I'm 47, and lost my job as a senior accountant last month when our department got outsourced. The job market feels totally foreign to me now, and I'm stressed about competing with younger CPAs who probably know all the new software... but I need a new job quickly. Any suggestions for where "mature" accounting professionals should focus their search? I haven't had to job hunt since the early 2000s.

It's not a great job market now, which I'm sure you realize. So things like familiarity with software is probably the least of the obstacles. You should be doing as much networking as you can, talk to people you've met in your work and see if anyone knows of any openings. The more you let people know you're looking the better off you'll be.

I would consider Accounting adjacent roles like Internal Audit, ICFR/SOX testing, A/P, and First Line Risks & Controls. Also, attributes like energy, eagerness, openness, positivity all go along way during the interview process. All other things equal I will hire more experience over less almost every time. Good Luck

I am in a very similar situation. I am 48 and lost my job last Sep 2024. The administrator of the company I worked 13 years with retired & new mgmt decided to outsource all accounting functions to a local CPA firm. So, I had to work on re-doing my resume/cover letter & learn how to job search again. It's a very difficult market right now & sadly, I am still looking 10 mths later while I have blown through my savings & built up credit card debt.
The way interviews have changed has been the most difficult hurdle for me; they are much more difficult now, IMO. I'm not accustomed to "behavioral" questions like "Give me an example of..." or "Tell me about a time when." I am also not in a big city, so jobs are scarce & competition is high when one comes up. At this point I am feeling desperate!

Try Accounting Temp Agencies. They know their clients and what they are looking for. Some are temp to perm positions.
Don't worry your skills are very valuable and needed.

I am so sorry to hear that. I have several friends that are looking for new roles right now too and having a really hard time. I would suggest networking and gathering referrals.

The job market is definitely intimidating, however, if you are proficient with tax law and familiar with TurboTax Intuit is always recruiting. It is a great company to work for, they offer excellent benefits for even part-time and remote work.

I'm not aware of firms that are more interested in "senior" CPAs, but I think you should reach out to younger CPAs who you have worked with before and ask them for tips on what tools seem more important. You could also ask your former manager since they have likely hired a lot of younger CPAs. If you can gather information about what skills you may be lacking, then you can work to quickly fill in those gaps.

Did you realize that you mentioned "foreign" in the sentence after "outsourced"?

I am definitely with you on the mature accountant side of things. For short term money purposes, go see your local temp agencies to earn some money and gain exposure to people and technology. By the way, Intuit/QuickBooks/TurboTax is literally always recruiting for remote seasonal accountants. Also they offer free training and certification across many of the more popular topics/technologies. And use common AI tools to update your resume for every job description. Ask ChatGPT for instruction on how to use it. Very important: join a local Toastmasters to gain social traction and warm up your presentation skills.

Best to You!

Dear Hiring Manager,
As a successful Accounts Payable Specialist with an extensive experience spanning
17 years, I read your posting for the role of (mention post applying for) with
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