Accounting Job Search Tips

Use These Accounting Job Search Tips for Career Advancement

Boost your accounting job search by leveraging the value of specialized employment agencies, job sites, and professional associations as resources for your accounting job search. You will have more success finding and landing a great accounting job by following these tips for using a multi-pronged approach.

According to U.S. News & World Report accountants have a lower rate of unemployment, higher upward mobility, and better flexibility than most professionals. Accounting is an essential business function in every professional industry and companies are always looking to hire great accounting talent.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of accounting and auditing is expected to add nearly 140,000 new jobs from 2016-2026. If you’re unsatisfied with your current job there’s no excuse to not look for a better one.

With that in mind, here are some accounting job search tips.

Focus on Professional Development

Accounting Professional Designations (such as licenses and certifications) are great for beefing up your credentials and growing your knowledge within the accounting field.

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is ubiquitous within the accounting field. For instance, you must be a CPA in order to file a report with the SEC. Another example is the Enrolled Agent (EA) credential for federally-licensed tax practitioners who may represent taxpayers before the IRS when it comes to collections, audits, and appeals.

Use Accounting Job Sites

Industry-specific Accounting Job Sites and Job Boards might work better for you than big job sites like Indeed and Monster. Accounting job sites offer a broad array of accounting jobs ranging from entry through executive-level. You will eliminate non-relevant results and quickly find accounting jobs that are suitable for you.

Contact a Specialized Recruiter

There are several Accounting Employment Agencies that specialize in the placement of accounting professionals. Reaching out to a staffing agency or recruiting firm is a great way to jump start your search.

You may find it beneficial to contact a direct hire recruiter to screen openings that match your qualifications. A good direct hire recruiter only sends candidates on interviews where they have a strong chance of getting the job. Here is a post on How to Use Recruiters in your Job Search.

Join a Professional Association in Accounting

Accounting Professional Associations and Organizations offer myriad networking and professional development opportunities to their members. CPA societies by state are quite common in the accounting field. Many accounting professional organizations certify and train bookkeepers, estate planners, and other specialists too.

Target Specific Employers

Accounting Employers such as public accounting, tax, and advisory firms are constantly on the lookout for talented accounting professionals to hire. One of top tips for job seekeers is to Build a Target Employer List of companies that you’d especially like to work for.

Virtually every company has a careers page on their website where you can apply for job opportunities. Most companies have a strong presence on social media as well. Make sure to ‘like and follow’ the social media pages of the companies you’ve decided to target for employment.

View the Compilation of Accounting Job Search Resources >>