accountant, just like you (meet our Leinster team here>>> and our  Munster team here>>>)?

Do you want a little help to create your very own best professional future? No problem. Just drop us a line today on hello@barden.ie and we will take it from there. Simple.

Barden is delighted to be partnering with a growing, Irish-owned financial services firm to identify an Accounts Manager to join their team.

This organisation specialises in delivering end-to-end financial solutions to retail clients across Ireland, combining strong commercial insight with innovative technology to drive efficiency and profitability.

With consistent year-on-year growth and a strong reputation in the market, this is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious accounting professional to step into a leadership role within a collaborative and forward-thinking environment.

About the Role

As Accounts Manager, you will work closely with a portfolio of retail clients while leading and developing a team of accountants and trainees.

Key responsibilities will include:

About the Person

This role would suit a motivated and detail-oriented accounting professional who enjoys working in a client-facing and team leadership capacity.

What’s on Offer

Barden are delighted to be partnering with a highly successful Irish business to assist them in hiring a Group Financial Accountant to join their finance team. This is an exciting opportunity which involves varied responsibilities, partnering with the various functions across the business which will enable the successful person to gain in depth knowledge and experience of the business as a whole. They have expanded globally and this role has come about due to the continued growth of the group.

The company has a fantastic reputation and is known for its excellent culture. This person will work closely with senior stakeholders and really get the opportunity to put their own stamp on things.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

ABOUT THE PERSON:

Interested? Feel free to get in touch with Siobhán Sexton in Barden (siobhan.sexton@barden.ie) for more information.

Barden are delighted to be working exclusively with a successful Irish Business to identify a strategic and commercially focused Financial Controller. The business has celebrated growth over the last few years and is well placed for further success.

The Financial Controller will be involved in the day-to-day Finance activities, implement best practice systems and controls as well as provide value-add information to make a real impact on the decision making and direction of the business. This role will suit someone commercially minded, entrepreneurial, with a great energy to bring to the team.

If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, please contact myself caroline.frawley@barden.ie or my colleague denis.galvin@barden.ie.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Key Responsibilities include:
• Overall management responsibility for the Finance function
• Ensure the high level of integrity of the financial statements, ensuring all finance related activities are best in class
• Strong cashflow management and forecasting of working capital requirements
• Designing and implementing automation solutions across the Finance function
• Get involved and lead projects as needed both within Finance and the broader business
• Responsible for all regulatory compliance requirements
• Provide day-to-day leadership, direction, and coaching to the Finance Team

ABOUT THE PERSON:

• Qualified Accountant with 5-10 years PQE
• Strong analytical, presentation and communication skills
• Proven ability to influence at all levels in the organization
• Excellent commercial acumen
• Ability to prioritise workload to meet deadlines
• Organised and efficient personality, positive attitude

It doesn’t matter whether you’re just starting your career in finance or are already a CFO; we all dread any conversation even touching on the subject of salary.

Why? Because it’s not like any other deal you make in your life – it’s intrinsically related to your self-worth. In short, you’re not just negotiating a pay rate, you’re negotiating how much you, as a person and a professional, are ‘valued’.

Here are some top tips for negotiating your salary:

Try, as much as possible to remove emotion from your pitch: Acknowledging the above statement highlights why so many of these conversations can become emotional, or even be avoided altogether. The reality is that we don’t want to have these conversations because they can be deeply uncomfortable, and, let’s face it, we all fear rejection. Recognising this and trying to look at the situation objectively, in terms of rational measures is imperative to securing a good outcome. Make sure you reflect on the situation from multiple perspectives before honing your business case.

Speak in facts and quantify where possible: There is only one way to succeed, and this is through preparation – and lots of it. Prepare and construct your case based on facts and figures that support your claims. Ground your argument in quantifiable data and/or testimonials to clearly demonstrate what you have achieved, rather than what you ‘feel’. Just like you wouldn’t go into a supplier negotiation with an argument to reduce prices because you ‘feel’ you deserve it – don’t do it with your salary negotiations.

Consider your tone and demeanour: One of the most important steps to a successful salary conversation is to resist becoming defensive (or even teary!), by maintaining a cool head. Don’t rush to fill pauses in the discussion, let your manager speak, listen, and consider their point of view. If you feel that rush of emotion that comes with an answer you don’t like, pause and consider your response. Above all, be open and honest – show humility. Self-entitlement in salary negotiations is not a good look!

Root your case in your company’s process: It helps if your salary review and appraisal processes are linked, but they aren’t always. If you are negotiating a salary increase without an appraisal structure, you need to present your case by measuring and assessing your performance in a similar way. What objectives have you exceeded? How can you demonstrate a proven track record of high performance? Put yourself in your manager’s shoes, what would make him or her give you a salary rise?

