PHILIPPINE COLLEGE OF NORTHWESTERN LUZON, INC

San Antonio, Agoo, La Union

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF FINDING WORK OPPORTUNITIES AMONG

ACCOUNTANCY GRADUATES OF PHILIPPINE COLLEGE OF NORTHWESTERN
LUZON

In partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Subject Course

(Accounting Research)

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ACCOUNTANCY

Submitted by:
Frances Nicole Bilog
Dannalyn Laron
Dabbie Kate Guerrero

Submitted to:
Mark John Orencia
Professor
July 2021
Abstract
​The goal of this research is to address the difficulties that Bachelor of Science in
Accounting graduates of Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon encounter in obtaining jobs
in our developing economy. The researchers intended to collect data for this study using a virtual
interview with a respondent. The researchers will use the soft files as a source of data to back up
the claims and findings of this investigation. According to the researchers, this study will give
prospective accountants an advantage in determining what to do next after graduation. The
researchers chose to conduct a study about the difficulties of finding work opportunities for fresh
graduates in accountancy to determine the obstacles and challenges, especially the norms, that
they have to get through in order to achieve work that is enough to provide a living salary for
them. This research study will stand as evidence and reference for future research.

Introduction
​Firms and companies are becoming more competitive when it comes to hiring individuals
to work for them as the market increases and develops. This growth and market competences
have an impact on the quality and credentials that companies seek in their recruits.
Contemporary characteristics and qualifications have a significant impact on the company's aims
and on attaining a level of rising competency in the market in these current times. Accounting
jobs are quite competitive in terms of employee credentials and qualities. Employers desire to
hire someone who can impact the company's advancement and development. As the market
advances to modernity, products and services tend to upgrade as well, and consumers and
external users have higher expectations of organizations, triggering markets to demand higher
levels of employee quality.
​Accounting graduates' competitiveness is determined by the school from where they
graduated. According to Bennis and O'Toonel (2005), schools provide accounting education
courses to students that are disconnected from the realities of the job. As a result, accounting
graduates often face anxiety at work or when seeking for jobs. Students' competitiveness must be
well-founded in order to develop successful accounting candidates for businesses. Building this
General comments .

element would have a significant impact on their work profession, work quality, credibility,
confidence while working, and compassion while working.
At some time, fresh graduates are anxious not only about applying for their job, but also
about personal reasons, such as earning a living and providing for their family. This forces them
1. Create a separate
to hunt for a career that will offer them with the necessary financial support, even if it is not in

for significance of
accordance with what they planned to do. Finding a position that welcomes inexperienced or
short-experienced professionals is extremely difficult, resulting in a large number of unemployed
applicants. Another sort of prejudice they experience is the difficulty in finding job that offers a
living salary and can support the candidates' daily living expenses as well as the needs of their
section
families. Because the market requires a high-profile employee, graduates who cannot afford to

to study
raise their credibility in order to have a competitive portfolio must forsake their professions and
hunt for another career. Organizations frequently overlook people's personalities,
accomplishments, credibility, and capacity to complete duties.
.

School norms influence students' trustworthiness, making it more difficult for applicants
such as recent graduates who arrived and studied from provinces. These conventions cast a

comp rehesire
shadow over the graduates' potential. Graduates struggles finding a decent job that can pay fair

2. Write
compensation for the position that they are applying for.
The unemployment of graduates are closely related to the lack of relevant capabilities, a
skills abilities and personal qualities that are needed in order to satisfy the qualities that the
employers wanted to see. Since completing Bachelor of Accountancy as their degree, fresh

the
introduction stating
graduates of Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon have been taught to accept the
challenges and trials of reality as young skilled professionals. Professors ensure that their
students are learning both academically and non-academically. According to Buckhaults and
Fisher (2011), professors should employ a variety of tactics with their students to make courses
and lectures more interesting in order to provide students with a better learning experience. To
ensure that this strategy succeeds, students should be able to quickly examine and familiarize
themselves with their classes, as well as have fun learning from their lecturers. This approach
benefited the students of Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon for not only the professors
rationale the
,
analysis
situation of
try their best to have a flexible teaching method but also their students strive hard to learn and
compete with the challenges given to them.
The researchers feel that by examining this, we might get a peek of the genuine hardships of current

