An accountant practices accounting by measuring, disclosing, and provisioning financial information. They will help managers, tax authorities, investors, and other people within an organization make decisions about the resources the organization has, and how those resources are used. Accountant positions exist in public practices as well as private entities. There are accountant firms who give advice about selling, investing, and more.
One may not practice as an accountant, unless one holds one of many different certifications. These certifications include Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Certified Internal Auditors (CIA), Certified Management Accountants (CMA), and Accredited Business Accountants (ABA). CPAs are licensed by individual states. This certification allows an accountant to provide services to the public through accounting, tax assistance, and other forms of financial advice. Accountants are required to pass an exam provided by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
The CIA is an auditor certification. This certificate is given by the Institute of Management Accountants. This is a tough exam and it has four parts. Once certified, an accountant position of this type is usually provided directly by an employer. This certification is a plus for finding an accounting job, but if you do not have this certification, you might have an employer put you through the program to obtain it.
Accounting in any area is a trust position. Most organizations who hire an accountant trust the person to do the books and overlook all of the financial data. This position may be responsible for accounts receivable, taxes, payables, and more. All other department spending may go through this position. This is a position that requires responsibility, honesty, and integrity.
You must be able to communicate effectively as an accountant. You may need to take part in meetings and determine if funds are available when people want to implement new projects within an organization. This position will have a lot of responsibility, and communicating with management properly is a must.
Government accounting jobs are abundant. They are not being affected by problems with the economy, because all companies need someone to manage their funds. An accountant would likely be involved in helping determine which positions to cut, if that becomes necessary in a company, because the accountant would have knowledge of the salaries associated with each employee.
If you want to be an accountant it is not required that you have a formal education, but you must have proper certification. Many companies require a bachelor’s degree minimum or, in some cases, an associate’s degree. The more education you have, the better your chances are of landing a higher-paying position and not an entry-level accountant position.
Government accounting jobs salaries depend on the company you are working for. Some accounting positions may pay only $10/hour, while others pay top dollar with salaries into the six figures. If you are working with a big company, with large responsibility, you will receive the compensation through your pay to make up for your responsibilities. The smaller the company, the less money and assets you will manage and the less your pay will be.
As an accountant, you will be required to be organized and structured. You should be fluent in Excel and know how to do spreadsheets with the formulas in them. You should be able to build and manage a database. A small company may even want their accountant to keep track of inventory also. This is common for smaller companies. Your knowledge of and skills in organization are a requirement.
When you are looking for accountant jobs in government, you almost have your choice to pick the industry you want to work in. There is an accountant for every business, and if the business doesn’t have a full-time position, it may hire someone to come in and do the accounting. You need to consider the type of accounting position you want to work in because there are so many. You might want to work in accounts receivable, auditing, taxes, or a different area. You also might want a position where you do all of these duties. When you know exactly what you want to do with your accounting job you will be able to search more effectively.
Most accounting positions do not require travel. You will spend most of your time at a desk working on a computer and filtering through paperwork. You might have an extensive amount of time spent in meetings, on the phone, and working with other employees.
If you want to work as an accountant in any industry, you will need to have the relevant certification required for an accountant. Most accountant positions will be required to have a state-mandated certification known as the CPA. This certification can help you acquire a position with virtually any company that has an accounting position. There are many different types of accounting positions you can pick and choose from.
