Qualifications of a Staff Accountant
Becoming a staff accountant for a company or non-profit organization may be a career match for you. The qualifications of the position will depend on the duties required and the skill set needed to adequately perform them. If you want to become a staff accountant, you may find that, regardless of where they are located, various jobs will have many similar qualifications.
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Duties
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Job duties of a position must be determined before an analysis of qualification can be performed. A staff accountant works with an organization's financial records and reports. Duties may include preparing budgets and balance sheets, tracking investments and auditing accounts. Staff accountants prepare reports using computers and accounting software. This position must analyze documents generated to determine if budgets are met and finances are in line with projections by management. Some staff accountant will calculate taxes and complete returns in a timely manner.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
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The knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) of a position are necessary to determine to ensure that a qualified person will be selected to fill the position. A staff accountant must possess a working knowledge of mathematics and accounting principals. An ideal candidate will have skill in problem solving and the ability to multitask several duties at once and prioritize them so the items needed by management are completed first.
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Qualifications
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Based on the duties of the position and the KSAs required to successfully complete the tasks, for most companies, a candidate for a staff accountant position must possess a bachelor's degree in accounting. Additionally, four to six years of experience in the field may be required. Computer literacy is desired, unless on-the-job training of systems is not available, in which case the applicant will need to have worked with accounting software in the past. Some employers may allow a knowledgeable and seasoned candidate to replace any lack of education with experience gained in prior employment.
Compensation
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The salary for a staff accountant varies by employer. However, according to payscale.com, the average annual compensation in the U.S., as of 2010, is between $37,000 and $50,000. Pay may be commensurate with education and experience, so candidates should consider negotiating job offers with the hiring committee.
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