How to Get a Job as an Accountant | 10 Tips

Accountants are professionals who manage financial records for businesses and individuals. If you enjoy working with numbers and have an eye for detail this may be the field for you. Let’s take a look at what they do and how you can set yourself up for success in the field.

What does an accountant do?

Accountants have numerous duties and can choose many specialties, but all of them have one thing in common: money. Whether you work for private individuals, big corporations, small businesses, government agencies, or nonprofits, you’ll manage finances and offer advice on how to make the best decisions regarding money. You’ll keep records and make sure they’re accurate and up-to-date. 

Depending on your specialty or the needs of a clients, other duties may include: 

• Examining financial statements for accuracy 

• Preparing, filing, and paying taxes 

• Ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local financial laws   

• Analyzing trends and financial data

• Making budget recommendations 

• Advising on ways to cut costs and raise profits

• Keeping records and books organized and up to date 

• Providing auditing services or working together with an auditor 

• Identifying risks and recommending solutions 

10 tips for getting a job as an accountant 

If this sounds like the field for you, these steps will help prepare you to find a job and advance through your career. 

1. Make sure you enjoy working with numbers.   

You’ll spend your days analyzing, calculating, presenting, and proofreading numbers, so above everything else, you should enjoy it. You don't have to be a math expert. As long as you can do the basics—adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing—you can do the job. 

2. Build workplace skills. 

There's more to this role than basic number skills. You'll also need to be: 

• Detail-oriented—one small mistake can have a big impact

• Business savvy 

• An analytical thinker 

• Organized 

• A good verbal and written communicator 

• A problem solver 

• Literate in general computer skills and accounting software 

• Ethical—when you have access to financial information, confidentiality is a must, as is your willingness to do what's best for your client while following all laws and regulations   

3. Take math, finance, and business classes.  

If you're in high school and you already know you want to go into this field, take as many courses in math, computer science, economics, statistics, and business as you can. If you're not currently in school, consider taking online courses that can help prepare you for your career and future education. Explore whether accounting is right for you with a course like Fundamentals of Accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

4. Earn your bachelor's degree.  

While a bachelor's degree is not absolutely necessary—some people enter the field with only an associate degree or on-the-job training—most experts strongly encourage it. 

Many entry-level positions require a candidate to have a bachelor's degree. Aim for a degree in accounting or a related field, where you'll study topics like basic financial accounting, business law, statistics, economics, auditing, managerial accounting, accounting entities, income tax accounting, and more. 

5. Gain experience through an internship or entry-level job. 

Once you graduate with your bachelor's degree—and maybe even before—it's time to gain some experience. You can do this through an internship or with an entry-level position. Not only will it look great on your resume and help you land a better job in the future, but it will help you understand the field better and maybe even lead you to a specialty.

Some entry-level jobs in accounting include:

• Bookkeeper

• Accounts payable specialist

• Payroll administrator

• Accounts receivable clerk  

6. Consider what kind of career you want.   

Not all accountants do the same thing. While you're gaining experience, think about what you might want your specialty to be. If you like solving problems and getting to the bottom of a situation, forensics may be for you. If you enjoy paying close attention to details, you may want to become an auditor. 

Explore specializations from some of the world’s top universities through courses like Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination, Auditing I: Conceptual Foundations of Auditing, Managerial Accounting Fundamentals, or Accounting Data Analytics.

7. Earn a master's degree. 

Accountants make competitive wages, but you’ll typically earn more if you have a master's degree. While the degree is not necessary, it can help provide the skills you need for a specialty and the hours you need to become a certified public accountant (CPA). Many master's degrees in accounting can be obtained through online programs.  

Learn more about what it’s like to earn your Master of Accounting online through the University of Illinois. You can sample a course from the program (U.S. Federal Taxation or Financial Reporting) before you apply. If you choose to enroll, your completed courses could count toward your degree.

8. Become a CPA. 

There are some financial responsibilities, especially within large businesses and organizations, that require a CPA. You’ll typically make more money and enhance your job prospects or pool of potential clients.

Requirements to become a CPA vary by state but may include a bachelor's degree, a specific number of hours of accounting-related education and experience, age minimums, residency requirements, and passing an ethics exam. Once you meet the requirements, you'll need to work under a licensed CPA for a certain number of hours. Check with your state's Board of Accountancy for specific requirements for your jurisdiction.  

9. Get certified. 

If you don't want to become a CPA, there are other certifications you can earn: 

• A certified management accountant (CMA) has both accounting and managerial skills. This is typically needed to become a chief financial officer for a company. 

• An enrolled agent (EA) is an expert when it comes to the tax code and works mostly on tax law. 

• Certified internal auditors (CIAs) are certified to conduct internal audits of a company.  

10. Start your career. 

When you're ready to apply for a job, you may want to start online. Job boards across the internet have thousands of openings for various types of organizations. This will help you get an idea of what's out there and where you want to work.

You'll also want to find out if anyone within your network—former classmates, professors, co-workers, and so on—can make any recommendations. Once you have a little experience, you may even consider starting your own firm and becoming your own boss. 

Types of accountants

There are several types of accountants. Some of the most common are:

Next steps

Start building job-ready skills for a role in accounting with the Intuit Bookkeeping Professional Certificate. Practice interpreting and analyzing financial statements as you work through the phases of the accounting cycle. Upon completion, you'll have a credential from a top industry leader for your resume.

Frequently asked questions

Related articles

• What Does an Accounts Payable Specialist Do?

• How to Become a Tax Accountant: Your Guide

• What Is Bookkeeping? Getting Started in Accounting

• What Is an Accountancy Degree? A Guide

Article sources

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Accountants and Auditors, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm." Accessed July 14, 2022.