Accountant Job Description

What is an Accountant?

Accountants are responsible for a wide variety of finance-related tasks that are primarily associated with preparing financial records. These tasks oftentimes include computing taxes and preparing tax returns, organizing and maintaining financial records, and ensuring statements are accurate. Accountants in the United States must perform all of this work while abiding by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

Accountants generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field. In addition, many accountants have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential, which is obtained by passing a national exam and a completing a minimum number of college coursework hours. Accountants usually fall into one of four categories: public accountant, management accountant, government accountant, or internal auditor.

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Accountant Job Description Template

Job Overview

Sample Company is one of the leaders in our field in the Metropolis area. We have a 3.9 Glassdoor rating from our employees. We're now hiring a seasoned Accountant to join the Sample Company team. If you're hard-working and dedicated, Sample Company is an excellent company for you. Apply today!

Responsibilities for Accountant

  • Assist in the preparation of financial reports such as financial statements and budget performance
  • Ensure compliance with applicable standards (i.e. GAAP, FASB), rules, regulations, and systems of internal control
  • Aid in the implementation of new accounting policies, standards, and guidelines
  • Provide accurate, timely, and relevant recording, reporting, and analysis of financial information
  • Identify areas for improvement and implement improvements to processes
  • Assist with and act as the primary point-of-contact for auditor requests
  • Handle sensitive information in a confidential manner

Qualifications for Accountant

  • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
  • 2-5 years of accounting/finance experience
  • Demonstrate intermediate to advanced skills and knowledge of Excel, as well as other Microsoft Office applications
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Experience with accounting software
  • Excellent interpersonal skills to communicate effectively across the organization
  • Thorough knowledge of general ledger accounting and account reconciliation
  • Highly detail-oriented

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Hiring Resources

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How to Balance Time and Candidate Quality In Your Interview Process

Employers: How to Write Great Job Descriptions

  • Be sure to mention requisite years of experience and educational requirements
  • Tell job seekers what's unique about your company and job
  • Ideal length is a few paragraphs or about 200 words
  • Make sure to use appropriate paragraph breaks and bullet points so it’s easy on the eyes
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