People who work in accounting enjoy a lot of career flexibility and stability. Not only do accounting and tax firms need qualified candidates, but businesses in every industry also rely on talented accounting professionals to help manage their finances. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be 1.54 million accounting jobs by 2026. How can you make sure that you find yourself in one of these roles? To advance your career as an accountant, you can:

  1. Become a CPA: Education and certifications can go a long way in way in securing better jobs and professional promotions and accounting is no exception. Becoming a certified public accountant is a signal to businesses that you have the right skills and knowledge to handle any accounting tasks. Many finance professionals will add this certification to their education lineup even after earning a degree in finance or accounting to make sure they can stand out to employers.
  2. Find a mentor: Finding a mentor is an underrated career step across industries. Not only can the right mentor help you develop skills to fill gaps in your experience as well as help to answer questions, but they can also serve as an important professional network contact. Mentors can be found anywhere from your current organization to past educational institutes. Still, the most important thing is to find an experienced mentor who you connect with personally and professionally.
  3. Keep up with new technological developments: CPA certifications can help you understand tax law and accounting procedures, but the technology that supports most accounting roles is often a separate knowledge base. This can change quickly, so keeping an eye on accounting tech trends can help you stand out for accounting roles.
  4. Know when to change roles and seek promotion: It’s important to understand the right time to look for a new position. Advancing your career can sometimes depend on timing. You might not want to apply for a new role after only six months with a company, for instance, or immediately after gaining new credentials. Experience and education are important in growing your career, but building the right relationships in the industry and at your company can be critical as well.
  5. Maintain term relationships with a recruiter who can keep an eye out for you: Even if you’re not actively looking for a new role, it can be beneficial to your career to have contacts in the recruitment industry. By maintaining a relationship and regular communication with a recruiter, you’ll have someone who can send you updates they come across that might be a good fit for your career goals. By maintaining a relationship and regular communication with a recruiter, you’ll have someone who can provide you market intelligence in terms of hiring activity in your area, salary comparisons, or pertinent industry updates.     

If you’re looking to grow your accounting career, contact the recruiters at TalentSphere Staffing Solutions today. We can help you find the right accounting role to help advance your career.