Jobs in accounting: resources and advice

To help you land a job in accounting, you have multiple placement agencies and websites at your disposal.

Ask yourself what you really want and establish your priorities accordingly. Don’t necessarily accept an offer because the pay or benefits are good. Here are other factors to consider before making your decision:

• What region or city would you like to work in?
• What are your salary expectations?
• Would you prefer work in a firm or for a company?
• What’s most important to you? The team? The nature of your responsibilities?
• The commute time?

Take time to update your resume thoroughly. Develop your skill set by learning about the latest practices and accounting standards. The next step is registering your resume on employment websites, taking care to create a comprehensive, professional looking profile.

Seek out various agencies and send them your resume. If they're interested, they will meet with you to evaluate your skills and personality. This step may seem daunting, but it’s an important one if you want to increase your chances of finding a job.

First of all, getting help from an agency won’t cost you anything. Agencies get paid by the businesses they recruit for.

By that token, your salary will be the same regardless of whether you're hired through an agency or not.

Therefore, don’t be afraid to send in your resume and meet them. They are specialists in the field; they have extensive contacts and know how to effectively reconcile the needs of companies with the needs of their applicants.

Don’t forget to search for opportunities yourself. Put all the variables on your side!

When looking for a job, no matter the field, you’ll find recruitment agencies are becoming more and more specialized. Focusing on a particular line of work will improve the outcome of your employment search.

Whether you're an accounting secretary, a bookkeeper or a chartered accountant, websites and placement agencies are the first place to look.

If you’re currently employed or you've lost your job, the steps are the same. The upside of being unemployed is you’ll have more time to seek out opportunities, and likely find an opportunity more rapidly.