payroll/book keeping/ sales ledger/ a/c receivable etc etc

A question about : payroll/book keeping/ sales ledger/ a/c receivable etc etc

payroll/book keeping/ sales ledger/ a/c receivable etc etc

I always see lots of jobs like these advertised in my area. Often through agencies. They all pay a bit more than minimum wage which is what i'm used too so that's good.

From speaking to the agencies, they generally won't touch you if you don't have the relevant qualifications or don't have experience in the area. (Ideally a few years on the job. Even for a TRAINEE role)
You have an outiside chance at getting a trainee role with zero experience, but you need to have a degree in something.

I have neither of these things.

I don't know the difference between the various roles advertised (book keeper vs payroller vs sales ledger clerk etc)

Do I need to just choose one and then find a course in that one particular subject? For example, a 'sales ledger course'? (And then apply for jobs as a 'sales ledger')

Or do people do an accounting course that maybe covers everything, but would take a few years?! (which I don't really have)

I've always just done unskilled manual labour, and since its clear i'll never know what I want to do for a career i've chosen something like this since i'm relatively decent at maths.

So, has anyone been in a similar situation and can maybe advise on a particular course they took which helped them secure a job??

thanks

Best answers:

• I got my first accounts role when I was 21 with no experience at all, not even in office work and worked my way up with no AAT or ACCA etc.
  Try getting a job as a junior and yes companies will take you with no experience hence the word junior or trainee.
  You can study for the AAT if that's what you want to do.
  Best to look for an all round accounts assistant role since you have no experience in any field and then can learn a lot.
  If you are under 24 years Old (i think) once in a role you can study for free
• Where about's do you live?
• I live near Gatwick Airport.
  I'm in my LATE 20's.
  I can tell you that I've spoken to a number of agencies and a few companies directly, and even for a junior/trainee role, they really want you to have lots of experience already(2 years), or at the very least a degree.
  Makes me wonder why they call it 'trainee' but then it is what it is.
  Maybe the recruitment side of things have changed?
  So what about taking a 'payroll' course? Would I then be qualified for a payroll job? (as opposed to an 'accounting' course)
• https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/trainee-s...5&pagesize=100
  https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/trainee-s...5&pagesize=100
  Same job two agencies
• a short intro to payroll for 2 days - look at the price!
  https://www.cipp.org.uk/en/training-c...ntoPayroll2015
  Not worth it if you have still no one who is willing to help you look for work
• Many graduates are now willing to work for NMW to get into accounting, hence why employers now rarely recruit those without experience or a degree. There are exceptions, but they are pretty rare. Have you contacted any firms directly, rather than using agencies?
• So you'd advise against just shelling out a grand or whatever it is for a course in something like 'book keeping' or 'sales ledger' and then applying for jobs through agencies using that as my 'in'? (assuming that I passed the course!)