When it comes to career viability, accounting bats a near-perfect score. Point by point, it ticks all the major boxes that determine whether a job path is worthwhile:
✅ It’s respected and trusted as a profession (beating out bankers, lawyers, and financial planners to earn the top spot as the most trusted financial services profession).
✅ It’s a lucrative industry (to the tune of $14 billion a year in income across Australia’s top 100 accounting firms).
✅ It’s historically been a high-demand field (with close to 9 out of 10 SMEs having hired a professional accountant to handle their books).
But that’s today. What about tomorrow? And the day after? And years into the future? Especially while AI is busy gobbling up jobs in industries from all over the map, from graphic design to voiceover work?
While we don’t have a crystal ball, it’s safe to say that AI is no match for human accountants, for one simple reason: trust.
Even in a field that’s all about crunching numbers and making the math work, there’s no replacing the human element. It’s people, not programs, who have the best insights. The years of experience. The up-to-the-minute info on rules and regulations. The nitty gritty understanding of their clients’ businesses and ever-evolving needs. That’s why most business owners aren’t going to hand over their accounting to a computer, no matter how “smart” it is.
Consider, too, that even in times of belt-tightening, businesses are willing to invest in quality accounting services. The pandemic is a perfect example. Businesses raced to accountants for help navigating uncertainty (in everything from supply chain issues to cash flow), new business models (hello, work from home), and various other challenges (like figuring out government grants and incentives).
But even though the future looks bright for accountants, there’s still the matter of job searching, applying, interviewing, and then landing these coveted roles. That’s where expert help from experienced recruiting professionals can make all the difference in getting the offers (and compensation packages) you want or getting ghosted by prospective employers.
Looking to start or level up your accounting career? Reach out today to hit the ground running.