Staff Accountant Jobs Overview
In staff accountant jobs, you'll work for a company's accounting department or as part of a public accounting firm covering multiple clients. In this role, your main responsibilities include maintaining accounts payable files and general ledgers, preparing financial reports, and making sure the company meets its tax obligations. You must also adhere to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) when assessing the company's financial records.
One advantage of applying to these jobs is that you can work for almost any type of business, charity, or government agency in this role. Furthermore, there are both part-time and full-time opportunities.
You'll likely work in an office setting under the supervision of a senior accountant or CPA. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the accountant field should grow by 4% over the next decade, which is as fast as the national average for all U.S. jobs.
Staff Accountant Jobs Salary
When working as a staff accountant, you can earn a median salary of $54,298, falling in the range of $42,850 to $71,441 annually. Many factors contribute to the amount you earn when you gain this position. For example, the level of experience you have increases your chances of obtaining a higher salary.
Your salary also depends on where you live. The median salaries for locations with high demands for staff accountants include:
- New York, NY - $62,315
- Houston, TX - $58,917
- Los Angeles, CA - $58,093
- Chicago, IL - $58,362
- Dallas, TX - $58,050
Find more information by using our salary calculator. Type in the job title and location to find the median salary for your area.
How to Find Staff Accountant Jobs That Fit You
Finding the right job to apply to means knowing more about who you are and what you bring to the table. You can simplify your search by defining your career interests and goals as well as your strengths and weaknesses. Take some time to consider what you want from the job, which might involve a flexible schedule or tangible growth opportunities.
Review the Job Description and Measure Your Qualifications
Carefully review the staff accountant job description to determine if your own experience and skills match the job's requirements. Search for any areas where you can improve before applying. While some staff accountant positions may only require a bachelor's degree in finance or accounting, your prospects might improve with more experience or a master's degree.
Research the Company and Its Culture
Screen potential employers by reading their mission statement and values to determine if they align with yours. The company's website or job listing should also contain information about the work environment you're joining. Find out as much as you can about the employer before you apply.
Look for Future Growth Opportunities
While the job interview should give you more time to explore potential growth opportunities, the job listing might also provide this information. Many staff accountant jobs offer upward mobility within the organization, which you should look for if it's important to you. Consider how the job fits with your long-term career goals before you apply.
How to Apply to Staff Accountant Jobs
Before you apply for staff accountant jobs, review the job description to identify the main qualifications and skills that you should highlight in your application. If the employer includes any specific instructions in the listing, make sure you follow them.
Make an Effective and Compelling Resume
Hiring managers and recruiters learn about you and your qualifications by reading your resume, which is why it's important to make a good first impression with this document. If you have work experience, display your achievements with data, using percentages and numbers to quantify your experience and skills. Fixed assets, financial statements, and error rates are just a few examples of data you can include in your resume.
Make sure you find some resume keywords you can sprinkle in throughout the document. These are relevant phrases or words that describe job requirements, which you can find in the job listing. Some examples of resume keywords for staff accountant jobs include:
- financial principles
- account balance reconciliations
- financial statement preparation
- internal control policies
If you have financial experience, the best resume format to use for staff accountant jobs is the reverse-chronological format or combination format. The combination resume combines the best aspects of the functional and chronological formats, while the reverse-chronological format highlights your professional growth by emphasizing your experience.
The types of skills and abilities you should place in your resume include:
- GAAP knowledge
- accounts payable and receivable knowledge
- ability to maintain a general ledger
- communication
- organization
- analytical skills
If you need help writing your resume, hire an expert to write it for you at Monster's Professional Resume Writing Services.
Write a Striking Cover Letter
Finish your application by writing a cover letter. You should customize each cover letter to the specific job you’re applying for. The goal of this document is to introduce yourself and explain why you can bring value to their organization.
While writing this one-page letter, begin with a short paragraph that mentions why you're applying. The reader should know straight away how excited you are for the job. They should also know that you're knowledgeable about staff accountant jobs and what they entail.
