Accounting is full of rewarding roles. One of those is that of a senior accountant who leads and oversees a team of junior accountants in their organization. From there, a senior accountant can rise to the company controller or CFO level.
Becoming a senior accountant can be an excellent goal. You’ll master new skills, deepen your financial knowledge base, and boost your earning potential.
Setting your sights on a future achievement like that of a senior accountant can increase your job satisfaction and accelerate your career. While a senior accountant has years of experience, focusing on this goal early on can help you avoid common delays and detours that result from a lack of a clear objective.
Before you type “senior accounting jobs near me” into your browser’s search bar, understanding the role’s responsibilities and career path is a great place to start. Below, you’ll learn what a senior accountant does and how to become one.
What is a Senior Accountant?
Senior accountants work in satisfying and ever-changing roles. They are leaders who help shape their company’s future, employees’ lives, and work culture.
A senior accountant:
- Is licensed to practice in their state
- Handles financial transactions and budgets
- Provides strategic advice to clients
- Oversees a team of junior accountants
They typically have higher education, such as a master’s degree or a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification. Plus, they have three to five years of experience.
A senior accountant may go on to be a controller, supervising accountants within their organization, or a Certified Financial Officer (CFO) responsible for the entire firm’s financial operations.
Education
Senior accountants oversee some of the most critical tasks performed by bookkeepers and accountants. To rise to this level, you need a deeper understanding of accounting and financial management, which comes with education and years of experience.
At a minimum, you’ll need a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting or finance. In most cases, your undergraduate degree alone won’t secure you a senior accounting position, though. Hiring managers want to see that you have additional education and job experience.
Pursue a professional certification, like that of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), or Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Some of these credentials are more budget- and time-friendly than others. Compare your options and earning potential before deciding what’s right for you.
In addition, build up the following skills.
Skills
Communication—Good communication skills are essential in almost every accounting and finance role. Good communicators make better team players, effectively relaying information in the right way to the right people. As a senior accountant, you’ll have teams, colleagues, and clients depending on you to convey data in an easily understandable way.
Teamwork—You’ll lead and oversee teams to gather and present data. This requires a teamwork mentality, strong leadership skills, and the ability to foster collaboration within your organization to share information and get things done efficiently and effectively.
Analytical—What sets a senior accountant apart from others in more junior roles is that, as a senior accountant, you must assess, analyze, and forecast using available data.
Organizational—Strong organizational skills are vital, as you must easily and systematically switch between projects while keeping up with various deadlines.
Technological—Software and other technological advances, like cloud computing and storage, are changing the accounting landscape. Improve your efficiency and productivity by using technology to your advantage, like setting tasks on autopilot, to free up your time to complete more critical responsibilities. You’ll also improve your chances of getting hired, as your tech knowledge can help you stand out from other candidates.
Resume
Learn how to sell yourself on paper. Tweak your generic resume and cover letter using keywords from the job posting. Additionally, list the skills you possess from the job posting first on your resume. Keep the length of your resume and cover letter to one page each.
Pursue training and roles that increase your breadth and depth of knowledge. Take advantage of internships. These help you showcase your dedication and willingness to learn more on your resume.
Fresh eyes can help you catch mistakes and find ways to consolidate information. Take a break from your computer. Then, re-read your resume and cover letter before submitting them, or have a mentor review them.
Career Progression
Progressing your career has advantages. The average salary of a senior accountant is over $75,000¹. Compare that to the average salary of a junior accountant at around $50,000².
A senior accountant role may be your next career move or something you set your sights on early. Whether it’s your next destination, final destination, or years away, you can do some things to improve that projection for your future self:
Continue Professional Education
Never stop learning. Additional training, education, and leadership roles can help you develop the hard and soft skills necessary to be an excellent senior accountant.
Seek a Mentor
Find other experienced professionals who can give you advice and insights into your roles and career progression. They can point you in the right direction or help you find opportunities. Mentor others as you climb the ladder of success.
Join an Accounting Society
Enrolling in an accounting society can help you network, learn, and gain experience for unending career progression opportunities.
Becoming a Senior Accountant
Senior accountants have the education and experience to oversee their organization’s more junior accountants. They move beyond the data to assess, analyze, and forecast for their organizations.
Becoming a senior accountant is rewarding and within your reach. It may seem daunting, but setting this role as a goal can help you strategically plan educational, networking, and leadership opportunities to accelerate your journey.
