Careers in Accountancy

If you aspire to becoming an excellent number-cruncher, then you will find life much too challenging at Simmons Gainsford LLP! We believe chartered accountancy provides an excellent introduction to business and the prospect of a satisfying and interesting career. A traineeship with Simmons Gainsford LLP provides an enviable combination of interesting clients, a wide range of work, cosmopolitan atmosphere and a central London location.

The size and ethos of our partnership means we have a natural empathy with start-ups and growing businesses. We are closely involved with our clients’ business – the important "maintenance work", such as audit and tax returns is complemented by creative business and strategy planning. As a trainee, you will enjoy early responsibility and a closer relationship with your clients than might be the case in a larger firm. Of course, this means we need trainees with a mature attitude who combine entrepreneurial flair with rigorous technical expertise and a genuine interest in their clients.

Career opportunities for graduates

We recruit three to four graduate trainees each year – considering both those with relevant and with non-relevant degrees. Our criteria for selecting candidates are extensive but above all, we look for enthusiasm, a disciplined approach to tasks and good interpersonal skills.

Our Members do not sit in ivory towers while staff report through managers. The number of managers is small and, on all audit assignments for instance, the professional staff involved report directly to the partner who looks after that client. This has two important benefits: firstly, you will gain the opportunity to work closely with clients from the day you join, and secondly, you will gain hands-on training from the most experienced amongst us.

Trainees’ work is reviewed regularly and you will have the opportunity to discuss your progress and training needs with managers and Members, both formally and informally. Responsibility will be steadily increased as you learn and as you take on more demanding assignments, including the supervision of those junior to yourself. We seek always to provide good promotional opportunities for valued staff.

The training environment

Simmons Gainsford LLP is fully committed to training, as demonstrated by our membership of The HAT Group. We aim to achieve the highest standards of professional education for our staff, up to and beyond qualification. This is achieved through a wide range of internal and external courses, designed to enhance our technical knowledge and ensure up-to-date handling of clients’ affairs.

However, we regard on-the-job training as an important element in the development of trainees. This is where you learn to keep an entrepreneurial eye out for new opportunities for our clients, and add some practical, commercial thinking to your contributions.

Our working culture is friendly and open; we participate in social and sporting events with our clients and other firms; and regular staff meetings provide a forum in which any suggestions or grievances can be aired.

If you are ambitious, keen to learn fast and gain early responsibility, we can offer you a challenging, supportive and rewarding environment in which to work and to gain your chartered accountancy qualification.

For further information please contact:

• Graduate Trainees - Abdultaiyab Pisavadi at abdulp@simmonsgainsford.co.uk
• Career advancement - Julian Lewis at julianl@simmonsgainsford.co.uk

Or visit the The HAT Group website.