Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Detailed Work Activities
Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets.
Report information to managers or other personnel.
Advise others on business or operational matters.
Advise others on financial matters.
Collect evidence for legal proceedings.
Investigate legal issues.
Examine financial records.
Oversee business processes.
Discuss business strategies, practices, or policies with managers.
Examine financial records or processes.
Verify accuracy of records.
Analyze business or financial data.
Analyze financial information.
Prepare financial documents.
Conduct financial or regulatory audits.
Develop business or financial information systems.
Assess financial status of clients.
Evaluate effectiveness of personnel policies or practices.
Verify accuracy of financial information.
Calculate tax information.
Advise others on human resources topics.
Coordinate regulatory documentation activities.
Analyze budgetary or accounting data.
Prepare operational budgets.
Pay charges, fees, or taxes.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Tasks
Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.
Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.
Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
Examine and evaluate financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity.
Inspect cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks to confirm records are accurate.
Examine records and interview workers to ensure recording of transactions and compliance with laws and regulations.
Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
Prepare adjusting journal entries.
Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.
Establish tables of accounts and assign entries to proper accounts.
Examine inventory to verify journal and ledger entries.
Analyze business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations to project future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.
Report to management regarding the finances of establishment.
Develop, implement, modify, and document recordkeeping and accounting systems, making use of current computer technology.
Evaluate taxpayer finances to determine tax liability, using knowledge of interest and discount rates, annuities, valuation of stocks and bonds, and amortization valuation of depletable assets.
Examine whether the organization's objectives are reflected in its management activities, and whether employees understand the objectives.
Audit payroll and personnel records to determine unemployment insurance premiums, workers' compensation coverage, liabilities, and compliance with tax laws.
Review taxpayer accounts, and conduct audits on-site, by correspondence, or by summoning taxpayer to office.
Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting, or other tax requirements.
Advise clients in areas such as compensation, employee health care benefits, the design of accounting or data processing systems, or long-range tax or estate plans.
Direct activities of personnel engaged in filing, recording, compiling, and transmitting financial records.
Conduct pre-implementation audits to determine if systems and programs under development will work as planned.
Develop, maintain, or analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare budgeted costs to actual costs.
Prepare, analyze, or verify annual reports, financial statements, and other records, using accepted accounting and statistical procedures to assess financial condition and facilitate financial planning.
Process invoices for payment.
Review data about material assets, net worth, liabilities, capital stock, surplus, income, or expenditures.
Work Styles
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Social Orientation
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Innovation
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.