経理へ転職する際の志望動機の例文|ポイントや注意点なども解説Example of motivation for changing jobs to accounting|Explanation of points and cautions.

Accounting is an indispensable part of a company, as it helps to keep track of the company's finances. Some former accounting professionals may be considering a career change and wish to work as an accountant for a different company.

In order to work as an accountant at the company of your choice, it is important to understand what the company is looking for and to appeal to them in your motivation for applying for the job. In this article, we will introduce how to write a motivation for applying for a new job as an accountant and provide some sample sentences. Please be sure to read to the end of this article as it explains what you need to keep in mind when writing your motivation.

In a company, an accountant is responsible for accounting and financial operations. Accounting and finance tasks enable a company to accurately understand its financial situation, which is an important role for the company to make business decisions. Financial management is also one of the major tasks of an accountant.

Furthermore, accounting is also responsible for clarifying the company's financial situation and then reporting it to the outside world. For example, they prepare important financial statements for investors, banks, and other stakeholders to make investment and financing decisions. Thus, accounting is a position that has a major role both inside and outside the company.

Job Description of an Accountant

Accounting is involved in the accounting and financial affairs of a company, but what exactly does an accountant do? The main responsibilities of an accountant include cash receipts and disbursements management and the preparation of financial statements.

Cash management includes three types of work: “cashiering,” which manages cash deposits and withdrawals and deposit balances; “bookkeeping,” which records deposits and withdrawals by bookkeeping; and “compilation,” which prepares financial statements from the ledgers containing information on deposits and withdrawals. Receipt and disbursement management is necessary to accurately grasp the flow of cash and deposits that have fluctuated due to corporate activities.

The preparation of financial statements involves the preparation of balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, statements of changes in shareholders' equity, and accompanying schedules. Although small and medium-sized enterprises are not required to disclose financial statements, they are required to prepare balance sheets and income statements in their accounts, so small and medium-sized accounting firms must also prepare financial statements.

They are also responsible for the following other tasks
 

• Voucher generation
• Expense reimbursement
• Payroll calculation
• Tax returns and payments, etc.

What is the appeal of working as an accountant who manages the financial affairs of a company? Knowing what makes accounting appealing can help you create a motivation for applying for a job. The three most attractive aspects of working as an accountant are as follows
 

• You can work in a highly specialized field
• You can be involved in management
• Women can also play an active role.

Highly specialized work

Accounting is an essential part of any company and is a highly specialized job. Although the job content and accounting software used differ from company to company, knowledge of bookkeeping and other skills are common, making it possible to be an immediate asset in a new company.

In addition, accounting work also requires knowledge of tax laws, such as tax reporting. It is important to study hard because it requires a wide range of knowledge, but if you hone your expertise, you will be able to aim for career advancement in addition to your new job.

Involvement in management

Accounting is a position that allows you to grasp the flow of money in a company and learn about its financial situation as quickly as possible. Through accounting work, you will learn how to think and how to look at information in order to manage a company on an ongoing basis. By identifying management problems and suggesting improvements from the unique perspective of an accountant, you are likely to stabilize management and increase profits.

In fact, accounting is sometimes asked to provide opinions at management meetings. In this way, you will find it very rewarding to be involved in company management from a position close to management.

Women can also play an active role

Although accounting work covers a wide range of jobs, it is possible to realize a flexible work style depending on the nature of the job. For example, you can work shorter hours, work three or four days a week, or even telecommute if you have adequate security measures in place. This flexibility makes it easier for women who are raising children or caring for family members to be active in this type of work.

Although there may be busy periods, such as when closing accounts, basically, we do not work individually, but as a team. As long as the team efficiently completes the assigned tasks, overtime hours are low even during busy periods, and it is easy to work at one's own pace.

If you are considering a career change in accounting, it is also important to understand what skills companies are looking for before writing your motivation. The following are the five main aptitudes that companies are looking for in accounting career changers.
 

• Knowledge of accounting
• Have good PC handling skills
• Accurate paperwork skills
• Good communication skills
• Confidentiality awareness

Knowledge of accounting

The first aptitude that companies are looking for is knowledge of accounting. Most of the job descriptions require knowledge of accounting and accounting-related issues, so in order to ensure that you will be an immediate asset to the company, companies are also checking to see if you have knowledge of accounting and accounting-related issues.

For example, knowledge of bookkeeping and payroll accounting is necessary to manage deposits and withdrawals. To demonstrate that you have such knowledge, it is a good idea to show it by the qualifications you have acquired. A level 2 or higher in bookkeeping is a good way to show that you are a practical person who can use this knowledge.

