Accounting assistant career guide

Learn how to become an accounting assistant

An entry role in the accounting industry can be a great idea if you are good at working with numbers, are detail-oriented, and maintain a high standard of integrity. Accounting is a diverse industry, so there’s plenty of career paths you can choose from. One choice, which can turn out to be lucrative and help you advance on the employment ladder, is to become an accounting assistant.

Even if this is an entry-level position in the accounting field, choosing this path can offer you access to more opportunities along the way and help you build a successful career if you work hard, grow your skillset, and further your education.

What is an accounting assistant?

Accounting assistants provide support to staff accountants or to self-employed professionals by performing a combination of basic accounting tasks, and front and back-office administration activities.

Your job responsibilities as an accounting assistant can vary depending on the size of the firm that employs you, as well as your work experience, education status, and skill level.

Day-to-day duties of an accounting assistant can include – without being limited to – reviewing financial information, preparing financial records, copying and recording various documents, settling payments, helping customers in-person or via the telephone, alongside other entry-level bookkeeping tasks.

Your job responsibilities as an accounting assistant can vary depending on the size of the firm that employs you, as well as your work experience, education status, and skill level.

What to expect from the role

The accounting assistant position is typically a full-time 9-to-5 job with various and diverse job responsibilities. In such a role, you’ll handle a wide variety of basic accounting tasks combined with administrative activities and customer interaction. Contrary to the usual perception of the accounting world of people sitting at desks all day looking at spreadsheets, the accounting assistant position is quite an active one, especially if you work in a large accounting firm.

Duties can vary on a case-by-case basis, but most assistants will be required to know how to operate a computer and other office equipment such as printers, phones, faxes, or scanners. Knowledge of accounting software programs is also a box you’d have to tick as it would be required to introduce, review, or update financial information in databases and reports.

Other tasks may include:

• Verifying the accuracy of transactions
• Filing customer information
• Making sure payments are duly made without errors or missing data.

What your resume should include

If you have any of the above-mentioned soft skills, include them in your resume when you apply for an accounting assistant position – or other beginner roles in the industry. They will help you differentiate yourself from other candidates. You can also add to your CV any internships, volunteering work, or part-time jobs that you have had. These show that you are dedicated, willing to work, gain various skills, and adapt to different situations and environments.

The good thing about applying for an entry-level position is that you don’t necessarily need a higher-education degree to qualify for such a job.

Listing soft skills is important. However, your resume should primarily focus on your studies and work experience in the field – if any. The good thing about applying for an entry-level position is that you don’t necessarily need a higher-education degree to qualify for such a job. However, holding an industry-related degree or certificate is beneficial, so let’s look at your options.

Get an undergraduate certificate in accounting

The undergraduate certificate in accounting helps you understand the basic principles of the topic and find work in entry-level roles in the field. Don’t confuse it with an accounting certification, which is something completely different even if their titles sound similar.

The duration of undergraduate certificates in accounting depends on the type of institution you choose. Most programs take up to 1 year or 20 to 30 credit hours to complete, which is less time than earning an associate’s degree.

The tuition fees can start at $100 per credit for less competitive schools and go up to $200 for programs at better-ranked institutions.

Earn an associate’s degree in accounting

Even if you can still find a job in accounting with a diploma or a certificate, employers prefer applicants who hold at least an associate’s degree. An associate’s degree in accounting can fast-track your entry to the accounting industry. Earning one takes around 2 years, and the tuition fees are half of what you would typically pay for a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

In 4 semesters – or approximately 60 credit hours – you learn the fundamentals in areas like financial analysis, record keeping, auditing and taxation practices, as well as business management skills. Admission requirements are not exceptionally high – a high school diploma and a GPA score of at least 2.0 – and you can choose to earn it entirely online if your lifestyle does not allow you to attend courses on campus.

Plus, depending on what you want to focus on more, you can choose between 3 types of associate’s degrees: associate’s of arts, associate’s of science, or associate’s in applied sciences.

Further your education to grow your career

The higher your level of education, the more you’ll gain access to better employment opportunities says the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. High education offers you the body of knowledge you need to become a specialist in your desired field of work, and helps you develop your skills in that profession, too. That is why, if you aspire to advance in your accounting career to positions higher than the one of accounting assistant, you need to consider earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a master’s in business (MBA).