Accounting jobs involve maintaining financial records to maintain accurate payment of accounts they are responsible for. Finance jobs on the other hand, deal with handling financial matters for a group or person.

Having a bachelor’s degree or previous experience is the most common educational level. To enhance their careers, some professionals become certified. Certified Public Accountants (CPA) and Certified Bookkeeper (CB) are the formal certifications that for accounting careers. Some billing and bookkeeping positions only require a high school diploma, but having completed higher education will make job seekers more competitive.  Having a certification coupled with previous accounting experience, good eyesight, and an excellent analytical ability will attract attention from employers. Applicants should also make inquiries as to what duties are required for the job to verify what the career entails.

There will be specific gains in the rates of employment for accounting and finance jobs. Accounts receivable careers will see the most gain, while accounting employment opportunities in other positions will remain consistent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

View accounting and finance salary information by location and profession.