Mastering the Most Important Accounting Skills that Employers Want to See

As an accounting professional, you’re in demand in the working world! But when you’re interviewing for a new job, you want to give yourself every advantage to get the best possible job at the best possible salary. After all, you’ve worked hard to get where you are, why shouldn’t it pay off? So to impress hiring managers and rise above your job competition, you should include a few sought-after skills on your resume.

Five popular accounting skills for job applicants

If you have the following skills—great! Definitely spike these out in your resume and cover letter. And if you don’t, make plans to learn them.

1. Accounting standards. Accounting is built around several principles and of course an employer will be looking for these. They demonstrate you know the ropes, and you’ll be able to get the job done. Accounting standards such as GAAP, International Financial Reporting Standards and pro forma accounting show you understand how to maintain consistency in your reporting and recording.
2. Regulatory standards. Legalities are key, especially since you’re managing a company’s finances. You should understand the regulatory standards of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the Public Company Oversight Board. These will help you remain compliant in reporting requirements.
3. Software knowledge. As an accountant, you’ll be using documents and spreadsheets to manage financial information, generate statements and share reports. You’ll need to be current on recent software, including Enterprise Resources Planning. Staying up to date on the latest accounting technology is always an advantage in this field.
4. Data analytics. Crunching numbers to arrive at recommendations and conclusions is critical in this line of work. So your ability to analyze raw numbers will help you generate accurate reports on budgets, revenue, expenses and more.
5. Careful attention to detail. Any accountant will tell you—overlooking a minor detail can lead to negative consequences. After all, clients are very serious when it comes to money. So your careful attention to detail is a must. It will help you remain accurate and build clients’ trust in your skills.

Ready for your next accounting job?

Let Inter-Connect help! We’ll work with you to update your documents, understand your career goals and find the accounting job that fits you best. To learn more, contact us today!