Accounting / Finance Jobs

Skills needed in accounting jobs

Applicants for jobs in accountancy will need to be proficient in a range of job-related skills, which may include industry-specific qualifications depending on the vacancy.

Some more general skills that can help you to get a career in accounting include:

• Demonstrable aptitude working with numbers and particularly with finance.
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Office applications or equivalent.
• Experience working with accountancy software e.g. Sage.
• General office skills e.g. confidence on telephone calls and in emails.
• Positive attitude and willingness to work as part of a team.

In addition to these, your application might be made stronger by an accounting-specific qualification like AAT, the Association of Accounting Technicians.

Job-specific qualifications are not necessary for all finance and accounting vacancies however, and working in a more entry-level accountancy job can allow you to train on the job.

What to expect from a career in finance

A career in finance brings with it considerable responsibility. Money is, after all, at the heart of any profit-making business and company accounts are among the most sensitive and confidential data within any organisation, often kept secret even from other employees.

The diversity of jobs in finance means there are vacancies to suit a wide range of qualifications, experience and circumstances, including flexible and part-time jobs in finance.

Some of the roles you might work in during a finance career include:

• Bookkeeping
• Credit control
• Management accounts
• Payroll
• Purchase and sales ledger
• …and many others

If you still can’t see any vacancies for finance jobs that suit you, consider checking our Administration Office Support Jobs for alternatives. These may include finance-related duties like preparing budgets and sales reports, without requiring specific accountancy qualifications or experience.

Why work in accountancy?

Accountancy is a skilled profession with good job security and competitive rates of pay. Alexander Hancock recruit into finance jobs at all levels, from admin assistant roles right up to business development manager and compliance officer vacancies.

Finance careers often have opportunities for progression and promotion, with higher rates of pay as your responsibilities increase. Ambitious candidates will relish the chance to report directly to departmental heads and company finance controllers.

Many employers offer direct support to their finance employees when it comes to continuing professional development. This means it can be possible to train on the job to gain the skills you need to progress to a more senior role, either internally or with a different employer.

To find out more about accounting and finance jobs take a look at our latest vacancies listed on this page or contact Alexander Hancock on 0161 929 6665 to speak to our recruitment agency in Manchester about other finance vacancies we have coming up.