Thinking about taking on a part-time job can be stressful as you are trying to find a job that will work best for you and your situation. The accounting industry is one of the largest industries in the world and helps out businesses of all shapes and sizes every single day. Many people think of accounting jobs as only full-time opportunities, but there are many part-time jobs that are available in the accounting field as well. Getting one of these jobs does not always mean that you need to have your masters in accounting, but there are a few tips, tricks, and skills you’ll need to know if you are hoping to land a part-time accounting job sometime in the future.
Work During College
A great way to set yourself up for success when trying to break into the accounting field is by getting an entry level position in accounting while you are still making your way through the schooling of your choice. While you do not need an intense PhD in accounting in order to be able to land a part-time accounting job, accounting experience and education is what will help get you to where you are wanting to be. A great way to get your foot in the door in this industry is through finding a working a lower-scale accounting job such as:
- A bookkeeping position
- An accounting clerk
- An auditing specialist
These jobs usually only require a high school diploma and allow you to gain accounting experience that will propel you into the future of accounting and help you find the jobs that allow you to work part-time.
Necessary Skills and Strengths
Accounting deals heavily in numbers and analysis, and in order to work efficiently, even at a part-time job, you will need to have certain skills and strengths to excel. Attention to detail and the ability to analyze data will be just as important as your understanding of numbers as far as accounting goes. Your knowledge of spreadsheets and various analyzing and organizing computer programs will be of great use in this career path as well. Full-time accountants and part-time accountants need to be well-versed in all of these skills in order to hold the accounting job and be able to move up in the company, if that is something you are interested in.
Why Work Part-Time?
It is becoming more and more common for companies to hire an accountant, a part time CFO, or simply a bookkeeping clerk at part-time when it becomes too difficult in the economy to have a full-time accountant all the time. Part-time allows for flexibility while still gaining the valuable accounting experience that you are looking for. You have the ability to practice these skills and cultivate them into marketable skills that will help to propel you towards the future. These part-time positions are also optimal situations if you are still going to school when you are working as well. You are able to work a part-time accounting job and still be able to get your education that will set you up for whatever job you are hoping to have in the future.