Accountants and Auditors

What the job really is

Examine, analyze, and interpret accounting records to prepare financial statements, give advice, or audit and evaluate statements prepared by others. Install or advise on systems of recording costs or other financial and budgetary data.

At a glance

• Sector: Business & Financial
• O*NET-SOC code: 13-2011
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Prepare detailed reports on audit findings.
• Report to management about asset utilization and audit results, and recommend changes in operations and financial activities.
• Collect and analyze data to detect deficient controls, duplicated effort, extravagance, fraud, or non-compliance with laws, regulations, and management policies.
• Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions.
• Supervise auditing of establishments, and determine scope of investigation required.
• Confer with company officials about financial and regulatory matters.
• Examine and evaluate financial and information systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity.
• Inspect cash on hand, notes receivable and payable, negotiable securities, and canceled checks to confirm records are accurate.
• Examine records and interview workers to ensure recording of transactions and compliance with laws and regulations.
• Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
• Prepare adjusting journal entries.
• Review accounts for discrepancies and reconcile differences.

Tools and technology

Accounting software, Adobe Acrobat, Alteryx software, Epic Systems, Google Docs, Google Sheets, IBM SPSS Statistics, Intuit QuickBooks, MEDITECH software, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
• Financial Examiners
• Treasurers and Controllers
• Tax Preparers
• Financial Managers
• Budget Analysts
• Credit Analysts
• Personal Financial Advisors

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Accountants and Auditors — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.