Being an accountant, what skills do I need to possess to do my job?
1. Analytical skills- I have to analyse what is the problem when I look at the profit and loss account and balance sheet. How come those figures changed, decrease or increase. What is the cause of it?
2. Arithmatic skills- You do not need to be very good in counting to become an accountant. But you have to understand +, -, X, *. Some people just could not cope with figures at all. They don't understand why.
3. Conceptual- That's a lot of concepts behind the calculations. Why is it like that and not like that? When my manager explains to me, he will go, ok story time.......... there he goes on explaining. He likes to talk for sure ....... and often I get lost and side track from his story and forgetten what I wanted him to explain to me. He is very smart in catching me whether I understand or not, you couldn't lie from your eyes or face expressions........Like once he finished, he will stare at you do you understand? I will mmmmmmm....... half maybe not. Sometimes, he will said you don't get it. Then he goes, is ok, start again........He is very patient with me for sure. But he gets agitated when I don't let him to finish up his sentences. He always said to me I can't wait and see how your husband gets to talk one day. hahaha
Same like Ms Helen, she will go with his fingers pug, pug, pug! She is a little bit different in explaining it, she is fast. Once you catched the concept, you will get it.
4. Judgement call- With accounts, there are always some judgetment calls that you need to make. When you do not have enough information, and you are stuck for sure that there is no way of proceeding it further. Just stop and send queries out to client and ask.Otherwise, I will yelled to Con (my manager), Con I need your help. Otherwise, I will stand up from my cubical and waive to him, and he knows I needed help. Sometimes he just joke around and said you want me to talk your hands... I will say yes. I am very daring and outspoken in a way I think for not many people and cope with me sometimes. For that is the joy I am having with my team mates...... we cope along well.
5. Puzzle skills- When you start with a set of accounts, you have to start doing it from scratch based on information provided by your client. You have to put it in place. Especially when you get stuck and send queries to client, you need to put the queries in words. Once you got a reply fromt client, thats the puzzle playing time when you have to put it back to the hole/spot that you are missing.
6. Spot on- You need to be spot on with your figures and workings. You cannot be wrong in terms of concepts. Shit happens always when you send out something to clients and they come back to you and you realised far out....... how come I missed it. But, you have to accept that it is done and cannot be undone.
7.Fixing skills - You need to know how to fix things. There is this button when you do accounts that hit verify problems, next fix... it will automically tells you what is out of balance if there is any.
Then you go and dig in and find out what went wrong, and fix it. Like we have to fix shits, when sometimes is not done by you, and you complained and complained but just bear with it........ cause I am the client relationship manager after all. I have to bear the responsibilty and explain to client if they ever comes back to me why is like that. But we hate annal client who keeps biting you and not letting you go with your calculations, doubting on you once they found 1 small mistake. Yes, is never perfect, but hopefully is alright. After all, we are all humans...
Guess how those skills all shaped my personality, for I am an accountant after all!!
I love my job still for now!!
:)
