Accountant Jobs Entry Level Jobs in Accounting Accounting
If you have a talent for working with numbers, then a career in accounting could be the one for you. High school students can check with the career counsellor to make sure that they are taking the right courses in high school that will prepare them for the university courses they need to take to obtain a degree in accounting. All universities and colleges also have student support services that you can avail of to find information about the many different types of entry level positions that exist within this field. Without the services of an accountant, both businesses and government agencies would not be able to function properly so it is a career that is in demand.
Some of the ways in which you can work as an accountant in the private sector or with the government include:
- bookkeeper
- accounts payable
- accounts receivable
- budget planning and analysis
- payroll
- cost accounting
Each of these jobs entails different duties and responsibilities. If you start out in accounts receivable, for example, your job would involve sending out the statements to customers on a monthly basis and maintaining the ledgers that record the payments that are received. In accounts payable, your duties would involve making sure that all the company’s bills are paid on time.
The type of training you need for entry level jobs in accounting depends on the job itself. One of the essentials of working in this field involves being proficient at using spreadsheets and computer software, such as Quicken or Quickbooks. You need to have an eye for details since you will be working with numbers every day. Since you are also dealing with the monies belonging to a company, you will also need to be trustworthy.
By starting off with an entry level position, you learn the ins and outs of a business. Even if you move to a different company you may find that the operations are different because each one has its own way of doing things. Your salary in such a position depends on the level of responsibility that you have and your educational background. You will start off working under the supervision of an experienced accountant and can work your way up in the company as you gain more experience.
If you wish to eventually start your own accounting office, the entry level position you obtain fresh out of university will likely be with a public accounting firm. In this position, you will perform a variety of tasks so that you get a feel for an area in which you would like to specialize. Some of the duties include preparing income tax returns and financial statements. You can also gain a position with both state governments and the federal government as an entry-level accountant.
