Accountant

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accountant), an accountant is a practitioner of accountancy (UK) or accounting (US), which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.

Accountants typically prepare profit and loss statements and monthly closing and cost accounting reports; compile and analyze financial information to prepare entries to accounts; coordinate the implementation of accounting and accounting control procedures; analyze and review budgets and expenditures for various funding, contracts, and grants; monitor and review accounting and related system reports for accuracy and completeness; prepare and review budget, revenue, expense, payroll entries, invoices, and other accounting documents; ensure expenditure control; interact with internal and external auditors in completing audits and do other things concerning budgeting assigned by the company's management. The job involves deep analytical thinking, accuracy and ability to operate with figures and numbers.

The Accountant job family has four levels which are distinguished by the complexity of assignments, the level of expertise required to perform the duties assigned, and the responsibility for providing leadership to others They are marked by the level, code and salary band, which, consequently affect the salary and the range of the responsibilities.

To become an accountant a reasonable degree is preferable although it's not essential. A degree will get you exemptions from some of the exams. There are three main accounting bodies - The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) (www.icaew.com), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) (www.cimaglobal.com) and Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA) (www.accaglobal.com).