Some of the skills we found on accounting associate resumes included "reconciliations," "customer service," and "data entry." We have detailed the most important accounting associate responsibilities below.
What Does an Accounting Associate Do?
An accounting associate is responsible for supporting the operations of the accounting department, ensuring the stability of the financial services and status of an organization. Accounting associates process invoices, update client accounts on the database, manage financial reports, assist with tax auditing and processing, monitoring the financial statements and activities of the organization, escalate financial disputes, and verify accounts receivable. An accounting associate must have excellent knowledge of the accounting industry, as well as exceptional analytical and time-management skills to perform clerical duties as needed under minimal supervision.
Accounting Associate Responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real accounting associate resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.
- Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
- Reconcile bank statements and prepare company's financial data to be process by outside CPA for tax season.
- Assist the firm's CPA in yearly personal and corporate income tax returns, business valuations and audits.
- Reconcile cash receipts to the general ledger (lock-boxes, checks, wire transfers, and ACH payments).
- Insure preparation and submission of computerize payroll to DFAS for assign personnel.
- Develop PowerPoint presentations for use in trials and conferences.
- Analyze and resolve variances and provide detailed report to include foreign currency conversion, cash management, ACH and wire transfers.
- Administer daily accounting functions in QuickBooks accounting software.
- Utilize QuickBooks to execute budget and forecasting duties; generate and deliver final reports to senior management.
- Process accounting documents concerning entitlement to travel expenses for military and /or civilian personnel in activities service by DFAS.
- Perform daily balancing and month-end reconciliations for several accounts ensuring that all revenue is posted to the general ledger timely and accurately
- Perform monthly and daily transaction preparation including entering journal entries, preparing general ledger reconciliations and preparing reports for month end.
- Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
- Used in-depth knowledge of other DOD activities with co-workers and/or organizations in a variety of assignments, locations and special circumstances.
- Audit and verify Medicare billing for accuracy and compliance with establish policies of Medicare and VA programs.
Need A Perfect Accounting Associate Resume?
Our AI resume builder helps you write a compelling and relevant resume for the jobs you want.
Accounting Associate Skills and Personality Traits
We calculated that 11% of Accounting Associates are proficient in Reconciliations, Customer Service, and Data Entry. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Detail oriented, and Integrity.
We break down the percentage of Accounting Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Reconciliations, 11%
Perform daily/monthly close and reconciliations of loan Servicing/Loan Prospector fees and coordinate delivery of this information to downstream accounting data consumers.
- Customer Service, 10%
Deliver customer service by answering questions, providing information, and assuring appropriate follow-through and/or resolution; resolve customer billing discrepancies.
- Data Entry, 8%
Assisted staff accountants with data entry, analysis of financial statements, researching and reconciling accounting transactions.
- Account Reconciliations, 4%
Maintained depreciation and fixed asset management schedules and bank account reconciliations.
- General Ledger Accounts, 4%
Account analysis of general ledger accounts, researched unidentified, misapplied and unclaimed premium payments.
- Purchase Orders, 4%
Converted non-purchase orders for payment and purchase requisitions into purchase orders using accounting software.
The three companies that hire the most prestigious accounting associates are:
- KPMG LLP120 Accounting Associates Jobs
- Lincoln Financial Group98 Accounting Associates Jobs
- The Cincinnati Insurance Companies61 Accounting Associates Jobs
Choose From 10+ Customizable Accounting Associate Resume templates
Build a professional Accounting Associate resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Accounting Associate resume.
What Bookkeepers Do
Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work. Bookkeepers manage the entry of items in the general ledger, assign items into their proper categories, and ensure that the entries are balanced. They also act as auditors by checking the accuracy and veracity of the receipts or vouchers in their possession before entering them into the system. Bookkeepers ensure that their files are up to date and free of errors.
We looked at the average accounting associate annual salary and compared it with the average of a bookkeeper. Generally speaking, bookkeepers receive $10,200 lower pay than accounting associates per year.
While the salaries between these two careers can be different, they do share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both accounting associates and bookkeepers positions are skilled in reconciliations, customer service, and data entry.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. An accounting associate responsibility is more likely to require skills like "account reconciliations," "work ethic," "gaap," and "accruals." Whereas a bookkeeper requires skills like "payroll tax returns," "journal entries," "credit card accounts," and "quickbooks pro." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.
Bookkeepers tend to make the most money in the manufacturing industry by averaging a salary of $42,063. In contrast, accounting associates make the biggest average salary of $52,406 in the finance industry.
On average, bookkeepers reach similar levels of education than accounting associates. Bookkeepers are 2.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.
What Are The Duties Of a Finance Clerk?
