what is an accountant?
Whether you are an independent accountant who deals with tax returns, financial planning and investment advice, or a company bookkeeper responsible for managing financial data, budgets, and reporting, the role of an accountant is essential.
Are we profitable enough? Are we generating enough revenue? Have we filed all necessary declarations and made payments on time so that we don't get fines from the government? Are we cost-efficient enough? Which products or services should we focus more on? Where should we invest? Do we need to make savings? All questions for which no substantiated answer is possible without your work as an accountant. Your work contributes to the transparency and structure in a company's financial reporting. And that is the basis for making well-considered business decisions. In short, you are the one who ensures that the figures are correct and that companies, as well as private individuals, stay on the right financial track.
accountant jobssalary of an accountant.
The salary of an accountant can vary greatly, depending on the type of accountant or the responsibility you hold within the organisation. Naturally, relevant work experience also influences an accountant's salary. As a starter, you can expect a minimum gross salary of €25,000 per year. The salary of an experienced accountant can quickly rise to €48,000 annually.
As an accountant, you are constantly aware of new developments and changes in financial legislation. This makes it highly likely that your employer will be willing to invest in your training pathway. And the more courses you have completed, the greater the chance of career progression. And a higher salary!
In addition to the basic salary, accountants often receive a good package of extra-legal benefits such as meal vouchers, a group insurance and hospitalisation insurance, holiday pay, a thirteenth month, and sometimes a company car.
types of accountants.
Your range of tasks as an accountant depends on the experience you have. A starting, junior accountant takes care of the daily follow-up of invoices, payment reminders, and recording payments. A company also expects a senior accountant to prepare the annual accounts, analyse the figures, and formulate accounting advice.
If you choose a smaller company, there is a good chance that your team will be small. Many small companies only have one accountant. In that case, all accounting tasks are your responsibility. If, on the other hand, you start working as an accountant in a large company, there is a chance that you can specialise in a specific part of accounting. Alongside other accountants, you will then work closely with other financial profiles within the company. These are roles you can also progress to as an accountant. Here is an overview of the most common accounting profiles:
- Auditor: As an auditor, you evaluate financial data, internal control policy, and financial risks to review accuracy and compliance with regulations. You report findings and recommendations that are valuable to investors, regulatory bodies, and management.
- Accountant: The terms accountant and bookkeeper are often used interchangeably. The tasks of a bookkeeper and an accountant also overlap in many areas, but there are still some clear differences. Where the bookkeeper tends to have executive tasks, such as recording or paying invoices, an accountant will analyse these further and check the company's figures.
- Controller: As a controller, you manage, analyse, and report financial data, prepare budgets, perform financial analyses, advise management, and safeguard regulatory compliance.
- Tax consultant: As a tax consultant, you play an essential role in guiding and advising private individuals and organisations to achieve tax efficiency and comply with legal obligations in the tax field.
working as an accountant.
As an accountant, you not only help your company or your clients stay financially healthy. Your work also helps company management make correct and well-substantiated decisions.
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what does an accountant do?
An accountant's specific range of tasks depends on the size of the company you join and your experience as an accountant. But you will find these tasks in the job description of virtually every accountant:
- Financial administration: Maintaining and managing financial data and transactions within the organisation where you work, which is crucial for accounting, reporting, and financial decisions. Even in companies that use integrated software that automatically enters data into the accounting system, you are indispensable as an accountant to ensure that everything works properly.
- Reconciliation: Reconciliation checks whether the figures found in the accounts effectively match what is on invoices and bank statements. Furthermore, the valuation of all assets must be demonstrable through reports or depreciation schedules.
- Periodic reporting and closing: Also known as "the closings". Companies must periodically centralise their figures in reports and close the books. The larger the company, the more often you will have to close the accounts and report. This often happens on a monthly, quarterly, and/or annual basis. With the reporting, you give management a snapshot of the organisation's financial health and provide all the figures they need to make the necessary decisions in the short and long term.
- Preparing tax return: Companies file a tax return every year. It is the accounting department's job to prepare the forms and file the tax return correctly.
