For one to get where they would want to be in life, choosing a career path will help one in developing the strategy and setting professional goals. This will involve one making an honest self-evaluation in relation to their abilities, talents, and interest. An individual's academic qualifications also play a part towards choosing a career path.
A career in accounting field is always marketable and employers will demand such employees as long as financial transactions continue to exist in the world. Accounting field has a wide range of careers from which one can choose from, ranging from entry to executive level positions (Warrick et al, 2010). An accounts payable clerk has the responsibility for paying an organization's bills. However, for larger organizations, the accounts payable clerk is required to record and pay invoices as per the purchase journal. According to Albrecht and Sack, (2000), the purchase journal is used in recording all the purchases done by a firm. In case a purchase is made using cash, it is recorded in the cash journal. The accounts payable clerk works under the supervision of the accounting supervisor. The clerks also work with service providers and vendors when it comes to the reconciliation of purchase orders and invoices.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
It is paramount for a company to keep track of all its payments made under its name. This will allow it to have in place the records of its clients' invoices which are not paid. Through tracking payments, the firm will have the know-how of the amount of money it gets. This is the duty of the accounts receivable clerk. Most of the bank deposits used in making payments are found in the form of debit cards, credit notes, checks, cash and money orders. For the accounts receivables clerk, it is their duty to ensure the clients' accounts are on track with the company's payment record books (Warrick et al, 2010).
In the accounting field, if one is looking for a career path that will see them working in fast paced career lifestyle, bookkeeping is the right choice. The main responsibilities of a bookkeeper are the posting of financial transactions using spreadsheets, software, and other online databases. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual salary for a book keeper 2012 was $36,000. A bookkeeper has to ensure that all the cash voucher and check transactions have been recorded. In some organizations, the bookkeeper is required to produce financial reports such as balance sheets and income statements. In the case of discrepancies in the financial reports, it is the duty of the bookkeeper to report they direct superior (United States Department of Labor, 2012).
As a bookkeeper, one will be required to have excellent personal skills. This is because of his/her involvement in a variety of tasks especially concerned with numbers. This means that they must have an aptitude for numbers. They must also have top-notch computer skills for most of their work revolves around using various computer application software. One must have good problem solving and be organized. This is because one has to pay attention to detail so as to avoid any mistakes. As a result of dealing with the company's financial information, one must be trustworthy and discreet in nature (United States Department of Labor, 2012).
A good bookkeeper will give the organization a piece of mind in that, as the business grows, there is need to keep an accurate record of its financial transactions. The financial records of an organization ensure that it can quickly calculate its annual, weekly and monthly reports at ease. Every organization has some suppliers who provide it with different raw materials and services. As a result, there is a need to maintain a cordial relationship with these suppliers which is maintained through accurate payments on time. The accounts payables and receivables clerks will ensure that the business does not lose its most trusted suppliers due to late payments.
References
Albrecht, W. S. & Sack R. J. Sack. (2000). Accounting education: charting the course through a perilous future. Accounting Education Series, 16 .
United States Department of Labor. (2012). Occupational Outlook Handbook . Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/bookkeeping-accounting-and-auditing-clerks.htm.
Warrick, C. S., Daniels, B. & Scott, C. (2010). Accounting students' perceptions on employment opportunities. Research in Higher Education Journal , 7 (1).
