Why accounting might be the perfect career choice

Choosing a career in accounting and finance means you will have the skills to work in a profession that is in high demand.

Choosing a career can be hard, especially in a world when so many options are open to us.

Choosing the right career is important as it impacts everything from job satisfaction and happiness to personal growth and development.

With the year finally at its tail end, many people are reflecting on what they want to achieve in 2024.

Whether you are a secondary school student thinking about what you’d like to study at university, a professional looking to enhance their career prospects, or a professional thinking about switching career paths.

If you are currently weighing your options, a career in accounting and finance might be the right move you are looking for. From versatile and diverse opportunities across many different sectors to steady growth in a career that continues to be in high demand, here are some compelling reasons why accounting and finance might just be the ideal career choice:

Operations

Finance and accounting professionals can be found in organisations of all sizes across sectors, ranging from notfor-profit, the public sector, consultancies to multinational companies. Without their accounting and finance teams, organisations would not be able to get a full picture of the business and have the management information that they need to make strategic decisions to ensure that the organisation operates effectively and succeeds long-term.

With their unique and comprehensive view of their organisations and operations, accounting and finance professionals play a pivotal role in developing business strategy, drive innovation, and boost productivity in a highly digitalised business world.

Value-creating business partners

Groups, such as customers, workforce, society, governments, and investors, all demand greater organisational transparency beyond the traditional financial metrics. The meaning of value is going beyond profits and margins and cash flow, it is fast becoming a stakeholder issue rather than just a shareholder profit.

This is a shift that accounting, and finance professionals need to help their organisations manage, it’s a critical area in terms of how they add value to their organisations. Accounting and finance teams have a unique “end to end” view of their organisations, and already have responsibility for collecting and analysing corporate data. They will be the ones who can identify where changes and improvements can be made, and it will be their responsibility to lead the organisations they work in towards adopting and implementing these changes.

Global career

When many think of accounting and finance, number crunching and analysing financial statements may first spring to mind. However, for many people who qualify as accounting and finance professionals, this is only the starting point for an assortment of professional careers and specialities from management consultant to finance manager to CFO or even CEO or launching their own business. By choosing to become an accounting and finance professional, you can also open yourself to new global career opportunities, whether you want to work abroad for a while or want to work for a global company at home. The good news is that anyone can choose to build a career in accounting and finance at any point in their life, whether you are just finishing high school, are studying at university, or want to switch careers.

Staying ahead of the curve

In today’s business environment, change is the new constant meaning that working professionals need to constantly update their knowledge and skills to remain relevant. Accounting and finance professionals have access to many continued professional development (CPD) resources through their professional bodies, including events, webinars, thought leadership and reports, enabling them to keep a competitive edge on the job market. Finance and accounting professionals are supported at every stage of their careers, so that they thrive in their professional lives.

This article has been jointly written by AICPA and CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe.