Working in the Accounting and Finance sector requires specific skills to succeed in 2023. And the outlook for accountants and finance professionals across the industry spectrum looks good for the next ten years or so. The Bureau of Labor Statistics pegs the average salary for accountants at around 78,000 per year, not counting additional benefits.
This post will discuss three essential skills for accounting and finance pros to hone and master to help ensure their success. We will also provide tips on where to go for more information.
So what skills are the toughest to find with financial professionals as we enter 2023?
We went to the accounting experts at Robert Half for some context from a recent survey:
Finding Skilled Talent Is Toughest in These Areas:
Eighty-seven percent of finance and accounting managers said it’s challenging to find skilled professionals [2023].
The most challenging areas to hire:
– Finance and financial planning and analysis
-General accounting
-Financial reporting
As we enter this new year, we’re also seeing significant demand for accounting and financial pros across the board. And financial analysts are at the top of the list of these hard-to-find specialists. But what skills do you need to further your career in finance in 2023?
This post will discuss the top three sweet spots we see as paths to a more successful career. And some of these observations will surprise you, starting with our first recommendation.
Expertise with financial technology applications.
Expertise in business analytics and business intelligence is in high demand. Financial professionals can leverage their knowledge of BI and analytics tools and software like never before.
Expertise with basic software apps, like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and MS Access is expected. And expertise in more advanced tools like MS Power BI, Azure Cloud Analytics, and MS SQL are incredibly valuable career-enhancing skills to pursue.
Google and Tableau are additional tools that tech-savvy financial analysts often utilize.
The bottom line? Financial professionals should have a high level of skill using business analytics tools and software. They should know each tool’s strengths and weaknesses and the tasks each app is best suited for.
Strong foundational accounting and finance skills are, and always will be, must-haves.
Maybe you don’t have several years of accounting experience yet, or perhaps you’re coming into accounting and finance from another professional field. Wherever you are in your career journey, continuing education is always available and advisable.
Udemy provides an excellent list of some exceptional accounting and financial courses available online. These courses range from beginner to advanced.
Financial and accounting experts need extraordinary analytical and problem-solving skills.
Financial analysts with expertise in solving optimization problems related to finance, accounting, and productivity are in high demand. That takes proven critical thinking ability, mastery of software tools, and an experiential understanding of finance and accounting.
You’ll need to have the know-how to extract the information you need to do your job from a set of financials and accounting work-product documents. These information repositories and applications include spreadsheets and cloud-based apps like Quick Books, Fresh Books, etc.
If you’re uncomfortable with the financial and data analytics side of accounting and business operations, it might be a good time to enroll in an online certification course. These valuable certifications will also help you in future job searches.
Connect with Top Accounting and Finance Recruiters to Land Your Dream Job
Let’s find out if we have a client who’s looking for a great candidate like you. The accounting and finance recruiters from 619 Recruiting will help you find employment opportunities that align with your skills, experience, short-term employment goals, and long-term career objectives. Call us today at (866) TEAM 619, or get in touch online. Our expert recruiters are waiting for your call.
