Accountants help individuals and organisations manage their money. This can be in a variety of ways – with taxes, finances, record management, auditing, budgeting, and much more. You might work as an employee in an independent accounting firm, or as an in-house accountant for a company.
If you’re great with maths, are analytical and organised, and are a great communicator, becoming an Accountant could be perfect for you.
About you:
- Great with maths
- Analytical and thorough
- Great communicator
- Excellent problem solver
- Can work in teams and independently
- Organised and efficient
- Precise and deadline-oriented
- Fantastic attention to detail
The job:
- Examining the cash flow of businesses
- Preparing financial statements
- Creating and implementing budgets
- Providing advice about tax
- Undertaking audits
- Managing a client’s investment portfolio
- Precise and deadline-oriented
- Providing general financial advice
Lifestyle Impact: Low
- Part Time opportunities: Low – around 20% of Accountants work part-time (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Average hours for full-time workers: 43 hours a week, which is average (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Accountants’ salary (average) $60,000* per year (source: seek.com.au). *Salaries vary depending on your skills and experience.
- Future career growth: Strong (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au).
- Most of your work will probably be done indoors, and during normal business hours.
Accountants are most in demand in these locations:
This is a very large sized occupation, with around 205,700 people working as Accountants in Australia in 2020 (source: labourmarketinsights.gov.au). Demand for Accountants is spread fairly evenly across Australia, with a large share of workers in New South Wales. Most Accountants work in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry.
How to become an Accountant in Australia
Before you can practice as an Accountant, you will need to complete a relevant Bachelor’s degree, and register with one of Australia’s three peak accounting bodies.
Step 1 – Complete Year 12 with a focus on English and Maths.
Step 2 – Find work experience in an accounting or business setting.
Step 3 – Complete a relevant undergraduate qualification, such as a Bachelor of Accounting, or Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting.
Step 4 – Apply to become a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA), a Chartered Accountant (CA), or join the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA).
Step 5 – Start working as a fully qualified accountant.
Find out more here –
https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/
https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/
https://www.publicaccountants.org.au/
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What do Accountants do?
Accountants are responsible for managing and advising on a variety of finance- and money-related matters.
Which industries employ Accountants?
Accountants are mostly employed in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry.
What options are there for career progression?
You might like to specialise in a particular type of accounting, such as tax, forensic, investment, management, and more. Once you have build up lots of experience, you might even like to start your own firm or work freelance.
Do I need to go to university to become an Accountant?
You will need an undergraduate degree in order to work as a fully qualified Accountant in Australia.
Where do Accountants work?
There is demand for Accountants across Australia, particularly in New South Wales.
What are 3 things I can do right now to help me become an Accountant?
If you’re in high school and you’d like to find out if a career as an Accountant is right for you, here’s a few things you could do right now:
- Start up a budget or financial plan for yourself or your home and see if you can manage your money effectively. If you have a casual or part-time job, see if you can file your own tax return.
- See if you can find work experience in an accountancy or business-based setting. This will help you see if you might enjoy the work, and can help you start building important contacts for the future.
- Talk to an Accountant to see what a day in their life is like. If you don’t know anyone, see if you can watch videos or documentaries about a career in accounting.