[Valmont]

There are so many approaches. Here something that works. Perhaps you could fine more ways.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <climits>
#include <fstream>

using std::cin;
using std::cout;
using std::endl;
using std::numeric_limits;
using std::streamsize;
using std::string;
using std::ifstream;

//Optional function: depends on IDE. Remove if not needed. void wait_for_enter();

//Additional helper. Remove if not needed. void reset_istream();

int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
  ifstream theAccount("account.lst");
  if(!theAccount)
  {
    cout<<"ERROR! Reason: could not open or find file."<<endl;
    wait_for_enter();
    return -1;
  }
  
  cout<<"employee number: ";
  unsigned employeeNumber;
  cin>>employeeNumber;
  
  unsigned empNum;
  string employeeName;
  double payRate;
  bool b_found(false);
  // Assuming *.lst has this format (note \t): unsigned\tstring\tdouble while(theAccount>>empNum)
  {
    if(empNum == employeeNumber)
    {
      b_found = true;
      theAccount >> employeeName >> payRate;
      cout<<empNum<<endl;
      cout<<employeeName<<endl;
      cout<<payRate<<endl;
      break;
    }
    else
    {
      theAccount.ignore( numeric_limits<streamsize>::max(), '\n' );
    }
  }
  
  //Eof not reached but item not found either. So something must have gone wrong. if( !theAccount.eof() && b_found == false)
  {
    cout<<"ERROR! Reason: could not process the file properly."<<endl;
    cout<<"Terminating program..."<<endl;
    theAccount.close();
    wait_for_enter();
    return -1;
  }
  else if( b_found == false ) //All went O.K. but item has not been found.
  {
    cout<<"This employee number does not exist."<<endl;
  }
  
  theAccount.close();
  
  reset_istream();
  wait_for_enter();
  return 0;
}


//--------------------------------------------------- void reset_istream()
{
   if(cin.eof())
   {
      cin.clear();
   }
   else
   {
      cin.clear();
      cin.ignore(numeric_limits<streamsize>::max(), '\n');
   }
}

//--------------------------------------------------- void wait_for_enter()
{
  cout << "press <enter> to continue...";
  // Reset failstate, just in case.
  cin.clear();
  string line;
  getline( cin, line);
}