Explore Careers in the
Accounting Industry
This is your ultimate directory of what opportunities the accounting skill set will open up for you.
They open doors to industries, roles, and opportunities you might not even know exist yet.
Here’s just a glimpse of where your skills can take you:
TRADITIONAL ACCOUNTING CAREER PATHS
Public Practice Accountant
Work with different businesses preparing financial statements, tax returns, and compliance reports. Build technical skills while gaining exposure to a variety of industries and clients.
Commercial Accountant
Become the financial brain behind big brands. Manage budgets, track performance, and turn numbers into powerful decisions that drive real-world results. Watch the impact of your work every single day.
Auditor
Be the detective who keeps companies sharp. Check financial records, find risks before they explode, and protect businesses from costly mistakes. Your work keeps the economy honest and running strong.
Management Accountant
Get inside the engine room of businesses. Budget, forecast, and guide smarter business moves with your insights. You don’t just report numbers — you help shape the future of companies.
Financial Accountant
Be the storyteller behind the numbers. Prepare key financial reports, ensure compliance, and lay the financial foundation for businesses to grow, expand, and succeed in the real world.
Insolvency & Restructuring Accountant
Jump in when businesses need saving. Help companies restructure, rebuild, or gracefully exit when things get tough. You’re part strategist, part firefighter, and fully critical when stakes are high.
Forensic Accountant
Be the financial detective who uncovers fraud, solves crimes, and supports major legal cases. Your skills turn complex financial puzzles into clear, powerful evidence that changes real world outcomes.
ESG & Sustainability Reporting Specialist
Help companies track and report their environmental and social impact. Use numbers to drive real change, influence business strategy, and build a greener, more ethical future.
GLOBAL, GOVERNMENT, NOT FOR PROFIT (NFP) ROLES
Government Auditor / Accountant
Manage public money, protect transparency, and help build trust in government. Your work keeps essential services funded, communities strong, and the economy running fairly and responsibly.
NGO or Charity Finance Manager
Fuel real change behind the scenes. Manage budgets for charities and nonprofits, ensuring every dollar creates maximum impact for communities, causes, and people who need it most.
International Accountant
Work across borders managing global finances. Support businesses operating in multiple countries, navigate complex tax laws, and open up a world of career opportunities without limits.
Policy Advisor (Finance and Regulation)
Shape the future of finance by influencing laws, regulations, and government policies. Your advice impacts businesses, communities, and entire economies at a national and global level.
STRATEGIC AND COMMERCIAL ROLES
Internal Auditor
Be the insider who keeps companies strong. Audit operations, spot risks early, and help businesses run smarter, safer, and more successfully from the inside out.
CFO (Chief Financial Officer)
Lead the money and strategy game. Oversee budgets, drive business decisions, and guide companies through growth, innovation, and disruption. It's where finance meets power and impact.
Business Advisor / Consultant
Help businesses unlock growth, profits, and smarter strategies. Become the trusted partner leaders turn to when they want to level up and succeed in a changing world.
Risk Management Specialist
Protect businesses from what’s around the corner. Spot risks early, design smart strategies, and make sure companies grow with confidence, resilience, and future proof decision making.
ENTREPRENEURIAL AND EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES
Startup CFO / Finance Lead
Be the financial engine inside an early stage startup. Build budgets, manage cash flow, and shape business strategy from the ground up. Your work could launch the next big thing.
Founder / Small Business Owner
Use your accounting superpowers to launch and grow your own business. From finance to strategy, you’ll call the shots, build your dream, and create your own success story.
Financial Coach / Money Educator
Empower others to master their money. Teach financial skills, break down complex concepts, and help people build wealth, freedom, and confidence for their future.
SPECIALIST AND TECH ENABLED CAREERS
Systems Accountant
Bridge finance and tech. Manage financial systems, improve processes, and make sure businesses stay agile and scalable with the right tools and data.
Data Analyst (Finance Focus)
Turn financial data into insights that drive smarter decisions. Spot patterns, predict trends, and become the storyteller behind the numbers that shape business strategies.
Cyber Risk and Financial Security Advisor
Protect companies from cyber threats. Safeguard financial data, design security strategies, and help businesses stay resilient in a world that runs on information.
R&D Tax Specialist
Support innovation by helping businesses claim research and development tax benefits. Fuel breakthroughs in tech, science, and business - and get paid to champion creativity.
Treasury Analyst
Manage cash flow, investments, and financial risk. Keep companies stable, agile, and ready to grow by making sure their money works harder, smarter, and safer.
Where can your accounting skills take you in the world?
Take your pick. The world is your oyster.
Your Accounting Skills Are
Just the Beginning
Accounting isn't a "one size fits all" career - it's more of a launchpad.
Once you have the foundations, you can pivot, specialise, or expand into countless industries and roles.
At Firm Ready, we're here to make sure you don’t just start your career - you build a career that’s as ambitious and dynamic as you are.
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Firm Ready is a career platform helping junior accountants bridge the gap between study and industry with real-world skills, community support, and practical resources.
