How Military Veterans Can Stand Out from Other Accounting and Finance Candidates

We’ve seen lots of changes in the job market over the past five years or so. With so much ebb and flow in the quantity of jobs available, you may find yourself squeezed into the candidate pool with many other job candidates. If you’re trying to stand out against your peers & achieve your dream job in 2024, here are some ways you could invest your time. For help finding a great job in 2024, start your search with us!

Add some new skills like project management:

Project management is transforming quickly and drastically. Advancements in technology (AI) and the evolution of project management tools, methodologies, frameworks, and best practices contribute to a similar change in the project management skills required to deliver successful projects. You need to recognize that there are both hard and soft skills that are required to be a project manager, and you can’t have one without the other. Hard skills like scheduling, PM tool knowledge, task and risk management, project planning, etc., can be learned on the job, or you can pull from your vast military experience to see how you can apply these hard skills in the accounting/finance industry. Don’t be surprised if you already possess the skills needed from your current job experience. Soft skills include teamwork, critical thinking, communication, leadership, research, etc. If you want to stand out from other candidates, focus on how these skills have been applied to work you’ve done in the past or how you’ve used them in your military experience.

Stay ahead of AI:

With the exponential growth of AI, continuous learning is non-negotiable. Dedicate time regularly to learning new concepts, techniques, and tools. Take advantage of online resources, such as webinars and blogs, and enroll in relevant courses or workshops to enhance your knowledge and skills. Networking with like-minded professionals can lead to valuable partnerships, career opportunities, and knowledge exchange. Attend conferences, workshops, and meetups to expand your network and engage in meaningful conversations. Don’t hesitate to participate in online forums and other platforms where AI enthusiasts gather to discuss and share insights. It’s a great way to learn new AI systems. You should also get familiar with frameworks to help you practice your AI skills. Such frameworks include but are not limited to TensorFlow, PyTorch, and OpenAI’s GPT.

Cybersecurity best practices:

Every accounting business is vulnerable as cybercriminals continue to come up with new ways to deploy attacks. No matter how secure you believe your system to be, there’s always a possibility of a data breach. It also doesn’t matter what the size of a business is – larger firms tend to appear to be higher risk, but they also have far more investment in security measures than smaller businesses. It’s important to have a comprehensive strategy when it comes to accessing systems and data. All employees will need access to data, and that’s something you should understand when it comes to learning cybersecurity in accounting and finance. Learn how to do security audits by taking online courses or training offered through a current job. You can also tap IT security experts and ask to get hands-on experience in their cybersecurity techniques. It will also be important to learn data encryption to understand how data and information are kept safe. Knowing these skills will go a long way to standing out against other job candidates. 

Utilize and lean on a recruiting firm:

Using a recruiting firm offers you many benefits, not least of which is access to non-public opportunities. Many companies prefer looking for applicants through agencies rather than posting job openings online. According to a study, about 80% of jobs are never posted publicly. This means that when working with an agency, you’ll have the opportunity to access more jobs, and you won’t be competing with as many candidates. Working with an agency also helps you perfect your interviewing skills as it gives you access to more knowledge about the company you’re applying to. Understanding the company better will help you give the best answers and help you shine during your interview. A recruitment firm also has knowledge of what skills are most in demand and can offer you opportunities to help you learn those skills.

Searching for great career opportunities in the financial sector?

PrideStaff Financial has consistently won awards for exceptional job seeker satisfaction. We can help you stand out against a competitive crowd. Explore our current career opportunities or contact our team to learn more.