Using the Internet to Find Accounting / Bookkeeping Jobs

Looking for a job requires a lot of work. No one has to tell you what’s involved: searching job listings, networking, hunting down potential employers. It takes a lot of time and energy to get that one good interview. Using the Internet to enhance your efforts can speed up the process while presenting more opportunities than you would find in a regular job search. Here are three ways to webify your approach:

1. Search Listings

Many people look for job listings in the Sunday paper or other classifieds. Not only can you find those same listings online, but you can also use general search engines, job banks, and professional associations to look for jobs.

Classifieds
You’ve probably already discovered your local paper online. What about the paper two counties down? Or the newspaper in that big city you’ve always wanted to live? You have access to hundreds of classified if you just let your fingers do the walking, on your keyboard, that is.

Search Engines
Yahoo, Google, MetaCrawler, and AltaVista are just a few examples of search engines you can use to find jobs. And if you type in the right key words (see our next newsletter on good online searches), you can narrow the search and find your way to a potential employer’s inbox.

Job Banks
There are many job banks like monster.com, America’s Job Bank, and careerbuilder.com that allow you to post your resume and search their listings for jobs anywhere in the country. Usually membership is free and after joining a job bank service, some will notify you when a job description matching your interests is posted. Many job banks also offer tutorials that could help prepare you for even the most daunting job-search hurdle. And there are job banks that are designed for accountants and bookkeepers (see The Marketplace for Accounting and Financial Professionals).

Professional Associations
Joining professional associations can put you in contact with influential colleagues while keeping you current in your field. While you may have to pay membership fees, these associations can be a great resource for jobs and networking. The Tax and Accounting Sites Directory has a great list of places to check out.

2. Network

You’ve heard the adage, “It’s not >what you know, it’s who you know.” Your knowledge and skills will help you prove yourself, but sometimes knowing the right people will give you just that chance to show your stuff. When you make the right connections online, in addition to the networking you do face-to-face, you increase your opportunities to impress.

So where do you network online? There are many newsgroups, mailing lists, and professional forums you can join to meet new people. You never know where you might find that one person who will put you in touch with your future. UAC’s forums are a good place to start.

3. Find Potential Employers

Now is a good time to ask yourself where you’d like to work. Which companies appeal to you? Go to their websites and see what listings they post there. You can also find out what the organization is about and get a feeling for the type of work you might do for them.

But maybe you don’t know where you’d like to work yet. Searching the yellow pages online can help you find local companies you might like to work for. And the yellow pages you thumb through on the Internet give you access to more companies than you’d find in your local phone book; you can search in any city, in any state to find potential employers. Sometimes the listing includes a link to the company website where you might find openings.

Preparing for the Interview
Now don’t turn off the computer just yet. Once you’ve scheduled that interview you can use the Internet to study the company website and find out what’s important to them. Nothing impresses a potential employer more than knowing that you’ve done your homework and can ask intelligent questions about their aims.

Universal Accounting Center Can Help Increase Your Computer Skills
If you haven’t yet enhanced your bookkeeping or accounting skills by working with QuickBooks, Universal Accounting has the course for you. Whether you want to work as a small business accountant or as a freelance accountant or bookkeeper, QuickBooks does it all. Its streamlined workflow helps you get done sooner. And QuickBook skills are a great thing to include on a resume. Register for our QuickBooks training today!

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...