Accountant jobs

An accountant is a professional who is charged with the critical business function of maintaining and interpreting financial records. However, accountant jobs can vary wildly, with some in the role tasked purely with the above responsibilities, while others lead on a variety of finance-related and problem solving tasks.

Expected job role tasks

Accountant jobs incorporate many possible expected tasks, depending on the size and type of organisation the individual works for. However, some of the most common accountant tasks include preparing and maintaining financial reports that are essential to the smooth running of the business. These financial reports must be accurate and compliant with the relevant regulations and legislation. Accountants must also prepare tax returns and make sure that taxes are paid correctly and by the deadline. Furthermore, companies traditionally lean on accountants to perform forecasting exercises and risk analysis assessments. A large part of accountant jobs also includes evaluating the company’s financial operations to unearth any potential compliance issues within them, and producing solutions. These professionals will also be responsible for ensuring the business is run in a financially compliant manner, and will most likely need to offer guidance on revenue enhancement, profit maximisation, and cost reduction.

Primary function

As a critical business function, accounting requires its professionals to perform functions regarding the collection, accuracy, recording, analysis, presentation, and compliance of a company’s financial operations. They are also tasked with financial problem solving. This is a wide ranging role, and the specifics of any accountancy job will depend on factors such as seniority, company size, and industry.

Key hard/soft skills

Mathematical skills are extremely useful for Accountants, as they enable them to analyse, compare, and interpret data and figures. It is important to note, however, that complex mathematical skills are not vital for every accounting role. Meanwhile, analytical skills are vital, as analysing financial data to discover patterns and potential issues tends to be a huge part of the role. As with many jobs, computer literacy is essential for accountants, as they must be able to operate advanced accounting software, as well as other digital tools. In order to be a successful accountant, strong business acumen is also required: accountants must understand the basic functions of a business in order to contextualise their data, and problem solve effectively. 

They may also be called on to provide financial advice to businesses, which makes understanding how business and economics works vital. In terms of soft skills, attention to detail is high on the list, as accounting professionals are tasked with maintaining accurate and organised records. Communication skills are also vital for the many presentations and interviews they must conduct with senior stakeholders, while relationship building and customer service skills are certainly a plus. A strong sense of integrity and ethics should be second nature for accountants, as they have a legal obligation to act honestly and avoid negligence within their work.

Qualifications required

There are three core accountancy qualifications: ACA, ACCA, and CIMA. Once a professional has gained such a qualification, there is an expectation from employers that accountants will continue to train and upskill as part of continuing professional development. There are also specialist qualifications that may be required for specific roles. For example, the Association of Taxation Technicians or the Chartered Tax Adviser qualifications.