Career Tips For Aspiring Accounting Students by George Hillston

Let me introduce my Guest blogger today, George Hillston. He shares with us Career tips useful for Accounting students. 

For students and professionals entering into the job market, an accounting career offers a variety of rewarding opportunities. The accounting field offers stability for individuals seeking these jobs. Businesses need employees to report and analyze the finances of the company and the accountant meets this need. When someone decides to pursue a career in accounting, they should look at what companies need from accountants and how they can serve the company. These career tips will help you advance in your own accounting career.

Know the basics

While you may not be an expert in every area of accounting, especially if you are still a student, you should know the basics. Understand the primary financial statements, such as the income statement and balance sheet. Learn the basics of recording financial transactions. Companies hire students and beginning accountants for entry level positions. However, these companies also want to see that the people they hire have an initial foundation of knowledge in place. This allows the company to train the employee on their own specific accounting practices.

Understand Different Accounting Roles

The accounting field consists of several different specialties. Some accountants focus on financial reporting. Others work on analyzing costs. Some spend their days reviewing the costs of fixed assets. When looking at various jobs in accounting, understand what role each job expects the accountant to fulfill. The skills needed for each role vary considerably. Prepare for the position by researching the needs of each particular position.

Join Professional Organizations

Professional organizations, such as the Institute of Management Accountants or the American Institute of CPAs, provide resources for accounting professionals to continue developing their skills. Accountants who maintain current with industry knowledge provide greater value for their employer. In addition, these organizations provide networking opportunities where accountants meet and build relationships with colleagues. Accountants use these networks to hire new employees or to find new accounting jobs.

Pursue Certification

In an accounting career, people hold a variety of qualifications. People come into an accounting position with varying levels of education. Most have undergraduate degrees. Some have graduate degrees. Others hold certifications, such as a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Management Accountant. Certified accountants hold an advantage over others competing for accounting jobs. Certification also opens opportunities for accountants to receive promotions in the workplace.

Volunteer

Find opportunities to volunteer and share your accounting skills with others. Volunteering allows you to demonstrate your skills while helping out your community. Volunteering opportunities for accountants include serving as treasurer for a nonprofit, counting donations collected, filing tax returns or compiling financial data for reporting purposes. Many accountants make professional connections with others by participating in activities like these. These activities also add to the qualifications listed on your resume.

Speak At Public Events

Many nonprofit organizations seek speakers for their events. These organizations may or may not have the resources to pay a speaker. However, those accountants who choose to speak at these events gain recognition as an expert. When companies are seeking an accountant, they often remember the speaker at that event. These companies may seek you out directly to discuss opportunities within their organization. You can also add public speaking events to your resume.

Publish Your Knowledge

Take the opportunity to write articles on various accounting or financial topics. Write editorials and send them in to your local newspaper. As your name gets published on a regular basis, you will develop a reputation as a skilled accountant. You can draw on this reputation as you pursue accounting jobs. Share your publications with potential employers by listing these on your resume.

While job seeking in the accounting field can represent a high level of competition, there are also many different opportunities for accounting professionals to take advantage of. These tips won’t guarantee you career success. But they will greatly improve your chances.

Ex Boy friend attitude

Hi Rose,

For the last 2 yrs I was studying hard for the CPA. I passed FAR but the credit expired. I took REG four times (last time I tried I got 74!), I took BEC four times as well and like REG last time I tried I got 74. In 2012 I decided to take a break because it was hard to keep studying and failing. Now I would like to try again in 2013. But my energy and motivation levels are really low. After reading some of the post here I feel the urge to start again and pass the CPA. I used Wiley, CPAexcel and Gleim. I had spent so much money between the fees and the courses. But something inside me tell me I can do it, but I need a push to start again. Any advice how can I start? Any words of advice and wisdom for me?! Thanks for any help

Dear Anon,

Wishing to Pass this exam is always a good start. Candidates who passed this exam, are not extraordinarily intelligent, they told them selves they have the will to pass this exam . You might ask me, Is it enough to have a will to pass this exam ? As I said, It's a very good start. And then every one of us should sit few hours before the study material. And we should tell our selves, This is very hard. But like an old boy friend we must hang on, We will come back to our study material. We sit there with a trace of tears in our eyes. But we will smile once our study material is open. ( we may never know when we will get a smile back, LOL just kidding).

Well the point is having a little sense of humor when our backs ache and we will have an urge to watch movies/videos, play games ..etc which will eat our time and burn the little fuel left in our vehicle. We must tell our selves.. its hard, but I am going to do it today. I will complete this chapter as planned. I am tough , I am tougher and this thing aint going to bring me down. The harder we feel the closer we move towards giving up. So let that frustration,doubt and difficulty pass by. Smile a little, You are a real Super man/girl. You are willing to endure those difficult moments of sitting before books and trying your very best to concentrate and complete the planned schedule. Your difficulties of every nature are accepted with love and you still choose to complete those MCQ's. 

Every single second, every single minute when our backs ache, eyes burn and we are left behind and no one ever going to believe we can do it, including self denial and at the bottom of  confidence levels.. Still hang on every single day .. and study..Don't try to learn tricks of trade..learn the stuff...

Read Understand Revise Retain Practice Perform

Every person go through all the stages, including me, I get very depressed some times, I cry, I ask for help, I feel like quitting too. They are all part and parcel of our emotional development. But still our will to pass this exam is like haunting. Its like that ex boy friend . it's the hope, it's the madness and it's the motivation. Even if you are not sure whether you have that will, Which I presume is not correct because even at this moment when you are reading this.. You want to become a CPA. Oh yes !! you want to .Don't worry about start and fail.. Choose your study material, make a plan and study, forget about your past. Don't repeat mistakes. If you feel less motivated at times, its okay, don't worry, just tell your self, "its ok to feel bad at times. But now I feel good when I study". Make some changes in your life. Use good positive affirmations. Visualize 74 turning to 77 or even 99. Try managing your energy, negative thinking eats up most of your energy. Please study well , If we don't invest enough time for our study its difficult to pass this exam. So plan it well, study smart and you will pass this exam. 

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