Take one doomscrolling session on TikTok, and you’ll likely see videos of people talking about how hard it is to make ends meet right now or the ongoing unemployment issues, which is especially hitting Black women hard.
In a time when layoffs seem to be happening too frequently and when it may take hundreds of job applications to land just one, finding work can feel especially daunting. This has pushed more to pivot to entrepreneurship. Within that, there’s one job that’s often overlooked and often brushed off as boring, but the earning potential is nothing to ignore.
Accounting can be a way forward for many, especially Gen Z, according to the Monster Seasonal Hiring Index 2025. No, the job may not be the sexiest, but the American tax system remains complex, and people always need help. For those interested in the work, it’s good to know that there’s also a talent shortage in the workforce, per a September Fortune report. Over the past five years, numbers show that over 300,000 accountants left their jobs, leaving the door open for new talent. Though there are valid concerns about the impact of AI on the work, there is still money and a career to be made, whether working for a tax agency or starting your own practice.
“While accounting may have a certain image in the background among young people of being not as intriguing and exciting, once they actually engage in the practice and see how it plays out in a real world, it changes people’s mind and views,” California State University, Northridge program director Rafael Efrat recently told Fortune, highlighting Gen Z’s potential in accounting.
To work in the field, a bachelor’s degree is usually required. To boost earnings potential, being certified, or having a CPA (certified public accountant), can help earn as much as $200,000. For those worried about stepping into something new, it’s important to own your transferable skills — like communication, being detail orientated, finessing customer service, and excelling at teamwork. Many are more prepared for the work than they may realize.
Beyond the earning potential from work in accounting, the work can also benefit one’s community and help navigate or prepare for tax codes that worsen racial equality. Savvy accountants can also help their communities by making sure taxes are not overpaid and tax credits are taken advantage of.
Since accounting is very seasonal, as it revolves around tax season, it can also serve as a side gig, helping bolster finances starting around and after the holidays. Beyond accounting, Monster’s 2025 report lists 20 seasonal jobs hiring right now. Click here to see the winning gigs.