Name: Paul Brand
Job Title: Finance Graduate
Company: AA

Being an accountant means being right in the thick of things. You are the centre point of the organisation - everyone needs your advice to help make big decisions. That’s why I chose accountancy as a career.

ACCA appealed to me because it has such a broad syllabus - I came from a sports background and I didn’t know the first thing about accountancy. I like the fact that ACCA makes you learn the basics in everything. Also when I spoke to people about the different qualifications I realised that ACCA has a reputation that others don’t. It’s on a different level.

I was one of the few people in my organisation who chose to study ACCA but that didn’t bother me. I got respect for making a choice that was different and that made me stand out as an individual. In business you want to work with someone who has a wide range of knowledge and expertise. Only ACCA offers you that. It’s a stamp of approval.

ACCA is a prestigious qualification and I know that I won’t be pigeon holed into a particular career. I know that with ACCA I can go into any employer and get a job and have the experience to do it. At this early stage in my career it is great to know that I have so many options and know that all doors are open.