Skills in handling PCs.

Since accounting is classified as a clerical job, most of the work is done on a PC. Therefore, it is important to have PC skills.

For example, it is important to have basic skills in data entry in Excel and document creation in Word. However, it is not enough to simply be able to input data or create documents; you should also demonstrate your typing speed to improve work efficiency, and accurate document creation with no typographical errors or omissions.

In addition, many companies use specialized accounting software for closing accounts and calculating expenses. It is recommended that you also show that you can handle accounting software.

Accurate paperwork skills

Accurate paperwork skills are required for accounting work. For example, if you make a mistake in one item in the ledger, the subsequent figures will be out of line and you may have to re-create all the documents. In some cases, this could lead to problems such as insufficient expenses. Therefore, it is necessary to have the skills to enter data accurately and to be able to detect and correct any mistakes that may have been made.

In addition, accounting involves work that occurs many times on a daily, monthly, and annual basis. The ability to respond quickly to these tasks is also necessary. If you have the skills to handle these tasks quickly, you will be able to improve your work efficiency.

Good communication skills

Although most of the work in accounting is done using PCs, there are actually many opportunities to communicate with employees in other departments. For example, they may directly check with employees who have made errors in expense reimbursement, or they may inform management about the financial situation and share information.

A company that understands this type of work will also look for good communication skills in an accounting career changer. An accountant who is a good communicator will be able to work smoothly with employees in other departments, and the accounting process will run more smoothly.

Awareness of confidentiality

Accountants hold information on income, expenditures, and financial results. This information is one of the confidential information that must not be shared with outside parties. Therefore, accountants are required to have a high awareness of confidentiality.

It is not simply a matter of not speaking information, but also of being careful about how you use private emails and social networking services. It is also important not to leave your seat while documents are on the table when you take them outside the office, and to be careful with your PC ID and password. Understand that accounting handles information that is important to the company, and take responsibility for your work.

At United World, we are committed to supporting job seekers who are looking to advance their careers. Our dedicated career advisors will deeply understand your experience and expectations, and will introduce you to the most suitable job opportunities. If you are looking for a successful career change, we encourage you to take advantage of United World's services.

Talk to United World about 
career change.

What points should an accountant keep in mind when thinking about motives for applying for a new job? Here we will explain the key points to keep in mind when writing a motive for applying for a job in accounting.

Be specific about why you want to change jobs

First of all, you should be specific about why you want to change jobs to accounting. In your reasons for wanting to become an accountant, describe your past experiences and your interest in new things, while deepening the relevance of the job to accounting.

Self-analysis and skill inventory are important to clarify your reasons for applying for a job. Reflect specifically on your past experiences and achievements and clarify how you can apply them to accounting work. For example, incorporating specific achievements such as “I reduced work hours by 0% by revamping my workflow” into your motivation will make it more persuasive.

Clarify why you must work for the company.

It is important to make clear not only why you want to work in accounting, but also why you need to work for that company. Accounting is a necessity for any company, and you will be choosing where to apply from among them. If you do not make your reasons clear, you may be perceived as “choosing a company somehow.

In order to clarify the reason why you must work for that company, you need to research the company you are applying to. It is a good idea to understand the features and initiatives of the accounting department from the website and IR materials.

However, if you tell them about the treatment, benefits, and conditions of the job, it may be perceived that you do not feel very motivated for the job. It is best to give reasons other than benefits and perks why you should work for the company if at all possible.

Describe skills and experience that can be applied to accounting work.

You can also showcase your skills and strengths on your resume and in interviews separately from your motivation. However, if you have skills and experience that can be applied to accounting work at the time of your motivation, please include them.

It is also important to convey your experience at that time, especially if it corresponds to the fact that you were also involved in accounting work before changing jobs, or that you previously worked as an accountant at another company, albeit with a blank period of time. Also, when addressing your skills and experience, be sure to show specific accomplishments. For example, “I reviewed and improved my workflow and reduced my accounting work time by about 25%.

Show how you can contribute to the company.

Companies are more interested in “how much you can contribute to the company” rather than how much skill you have. No matter how many skills you have, it is meaningless if you do not know how to use them. Therefore, showing that you can contribute to the company will lead to a good impression.

When demonstrating that you can contribute to the company, be specific about your career vision after joining the company. By clearly stating what role you would like to play in the future and the goals you would like to achieve at the company, you communicate your willingness to contribute over the long term. In addition, if your career goals are aligned with the company's vision, emphasizing this point will make a strong impression on the hiring manager.

