A poll by Enactus of accounting students has revealed that nearly half fear they’ll choose the wrong job and miss out on another opportunity.

Of the 600 students surveyed, 39% said their second biggest fear of entering the working world is that they’ll make mistakes or fail to adapt quickly enough to their new role.

Accounting students aren’t the only group of young professionals having trouble with future career prospects, with 2014 seeing nearly 40% of graduates’ still job hunting.

And it’s not just the staff who have concerns. A report by Accountemps surveying 2,200 chief financial officers in the US revealed that there are 10 common mistakes made by entry-level staff, including; errors in work, consistently coming in late and failing to follow company policies.

How to know which accounting career is for you

If you’re worried that you’re on the wrong path for your accounting career, there are a few ways you can see if you’re in the right job or if you should start looking elsewhere.

Assess your skills

The first step to seeing if a job is right for you is to match up your skillset. Do you find yourself struggling in your current position? Are there aspects you don’t enjoy because they don’t stand in line with your future career plans?

While accounting can seem like simple number crunching to many, there are a variety of different skills required depending on your specific position. Have a look at your own skillset and see if it matches up not only to your current position but to your plans for the future.

If you find yourself having doubts, you should begin to look elsewhere for a job.

Read up on other accounting sectors

While accounting may be your choice for a career, it doesn’t mean that you’re restricted to working for a big finance corporation.

There are numerous different sectors within accounting that you may be more suited for. For example you have the option of choosing between forensic accounting, tax accounting and audit accounting – amongst others.

Before you leap into one sector without sparing a though for the others, you could be making a mistake. Make sure you look at all your options before deciding whether a new career move is right for you.

Evaluate your work ethic

While you may be loyal to the company you’re working for and by default have a strong work ethic, that doesn’t mean you’re right for the job. By evaluating your work ethic and deciding what really drives you to get on the phone to clients and complete accounts, you can decide on if this is really the right job for you.

What’s the most important part of accounting for you? Play your strengths and base your career around what drives you – otherwise your work ethic may dwindle.

Are you still unsure which accounting career is for you? Or do you think you’ve found your perfect job? Leave us a comment below or get in touch with us over on Twitter or Facebook!