Job Description & Qualifications for a Chartered Accountant
The job of chartered accountant usually refers to qualified accountants in Great Britain, Canada, India, Asia and Australia. The equivalent position in the United States is a certified accountant. To become a chartered (or certified) accountant, the candidate must complete at least a two-year postgraduate program of education and mentored experience while continuing to work at an institution or organization. Candidates are required to pass an examination to obtain the title of chartered (or certified) accountant. This position involves the management of money and finances within a corporation, organization or institution.
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Education
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Chartered accountants are required to enter a postsecondary program with the minimum of a bachelor's degree. Most candidates have majored in accounting in their undergraduate work, but some enter the graduate program with majors in finance or business. Depending on what country in which the accountant wishes to work, the candidate is required to work with a mentor during the educational program and to complete and pass an examination at the completion of the schooling.
Nature of the Work
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The job of a charted accountant means working with numbers, financial spreadsheets, investment records and budgets. Chartered accountants generally play strategic roles in organizations by providing professional advice about financial decisions and profitability. They create financial reports and documents, and are involved in financial reporting, auditing, taxation and corporate finance. Chartered accountants can work long hour at desks and computer screens.
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Chartered vs. Certified
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There is little difference between a chartered accountant and a certified public accountant. Generally the difference is geographic. The certified accountant is the U.S. equivalent of a chartered accountant in the United Kingdom and countries that follow the U.K. standards There are differences in designations that suggest some chartered accountant have more managerial experience, or more financial or auditing experience, than certified accountants, but overall both chartered and certified accountants can handle the same kinds of duties and responsibilities.
Salary
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The pay of a chartered (certified) accountant depends a great deal on where they are practicing and what position they hold. Chartered accountants in India generally make less money than those in England. According to the latest statistics from U.S. Department of Labor (2008), the average salary for a certified accountant is $59,430 annually. In Great Britain, however, the average yearly salary of a chartered accountant is the equivalent of $90,000, according to Prospects, a graduate degree and career website in the U.K.. Some chartered accountants hold high-level corporate management positions such as chief financial officer.
Job Outlook
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According to the latest statistics (2009) at Great Britain's graduate degree and career website Prospects, jobs for chartered accountants are expected to grow throughout England, Ireland and Scotland. Many of the jobs will be in the larger cities. In the U.S., equivalent jobs for certified accountants are also expected to see growth through 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The growth is anticipated to remain at around 22 percent, faster than the average for all occupations.
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