As someone who works with a large number of companies and their accounting teams, I often have insight into what employers really need in an applicant. In the world of finance, there is no replacement for experience, certificates, and degrees. And, while these elements are what will get you the interview, they only tell part of the story. How you will succeed once in the position, is usually based on skills beyond the books. In the last year I have had a number of employers share the need for accounting and finance employees who possess these surprisingly simple attributes: