A day in the life of an accountant is in some ways very similar to other careers, but in other ways much more intriguing. Accountants like many other professionals have clients to answer to, projects to complete, bosses and partners to liaise with and their own personal development to keep up to date. Of course, as an accountant, you could work directly for a company in their accounts department or be employed by an independent accountancy business and have experience working for multiple clients.
Either way, a standard start to the day would be to arrive at the office, grab a coffee, check emails and messages and prioritise tasks for the day. You will find prioritisation is essentially the most important job of any career, as knowing how to manage your time, and where to focus your energy, is essential for allocating appropriate resources to tasks and identifying where you may need to delegate or request assistance. You will also find accountancy tasks are extremely broad and varied so it is hard to define outside of the above norms exactly what a general day would consist of. Outsourcing accountants services from a reputed company is beneficial for your business. However, the differences between the two strands of this profession: financial accountancy and auditing, can make some difference in what your daily routine may be.
Financial accountants can expect a variety of tasks to be their responsibility. These could include client VAT returns, accounts, tax returns, tax advisory or company payroll along with answering general queries from clients and keeping on top of new legislation and industry news. Your clients may also vary in type and size from small sole traders and e-commerce businesses to professional partnerships and charities. Some of your clients can be new start-up businesses needing your financial accounting services, and professional financial business advice. This can be very rewarding knowing you are steering your client in the right direction and helping them grow as a successful business. As your client base increases, you will find that you may work with businesses for a substantial period and establish a great professional relationship. This is ideal for fully understanding the needs and plans of both the business and the owner, allowing you to tailor advice specifically for them and focus on long-term financial success. This can be an extremely rewarding plus side of the job.
However, working as an audit accountant your main role will see you being brought in by businesses to audit or check their financial procedures and transactions. Again, you could be employed within the auditing department of a business or employed by an auditing firm working for several clients. As an auditor, you would work with a business’s financial statements to ensure they are accurate, up-to-date and in compliance with various regulatory standards. You would find yourself examining the financial statements which have been prepared by accountants and ensuring they represent the company’s financial position accurately. You may find your work is mainly with larger companies or public bodies that are required to release their financial statements annually.
Whichever route you choose in accounting can be exciting and challenging as you work with many different clients, in various sectors and quite often in different geographical locations.