Calculate your odds of success with an accounting position!
Despite already having experience with several jobs, many working adults are unable to answer that age-old question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Our Job Spotlight monthly blog series is designed to help you answer that question. In this series, we review all the basics of specific jobs, from salary and duties to why people do the jobs they do.
If you’re looking for an accounting job, you’re in luck! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accounting and auditing positions are expected to grow for the next seven years. With over 1.3 million accounting and auditing jobs in the workforce and another 142,400 projected jobs to open up by 2024, this is one career field to get excited about.
Not only is the job outlook on the up-and-up, a nationally recognized holiday has been established to celebrate this great career field. On May 22, make sure to give a shout out to those who spend countless hours poring over financial ledgers, creating invoices, and keeping the company’s books balanced!
If the growth in the industry isn’t enough to boost your confidence in the accounting career field, the median annual salary for an accountant is more than $67,000. That’s more than 50% higher than the annual median wage of all other workers combined. Now that’s something to celebrate! Forbes recently released the top sought after undergraduate and graduate degrees for getting hired, and you guessed it, accounting is in the top three on both lists. Within the 169 employers surveyed, 59.7% said they would hire graduates with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and 23.6% with a master’s degree in accounting.
Accountants are needed not only in the corporate world but in personal affairs as well. Are you uncertain you have what it takes to be a great accountant? Here are some character traits and skill sets you should strive to master to become indispensable to any company.
Want to take your accounting career to the next level? Become a member of a professional organization. Not only does this show employers you are investing in yourself, but you’ll truly benefit from the continuing education opportunities typically associated with professional organizations. Networking is another reason to join. Making connections with peers and mentors within your field can provide lasting relationships that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on your career.
Are you in the accounting field? Let us know your success stories or how your job search is going in the comments section below.
At the close of 2015, Forbes released a list of academic degrees that revealed which college majors will get you noticed by employers based on a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
We’ve taken the top four degrees from that list to help you understand what’s most sought after by employers. To view the full list and accompanying article, click here.
1. Accounting
If you enjoy business mathematics, focusing on the details, and analyzing and comparing data, an accounting degree may be right for you! According to WorldWideLearn.com, accounting degrees lead to some of the more low stress, high compensation jobs available today. It’s also among the top degrees for quick career placement after graduation.
2. Computer Science
A degree like this not only provides a variety of opportunities, it is becoming more in demand as companies try to keep up with emerging technology trends. Companies need employees with computer science knowledge to help them problem solve, analyze, and provide a broad understanding of technology.
3. Finance
A finance degree is very appealing because most companies need people to crunch the numbers. No business can run without having its finances managed, so it’s easy to see why this kind of education will catch an employer’s eye. And, your opportunities within the finance realm are many. You can find a wide range of jobs from economics, personal finance, retirement advisory, and more.
4. Business Administration/Management
Employers are also likely to notice those candidates with a business administration degree. This field opens doors in a wide-range of capacities for a company, including general business operations, marketing, management, sales, and more.
Earning a degree is a commitment of both time and money, but it can prove invaluable in your job hunt.
Are you currently pursuing a degree, or want to get started? What path would you choose? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
Are you thinking about getting a higher education? Or, are you considering skipping college and heading straight for the workforce? Before you make this important decision, check out the results of a recent survey from Express Employment Professionals. The survey revealed the hottest fields that are hiring the most non-college grads, and the top 10 are:
According to Express CEO Bob Funk, “Today’s conventional wisdom suggests that the path to a rewarding career must run through a four-year university. In reality, we’re finding out that many sectors are hiring non-college grads.”
Do you work in any of these fields? Share your job journey with us in the comments section below!
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
