Accountant

What does an accountant do?

Have you ever wondered, ‘what is an accountant?’ and what exactly do they do? Well, accountants use their specialist knowledge to assist in managing the financial health of an individual or organisation by analysing and interpreting data, conducting audits, preparing reports, and providing financial advice. As an accountant, there are many specialisations you can chose from including corporate finance, taxation law, financial accounting, commercial finance, or management accounting. 

Accountants work in a variety of settings including chartered accounting firms, large multinational organisations, private businesses, universities, government organisations (tax department, audit officer, treasury, local government), financial planning companies, investment companies and financial institutions (banks and building societies).

Is a career as an accountant right for me?

While having a knack for numbers is essential to an accounting career, there are many other skills that are also important. You will require exceptional organisational skills and the ability to maintain a high level of professionalism when dealing with confidential information. 

Other desirable skills and attributes of an accountant include: 

• good communication skills 
• excellent time-management  
• an ability to build rapport with clients 
• professional and ethical nature 
• effective teamwork and collaborative skills. 

How to become an accountant

Every journey to study is individual and there can be several paths you can take to reach your accounting career goals. At UniSQ, we offer the following degrees in the area of accounting: