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