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Job Definition
View MovieAnalyze financial information and prepare financial reports to determine or maintain record of assets, liabilities, profit and loss, tax liability, or other financial activities within an organization.
Job Zone

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Interests
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Knowledge
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Skills
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Tasks
Advise management about issues such as resource utilization, tax strategies, and the assumptions underlying budget forecasts.
Provide internal and external auditing services for businesses or individuals.
Advise clients in areas such as compensation, employee health care benefits, the design of accounting or data processing systems, or long-range tax or estate plans.
Investigate bankruptcies and other complex financial transactions and prepare reports summarizing the findings.
Represent clients before taxing authorities and provide support during litigation involving financial issues.
Appraise, evaluate, and inventory real property and equipment, recording information such as the description, value and location of property.
Maintain or examine the records of government agencies.
Serve as bankruptcy trustees or business valuators.
Work as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents.
Report to management regarding the finances of establishment.
Prepare, examine, or analyze accounting records, financial statements, or other financial reports to assess accuracy, completeness, and conformance to reporting and procedural standards.
Compute taxes owed and prepare tax returns, ensuring compliance with payment, reporting or other tax requirements.
Analyze business operations, trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations, to project future revenues and expenses or to provide advice.
Establish tables of accounts and assign entries to proper accounts.
Develop, maintain, and analyze budgets, preparing periodic reports that compare budgeted costs to actual costs.
Wages

Data not available

Outlook

During 2006, there were approximately 142,300 people employed in this field in California. It is projected that there will be 175,500 employed in 2016. This occupation will have about 3,320 openings due to growth and about 2,500 replacement openings for approximately 5,820 total annual openings. This occupation .

Colleges and Training
Below are college programs that are generally associated with this occupation. To view colleges that offer these programs, click on the titles below.
Accounting - A program that prepares individuals to practice the profession of accounting and to perform related business functions. Includes instruction in accounting principles and theory, financial accounting, managerial accounting, cost accounting, budget control, tax accounting, legal aspects of accounting, auditing, reporting procedures, statement analysis, planning and consulting, business information systems, accounting research methods, professional standards and ethics, and applications to specific for-profit, public, and non-profit organizations.
Similar Occupations
Treasurers and Controllers - Direct financial activities, such as planning, procurement, and investments for all or part of an organization.
Cost Estimators - Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.
Auditors - Examine and analyze accounting records to determine financial status of establishment and prepare financial reports concerning operating procedures.
Budget Analysts - Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports for the purpose of maintaining expenditure controls.
Credit Analysts - Analyze current credit data and financial statements of individuals or firms to determine the degree of risk involved in extending credit or lending money. Prepare reports with this credit information for use in decision-making.
Tax Examiners, Collectors, and Revenue Agents - Determine tax liability or collect taxes from individuals or business firms according to prescribed laws and regulations.
Actuaries - Analyze statistical data, such as mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates and construct probability tables to forecast risk and liability for payment of future benefits. May ascertain premium rates required and cash reserves necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.
Economists - Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to aid in solution of economic problems arising from production and distribution of goods and services. May collect and process economic and statistical data using econometric and sampling techniques.
Notes
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Job Openings
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