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and challenges of getting job as an Accountancy Graduate. The accountants' success is founded

the
on the obstacles they overcame along the way. As a result, the researchers hope that this study

research
problem
will impact, excite, and inspire future accountants and prospective accounting students.
Another contribution that this study could provide to the economy is informing the
organization's researchers about the issues that make it difficult for Accountancy Graduates of
Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon to find work, as well as the possibility to discover
fresh skills that have been obscured by these norms. This research study will be used as proof,

W/ leads to your 50ps

along with supporting documentation, and as a resource for future.
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Objectives of the study

Use PAST tense

The goals of this study are to address the obstacles in finding work among accounting
graduates of the Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon. This study can provide information B. .

regarding the problems of graduates as well as educate individuals such as entering and aspiring
accounting students, as well as graduating accounting students.

your objectives
It tries to categorize the elements that influence the challenges that graduates have while

4. Make
applying for jobs and to propose an alternate solution to eliminate or lessen the likelihood of
these factors occurring.
The goal of this study is to discover the variables that caused Accounting Graduates
from the Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon to struggle and to address the difficulties
they have in finding work. It is critical to address this issue in order to gain a deeper

SMART As much as
understanding of not only their career, but also the challenges that have led to their achievement.
They are constructing their path as a stepping stone to their success as they face these challenges. .

Significance of the study

This part of the study contains the beneficiaries of the research.
The importance of this study for the institution: The role of research in an academic
posable ,
make transform your
institution is significant for its sustainability and development, and it is imperative to have

to sops
knowledge-driven growth based on innovation. It may also help the institution in making integral

objectives
decisions as well as successful development plans. .
For the administration, it helps the administration to grow more and prevent crises. It can
also guide them to prove that they can keep pace with other university administrations.
For teachers/professors, this research can contribute to a big factor in enhancing the

Follow the
knowledge and skills of the teacher while teaching research. It can also assist the teacher in
building a repertoire to help deal with unexpected issues.
The significance of this research to all of the incoming and accounting students of
Philippine College Northwestern Luzon are; this might help to give them an idea of what they
5.
are going to face in reality as an accounting student, they will get knowledge of what they are
going to do when they are in that state of affairs, it may also prepare them to practice accounting

APA style
in corporeality, it can contribute to helping students to prove that they can also be successful
even though they graduated from unfamiliar schools, lastly, it can help them to identify
opportunities in the market place. .
For the researchers, it can contribute to enhancing the critical thinking of researchers and
it can help to expand the knowledge of researchers and understanding of a chosen field. It can
also help researchers to become better at dealing with this kind of situation.

Review of Related Literature

finite
​Markets have grown over time, ushering in an era of development and technology that
necessitates improved understanding in order to keep enterprises running. Employers'
satisfaction is determined by the employee's abilities to contribute to the organization and its
employer. These abilities necessitate that graduates have employability skills in order to get
hired. Employees must have employability abilities, according to Knight and Yorke (2006), in
order to get hired and stay in a sustainable work. These employability skills refer to a set of
accomplishments that include abilities, comprehension, and individual traits that make the
employee more likely to secure and succeed in the occupation or profession of choice.

STUDIES
According to the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), intellectual capabilities,
interpersonal skills, and communication skills are required in the accounting profession.
According to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA, 2006), in order to have a long-term career in
the economy, young graduates must have management skills, technical skills, critical thinking

only
skills, communication skills, and group commitment abilities.
Graduates' competitiveness also has an impact on employee acceptance. This competitiveness
should be accompanied by high ethical standards. According to Tormo-Carbo et al. (2016),

LITERATURES
accountancy graduates who want to become business practitioners should have good behavior
and ethics, as well as high integrity, or in other words, it is expected that accountancy graduates
will apply good work ethics and behavior in their workplace because of the cases of corruption,
power abuse, and other forms of fraud that are commonly associated with accountancy
graduates.

