Earning an Online MBA in Accounting is a way to blend essential business skills with a high need specialty area. Accounting is a diverse field with many applications; combining this knowledge with an Online MBA amplifies the possible career paths available. The following is a list of the Top Ten Best Accounting Jobs for Online MBA Students. All of the careers listed offer competitive salaries, directly relate to accounting skills, and will allow students to utilize the broad business expertise offered by an Online MBA. Whether you are nearing the end of your OMBA journey and looking for career options or just beginning your degree, this list is a great place to start your research for finding the future job of your dreams!
Corporate Controller
One of the best accounting jobs to pursue is corporate controller. Corporate controllers are an essential part of accounting and financial functions within any business or organization. This position carries many financial responsibilities, including but not limited to overseeing billing, budgeting, accounts payable & receivable. The business and communication skills gained from an Online MBA will also prepare corporate controllers for performing management duties, creating company-wide financial/accounting procedures, creating budget guidelines, forecasting, and running comprehensive financial reports & statements. In small companies, corporate controllers may have the role of CFO and report directly to the CEO of the company. On average, corporate controllers earn around $100,800 per year. They traditionally work set business hours from an office. However, there may be some minor travel or overtime required.
Treasurer
Treasurers have many responsibilities within both small and large companies. A few of the common tasks that treasurers perform are strategic investing, financial analysis, forecasting, running financial reports, maintaining accurate records, managing payroll, and more. Treasurers are often advisors to the company’s management team. An Online MBA in Accounting prepares students for this, as well as their role in creating strategies and processes to help companies run efficiently. A bachelor’s degree is typically the minimum requirement for treasurers. However, MBA candidates are considered highly. Most treasurers have around ten years of experience in the field of finance, with about five of those in management. Treasurers must be excellent communicators, have the ability to lead teams, understand a range of business concepts, and be able to process complex mathematical calculations. An Online Master’s of Business Administration in Accounting is the perfect preparation for this career path.
Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Certified Financial Planners must pass a rigorous certification process that tests their knowledge of key financial planning areas such as retirement planning, tax laws, regulations, investments, and more. CFP’s work with clients either through a private practice or financial institutions. During their meetings, they give suggestions on how to better manage money, expenses, and income. The assessment is thorough and often includes interviewing clients to discuss financial goals and any potential problem areas that could hold them back from reaching their full financial potential. Goals often include things such as college expenses, investment opportunities, retirement, or working towards paying off debt. CPR’s must be able to create and communicate many options for their clients, which may include looking at refinancing opportunities or checking for tax breaks. The skills acquired with an Online MBA in Accounting directly apply to this position, especially those that lead businesses or manage teams, which generally yields a base salary of around $67,800.
Tax Director
Tax directors earn base salaries between $105,000 and $198,000. This position carries many responsibilities, such as preparing and completing tax documents, as well as creating and implementing cohesive tax strategies for businesses. In the event that tax issues arise, it is a tax director’s job to resolve them. Tax directors who work in the business field must understand both domestic and international tax laws depending on the needs of their company. The communication, accounting, and business skills acquired through an Online MBA in Accounting will prepare graduates for many aspects of this position, like having thorough written communication skills, interacting with employees from many departments of a company, and exceptional math skills to ensure that tax documentation is done correctly. Many tax directors have experience in tax accounting and may have earned their CPA as well.
Accounting Director
Another top accounting job is accounting director. Because accounting directors lead organizations’ accounting teams, most accounting directors have prior experience in accounting management, an upper-level degree such as an Online MBA in Accounting, and have earned CPA licensure. Accounting directors handle both financial and supervisory tasks and are very proficient in using software for auditing financial data. They must also have a comprehensive understanding of regulations, policies, and standards in order to maintain accurate reporting. This position earns around $105,600 annually and is considered a supervisory position. As supervisors, accounting directors hold meetings, gather data, present recommendations to teams, and oversee the general training and performance of other accountants in addition to maintaining financial records. An Online MBA in Accounting prepares graduates with the skills needed to become an accounting director by helping them improve skills like communicating with teams, understanding financial statements, and leading others in a positive way.
Assistant Controller
Assistant controllers manage account activities and internal auditing. They must also have a strong understanding of financial regulations in order to ensure that their department is following protocol. Assistant controllers must have exemplary communication and leadership skills in order to develop their team and offer advice to superiors in a confident and comprehensive way. Outside of managing teams, assistant controllers are also responsible for checking for account accuracy, budgeting, allocating resources, creating reports, and overseeing annual budget meetings. This position often requires reporting to CEOs, CFOs, and other supervisors. As you can imagine, professionalism and communication skills are essential to success within this role. Industry-specific experience is often required for assistant controller positions. Most companies require a degree in finance or accounting, with graduate-level work preferred. Having both accounting and supervisory experience is a benefit when applying for this upper-level career path.
