Accounting jobs are available in numerous industries. All businesses need help with finances, so accountants play an important role in helping businesses keep budgets on track, figuring out payroll amounts, and more. It’s not difficult to get your foot in the door in the financial world, but the real job security and earning potential come with a long-term niche career. Finding your accounting niche can net you profitable career choices in the future, but the tough work is getting there. Here, we’ll help you figure out what your niche is and how to open career opportunities within that niche.

FINDING YOUR NICHE

Accountants have a variety of career paths they can take. You have to decide for yourself what that path means for you by identifying your strengths and preferences. Staffing agencies like Symphony Placements can help job-seekers with skill identification. Do you like working with people and numbers? Public accountants help people and small businesses with taxes, balancing their invoices, and conducting audits.

Perhaps you want to work with bigger numbers and companies. A cost accountant may be the position for you. You’ll be responsible for managing accounts and preparing reports for higher-level company executives. If you’re looking for a fast-paced environment, government accounting could be your thing. Government accountants assist with the organization’s financial records, and advisors manage the internal funds of that organization. There are a lot of options out there; you just have to decide which is best for you.

FINDING THE PATH TO GET THERE

Now that you’ve decided upon your niche, you’ll need to determine the steps to get there. Gone are the days of starting an accounting career without a degree. A bachelor’s degree, or at the very least a CPA certification, is an absolute necessity for an accounting position. But even that’s not enough to grow your career and work within your niche. There are many specialized certification programs out there for accountants, some of which you legally must have for certain accounting positions. Acing your CFA exams will allow you to get higher ranking positions managing mutual funds or financial portfolios.

You may be required to get several licenses, like the Series 7, Series 63, or the Series 24. These licenses allow you to become registered and move up the career ladder. Lastly, you may want to consider getting a Master’s degree if you’re aiming for a highly-specialized field with excellent compensation. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to take lower-level jobs to gain experience and look for internships in the niche you’re trying to join. Using a staffing agency like Symphony Placements to find opportunities is a great way to get started.