&
​Weldy and Icenogle (1997) discovered that interpersonal skills are the most valuable
talents that a fresh graduate should have in order to have a high proportion of success in a work
place or in a work profession. According to Itika (2011)'s research, an organization need

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leadership qualities in order to build a good work culture.

Katie
Munthe (2009) defines analytic ability as the ability to break down knowledge into
smaller components and demonstrate the relationship between those components. Furthermore, it
is noted that the workplace demands people with analytical thinking because those with

Annai
analytical abilities are typically those who are dedicated, honest, emphatic, and who recognize
their knowledge limitations.
According to Kotey (2007), one of the job requirements is the ability to adjust to a new
situation and collaborate with coworkers. Itika (2011) also stated that disagreements between
employees should be avoided to the greatest extent feasible so that the task can be completed to -

N
the greatest extent possible. Persons who can easily and swiftly adapt to a new situation are
thought to be people who can manage and place themselves away from employee problems.

Make a
When an employer is dissatisfied with an employee's abilities, aptitude, and competence, work
challenges occur.

! So
This study will be useful to other researchers as a reference for future research on the
difficulties graduates of the Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon have in finding work.

Methodology
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​The primary goal of this research was to create a tangible examination of the elements

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that influence graduates' employment prospects. This is done to determine which of the

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following factors has the most influence on the graduates. The researchers' goal is not only to
categorize, but also to explain how difficult it might be to get a job.
The researchers employed a set of questionnaires that were distributed to a random sample of

studies
respondents. A survey was used to collect data from twenty (20) Bachelor of Science in
Accountancy graduates of the Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon. The number of
respondents graduating from the class of 2021 to the class of 2020 and up to the class of 2019.
​Because the respondents had varied techniques to discovering career prospects, this made

minimumDesign
the research sufficient for the researcher. This suggests that the respondents have various job- .
search experiences and tactics, as well as different factors influencing their employability.
The researchers used an online platform to collect the responses of the survey participants right
away. FormsApp, the platform, automatically records their responses. The respondents were
asked a series of questions and given a list of skills required to be hired or accepted for the job
openings that they desired to apply for. The respondents were also asked to whether they agree or

Research
disagree with the questions being asked.
​The survey offered to the respondents was a combination of multiple yes/no questions

Instrument
and a list of abilities that they believe are related to the causes for their difficulty in finding work.

Results and Discussions

​In order to calculate the percentage of employment for graduates of Philippine College of 1 Data sources
 www.nwpnreohw
Northwestern Luzon, respondents were first requested to provide their name and batch year. This
request will soon provide answers to subsequent questions on the norm of school impact
influencing the larger percentage of acceptability of graduates applying for jobs.
✓ Data

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​Table 1: Batch Year of the Respondents (n=20)
Year Graduated Number of Respondents
2019 11

2020

2021
4

4
✓ Data analysis
No Answer

Total
1

20
*needed
​Table 1 demonstrates that graduates from 2019 dominated the number of respondents,
with eleven (11) respondents, four (4) respondents from batch years 2020 and 2021, and one (1)
respondent who did not identify their batch year. Twelve (12) of these individuals are currently
employed, while the remaining eight (8) are unemployed.
sections
for methodology
The majority of respondents are not currently taking the Certified Public Accountant Licensure
Examination, with a total percentage of 93.33, and 6.67 percent answering yes. Currently, 71.43
percent of total responders are taking a break before applying for a job. 71.43 percent of the
respondents stated that they are not waiting for a call from a job.
Majority of the respondents with a total percentage of 64.29 stated that the respondents

①
are not planning to work abroad and 61.54 percentage stated that they are planning to apply for
work for the current year. Having the highest number of response with a total of 53.85 stating
that the respondents are waiting for a job opening this year.
Table 2: Possible Difficulties that the respondents experienced in Applying for a job
Options Percentage Count

won
Religion Related Issues 0.00 0
Years of Experience 29.31 17
Requirement

APAfont
Credibility Requirement 13.79 8
Age Range Requirement 3.45 2
Culture Related Issues 0.00 0
Number of Applicants 12.07 7
School Influences 8.62 5
Competitiveness of Curriculum 8.62 5
Vitae
Location of Work 12.07 7
Transportation 6.90 4
Health Problem 0.00 0
Financial Problems 5.17 3