Strive for a win-win solution: You can’t negotiate for something that isn’t possible. Critically, before presenting your case, you must have done your research into what your employer can afford to pay. An employer is not going to give you an increase that pushes you beyond the limits of your level of employment in the interests of fairness and equality, so you will hit a brick wall in any conversation if what you want is not feasible, or reasonable. Consider variables, such as additional holidays or an increase in pension, or think about what else you could take on in return for a raise.

Above all, you must maintain a collaborative approach at every stage of the negotiation process. Negotiating salary increases in employment, as opposed to when job seeking, differ in the fact that you can’t just define a walk away point and compete to get it. Think about presenting a case to your employer that shows them what’s in it for them too – how you plan to keep improving and how dedicated you are to maximising return on their investment in you.

In Barden, we understand that each team, role, and requirement is unique.

We’re where leaders go before they start hiring talent.

If you would like to discuss any of the above in more detail or you would more tailored advice and insights, connect with Tony on LinkedIn or at tony.kerslake@barden.ie

Barden is proud to be partnering with the Finance Director of a global organisation headquartered in Ireland, to appoint a Global Accounts Payable Manager as part of an important phase of finance transformation.

“As our business continues to evolve and grow globally, we recognise the need to strengthen ownership and strategic leadership within Accounts Payable. While we have a strong outsourced model in place, this role will bring clarity, structure and forward‑thinking direction to AP, ensuring it plays a critical role in our wider finance transformation journey.” – Finance Director.

Working in close partnership with senior finance leadership, this role will act as the global AP subject matter expert, overseeing an outsourced delivery model and driving continuous improvement across invoice‑to‑payment processes. This is a strategic individual‑contributor position, requiring strong stakeholder engagement, influence across Finance, and the ability to operate effectively in a complex, global environment undergoing systems and regulatory change.

Curious? You should be.

Hit apply or contact Cole Carroll (cole.carroll@barden.ie) and Cole and her team will take things from there. Simple.

Looking for your next step in practice, with real scope to grow?

We’ve partnered with a leading international business advisory organisation operating across Ireland and Europe. Known for its people‑first culture, the business places a real emphasis on career ownership, development and long‑term progression.

This opportunity sits within a high calibre Audit team in Dublin, working with a broad client base across multiple sectors.

Your Responsibilities

About You

Are you unsure about your next step? We have outlined the most common questions and scenarios newly qualified accountants face. Wherever you are in your journey, Barden is here to guide you.

1. Should I Stay in Practice?

a) Yes, I think I will stay in practice.

→ Talk to Barden

b) No, it’s time for a change.

I will just move to industry… It’s all the same out there, right?

→ Talk to Barden

c) I’m out of here – you’ll find me in Dubai, Canada, or Australia!

→ Talk to Barden

2. Industry Type Is Irrelevant. I’m an Accountant, Numbers Are Numbers!

→ Talk to Barden

3. All Accountant Roles Are the Same, Right?

→ Talk to Barden

4. Anything I’m Missing?

→ That’s right, talk to Barden

Why Talk to Barden?

Barden is where recently qualified accountants go before they start looking for their next job. You’ll be meeting Ireland’s most experienced financial recruitment and talent advisory team – many of whom are themselves accounting and tax qualified.

Your future is too important to leave to chance. Take control, get informed, and plan your professional journey with Barden.

Finishing your training contract in 2026? Do you want to make sure you make the very best first step after qualifying? Do you want a coffee meeting with an experienced talent advisor; someone who is a qualified accountant, just like you (meet our Leinster team here>>> and our  Munster team here>>>)?

Do you want a little help to create your very own best professional future? No problem. Just drop us a line today on hello@barden.ie and we will take it from there. Simple.

Barden are proud to be working exclusively with a global manufacturing/technology organisation to identify an ambitious and smart financial accountant to join their well-established and highly collaborative finance team.

The successful person will work closely with the Finance Manager on a range of tasks including month-end reporting, variance analysis and ad-hoc project work. This person will get broad exposure across the global business while liaising with multiple teams across finance and beyond.

Responsibilities include:

About the person:

Curious? Please get in touch with Siobhán Sexton in Barden (siobhan.sexton@barden.ie) for more information.

Barden are partnering with a world-leading organisation with extensive facilities that support both sporting and agricultural activities as they seek a commercially-minded Management Accountant to join their team in Tipperary.

This is a very broad role where the successful person will be involved in monthly reporting, commercial finance and project work while working as part of a high-achieving finance team.

You’ll work closely with all aspects of the business, gain exposure to decision-making and help shape the financial direction of very unique business.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

ABOUT THE PERSON:

Interested? Feel free to get in touch with Siobhán Sexton in Barden (siobhan.sexton@barden.ie) for more information.