5 In-Demand Finance and Accounting Jobs to Grow Your Career

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Whether you are looking to enter the finance and accounting profession or you want to take your career in the field to the next level, it may be an ideal time to make your move.

Research for the Salary Guide From Robert Half shows many employers in public and corporate accounting and finance are facing skills gaps in their departments. And in a recent Robert Half survey, 85% of hiring managers in finance and accounting said it is difficult to find skilled talent.

What types of positions do employers want to staff? Our Salary Guide research offers insight. Here’s a look at five in-demand finance and accounting jobs with high earning potential you may want to investigate, depending on your skills and professional goals.

AR specialists help businesses maintain financial stability by managing cash flow and resolving payment issues effectively. Organizations hiring for this critical position seek candidates with a keen eye for detail, as well as proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel. Professionals in this job must be able to work independently or as part of a team when needed.

Examples of common responsibilities for AR specialists include:

Generating timely, accurate customer invoices on a monthly basis

Maintaining AR records to make sure aging is up to date

Verifying invoices for appropriate documentation prior to payment

Monitoring incoming payments and ensuring they are applied correctly

What employers typically look for: Candidates with strong comunication and customer service skills are preferred. These abilities are vital to success in the AR specialist role, which often involves sensitive tasks such as handling customer inquiries about bills and payments and working with other departments to resolve billing issues and disputes.

Skills that can provide an edge: Experience working with accounting software like QuickBooks and Oracle is often a requiremen for the AR specialist job. However, if you have other relevant technical skills, such as experience working with enterprise resourcing planning (ERP) systems, payment processing solutions, and automated invoicing tools, you can increase your chances of scoring an interview with a hiring manager.

See our open AR specialist jobs.

Working as an entry-level business analyst can be an exciting career path for finance and accounting professionals because it offers the ability to make a direct impact on business decisions. Business analysts can gain valuable insights into operations, develop critical-thinking and anlaytical skills, and quickly grow into strategic roles that help shape business growth and success.

Specific duties for an entry-level business analyst job may include:

Ensuring that business data and reporting needs are met

Monitoring data quality metrics

Organizing and formatting reports for distribution

What employers typically look for: Candidates for this role need some previous experience in financial analysis, data flow analysis and project management. Many firms also prefer candidates who possess a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or business administration.

Skills that can give you an edge: Proficiency in Excel, SQL or Python, project management skills (including an understanding of agile methodologies), and familiarity with widely used business intelligence tools like Tableau can help you stand out to hiring managers when applying for business analyst jobs.

See our open entry-level business analyst jobs.

If your career plan includes becoming a senior financial analyst, or a financial analyst manager or director, you’ll need to build your skills as a financial analyst first. Organizations across industries need these professionals to perform financial analysis and modeling and prepare a host of data-driven management reports.

The duties of a financial analyst can also include:

Helping to prepare financial plans and budgets

Analyzing, interpreting and communicating cost and expense variances to management

Verifying cost allocations according to company procedures

Evaluating borrowing structures to ensure competitive funding costs

What employers typically look for: Thorough knowledge of general accounting procedures, reporting and expense analysis, and journal posting is typically required for a financial analyst job. You’ll also need strong communication skills, as you may need to interact regularly with executive management, project leaders, sales managers and other financial professionals across the organization.

Skills that can provide an edge: The CPA license can be a plus for the financial analyst role, especially if you want to earn a senior financial analyst position. Many employers also look for candidates with an MBA. As you progress in your financial analyst career, proficiency with programs such as Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and database applications will be expected. Many employers also value professionals who have experience working with ERP systems.

See our open financial analyst jobs.

Businesses need payroll specialists to make sure employees are paid accurately and on time, as it has a direct impact on their overall job satisfaction and financial well-being. Top among the skills and attributes hiring managers look for when recruiting payroll specialists are strong technology skills, including proficiency in using automated payroll processing services.

In addition to processing payroll, the responsibilites of a payroll specialist can include:

Reconciling payroll subledger to the general ledger

Remitting payroll taxes and government reporting

Preparing monthly, quarterly and year-end payroll statements

What employers typically look for: Businesses hiring payroll specialists seek candidates with strong organization skills, attention to detail, and up-to-date knowledge of relevant tax regulations and labor laws.

Skills that can provide an edge: Excellent communication and problem-solving abilities are hallmarks of top candidates for the payroll specialist role. Professionals with advanced Excel skills, extensive experience working with payroll software like ADP and Paycom, and/or data analysis skills can be particularly strong contenders for these positions.

See our open payroll specialist jobs.

There is no shortage of things to do as a staff accountant. Preparing journal entries and assisting with the fieldwork for financial and operational audits are just two examples of the responsibilities you may have in this role.

The duties of a staff accountant can also include:

Preparing financial statements and account reconciliations

Reconciling and balancing general ledger accounts

Researching and correcting account discrepancies

In a staff accountant general accounting role, you may also be expected to prepare financial statements and support month-end and year-end close processes.

What employers typically look for: Accounting professionals with strong Excel, time management, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills are often the top contenders for staff accountant jobs. Most employers also make a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance a requirement for hiring consideration.

Skills that can provide an edge: Accountants are consistently in demand at CPA firms. (Note: These roles sometimes start as contract jobs through tax season and turn into permanent jobs later. So, working as a contract professional could provide you with an in-road to a full-time job.)

If you have credentials such as the CPA or an advanced degree like an MBA, it could help push your resume to the top of the stack and also potentially net a higher rate of pay for this in-demand role.

See our open staff accountant general accounting jobs.

To learn more about the latest hiring and compensation trends in finance and accounting, what other types of roles many employers want to staff, and what kind of starting salaries professionals might expect to earn this year for the roles listed above and many others, check out the latest Salary Guide From Robert Half.

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