Finance clerks are financial professionals who are responsible for performing various administrative tasks such as keeping financial records, preparing bills, and delivering excellent customer service. These clerks are required to process bills, checks, receipts, and other documents to ensure that they are all properly signed and distributed. They must verify financial and other data so that they can enter those data into the database and maintain updated records. Finance clerks must also assist with account reconciliations and should report the status of accounts and discrepancies to the management.
Now we're going to look at the finance clerk profession. On average, finance clerks earn a $11,312 lower salary than accounting associates a year.
A similarity between the two careers of accounting associates and finance clerks are a few of the skills associated with both roles. We used resumes from both professions to find that both use skills like "data entry," "account reconciliations," and "general ledger accounts. "
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that accounting associate responsibilities requires skills like "reconciliations," "customer service," "work ethic," and "balance sheet." But a finance clerk might use skills, such as, "credit card," "telephone calls," "journal entries," and "office equipment."
On average, finance clerks earn a lower salary than accounting associates. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, finance clerks earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $40,090. Whereas, accounting associates have higher paychecks in the finance industry where they earn an average of $52,406.
On the topic of education, finance clerks earn similar levels of education than accounting associates. In general, they're 2.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.
How an Assistant Account Executive Compares
An assistant account executive is responsible for managing customer accounts, under the supervision of an account executive. Assistant account executives develop processes and techniques to execute projects based on clients' specifications. They assist account executives with clients' presentations for project updates and status reports. They also manage client requests to increase brand awareness, including maximizing sales strategies and resources and advertising promotions within the budget goals. They must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, especially when managing the clients' expectations and marketing the clients' brands to all available platforms for customers' recognition.
The assistant account executive profession generally makes a lower amount of money when compared to the average salary of accounting associates. The difference in salaries is assistant account executives making $484 lower than accounting associates.
By looking over several accounting associates and assistant account executives resumes, we found that both roles utilize similar skills, such as "customer service," "purchase orders," and "powerpoint." But beyond that the careers look very different.
As mentioned, these two careers differ between other skills that are required for performing the work exceedingly well. For example, gathering from accounting associates resumes, they are more likely to have skills like "reconciliations," "data entry," "account reconciliations," and "general ledger accounts." But a assistant account executive might have skills like "press releases," "account management," "account executives," and "journal entries."
Additionally, assistant account executives earn a higher salary in the professional industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $50,936. Additionally, accounting associates earn an average salary of $52,406 in the finance industry.
Assistant account executives typically study at similar levels compared with accounting associates. For example, they're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.
Description Of an Accounts Receivable Clerk
An Accounts Receivable Clerk specializes in processing payment records and bill statements of a company or organization. Among the duties include calculating total revenues and unpaid invoices, maintaining financial records and keeping a detailed and organized database, and verifying financial transactions and payment delinquencies. Furthermore, an Accounts Receivable Clerk must resolve and examine deductions, prepare invoices and necessary documentation, and review customer payment plans and history records and coordinate with the collections department should there be any issues.
The fourth career we look at typically earns lower pay than accounting associates. On average, accounts receivable clerks earn a difference of $14,112 lower per year.
According to resumes from both accounting associates and accounts receivable clerks, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "reconciliations," "customer service," and "data entry. "
While some skills are shared by these professions, there are some differences to note. "general ledger accounts," "work ethic," "powerpoint," and "balance sheet" are skills that have shown up on accounting associates resumes. Additionally, accounts receivable clerk uses skills like process payments, payroll, ledgers, and strong analytical on their resumes.
Accounts receivable clerks earn a higher salary in the finance industry with an average of $37,882. Whereas, accounting associates earn the highest salary in the finance industry.
The average resume of accounts receivable clerks showed that they earn similar levels of education to accounting associates. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 4.6% less. Additionally, they're less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.
Types Of Accounting Associate
Accounts Payable Clerk
Average Salary: $38,333
Bachelor's Degree
Available Jobs: 125,307
How To Become an Accounts Payable Clerk
Bookkeeper
Average Salary: $40,337
Bachelor's Degree
Available Jobs: 101,416
How To Become a Bookkeeper
Staff Accountant
Average Salary: $54,216
Bachelor's Degree
Available Jobs: 85,307
How To Become a Staff Accountant
Accounting Clerk
Average Salary: $38,683
Bachelor's Degree
Available Jobs: 83,359
How To Become an Accounting Clerk
Accounts Receivable Clerk
Average Salary: $36,425
Bachelor's Degree
Available Jobs: 30,138
How To Become an Accounts Receivable Clerk
Accountable Clerk
Average Salary: $38,120
Bachelor's Degree
Available Jobs: 10,206