Accounting

All money spent or received by an organization must be accurately re-corded. Accounting clerks are an organization's financial record keeper. They compute, classify, record, and verify numerical data in order to develop and maintain financial records. In smaller businesses, accounting clerks handle all aspects of financial transactions. In larger offices and in an accounting department, they are more specialized. Their title may reflect the type of accounting they do, such as accounts payable clerk or accounts receivable clerk. As organizations computerize their financial records, more accounting clerks are using specialized accounting software.

RESPONSIBILITES: SMALLER BUSINESS

Accounting clerks record debits and credits, compare current and past balance sheets, summarize details of separate ledgers, and prepare reports for supervisors and managers. They may also prepare bank deposits by compiling data from cashiers, verifying and balancing receipts, and sending the cash, checks, or other forms of payment to the bank.

RESPONSIBILITES: LARGER OFFICE OR ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT

Entry level accounting clerks may post details of transactions, total accounts, and compute interest charges. They may also monitor loans, accounts payable and receivable, to make sure that payments are up to date. More advanced clerks may total, balance and reconcile billing vouchers, post transactions in journals and on computer files, review computer printouts and make necessary corrections.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Accounting clerks work in a well-lighted, clean environment and work regular business hours. They may work longer hours to meet deadlines at the end of the fiscal year, during tax time, or when monthly and yearly accounting audits are performed. Billing, bookkeeping and accounting clerks in hotels, restaurants and stores may work overtime during peak holiday and vacation seasons.

EMPLOYMENT

Almost all job openings for accounting clerks through the year 2005 will be due to replacement needs. The large size of the occupation ensures a large number of openings and plentiful job opportunities for jobseekers. A growing econ-omy will result in more financial transactions and other activities and, therefore, more demand for accounting services.

Accounting clerks must be careful, orderly, and detail oriented in order to avoid making errors and to be able to recog-nize errors made by another. These workers must also be honest, discreet, and trustworthy because they frequently come in contact with confidential material.

ADVANCEMENT

Accounting clerks usually advance by taking on more duties in the same occupation with higher pay. Others advance to closely related occupations. For example, some accounting clerks use their experience to move into a supervisory position.