Accounting Manager
Accounting managers work with businesses to develop and implement systems that analyze, gather, report and verify financial information. Accounting managers are generally a part of managerial staff with other mid-level professionals in the same company. Job duties for this position include hiring, training, and managing staff. Accounting managers also complete financial tasks such as preparing budgets, scheduling expenses, and taking action to correct any budget problems that arise. Companies can avoid legal issues because of accounting managers’ keen eye for understanding current legislation, enforcing financial regulations, and recommendations for new and efficient procedures. In addition to their own duties, accounting managers assist and guide other departments through observation and recommendations. Those in this versatile field also update business information, educate staff, and look for opportunities to improve their company’s financial model. Account managers generally have a bachelor’s or Master’s in Accounting along with several years of experience within the field.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Certified Public Accountants, also known as CPAs, typically take care of taxes, accounting, reporting, and auditing for individuals, organizations, and government entities. Because this profession is applicable to many fields and specializations, the duties that CPAs perform may vary from job to job. But some of the common tasks that Certified Public Accountants perform include staying up-to-date on government regulations, preparing documentation related to taxes, finances, and audits, and reviewing financial information for improvement. CPAs spend a lot of time working with financial computer programs and put in long hours during tax season, which runs from the begining of January to April. Positions in this field are available in local, state, & federal agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses of all sizes, or accounting firms. CPAs often have areas of specialization like taxes, financial planning, auditing, and valuation. The requirements for becoming a licensed Certified Public Accountant vary by state. The hours earned from an Online MBA in Accounting can help students to be ready to sit for the exam.
Tax Analyst
Companies and organizations hire tax analysts to process their tax-related documents. Tax analysts also manage and audit inventories following company procedures, communicate their findings, clear up tax discrepancies, and work together with external auditors, other analysts, and general tax employees. During tax season, analysts also review and analyze data in order to make sure that their company receives the most up-to-date and beneficial tax credits for their organization. A big part of being a tax analyst is creating comprehensive financial reports and ensuring tax compliance. Ensuring compliance often looks like implementing planning strategies, reviewing paperwork, and submitting tax documents. It is important for tax analysts to have a wide understanding of local, state, and federal tax regulations, which requires that they stay up-to-date on any relevant changes that may affect their company or organization. Being comfortable with spreadsheets, running computer analysis on data, and accounting software is also a must.
Senior Manager Accountant / Auditor
Senior manager accounts/auditors conduct and review all accounting and auditing within their organization. This role is a pivotal part of organizations because senior manager accountants and auditors manage all financial aspects of a company and share any discrepancies with top management. The work environment for senior manager accountants is fast-paced. It involves working with teams and mentoring junior accountants to assure that they are following procedures and auditing practices. Individuals in this role must have the ability to process large amounts of financial information, strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and a knowledge of accounting and auditing software. A strong understanding of spreadsheet software and running advanced calculations is also necessary. Previous management experience is preferred for this type of position. There is a minimum of a bachelor’s degree required; however, advanced degrees are highly advantageous.
Action Plans
I Graduated Now What?
You have invested time, money, and energy to earn your degree. Now it is time to take all of the knowledge that you gained while completing your Online Master’s of Business Administration and apply it to real-world positions. It can be intimidating to apply for supervisory or management positions! But don’t let that hold you back, especially if you are a woman. Did you know that women are 20% less likely to apply for positions that they are qualified for and 18% more likely to get hired for senior positions? It is normal for men to feel a bit anxious about applying for upper-level positions, as well. The takeaway from this statistic is that if you don’t apply, you can’t get hired!
With that being said, you may be wondering how many jobs you should apply for. According to Indeed.com, two to three quality applications per day is a great goal. The keyword here is quality. For instance, you may have noticed that several of the positions on this list require CPA licensure. If you do not hold a CPA certification or plan on acquiring one, then these would not be ideal positions to apply for. However, it is also important to know that it is very rare for an applicant to meet all of the listed job requirements even in supervisory roles. Many top resources such as Forbes and LinkedIn suggest applying if you meet at least 75% of the job description. Another great tip is to vary the type of jobs that you are applying for by submitting applications for both positions that you are highly qualified for, as well as “dream job” positions that would allow you to stretch your experience and try new things.
Looking for a new job can feel like a full-time job in itself. As you are putting in applications, it is important to consider the whole picture. Make sure that you have solid and current references, edit or spruce up social media profiles such as LinkedIn and Facebook, practice interview skills, update your wardrobe, and connect to any networks you may have entered into while working on your degree. Many universities have exceptional alumni networks, and this would be a great place to start.
In short, you may be more qualified than you think, so be sure to apply! Don’t forget to update all of the parts of your application. Plan to submit two to three quality applications per day. And remember to take care of yourself in the process. Finding a new job can be a stressful time, especially after graduation. Get plenty of rest, take care of your body and mind, and don’t get discouraged because the opportunity of your dreams may be just around the corner.
