| An accountant's job entails working to ensure | | | | in financial management, financial |
| that business firms and individuals are | | | | institution examination, or budget analysis |
| keeping good records and paying taxes | | | | and administration.4. Internal Auditor |
| properly and on time. Though the accountant | | | | AccountantThe accountant job description of |
| job description for some accounting positions | | | | an internal auditor can basically be |
| may be simple, other accountant job | | | | summarized by the job title. Internal |
| descriptions are not quite as clear because | | | | auditors verify the accuracy of their |
| of the number of duties that are required.In | | | | organization's internal records, and check |
| general, an accountant performs vital | | | | for mismanagement, waste, or fraud. It is an |
| functions to businesses, as well as | | | | increasingly important area of accounting, |
| individuals, of all types by offering a very | | | | because internal auditors examine and |
| wide array of business and accounting | | | | evaluate their firms' financial and |
| services, including public, management and | | | | information systems, management procedures, |
| government accounting, as well as internal | | | | and internal controls to ensure that records |
| auditing. These four major fields of | | | | are accurate and controls are adequate to |
| accounting, and in addition to having a | | | | protect against fraud and waste. They also |
| minimum of a bachelor's degree, each has a | | | | review company operations, evaluating their |
| separate accountant job description.1. Public | | | | efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance |
| AccountantA public accountant job description | | | | with corporate policies and procedures, laws, |
| can be summed up in what most people envision | | | | and government regulations. The accountant |
| as "typical" accountant's work. It involves | | | | job description of an internal auditor can |
| performing a broad range of accounting, | | | | vary with different companies, and may |
| auditing, tax, and consulting activities for | | | | include job duties such as electronic data |
| their clients, which may be corporations, | | | | processing, environmental auditing, |
| governments, nonprofit organizations, and | | | | engineering, legal auditing, insurance |
| individuals. Specialties in public accounting | | | | reviews, banking, and health care |
| are often chosen. For example, a public | | | | auditing.Accountants in all four areas can |
| accountant may choose to concentrate on tax | | | | work for a company, or can be employed by an |
| matters, such as advising companies about the | | | | accounting firm, which would in turn be hired |
| tax advantages and disadvantages of certain | | | | by a company for consulting. An accountant |
| business decisions and preparing individual | | | | can also be self-employed, and provide |
| income tax returns. Other public accountants | | | | accounting services to individuals, |
| may choose areas such as compensation or | | | | businesses, or both.Most accounting jobs |
| employee health care benefits, or may design | | | | include an accountant job description that |
| accounting and data processing systems. Still | | | | requires a bachelor's degree, at minimum, in |
| other public accountants may choose to | | | | accounting or a related field, and some |
| specialize in auditing financial statements | | | | accountant job descriptions might include the |
| and inform investors and authorities that | | | | requirement of a master's degree or Certified |
| statements have been correctly prepared and | | | | Public Account (CPA) certification, obtained |
| reported. Public accounts are usually | | | | through a four-part, Uniform CPA Explanation |
| Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), and | | | | prepared by the American Institute of |
| generally own their own businesses or work | | | | Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). While |
| for public accounting firms.2. Management | | | | the two-day CPA examination is rigorous, and |
| AccountantAnother accountant job description | | | | only about 25 percent of those taking the |
| is that of a management accountant. Also | | | | exam pass every part they attempt, CPA |
| called a cost, managerial, industrial, | | | | certification can greatly assist in the rate |
| corporate, or private account, management | | | | of pay received, and in most states, the |
| accountants record and analyze the financial | | | | examination can be taken in two parts, which |
| information of the companies for which they | | | | may assist in preparing for and passing the |
| work. The management accountant job | | | | exam.According to the United States |
| description includes a detailed listing of | | | | Department of Labor, employment of |
| responsibilities, such as budgeting, | | | | accountants and auditors is expected to grow |
| performance evaluation, cost management, and | | | | at a faster than average rate, for all |
| asset management. Management accountants are | | | | accounting occupations from all accountant |
| often a part of executive teams involved in | | | | job descriptions mentioned, through the year |
| strategic planning or the development of new | | | | 2014. This is due to an increase in the |
| products, where they analyze and interpret | | | | number of businesses nationwide, changing |
| financial information that corporate | | | | financial laws and regulations, and increased |
| executives need in order to make sound | | | | scrutiny of company finances. In addition to |
| business decisions. They also prepare | | | | these reasons for new accounting jobs opening |
| financial reports for other groups, including | | | | up, there will also be a need to replace |
| stock holders, creditors, regulatory | | | | accountants and auditors who will retire or |
| agencies, and tax authorities. Management | | | | transfer to other occupations.The field is |
| accountants are usually a part of an | | | | also becoming more specialized due to |
| accounting department, employed a large | | | | technology and new, accurate accounting and |
| company, and may work in many areas that may | | | | auditing software experience becoming a |
| include financial analysis, planning, | | | | crucial addition to an accountant job |
| budgeting, and cost accounting.3. Government | | | | description. An accountant job description |
| AccountantA government accountant works in | | | | may include, in addition to educational and |
| the public sector, maintaining and examining | | | | technological requirements, strong |
| the records of government agencies and | | | | interpersonal and communication skills, |
| auditing private businesses and individuals | | | | simply due to the fact that most accountants |
| whose activities are subject to government | | | | work on teams with others from different |
| regulation and/or taxation. This accountant | | | | backgrounds, and will need the ability to |
| job description, while detailed, is much more | | | | communicate accounting and financial |
| specialized. Government accountants are | | | | information clearly and concisely.Regardless |
| employed by Federal, State, or local | | | | of one's qualifications, competition in the |
| governments, and work to guarantee that | | | | accounting field will remain strong for the |
| revenues are received and expenditures are | | | | most prestigious jobs, as well as for |
| made in accordance with laws and regulations. | | | | obtaining clients for those accountants that |
| Those employed by the Federal government may | | | | are self-employed. |
| work as Internal Revenue Services agents or | | | | |