4 Huge Mistakes Financial Job Seekers Make

Are you looking for a job as an accountant, bookkeeper, or financial professional? If so, it’s possible you’re making mistakes that could ultimately end up hurting your compensation or leave you unfulfilled in your new position.

We know this because our work as financial recruiters gives us a unique perspective on the way people look for jobs and are hired for them. When you can see both sides of a relationship or negotiation it gets easier to spot the kinds of blunders and misestimations that employers and job hunters make again and again.

Today, we want to give you a few pieces of advice you can use to avoid common but predictable blunders. Let’s look at four huge mistakes financial job seekers make every day…

 

#1 Looking Only at Salaries

Financial professionals know as well as anyone else that money is important and that the figures in any job offer need to add up. However, it’s also true that the salary you are offered for a position is only part of your compensation. Don’t forget to think carefully about things like location, benefits, and work-life balance factors. These can end up making you feel happier and more satisfied than an extra couple thousand dollars a year might.

 

#2 Ignoring Temporary or Temp-to-Hire Openings

Temporary financial jobs get a bad reputation, but they can provide wonderful opportunities. Not only do they tend to come with high per-hour pay, but can provide opportunities for travel, learning new skills, and fresh connections. Plus, working on a temporary basis can give you a foothold into a company where you want to earn permanent employment, especially under a temp-to-hire arrangement.

 

#3 Failing to Negotiate Important Terms

Usually, when a company is looking to hire any bookkeeper, accountant, or financial professional they have a range of salaries and bonus structures to offer. You don’t want to overplay your hand, particularly if the opportunity is a perfect fit for your skills and ambitions. Still, it never hurts to ask if you have questions and see whether a slightly higher salary might be available for the perfect candidate.

 

#4 Staying Out of the Market for Too Long

Obviously, it’s a great thing to be happy with your current position. However, every serious financial professional should be in the habit of looking for new openings. Not only will it keep you in tune with the skills employers want (and the salaries they command), but it will also leave you covered in the unlikely event that you suddenly need to find a new job or move your career in a new direction.

Whether you’re looking for a financial job right now, or are simply keeping an ear to the ground for new opportunities that might come around later, you can’t afford to make any of these mistakes. So, think carefully about all the openings and opportunities that are out there, and the kind of working life you want to create for yourself in the future.

Then, take a moment to contact the AF Staffing team and see how easy it is to become part of our network of financial professionals today!