The following are the 5 steps one must follow in order to secure healthcare accounting work:
1. Acquire the appropriate education - Healthcare accounting careers require one to at the minimum hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or a related field. Applicants with master’s level qualifications have an added advantage especially for middle tier and senior positions. In addition, possession of a professional certification such as CMA (Certified Management Accountant), CPA (Certified Public Accountant), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor), will give an applicant a clear head start over other candidates.
2. Hone your skills in preparation for the job - Healthcare accounting employment requires that one have good decision making skills. The accountant will be expected to weigh the cost of certain decisions versus the benefits to be accrued by the organization. As the person in charge of the institution's money purse, the healthcare accountant must be a good listener who takes times to understand the concerns and requests from other departments of the organization. A simple mistake by the accountant can prove costly to the organization. The healthcare accountant must also keep their ear to the ground listening for new regulations and developments in both the healthcare sector and accounting that are likely to affect the organization's accounting processes.
3. Get industry specific knowledge - Even though healthcare accounting jobs are primarily charged with managing the books of the organization, an understanding of the key processes in a healthcare institution is vital. For instance, a healthcare accountant should have an idea of basic healthcare compliance (HCC) principles. Awareness of the state and federal reporting requirements for healthcare institutions is also important as is knowledge of medical equipment.
4. Networking - Even though organizations continue to advertise for jobs, networking remains one of the best methods one can use to get the most sought for jobs. Anyone looking for healthcare accounting work must find ways to network with industry insiders so that they can know when an opportunity arises. This means attending both accounting and healthcare administration seminars and workshops in the area. During such forums, one must have their business card handy to ensure that they make the most of every encounter that shows positive prospects.
5. Internet jobs boards - The single largest source of healthcare accounting jobs is the internet. Thanks to the low cost of advertising on an internet job board and the larger audience online job boards have when compared to print ads, many institutions are opting to place their vacancies on the web. There are two types of job boards: generic and specialized. Generic job boards are those that cover all types of jobs across all industries. You will get job ads ranging from bank managers to medical doctors, from chief financial officers to legal counsel.
Specialized job boards on the other hand will focus on a particular job type. The advantage of well established and specialized internet job boards is that they are a magnet for both the best jobs and the best candidates in the industry they focus on. When looking for healthcare accounting work, job boards specialized in accounting or healthcare are the more likely to have the best health accounting jobs.
Even though accounting is a profession that has many opportunities now and in the near future, competition for the best healthcare accounting careers can be intense. It is important that a job seeker look for ways to get a leg up in the application process that will give them a competitive advantage over other candidates. AccountingCrossing.com can do just that. By signing up for a free trial account, you get access to the latest healthcare accounting employment opportunities.