Accounting to the top

But he did not stop at dreaming, in his final year in secondary school at 14 years of age he begun the process to becoming a chartered accountant. So far he has sat for the Accounting Technician Scheme 1,2 and 3 of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and should have sat for […]

But he did not stop at dreaming, in his final year in secondary school at 14 years of age he begun the process to becoming a chartered accountant. So far he has sat for the Accounting Technician Scheme 1,2 and 3 of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and should have sat for the final stage in May, so he just may already be a chartered accountant at 20.
This is no small achievement on the young man’s part because there are several professionals who have written these examinations over and over again and have failed. But the example to learn from him is that he not only recognised what career path he wanted to take but made the necessary moves on time.
If you are in secondary school and are good in accounting, economics, mathematics and business studies then you might want to consider a career as an accountant. It is one career that would remain relevant for as long as companies, corporations, organisations would need to keep and manage their financial records.
On top of being good at some major subjects, accounting is a career for analytical thinkers, people with loads of patience, a painstaking eye for detail and great diligence.
Accountants work in an array of environments. This includes government, non-profit, manufacturing, banking and education. No matter the type of organization an accountant works for, the accountant’s personal characteristics, traits and skill sets needed are the same.
If you have graduated university and are seeking a job in financing or accounting better have the necessary skills so that when the right opportunity comes along you would not lose out.
Talking about skills,  here are some employers look for  in addition to a degree:
Technical skills
From finance technician to accountant and controller to tax analyst, every job has its own skill requirements. Those skills also vary depending on your level of responsibility.
While junior employees might focus on data entry, bookkeeping, issuing cheques and posting transactions, senior staff may be required to implement new accounting practices, prepare corporate budgets and financial statements, develop financial reporting mechanisms and work with regulators and external auditors.
Management-level jobs require specific skills like supervising, training and evaluating staff, managing projects and schedules, ensuring compliance with policies, and so on.
Check the postings on Monster.ca to see what you’ll have to bring to the table.
Soft skills
Like other jobs, finance and accounting positions require a whole slew of soft skills. Just about every posting in the field lists planning and organizational abilities, multi-tasking, analytical and problem-solving skills, communication skills, the capacity to work without supervision and under pressure, and the ability to work well in teams and on your own.
Particularly relevant for workers who manage company funds are qualities like attention to detail, accuracy and a highly developed sense of discretion and confidentiality.
Computer skills
No matter what the opening, you won’t get far without proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel. But you may also have to be familiar with industry-specific software like Great Plains, QuickBooks, Simply Accounting, SAP, CaseWare, tax preparation software and Audit Command Language. Find out which are most useful in your line of work.
Industry certifications
Perhaps more than in any other industry, professional designations are critical in finance and accounting. Even people with no knowledge of finance have heard of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). These qualifications are absolute musts for many jobs.
It is also important to know what job options are available to you and best suit the skills  you possess and are very good at. Accountant can work in audit which involves checking accounting ledgers and financial statements within corporations and government.It involves significant travel and allows you to really understand how money is being made in the company that you are analyzing. There is also budget analysis and budget analysts are  responsible for developing and managing organizations financial plans.
There are plentiful jobs in this area in government and private industry.  
Another area is financial accounting which involves preparing financial statements based on general ledgers and participating in important financial decisions. This work requires a good understanding of  both accounting and finance. You also have management accountants who work in companies and participate in decisions about capital budgeting and line of business analysis. Their major functions include cost analysis, analysis of new contracts and participation in efforts to control expenses efficiently. You could also explore tax accountancy which concentrates on preparation of corporate and personal income tax statements, formulation of tax strategies involving issues such as financial choice, how to best treat a merger or acquisition, deferral of taxes, when to expense items and the like.
The typical career progression for an accountant is from assistant accountant to management accountant to senior management accountant then finance manager, financial controller and finance director or chief financial officer. This varies from organisation to organisation.
The only way to ensure a steady climb to the top is to improve your skills, seek more training and always tailor your CV to the position you are applying for.