For example, if you have decided that you are going to be an accountant, you'll need the requisite education necessary; accountants will need to get a degree in accounting. Then, if they want to become certified public accountants (usually in the event they want to work for a public accounting firm), they'll also need to take the Uniform CPA Examination, which is taken in four parts.
By contrast, if you want to become a bookkeeping, auditing, or accounting clerk, you generally only need strong attention to detail, to be good with numbers and very precise and accountable, and have a high school education. And because the job market is such that jobs can be hard to come by these days, it's also recommended that you get certification or some secondary education like an associates degree in addition, to make you more marketable. Some employers, in fact, are beginning to demand this.
Once you've gotten these skills and background, though, you begin your accounting job search. Perhaps the first place to look is at your school's career placement center, if you have graduated with a degree from a college or university. They're very good at giving you advice in your job search, and/or may even be able to give you specific leads that will help you find accounting jobs.
There are other ways to find accounting jobs, too. Employment agencies exist in almost every city, such that you can go, search for jobs available in your area, and can sometimes even apply immediately, by accessing applications online. Temporary agencies, too, are a great way to get your foot in the door when you're doing an accounting job search, because you can be working in temporary positions even as you continue to look for a full-time position.
Finally, another way to look for and find accounting jobs (especially if you're not going to be geographically limiting yourself) is to go online. Many job sites exist with specific accounting jobs listed and available, and most of them will let you submit your resume online, and/or submit an application.
Some pointers
When you're doing an accounting job search, make sure you treated just as you would a job. In other words, set yourself some goals to spend the specific amount of time every day simply working on your job search. Work on your resume and get that in order, too, and prepare yourself for prospective interviews by running through "fake" interviews with friends who are knowledgeable.
Alternatively, you can also contact a recruiter, who can help you find a job. This is most especially valuable if you have a position that's relatively specialized and high level, such as if you are a certified public accountant and are looking for a job. Because recruiters work for clients and not for you, their services are "free" to you; they may also have leads on jobs that you won't know about. That's because oftentimes, recruiters look for candidates for jobs that are not publicly posted.
A recruiter can also help you hone interview skills, run practice interviews, review your resume and give you pointers on fixing it. As applicable, they may also be able to set up interviews for you if you are found to be a good fit for the client they're working for. Again, because they generally have more than one client at a time if they're independent, and/or are looking for more than one candidate for a particular set of job positions if they work for a particular company, they may be able to help you find a job when you can't on your own.