Table 2 supplied respondents with a variety of variables that made it difficult for them to
apply for a specific job. Years of experience required dominated the survey with the highest
overall percentage of 29.31. The credibility standards were met with a percentage of 13.79. With
a 12.07 percent tie in the number of applicants and the location of job. These factors influenced
the job prospects of graduates of the Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon.
The respondents agreed that these criteria influenced their chances of being hired by the
organization for which they were applying. 55 percent of respondents believed that the school
from which they graduated had an impact on their prospects of acceptance into the organization,

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while 45 percent disagreed. Respondents with a total percentage of 94.44 agreed that schools
should focus more on on-field job activities that could improve students' employability abilities.
Table 3: Skills that should be possessed in order to be hired
Options Percentage Count
Communication Skill 17.70 20
Intrapersonal Skill 9.73 11

format
Intellectual Skill 12.39 14

APA
Technical Skill 12.39 14
Critical Thinking Skill 13.27 15
Management Skill 12.39 14
Group Commitment Skill 10.62 12
Competitive Skill 11.50 13

Based on the responses of the respondents, Communication Skill gained the highest
percentage of 17.70, followed by Critical Thinking Skill with 13.27 percent. Next, a tie of 12.39
percent of Intellectual Skill, Technical Skill, and Management Skill, Competitive Skill followed
and Intrapersonal Skill being the lowest skill chosen by the respondents.
6. For Results }

•÷:
Summary of Findings
Based on the number of responses gathered by the researchers, with the majority of
graduates from 2019, it shows that factors such as (1) years of experience requirement, (2)
credibility requirement, (3) location of work, and (4) the number of applicants made it difficult

diecaustic Adult
for them to land the position that they were applying for.
According to table 3, the top three (3) skills that a graduating or graduate must practice in
order to be productive and show potential in a job are communication skills, critical thinking
skills, and a tie of percentages between intellectual skills, technical skills, and management
skills, based on what respondents believe a graduate must possess in order to have a higher
chance of employment. The majority of respondents agreed that the school where they earned
their degree had an effect on their employment.

Limitations
and widiade comes
The researchers survey concentrated on Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon’s
Accounting Graduate batch ranging from 2019 to 2021. Since the study aims to focus on the
graduates of Philippine College of Northwestern Luzon, the researchers aimed to collect data as
many as possible using online app platform to contribute surveys to selected respondents but
having difficulties to connect and communicate to respondents, the researchers only gained
twenty (20) response from the fifty (50) targeted sample size for this study.
This research study can not be tagged as a general finding regarding the factors affecting
discussion
your
the difficulties of finding work opportunities among the graduates of Accountancy due to the fact .

that there are smaller number of respondents who willingly participated in answering the surveys
given by the researchers and the fact that this study focuses only to the graduates of Philippine
College of Northwestern Luzon.
Lastly, the researchers conclude the company where the respondents planned to apply for
 a certain job. In view of the fact that here in the Philippines, most of the organizations are setting

bnmany {
high standard in hiring an employee and prefer to hire an individual with a degree with years of
practice in the field. The fresh graduates with no experiences are, in some cases, thee one who’s
suffering from discrimination because of these kind of etiquette.
9.

Continuum

①
Conclusion
The Researchers aimed to discover the factors that challenges the graduates of Philippine
,
College of Northwestern Luzon’s Accountancy graduates with the researcher’s objectives to he
informed and educated about this study. In some point there are fresh graduates that are anxious

Write the
not only about seeking for an employment but also about personal issues. The researchers
believe that this study will soon benefit not only the aspiring accountancy students but also the
currently graduating students of Accountancy department, the future researchers, the professors
and the school organizations.

