How do I Become a Junior Accountant?

A junior accountant is typically hired to assist a senior-level accountant. College is usually required for a person who wants to become a junior accountant. In most cases, an individual needs a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related major to secure this job. Those who go on to earn master’s degrees may not only have the best chances of landing jobs, but may also have better chances of advancing within their companies. Some companies may require experience as well.

A person who decides to become a junior accountant works to assist a senior accountant with his work. In this position, he’ll typically perform entry-level duties, such as keeping balance sheets up to date, administering payroll, and calculating taxes. While a person in this position may have less responsibility than a senior accountant, his role can still be vital. Other accountants may depend on him to be organized and accurate, exercising analytical and problem-solving skills on a daily basis.

In most cases, an individual who wants to become a junior account has to earn a bachelor’s degree at minimum. An accounting or finance major is the typical choice for someone preparing for this field. Earning higher-level degrees may also help improve an aspiring junior accountant’s job and advancement prospects. In fact, a person may pursue an advanced degree while working as a junior accountant.

In some cases, a person may receive a job offer to become a junior accountant before he has completed his degree. For example, he may receive a job offer while in his senior year of college, beginning work right after graduation. Some take on this job while studying to become certified public accountants.

In addition to education, a person who wants to become a junior accountant typically needs certain skills and qualifications. For starters, he’ll need math ability and computer skills. He should also be trustworthy and have good communication skills. The ability to get along well with others is typically required as well. An individual interested in this field is also expected to be detail oriented and capable of meeting deadlines.

Typically, junior accountants earn less money than their senior accountant counterparts. This makes sense, as a senior accountant typically has more experience and may have more education as well. As a trade off for the lower pay, however, a person who becomes a junior accountant may benefit from the training he gets from the accountant he assists. This training may help prepare him for advancement in the accounting field.