What Skills Do You Need for Accounting?

Accountants must have good math skills to perform their job well.

Accountants and auditors ensure that business records are kept accurately and that unnecessary expenses are eliminated from a business or organization's budget. The job outlook should be favorable for accountants, with employment expected to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, projects the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those with the necessary accounting skills and education should be able to take advantage of this job market.

Math Skills

Math skills are essential for accountants. Accountants and even small business owners who do their own accounting must be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide as needed on the job. Accounting requires strong problem solving skills involving the ability to interpret and analyze data as not all mathematical calculations involve straightforward arithmetic.

Clerical Skills

Clerical skills are also essential to the accounting process. Accountants must be able to accurately record the results of their calculations and enter them into the appropriate spaces on forms or records. Accountants must have knowledge of various types of accounting software and must be able to use spreadsheet and word processing programs. Other clerical skills often used in accounting include record keeping and filing. Accountants must be able to store important information in the appropriate location and be able to retrieve it later when it is needed.

Time Management and Organization

Accounting can be a time-intensive job, whether it is done professionally or on a personal basis. Accounting requires the ability to effectively manage your time and keep yourself organized. Professional accountants often deal with large quantities of data belonging to several different clients throughout the course of a day's work. Having strong organizational skills keeps them on track and keeps essential data from one client separate from another client's information. Accountants also have to manage their time to meet deadlines. Strong organizational skills make time management feasible.

Interpersonal Skills

Although you might see television images of accountants as number crunchers who sit alone in an office cubicle, in reality accountants spend a great deal of time interacting with others. Accountants must have strong interpersonal skills, especially if they own their own firm and must attract business. Among those interpersonal skills, active listening is one required skill that can help accountants gain the right information from clients when needed. They must effectively communicate with others to convey the results of their findings or explain difficult concepts.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Accountants and Auditors
• O-Net Online: Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks