Free Accounting Personal Statement Example (Word format)

Reading time: 2 minutes
Price: Free download
Published: 1st July 2019
Word count: 590 words
File format: Text

Accounting is a fundamental part of the business world, it is a subject area which largely influences the growth, management and decision making of a large variety of businesses. What interests me most is how, by analysing financial information, without extensive knowledge of specific business areas, accountants can aid the growth and development of specialist business’ and play key roles in huge managerial decisions made by all types of companies.

This influential nature of accounting and its value to each and every business is what has motivated me to study and pursue a career in this field. In addition to this, the opportunity to learn about global financial markets and the dynamics of multinational companies is something that has always appealed to me.

My interest in this field is expressed through my participation in the August 2018 PwC Business Insight Week. My involvement in this week allowed to me to explore three different accounting services that PwC provide as well as understanding the importance of client relationships. I learnt about the legal importance of ensuring tax forms are correct, alongside how a company can ensure they are maximising business profit whilst adhering to tax law.

Furthermore, I became aware of the importance of assurance and audit, learning how presenting financial statements accurately and fairly is paramount in ensuring investor trust is high as well as finding out how to aid business’ in taking opportunities by considering and advising on risk and strategy as well as the numerous variables that need to be considered in successful strategy consulting. Such as deciding where and when investments should be made, how operations can be improved and advising on spending changes.

Taking such risks as well as strategy are key to the upscaling and development of businesses. To further my knowledge about the role of strategy and finance in development of a business I completed a MOOC on finance for business growth. This taught me about how liquidity is an important factor in business management, how assessing risk return issues are important for ventures as well as the role of private equity in the development of a business.

Alongside to this MOOC, I went on to read “Too big to fail,” by Andrew Ross Sorkin to understand from the perspective of those in the highest positions of financial institutions, why irresponsible decisions lead to the financial crisis in 2008. Sorkin discusses the roles of CEOs such as Joseph Cassano, head of the AIG group, who made huge amounts of money from CDS issuance. This turned out to be a huge issue that required over 150 billion dollars from the government to keep the company from failing, when these contracts turned out to be at the heart of the organisation’s loss. I learnt from this and other similar examples, how the finance world relies on trust between large financial organisations and how flaws in legislation alongside irresponsible/selfish attitudes can lead to global scale issues.

Global issues and current affairs are two things I am consistently track through my study of geography at A level. In learning about the geopolitics involved in policy decision making and the cause and implications of such decisions, I have developed an understanding that can be applied to similar situations and decisions made in the finance world.

Accounting is all about communicating and analysing information to find solutions to business issues, studying mathematics and chemistry has provided me with helpful problem solving skills, improved my ability to think critically and aided me in constructing logical arguments after deconstructing complex and intricate problems.

Why this example works — strengths and ways to improve

Your statement shows sustained interest in accounting through a PwC insight week, a MOOC and Sorkin's book, but it mostly lists what you learnt rather than what you thought. The opening relies on generalisations, the reflection rarely goes beyond summary, and the draft ends abruptly on a skills claim without a conclusion.

Subject motivation

accountants can aid the growth and development of specialist business

You identify a genuinely interesting idea: that financial analysis lets accountants influence firms whose operations they don't specialise in. That is a promising angle, but it is stated abstractly. Showing the moment or example that made you notice this would make the motivation feel personal rather than general.

Academic preparation

studying mathematics and chemistry has provided me with helpful problem solving skills

Your A level subjects are relevant, but the claim stays generic. Naming a specific topic, method or task in maths or chemistry and linking it to an accounting process would demonstrate preparation. The geography paragraph makes a more interesting link but also needs a concrete example.

Evidence and reflection

how the finance world relies on trust between large financial organisations

The Sorkin paragraph is your strongest. You cite a specific figure and draw a lesson about trust and legislation. Even here, though, you mostly summarise the book. Telling us what you think about accountants' or auditors' responsibility in that crisis would turn reading into real reflection.

Relevant experience

participation in the August 2018 PwC Business Insight Week

This is useful, dated evidence, but your two paragraphs read like a description of PwC's service lines. Choose one session, case or conversation, and explain what you did, what surprised you and how it changed your view of audit or tax work.

Credibility and voice

its value to each and every business

Phrases like this, and repeated words such as huge, importance and key, make your voice sound generic. Your tone is sincere, but precise and measured claims would sound more credible than sweeping ones. Proofread too: business' for businesses, lead for led, and allowed to me.

Structure and format

Such as deciding where and when investments should be made

The order moves logically from experience to MOOC to reading to subjects, but some links are forced, such as 'Taking such risks'. Several sentences are fragments or overlong. The statement stops on a skills list with no closing paragraph that draws your motivation together.

What you’ve done well

The Too Big to Fail discussion uses specific detail about AIG and CDS issuance and draws a relevant lesson about trust and regulation.
Your PwC week, MOOC and reading show initiative across several kinds of engagement with accounting and finance.

How this draft could improve

Replace description of what PwC offers or what the MOOC covered with one or two moments where you explain what you thought, questioned or concluded.
Cut generic openings and repeated intensifiers, then fix grammar such as business' and lead/led throughout.
Add a brief conclusion that connects your interest in accountants' analytical influence to what you want to study and why.

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Accounting personal statement example