We have introduced some points to consider when writing a motivation for applying for a job, and we have also included an example of a motivation for applying for a job to help you in the actual creation of your own. Please try to adapt the example sentences to your own style and create a motivation that conveys your enthusiasm for the job.

Example of motivation for application (1)

I was in charge of expense accounting and monthly/annual closing of accounts at my current position. I was attracted to your company because of your achievements in the field of “XX” and because you have many opportunities to communicate not only with domestic but also with overseas group companies, and I thought I could be involved in the preparation of consolidated financial statements and securities reports. In addition, I would like to become a leader of the accounting department in the future and contribute to the financial management of the company by leading a team.

This example introduces your skills and knowledge as an experienced accountant, and explains what attracted you to the company through your research. By introducing your skills first, the company will be able to determine if you are an immediate asset to the company.

As a result of your company research, you have also properly explained why you chose this company. By also indicating your career vision, you can convey your desire for self-realization after joining the company.

Example of a motivation for application (2)

In my current position, I was in charge of receivables and payables, accounting procedures, and monthly closing of accounts by myself. I was also involved in the creation of manuals to prevent the use of a single person in the business. When I heard that your company was moving toward going public, I decided to apply to your company because I wanted to provide support as an accountant toward the IPO. I would like to contribute to your company as a proactive person who takes on challenges to improve operational efficiency, which is something that your company values.”

In the above sample sentence, in addition to having experience in accounting processing and closing accounts, the applicant also demonstrates that he/she has made efforts to avoid becoming a geriatric employee, such as by creating manuals. Although it is not clear whether your experience outside of accounting can be utilized at the company you are applying for, it is recommended that you introduce in your motivation for applying for the job any experience or other skills that would be useful in many industries or companies.

When writing your motivation for a career change to accounting, you should pay attention to the following points
 

• Don't write too much about the compensation package.
• Do not consider the job of accounting as a simple clerical job.
• Avoid content that may lower the image of your previous job.

Let us explain each of these points in detail.

Don't write too much about benefits.

Although this applies to positions other than accounting, it is not a good idea to write too much about salary, benefits, or other aspects of the company's treatment of applicants. For example, if you write, “I applied to your company because of its excellent benefits package and higher salary compared to other companies.” If you write, “I chose your company because of its excellent benefits and higher salary compared to other companies,” the company will think that you chose the company based on the conditions alone.

Even if you give a reason in your motivation for applying for the job that you are concerned about the benefits, the company you are applying to will not know what the benefits of hiring you will be. Even if you actually chose the company because of its treatment, it is best to avoid writing about it outright.

Don't view the job of accounting as a simple clerical job.

If you have worked in accounting in the past, you should have no problem with this, but you should avoid describing an accounting job as a simple clerical job in your personal statement. Accounting may be perceived as a one-day PC job, just inputting data, but in reality, accounting plays an important role in management decision-making by understanding accounting processes, analyzing them based on numbers, and sharing information with management.

Therefore, the motivation for application should be based on the assumption that you have a proper understanding of accounting work and its specialties. It is a good idea to be specific about your past experience and interests, and if you have relevant skills and knowledge, you should be able to show that much.

Avoid content that may diminish the image of your previous job.

Even if you left your previous job because of the work environment, poor treatment, or human relations, you should not write anything in your personal statement that would reflect negatively on your previous job. A motivation that lowers the image of your previous job may give a negative impression to the applicant. Instead, it is important to give a constructive impression by indicating that you are considering changing jobs for positive reasons.

However, it is important to write “why I want to work for your company” as the basic reason for your application, and not “why I left my previous job. In addition to the reason for applying for a job, you may be asked about why you left your previous job during an interview. In such cases, do not just complain or whine, but show how you worked to improve the situation and demonstrate that you can think independently and take action.

In this article, we have introduced how to write a motivation for application and example sentences that can be used to change jobs to accounting. Since the reason for applying for a job is so important that it can affect whether you are hired or not, thoroughly analyze yourself and research the company so that you can show that you can be the kind of accounting professional that the company is looking for.

If you are interested in working as an accountant for a foreign-affiliated or domestic global company, we recommend using “United World” United World handles a large number of accounting jobs for foreign-affiliated and domestic global companies. Some of the positions are for managerial candidates in the accounting department, which is recommended for those who are looking to advance their careers. If you are considering a career change, please click the button below to contact us.

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