4
In order to perform the researcher’s objectives, the researcher’s prepared a survey for

finding
their target respondents which are the graduates of Accountancy using an online platform named
FormsApp that can easily gather and compile the responses of the respondents.
In conclusion, the respondents were challenged by the years of experience requirement
for the job that they’re applying for. The researchers have concluded that the years of experience

implication
have a greater impact in finding a work opportunity due to the normal expectation that having
more experience in the field of work have a higher percentage of productivity and creativity in .
the organization.

yurfimhfs
Credibility requirement comes next to be the highest possible difficulties that the
graduates had experienced and the location of work and financial issues places as the third

↳
.

possible weakness that they have encountered.

of
Having only twenty respondents, the researchers concluded that this study can not be tolerated as
a general insight to the difficulties of accounting graduates from Philippine College of
Northwestern Luzon. Therefore, other research related to the study should need to be done in
order to help the graduates understand and a preparation for the future batch of accountancy
graduates.

Recommendations
For students:
As an aspiring Accountants in the future, young professionals whether you are in first-

change
year college or to the last semester of college course,, it is significant to remember that gaining
the knowledge and skills are essential to get employed upon graduating. Providentially, capacity
is in high demand in the accounting industry. Students should prepare not only their goal and
plans to be able to graduate but also prepare your mindset as you may encounter a lot of
disappointments and failure along the way and lastly, prepare thy health for you will encounter a
lot of sleepless nights. This challenges will build not only your knowledge and skills but also
strengthen your mindset and willingness to finish and accept this difficulties. As a young
professionals, train thyself to face rejections for they will become your building blocks towards
success.
For professors:
​Professors have been accomplished as professionals in their certain areas of research.

chant
Professors have a part in contributory to the public good by developing high-quality, applicable
programs that prepare students with broad life and career skills, as well as discipline-specific
knowledge that prepares them to subsidize meaningfully as civically engaged citizens in their
societies and the workplace. Professors ought to focus more on field job activities that would
help students to improve their employability skills.

trio
For Graduates:
​Accounting graduates competitiveness is not determined by the school where they .
graduated it is about the skills and knowledge that they have gained during their accounting

Recommendation
educations. If the graduates of Accountancy don’t have the required numbers of years of
experience, this is still worth applying for the position within reason. It is the skills and ability to
perform the job tasks that will help you land the position. They won’t hire you if you can’t

reflect
perform the skills needed to get the job done. Think about the skill sets you’ve acquired from
other jobs, internships, clubs and in your volunteer work and prove how they helped you get a
task or project done. Expect rejections and do not take it personally.

should
Graduates may look for a job that do not require years of experiences and credibility proof in
their specific job positions in which they can excel more on the skill that they possesses in order
to practice the job efficiently. Graduates can also look for a job that are aligned or incorporated
5
findings
with their degree which is Accountancy. Having no chance in the position that you dreamed of,
find another door to knock and make a way towards that dream job.

one
conclusion
-

References
Prayanthi, I., and Nelwan, M. L. (2009). Accountancy Graduates Competence.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335325551_Accountancy_graduates%27_competence.
Bennis, W., and O’Toole, J. (2005). How business schools lost their way. Harvard Business
Interview.
Buckhaults, J., and Fisher, D. (2011). Trends in Accountancy Education: Decreasing accounting
anxiety and promoting new methods. https://doi.org/10.1080/08832321003720692
Ishak, M., Ibrahim, M., Hisham, M., and Shansuddin, A. (2015). Employers’ Level of
Satisfaction Towards Accounting Graduates.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299411927_EMPLOYERS%27_LEVEL_OF_SATISF
ACTION_TOWARDS_ACCOUNTING_GRADUATES
Itika, J.S. (2011). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Leiden: Africa studies
Kotey, B. (2007) Teaching the attributes of venture teamwork in tertiary entrepreneurship
programmes. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910710834067
Knight, P.J., and Yorke, M. (2006). Embedding Employability into Curriculum. ESECT/Higher
Education, Series 1.
Munthe, B. (2009). Desain Pembelajaran. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Insanimodani. (Translated
Version)
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) (2006). Section 7 of Code of Practice
for the assurance of Academic Quality and Standards. (revised version)
Tormo-Carbó, G., Seguí-Mas, E., and Oltra, V. (2006). Accounting Ethics in Unfriendly
?⃝
Environment. Journal of Business Ethics.
Weldy, T. G., and Icenogle, M.L. (1997). A managerial perspective: Oral Communication
competency is the most important for business students in a workplace. The Journal of Business
Communication.