At a median salary of $70,500, not to mention other perks and benefits, accounting is indeed a great career option. Unfortunately, It’s among the more common professions whose job market can get quite crowded.
With each job vacancy attracting hundreds of applications, the need to stand out from the pack cannot be understated. How can you have the edge over your peers and enjoy a thriving career in accounting? Here are some pointers.
Stand Out on Paper
Way before you get your first job, perform well, and climb the corporate ladder, you will need to impress on paper through your resume.
Before you even get the chance to present yourself to an employer in person for an interview, your resume has to catch their attention and speak to you as an outstanding professional. One of the things you can do is update your resume every time you make a job application. This ensures you do not send the same generic application and cover letter.
Go through the job descriptions and address the employer’s pain points in your CV and cover letter. This is the first step towards getting your foot through the door as a professional accountant.
Work on Your Craft
Nothing stalls or kills an accountancy career faster than complacency. Getting a good job in a coveted company is one thing; keeping it is another.
Granted, work experience is important, but every other year, more competent hires will come into the workplace, and they will be hungry and determined to make a mark. To remain competitive within and outside your organization, you need to progressively improve your skills and knowledge. One of the best ways of doing this is by taking up good MYOB courses from time to time.
Technology has made it such that you can study entire courses online. If, for any reason, you are unable to take time off from work to study, consider taking online courses.
Once you get a certification, let your managers and the HR know because these are the people who make hiring and promotion decisions. If no one is aware of your qualifications, you won’t be making much headway.
Network, Network, Network
According to research, 70% of jobs are never advertised to the public. This trend is not likely to change any time soon. This means that you must nurture your networks actively because your career progression might depend on them.
Aside from being in contact with former schoolmates, find other people that are well established in the professional world.
Thankfully, social media has made this much easier to do. A great place to start is by joining online professional groups. Credible sites for professionals such as LinkedIn are fertile grounds for making professional friends, finding mentors, and networking.
Nurture Your Business Skills
Being business savvy is essential for people looking to grow in accounting. Successful accountants do more than crunch the numbers. They use numbers to make decisions and to advise management on the best actions to take.
These can include making suggestions on cost-cutting measures, operating profitably, and even advising on scaling viability options. If you are able to do this well, you become an invaluable member of the team, and promotions will not be too far behind.
Keep at It
Keep in mind that growing a stable career in any field rarely ever happens overnight. You have to keep making small, consistent efforts even when you do not seem to be gaining any traction at all. Ultimately, all the actions you take for your career will add up to something and will pay off in the end.
Find accounting job opportunities on Jooble.