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Accountant

Chartered accountants perform various financial evaluations of businesses to ensure they are financially sound and compliant with legal regulations. They can specialise in a range of areas.

Assurance and auditing involves checking that a company is complying with legal requirements or fulfilling best practice. Accountants often specialise in particular areas of practice, including audit, management consultancy, reporting revenue, forensic accountancy (investigating fraud), taxation, assurance, and corporate finance.

If you are interested in a career as an accountant, visit Qualifax (www.qualifax.ie) to search for relevant courses at all levels and entry points.

Some alternative job titles for this role

  • Accountant
  • CA
  • Auditor

What the job involves

  • Keep the financial accounts of a company up to date and compliant with the law
  • Help clients to understand and meet tax obligations
  • Administer payrolls and controlling income and expenditure
  • Audit financial information
  • Compile and present reports, budgets, business plans, commentaries and financial statements
  • Analyse accounts and business plans
  • Provide tax planning services with reference to current legislation
  • Conduct financial forecasting and risk analysis
  • Deal with insolvency/bankruptcy cases
  • Negotiate the terms of business deals and move with clients and associated organisations
  • Meet and advise clients

How your career can develop 

The diverse nature of the role means that accountants can specialise in many areas where career progression is common. Many accountants go on to become self-employed. 

Why it matters?

Professional bodies such as Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI) help students gain their qualifications by training them while they are employed on graduate schemes. Obtaining qualifications such as Chartered Accountant enables accountants to work anywhere globally. As well as dominating public accounting practices, Chartered Accountants are vital in nearly every sector from healthcare to the music industry.

Skills

  • Self-motivation
  • Responsibility
  • Ability to reflect on one's own work as well as the wider consequences of financial decisions
  • Business knowledge and interest
  • Organisational skills and ability to manage deadlines
  • Team working
  • Client-facing (customer service) and interpersonal skills
  • Knowledge in IT
  • Analytical ability
  • A logical approach and problem solving skills
  • Numeracy

Typical employers

  • Private firms of accountants
  • Professional services firms
  • Industrial organisations
  • Not for profit organisations
  • Charities
  • Commercial and corporate organisations
  • Governmental bodies
  • The public sector

Typical salary 

  • Graduate/Starting         average starting salary in 2014 was €22,500
  • Senior/Potential            €89,000+

Typical qualifications

Accountancy is open to any degree discipline; however numerical or business related degrees are an advantage. According to Chartered Accountants Ireland (professional accountancy body in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) Chartered Accountants (CA’s) must complete a training contract with a recognised training organisation and pass Chartered Accountants Ireland Final Admitting Exams (FAEs). Chartered Accountants Ireland have introduced a new entry route known as the ‘Elevation Programme’ for experienced graduates wishing to become chartered accountants. This route, unlike others with Chartered Accountants Ireland, does not require students to enter a training contract.

Alternative routes to a bachelor’s degree in this area may apply to students that have a PLC qualification in a related course. For further details on eligibility requirements for third level entry following a PLC qualification, students should visit the CAO course search at Careersportal.ie.

Further information