Career options in accounting
Accountants have various career paths that they can choose. The main options are public, industry and government accounting. In public accounting, the CPAs work for various firms ranging from small and local firms to large and international corporations. In the firms, the accountants work in areas such as tax, audit and management consulting. In industry and business, the accountants work for varied size firms in areas including, financial analysis, management accounting, financial accounting as well as reporting. With that, the accountants can offer services in specialized fields such as business valuation, financial forensics, IT consulting and financial planning. Also, there are career options in the government including working at state or federal levels. Finally, the accountants can work for education and NGOs that offers diverse opportunities (AICPA, 2016).
Career position in accounting
One of the key positions for accountants is the Bookkeeping, auditing and accounting clerk position. The clerks are mainly involved in producing financial records. That entails recording the financial transactions, checking the accuracy of financial records and updating financial statements. Their job mainly entail working in offices as well as conducting site visits. According to AICPA, one out of four clerks worked on part time basis in 2014 (AICPA, 2016).
The path to becoming a bookkeeping, auditing, accounting clerk entails education, training and certification.
Education:
The clerks are required to have a post secondary education preferably in accounting.
Training:
The clerks’ training is mainly on the job, under the supervision of an experienced employee. With that, new clerks hone their skills and learn their tasks. Also, formal training is necessary for computer software that relates to the accounting tasks.
Certification, Licensing, and Registration:
Certification is a key way of showing that the clerks have the knowledge and skills to carry out the relevant tasks. The certification is done by agencies such as the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers and National Association of Certified bookkeepers. That is done after completion of certification exams where the candidates are required to at least answer 75 percent of the questions correctly for qualification.
The key qualities required of the clerks are computer skills, being details oriented, and integrity as well as math skills. Regarding the pay, AICPA estimated the basic pay for the clerks to have been $37,250 in the year 2015. Finally, the main duties of the clerks include using the bookkeeping software and spreadsheets to post financial transactions in appropriate accounts. They also receive, check and record vouchers in addition to posting debits and credits into accounting software while assigning each transaction to the appropriate account. Further, they are involved in producing reports including income statements and balance sheets. Finally, they have the responsibility if checking the accuracy of reports and reconciling them for any differences (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). In that respect, the clerks can be in full charge of the bookkeeping maintaining the entire firm’s books or specialists in specific tasks.
Manner in which the position could add value to the company
The bookkeeping, accounting, auditing clerks help businesses ensure that money is effectively accounted for. Also, the clerks help corporations maintain compliant and proper books as well as statements that the management uses in making crucial financial decisions. (Training FYI, 2016). Further, the clerks help the management and the shareholders in gauging the company’s financial health.
The clerks also have the responsibility for communicating with clients and key stakeholders enhancing market confidence in the company’s financial position. Further, with the tasks of handling the transactions’ entry and reconciliation, the clerks help the company in ensuring that the accounts tally with credits, debits, billing vouchers, financial statements, and taxes Garg, Ghosh, Hudick & Nowacki, 2003). Also, the clerks play a crucial role in tracking and estimating the value of the company and its money. In summary, bookkeeping, auditing, and accounting clerks play a crucial role in ensuring that all the company’s money is accounted for, and its value is effectively estimated, enhancing management’s decision-making regarding investments and internal operations (Mohammad &Ayuba, 2012).
References
AICPA. (2016). Common Career Paths. Retrieved 29 May 2016 from, http://www.aicpa.org/Career/CareerPaths/Pages/CareerPaths.aspx
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks. Retrieved 29 May 2016 from, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerks.htm
Garg, A., Ghosh, D., Hudick, J., & Nowacki, C. (2003). Roles and practices in management accounting today. Strategic Finance, 85 (1), 30-65.
Mohammad A. &Ayuba A. (2012). The Roles and Responsibilities of Management Accountants in the Era of Globalization. Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 12(15), Online ISSN: 2249-4588 & Print ISSN: 0975-5853.
Training FYI. (2016). Book Keeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerk Training and Career Outlook. Retrieved 29 May 2016 from, http://trainingfyi.com/article/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerk-training-career-outlook
