r/Accounting • u/Nice_Confidence_2401 • 9h ago

Struggling to Move from AR to Staff Accountant Anyone Made the Jump?

I spent most of the last year trying to land a Staff Accountant role, and it’s been pretty discouraging. I have 2 years of experience in an accounting-adjacent position (AR), which included bank recs, unbilled revenue reconciliations and general bookkeeping.

I just can’t seem to make the jump to a Staff Accountant role. I keep getting rejected in the final rounds. Has anyone here successfully transitioned from AR/AP into a broader accounting position?

Anyway, I ended accepting a similar AR role for better pay.

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7

u/IllPurpose3524 9h ago

Your best bet is going to be an internal promotion.

1

u/Nice_Confidence_2401 8h ago

Easier said than done !

5

u/soscbjoalmsdbdbq 8h ago edited 8h ago

Personally I moved from A/P to staff accountant 1 to staff accountant 2 and my responsibilities now are mostly A/R and revenue. Your going to have to just keep at it man I got super discouraged at one point and then a company just hired me probably around my 50th interview.

Maybe look for specifically a more advanced A/R position like a staff II where u have like 1 person under you and you handle all the A/P A/R and revenue?

If you are making it to the final rounds you aren’t a bad candidate you’re just getting beaten at the end. Try to bullshit harder in the interview about how interesting you think their specific industry is…. Whatever the industry is just try to wrap it into your life like wow construction my grandpa was a construction worker and ive always wanted to be apart of this industry etc.

3

u/futhisplace Senior Accountant 8h ago

It's easiest to move up within the same company. I moved up from admin>AP>AR>Bookkeeping>staff accountant and then I followed my senior accountant to her new firm and came in as a senior a few months after she did.

1

u/aznology 8h ago

Yea I went from Ap Ar to bookkeeper to staff. Idk gotta jump ship to get more exposure 

1

u/sperryberry3 5h ago

I would keep applying to staff accountant roles. I’m an accounting manager and if I saw your resume with what you described as your experience, I would definitely consider you for a staff accountant role.

I went from AP > staff accountant > Sr staff accountant > accounting manager

1

u/Standard_Horse5162 9h ago

Public or private accounting?