Accounting

Career Overview

The account manager (AM) is in charge of her company's relationship with specific customers or clients. The A's responsibilities combine sales with customer service. According to one insider, "If you can't stand sales, [you shouldn't] go into account management." The AM works with her clients, or accounts, to ensure they're getting the most out of her company's products and services-and to persuade clients to continue to do business (ideally, an ever-increasing amount of business) with her employer. Account management professionals can be found throughout industry.

An AM for an auto-paint company, for instance, would manage his company's relationships with auto-manufacturing clients like GM or DaimlerChrysler or with body shops and auto-painting shops. At a high-tech company, the AM is the primary point of contact between her company and clients that use her company's technology. You'll find the account management functions in these and many other types of companies, including consulting firms and employment, advertising, and public relations agencies.

Work Activities

AMs act as the liaison between a company and its clients. AMs work closely with clients to determine the clients' needs. Then they make sure their company develops products or services to meet those needs.

As part of their job, AMs create budgets and schedules for meeting their accounts needs and enforce deadlines for product development efforts (in manufacturing industries) or projects for clients (in service industries). They also communicate clients' agendas to their staff and management. In turn, they communicate the concerns and capabilities of other departments in their company to the client.

Accounting technician

Accounting technicians assist accountants by collecting, checking and analyzing financial information on their behalf. They usually work in a support role within a firm of accountants, or in the accounts or finance departments of various organizations in industry, commerce or the public sector. Those with more experience can become self-employed, providing a variety of accountancy and taxation services to a range of small to medium size businesses.

In many larger organizations, accounting technicians work alongside members of the chartered accountancy bodies. In smaller organizations, they may be the only trained financial member of staff employed. Typical work activities will vary according to the role, but common tasks include:

♣ Assisting with the preparation of accounts

♣ Managing the staff payroll

♣ Receiving and settling invoices

♣ Dealing with basic book keeping

♣ Auditing external and internal work

♣ Looking after all financial transactions, budgets and payroll

♣ Monitoring staff and company expenses

♣ Controlling budgets

♣ Accounting for resources

♣ Liaising with other professionals in the field

♣ Writing reports.

Different financial sectors require specialist knowledge and this can determine what areas a technician chooses to specialize in. More senior positions can include finance officer, budget controller and internal auditor, each requiring specialist knowledge.

Self-employed accounting technicians provide a range of accountancy services to different businesses. These tend to be in a specialist area of accounting and may include:

♣ Advising on budgets

♣ Advising on taxation issues

♣ Calculating end of year accounts

Entry requirements

There are no specific minimum entry requirements to train to be an accounting technician, although a reasonable level of literacy and numeracy is necessary. To gain technician status, you must also complete at least one year's work experience. This route is better for people who are already working in a finance environment and can easily provide workplace evidence. The diploma route is available for those not working in finance or who are unable to provide workplace evidence. It has three stages and completion of all three leads to technician status:

♣ Certificate in Accounting (foundation)

♣ Advanced Certificate in Accounting (intermediate)

♣ Diploma in accounting (technician).

The CAT (Certified Accountant Technician) scheme is also a combination of study and practical experience. The scheme involves studying for nine exams, split into three levels:

♣ Introductory

♣ Intermediate

♣ Advanced.

Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:

♣ Strong written, oral communication and IT skills

♣ The ability to work in a team, often alongside accounting professionals

♣ The ability to multi-task and manage your time

♣ Attention to detail, having the ability to work accurately and methodically with numbers.

Training

Certified Accounting Technician qualification requires evidence of practical skills. This is done through assessments that are designed to show theory in practice. These can include practical work-based exercises or, for those who do not work in the accounting sector, it can be tested through simulations. Technicians can also use voluntary work or hobbies, such as being the treasurer for a local society, as examples.

Most accounting technicians will receive on-the-job training. Procedures and software packages will vary depending on the sector and area that you are working in. Employees are recognizing the need for continuing personal and professional development (CPD) in their career plans and employers are increasingly aware of this.Many are prepared to offer some form of support to employees who are keen to update or continue to improve their skills and knowledge (it may be worth asking about provision for this at interview stage). Support from employers can take many forms and may include payment of subscription or college fees, or time off for study (either by attending a day release course or being granted study leave). The AAT has a scheme called Corporate Training Partners (CTP), which recognizes organizations that have shown commitment to AAT training.