What does an accountant do?
An accountant is an individual whose primary task is to prepare, keep, examine, and interpret financial records. Most accountants are in charge of a wide scope of finance-related tasks, either for private individuals or for large-scale businesses and organizations they are employed with. They make sure that financial statements and records are accurate and comply with laws and regulations. They also compute for taxes, prepare tax returns, and ensure being paid properly and on time. As they keep track and record the flow of money, they can offer guidance on how to reduce costs, enhance revenue, and help in profit maximization.
Accountant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real accountant resumes:
- Manage preparation of the statutory financial statements and financial aggregates in compliance with IFRS and local applicable norms.
- Manage personnel financial matters including salaries, taxation procedures and other relate issues.
- Manage and monitor accounting procedures for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and coordinate and facilitate external audit requirements.
- Reconstruct and improve many balance sheet account reconciliations for easier reading and interpretation by senior level management.
- Perform complex general accounting functions, including preparation of journal entries, account analysis and balance sheet reconciliations.
- Maintain general ledgers and preparation of monthly and other periodic financial reports in accordance with GAAP and international accounting standards.
- Team member on selection and implementation of new ERP software.
- Process vendor's invoices in computer from P.O., receiving & issuing G/L breakdown, and A/P posting.
- Perform frequent and extensive account analysis and audit of A/R and A/P to ensure proper coding of revenues and expenses.
- Provide necessary information to CPA to prepare financial statements.
- Create and deliver PowerPoint presentations that provide monthly results and budgets.
- Prepare customer analysis and PowerPoint sales presentations as needed for sales representatives.
- Used QuickBooks to prepare financial relate analysis and research to support management decisions.
- Analyze legislation to determine authorize amounts appropriate to individual agency general and subsidiary ledgers.
- Monitor and balance daily financial activity, and reconciling general ledger and subsidiary ledgers.
Accountant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Accountants are proficient in Reconciliations, General Ledger Accounts, and Account Reconciliations. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Accountants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Reconciliations, 14%
Performed Sub-Ledger/General Ledger analyses and reconciliations to provide data support for Third Party Administrator Repository (TPAIR) automated system implementation.
- General Ledger Accounts, 6%
Reconciled primary cash funding account and monitored daily activity in all company cash accounts including general ledger accounts and cash balances.
- Account Reconciliations, 6%
Maintained Access databases ensuring their accuracy and completeness for the purpose of posting automated general ledger entries and prepare account reconciliations.
- GAAP, 5%
Utilized GAAP for weekly financial reporting/invoicing and daily cash transactions as a unit accountant/controller for University of Denver Dining Services.
- Payroll Tax Returns, 5%
Implemented accounting system with inventory management and prepared monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements including quarterly payroll tax returns
- Customer Service, 5%
Supervised accounts receivable/billing/customer service department.
Common skills that an accountant uses to do their job include "reconciliations," "general ledger accounts," and "account reconciliations." You can find details on the most important accountant responsibilities below.
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform accountant duties is communication skills. Accountants responsibilities require that "accountants and auditors must be able to listen to and discuss facts and concerns from clients, managers, and other stakeholders." Accountants also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "assist hr manager with drafting communications to employees, and preparing employees' time and leave reports. "
Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of accountants is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday accountant duties, as "accountants and auditors must pay attention to detail when compiling and examining documents." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "prepared and analyzed account reconciliation, general ledge detail, trial balance, and monthly journal entries. "
Math skills. For certain accountant responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "math skills." The day-to-day duties of an accountant rely on this skill, as "accountants and auditors must be able to analyze, compare, and interpret facts and figures." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what accountants do: "apply complex mathematical calculations in the preparations of financial reports. "
Organizational skills. Another crucial skill for an accountant to carry out their responsibilities is "organizational skills." A big part of what accountants relies on this skill, since "strong organizational skills are important for accountants and auditors, who often work with a range of financial documents for a variety of clients." How this skill relates to accountant duties can be seen in an example from an accountant resume snippet: "produce financial reports for grant reporting and organizational management. "
The three companies that hire the most accountants are:
- Robert Half347 accountants jobs
- Raymond99 accountants jobs
- Public Consulting Group53 accountants jobs
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Compare different accountants
Accountant vs. Accountant and office manager
An accountant/office manager is responsible for monitoring the organization's accounting records and financial reports, analyzing statistical information, and managing payroll processes. Accountant/office managers must have excellent knowledge of accounting disciplines and principles to perform accounting duties and train accounting staff of the accounting operations, overseeing account receivables, conducting bank reconciliations, and responding to the staff's inquiries and concerns. An accountant/office manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, helping the management develop practical accounting and financial approach, maintaining the stability of the organization's cash management.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, accountant responsibilities require skills like "balance sheet accounts," "external auditors," "accruals," and "internal controls." Meanwhile a typical accountant and office manager has skills in areas such as "journal entries," "bank reconciliations," "human resources," and "balance sheet." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Accountant and office managers tend to make the most money working in the real estate industry, where they earn an average salary of $59,443. In contrast, accountants make the biggest average salary, $60,365, in the technology industry.On average, accountant and office managers reach similar levels of education than accountants. Accountant and office managers are 4.5% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Accountant vs. Certified public accountant
A certified public accountant (CPA) acts as an advisor to small businesses and chief financial officers to Fortune 500 companies. They typically work for both small and large public accounting firms. They offer advice on many issues, such as accounting and taxation. They aid businesses and individuals to plan and achieve their financial goals. There are several requirements to become a CPA, including having a degree in accounting, passing the CPA examination, and obtaining a CPA license to practice.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that accountant responsibilities requires skills like "account reconciliations," "balance sheet accounts," "external auditors," and "accruals." But a certified public accountant might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "strong customer service," "state tax returns," "audit reports," and "income tax returns."
Certified public accountants may earn a higher salary than accountants, but certified public accountants earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $92,755. On the other hand, accountants receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $60,365.In general, certified public accountants achieve similar levels of education than accountants. They're 0.4% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for accountants in the next 3-5 years?
Terri Walsh
Professor/Program Manager, Accounting, Seminole State College of Florida
Accountant vs. Finance analyst/accountant
In a company setting, a finance analyst/accountant is in charge of handling and monitoring financial activities, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. Their responsibilities revolve around preparing financial reports, performing audits and risk assessments, and identifying any errors and inconsistencies, resolving them promptly and efficiently. They also conduct research and analysis to identify new business opportunities, evaluate the existing procedures to determine its strengths and weaknesses, and recommend solutions to optimize operations for financial growth. Furthermore, as a finance analyst/accountant, it is essential to uphold the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an accountant is likely to be skilled in "payroll tax returns," "customer service," "credit card," and "real estate," while a typical finance analyst/accountant is skilled in "payroll," "process improvement," "strong analytical," and "pivot tables."
Finance analyst/accountants earn the best pay in the finance industry, where they command an average salary of $78,897. Accountants earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $60,365.finance analyst/accountants typically earn similar educational levels compared to accountants. Specifically, they're 2.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Accountant vs. General ledger accountant
A general ledger accountant is in charge of ensuring the accuracy of a company's overall accounting processes and information. It is their responsibility to communicate with different departments and officials to gather necessary data, conduct extensive audits, prepare documentation and reports, maintain financial data on the company ledger, and interpret financial information. Furthermore, like a general ledger accountant, it is essential to monitor the progress of accounting processes, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Types of accountant
Updated January 8, 2025
