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Accountants and Auditors Occupation Detailed Description

Accountants and Auditors career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Accountants and Auditors

The main tasks and work activities of Accountants and Auditors are to analyze business or financial data, examine financial records or processes, examine financial records, calculate tax information. In general, for the Accountants and Auditors, mathematics, active Listening, reading Comprehension, critical Thinking and other 17 skills are required.
Accountants and Auditors Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Accountants and Auditors jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
100.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Accountants and Auditors

  • Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
  • Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.
  • Analyze business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations to project future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.
  • Report to management regarding the finances of establishment.
  • Establish tables of accounts and assign entries to proper accounts.
  • Develop, maintain, and analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare budgeted costs to actual costs.
  • Develop, implement, modify, and document recordkeeping and accounting systems, making use of current computer technology.
  • Prepare forms and manuals for accounting and bookkeeping personnel and direct their work activities.
  • Survey operations to ascertain accounting needs and to recommend, develop, or maintain solutions to business and financial problems.
  • Advise management about issues such as resource utilization, tax strategies, and the assumptions underlying budget forecasts.
  • Provide internal and external auditing services for businesses or individuals.
  • Advise clients in areas such as compensation, employee health care benefits, the design of accounting or data processing systems, or long-range tax or estate plans.
  • Represent clients before taxing authorities and provide support during litigation involving financial issues.
  • Appraise, evaluate, and inventory real property and equipment, recording information such as the description, value, and location of property.
  • Maintain or examine the records of government agencies.
  • Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.
  • Prepare adjusting journal entries.
  • Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
  • Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.
  • Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Performing Administrative ActivitiesPerforming day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Analyzing Data or InformationIdentifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Analyze business or financial data.
  • Examine financial records or processes.
  • Examine financial records.
  • Calculate tax information.
  • Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
  • Report information to managers or other personnel.
  • Prepare financial documents.
  • Analyze budgetary or accounting data.
  • Develop business or financial information systems.
  • Supervise employees.
  • Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency.
  • Advise others on financial matters.
  • Advise others on human resources topics.
  • Monitor inventories of products or materials.
  • Appraise property values.
  • Evaluate condition of properties.
  • Maintain data in information systems or databases.
  • Collect evidence for legal proceedings.
  • Investigate legal issues.
  • Advise others on business or operational matters.

Skills and Abilities for Accountants and Auditors

  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • MemorizationThe ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Desktop calculatore.g. 10-key calculators
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Notebook computerse.g. Notebook computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Photocopierse.g. Photocopying equipment
  • Scannerse.g. Scanners
  • Tablet computerse.g. Tablet computers
  • Desktop calculatore.g. 10-key calculators
  • Scannerse.g. Computer data input scanners
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizerse.g. Personal digital assistants PDA
  • Scannerse.g. Scanners
  • Tablet computerse.g. Tablet computers
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.