4 Interesting Accounting Careers for Women

Can women build a successful career in accounting while still maintaining a work-life balance? The answer is YES! Let’s look at 4 of the most exciting careers for women in the sector. The accounting field was once dominated by men.

But more and more women are entering the accounting sector and finding it a great industry to grow their careers. In fact, nearly half of the accounting industry is made up of women today. Not only are there exciting job opportunities in accounting, but it’s an ideal field for women to go into.

Flexibility and work/life balance

Many positions can be flexible and offer an outstanding work-life balance. Women that choose to work from home or on a part-time basis can often find a job to suit their needs in the accounting field. This means that women can arrange their work around their lives instead of the other way around. A part-time or remote opportunity can help avoid costly childcare or allow women who would rather stay at home with their children the option to do so.

Women can also explore self-employment and freelance opportunities to add to the flexibility. Smaller businesses don’t necessarily need a full-time, on-staff accountant. Instead, companies hire freelancers or small accounting firms to manage their financials. Accounting may be for you if you’ve ever thought of starting your own business in a lucrative field.

Accounting roles are becoming more diverse.

The accounting field offers women a diverse variety of work opportunities. Every business has accounting needs. You can work in an industry that you’re passionate about. That might be the medical field or education. You can do so without having the requirements specific to those jobs. For example, the medical industry is associated with prolonged and irregular hours. But as an accountant, you can work closely with those in the field and still be home for dinner every night.

The roles you might find in the accounting industry also offer a lot of variety. Women can work in areas of compliance where strict rules are applied to the business and measured against. Or work on reporting and forecasting to help management make business decisions.

Accounting Salaries

Most accounting roles also come with an excellent salary. The average accountant salary in the UK in 2018 was between €28,875 and €64,000, depending on experience and location. For those with formal accounting qualifications.

In Singapore, accountants earn around S$50,952, while Canadian accountants earn about C$51,000. Not all accounting positions have strict qualifications, though. Entry-level jobs can still fit your needs and may not require years of education to get started.

Here are four of the most exciting careers for women in accounting.

1. Spectator Sports Accountant

Being a spectator sports accountant is an excellent example of how the accounting field makes it easy to work in an industry you’re passionate about. Women can support their favourite sports teams and professionals by working as an accountant for their teams. This can include managing payroll, recording revenues and sales forecasting and budgeting.

Women can help their favourite sports teams run smoothly by managing their finances. Your work can help bring in top talent, including coaches, trainers, and players. Plus, as a sports accountant, you’d have your hands on some pretty interesting information, including the profitability of the team you’re supporting.

A spectator sports accountant generally requires at least a bachelor’s degree. Higher-level positions may require more advanced degrees, though. Because a spectator sports accountant can hold a variety of roles, we’ve included a scale ranging from an accounts payable clerk all the way up to a controller. Here’s what you can expect to make in each of these areas:

• UK: £19,700 – £48,000
• Singapore: S$38,000 – S$99,268
• Hong Kong: HK$231,000 – HK$737,000
• Canada: C$39,000 – C$70,000

2. Information Technology Accountant

An IT accountant, also known as a systems accountant, is perfect for tech-savvy women who want to practice accounting. Here are the average salaries for this role by location:

• UK: €40,375
• Singapore: S$86,000
• Hong Kong: HK$295,000
• Canada: C$43,000

Generally, a degree with a mixture of accounting and computer science, statistics, or information management systems will be required for these positions. Each day, information technology accountants apply accounting principles to an organisation using software systems. The goal is to organise and protect financial data. Using the software, you’ll help identify any gaps in internal controls and assist with correcting human errors.

Women who choose this profession have a massive advantage over their future. This role has accounting and information technology expertise, so women can easily transition to a career focused on either path. Whether they make the career change on their own or because the needs of an industry shift, women with this expertise will have a greater chance of securing a future job.

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3. Personal Financial Advisor

As personal financial advisors, women can help others budget and invest their money. Personal financial advisors make informed and educated decisions about estate, tax, and retirement planning. Their main goal is to help people prepare for the future by responsibly managing their finances.

Women can work as independent agents and be in business for themselves as personal financial advisors. Otherwise, you can look for employment at a large firm. Here are the average salaries for this role by location:

• UK: €34,570
• Singapore: S$49,000
• Hong Kong: HK$494,000
• Canada: C$44,000

Generally, personal financial advisors hold at least a bachelor’s degree. Plus, personal financial advisors require extra licenses to sell investment products to their clients.

4. Forensic Accountant

Forensic accounting is another excellent example of how diverse the accounting field can be for women. It combines criminal justice and accounting to find fraud, embezzlement, and other financial crimes. Forensic accountants investigate business and tax records using auditing techniques.

Women who have an accounting background but want to work on investigations can find the perfect fit as forensic accountants. Most positions will require a bachelor’s degree in accounting or business. It’s also beneficial to hold a master’s degree or an ACCA qualification. Forensic accountants can expect the following salaries depending on their location:

• UK: €34,995
• Singapore: S$77,000
• Hong Kong: HK$180,000
• Canada: C$84,000

Conclusion

Accounting is a growing industry and can be a perfect fit for women. The field has evolved to allow for flexibility in schedules, remote work, great pay, plus an exciting variety of career options.

Women are no longer the minority in the accounting profession and, in many areas, have overtaken the number of men. There are plenty of opportunities to grow a successful and exciting career as an accountant.

Read more: Women in Accounting & CIMA: 3 Career Interviews