The next portion of your cover letter should include the most important details of your experience, skills, and accomplishments. Give specific examples from any past financial or accountant jobs. For example, if you've dealt with creating financial reports in a previous role, mention this information.
Your closing paragraph should include a summary of your main qualifications as well as your contact info. You can find some more helpful writing tips in our financial cover letter guide.
Submit Your Application
Now that you're done writing and reviewing your application, it's time to submit it. Create a free Monster account to begin. Upload your resume and receive a free professional review, which should help you correct any potential errors.
If you want your employer to read your application and consider your qualifications, it's crucial that the document is free of errors. Before you send your application, carefully read through it at least once. You can increase your chances of finding spelling errors and missing information by reading the application aloud.
How to Follow Up with an Employer
Have you already applied to staff accountant jobs without hearing back? If so, it's highly recommended that you take the initiative by sending a follow-up message to the employer. Wait around one week before sending this message to ensure the employer has time to review your application.
How to Follow Up
Write a courteous and brief follow-up email. Remind them of the specific role you're seeking before asking for an update on your application. You should then mention your skills before talking about your interest in the role.
Who to Follow Up With
Contact the hiring manager to follow up. You should find their contact information on the company's website or in the job listing. If you're unable to find this information, call the company's HR department.
Interviewing Tips
Now that you have an interview, it's time to prepare. An effective technique involves getting someone you know to ask the questions you might hear during the interview. You can find some of the more common interview questions through our comprehensive guide.
The types of in-depth questions you might receive for a staff accountant position include:
- What techniques do you use to ensure accuracy in accounting?
- How do you adjust when new accounting regulations or laws are passed?
- How do you detect fraudulent ledger entries?
- Describe a time when you made an accounting error and how you resolved it.
Interview Process
During the interview process, you can expect to go on multiple interviews. Along with an introductory interview that might take place over the phone or by video chat, one or more in-person interviews are likely once you're further along in the hiring process. During the interview, you should receive a combination of competency and behavioral questions.
Interview Tips
While many of the questions should revolve around your knowledge of financial concepts, you'll also receive some behavioral questions about how you'd react in a specific situation. For those questions, use the STAR method to answer them. Begin by mentioning a situation you were in before explaining the action you took to resolve it and what the result was.
Regardless of the type of question you're answering, focus on maintaining confidence and authenticity during the interview. Wherever possible, demonstrate your experience and skills with relevant examples.
Follow Up After the Interview
Once you're done with the interview, follow up with your potential employer to inquire about your status as an applicant. You can either send an email or make a phone call within 24 hours. Make sure you reiterate your interest in the job and thank them for the interview.
Mention your qualifications before stating why you're a good fit for the company. If you don't hear back from the employer, consider contacting them again after a week. Read Monster's follow-up guide if you need some help crafting the perfect message.
What to Do When You Get an Offer
Congratulations on reaching this point in your job search! Once you get a job offer, thank the hiring manager for the offer before mentioning that you'll need anywhere from a few days to a week to respond. When you're reading your job offer, look for details on your salary, benefits, and responsibilities.
If you have questions about the offer, ask them before giving your answer. When necessary, negotiate your pay or benefits if you believe that the offer isn't sufficient. Approach these negotiations professionally.
Career Paths
Working as a staff accountant gives you the experience you need to enter many other finance-related positions. Over time, you'll gain the knowledge and skills necessary to receive promotions that allow you to act as a senior or managerial accountant. You might also consider moving into a more specialized role in such areas as investment accounting, cost accounting, or financial accounting.
One way to advance in your career is by taking advantage of any professional development and networking opportunities that come your way. Consider attending networking events and building professional relationships with other accountants who work for the same employer as you. You might also think about joining accountant associations in your state, many of which offer networking opportunities.
There are also several accounting certifications that might interest you along your accounting career path, including:
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
- Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)
Similar Occupations
Are you interested in other types of financial careers? Check out some job listings in similar fields:
- finance manager
- chief financial officer
- controller
- bookkeeper