Skills and Talents required for an accounting Job

Accounting offers superb career opportunities in many different contexts. The field is normally divided into three broad areas: auditing, financial/tax and management accounting. The skills required in these areas differ as follows:

Skill	Audit Accounting	Tax & Financial	Management Accounting
People skills	Medium	Medium	Medium
Sales skills	Medium	Medium	Low
Communication Skills	Medium	Medium	High
Analytical Skills	High	Very High	High
Ability to synthasize	Medium	Low	High
Creative ability	Low	Medium	Medium
Initiative	Medium	Medium	Medium
Computer Skills	High	High	Very High
Work hours	40-70/week	40-70/week	40-50/week

Accounting is very team-oriented.

You will usually start as a junior member of a team responsible for auditing an important account or preparing financial statements. It is important then that you enjoy working as part of a team and that you learn to do so in your education.

You've Got to Surf Waves of Innovation

The field of accounting has seen constant technological and intellectual innovation in recent decades. Firms are implementing new electronic systems for submitting and preparing financial statements. And ways of tracking costs have improved with the introduction of techniques such as activitity-based costing.

Cultivate Your Network

It's important to have a good network of business contacts in consulting as you progress. New business development becomes part of your job. As your classmates rise in their respective business areas it is important to stay in touch with them as they may become your future customers.

People Skills Matter

The stereotype of the green eye shaded accountant in the back room is not representative of the world today's accountant lives in. The best accountants will rise far in their organisations - whether it be to partner in a public accounting firm or controller / CFO in a corporation. The main skill that will differentiate those who make it to the top is the ability to to interact well with people. In a public accounting firm setting business success depends on getting your client to want to do business with you, to want to use other services offered by your firm and to understand the various accounting factors that arise. In a corporate setting, its even more important to be able to engage with colleagues across the organization and to elicit cooperation.