- Financial reporting: One of an accountant's tasks is presenting financial information for all stakeholders inside and outside the company. An accountant must convert the information from the financial administration into a clear report. The employee can submit a report for review, or the company management can ask a senior accountant to give a presentation on the figures.
- Preparing for an audit: An audit is an investigation into a company's financial processes. Companies with a certain turnover, balance sheet total, or number of employees must have a mandatory audit of the annual accounts carried out every year. Naturally, the government's tax service can also request an inspection that must be prepared by the accountant. In addition to preparing the necessary paperwork, as an accountant, you can also fluently explain why certain figures appear in the books in a specific way.
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work environment
As an accountant, you mainly work from the office. Is working from home important to you? More and more employers offer the option of hybrid working.
If you work as a freelancer or choose to work for an accounting firm? Then there is a good chance that you will work from various locations, namely the different offices of your employer or at clients' offices.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on the size of the company, as an accountant, you work with other accountants, accountants, tax consultants, tax specialists, controllers, and financial managers. You may receive support from an assistant bookkeeper or an administrative assistant. Payroll specialists, HR managers, and the CFO are also among the people you will likely be in regular contact with.
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working hours of an accountant
As an accountant, you usually have an office job and work regular office hours. Unless you are in a closing or reporting period or preparing for an audit. At those times, your management may ask you to work extra hours.
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career progression opportunities as an accountant
As an accountant, you have various opportunities for career progression. Here are some of the most common career progression opportunities:
- Senior accountant: After a few years, you can progress to senior accountant. This involves being responsible for more complex accounting tasks, having more supervision over junior accountants, and playing a leading role in financial projects.
- Financial analyst: Do you have strong analytical skills? Then you can switch to the role of financial analyst. A financial analyst deals with financial planning, budgeting, and providing strategic advice to management.
- Controller: A controller holds a higher position within an organisation's financial department. As a controller, you oversee all financial activities, prepare financial reports, and ensure that financial processes run efficiently.
- Financial manager or finance director: Have you accumulated many years of experience in the financial world and are you good at your profession? After many years of experience and with the right qualifications, you can progress to the role of financial manager or finance director or CFO (chief financial officer). This involves being responsible for the organisation's complete financial strategy and reporting directly to the CEO.
- Independent consultant: Some accountants choose to become independent consultants or set up their own accounting firm. Would you like the freedom to work with different clients and on different projects? Then this path might be for you.
- Specialisation: You can also specialise in a specific area such as taxes, forensic accounting, or management accounting. This can ensure that you gain access to highly specialised and well-paid positions.
- Education: Do you enjoy sharing your knowledge? Then consider the move into education and prepare the next generation of accountants for their profession!
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benefits of working for randstad as an accountant
Working through randstad offers you a range of benefits:
- paid weekly
- flexibility
- always a contact person you can rely on and ask for help
- many training opportunities
- a range of jobs near you
qualifications and skills.
Do you want to start working as an accountant? Then you need the right qualifications.
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professional bachelor's degree
Most vacancies for accounting jobs require a professional bachelor's degree. Bachelor's programmes that fully prepare you for a job as an accountant include:
- accountancy - taxation
- business management
- financial consultancy
- international finance
- SME advisor
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academic bachelor/master
As an academic bachelor or master from an economic field of study, you also have the necessary skills and the right qualification to work as an accountant. But beware. A job as a starting accountant is very practical. Your academic knowledge will certainly come in handy at a later stage to progress further.
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further training and language skills
- Language skills: Do you want to work as an accountant in Brussels? Then there is a good chance that you will earn more, but that also means your French must be quite good. Additionally, English is the lingua franca in the financial world.
- Further training: Tax legislation changes very regularly, and as an accountant, you must therefore regularly undergo further training to stay up-to-date with the latest rules. Furthermore, accounting software evolves rapidly, which means you will also regularly need further training in the digital field.
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competencies and characteristics of accountants
In addition to the qualification and training, there are also a number of skills that you should possess as an accountant:
- Eye for detail: A wrong calculation, a missing invoice, an incorrectly coded reporting line? You spot it immediately.
- Digital skills: Whatever accounting software your employer or clients have, you will thoroughly understand the entire environment until you can work with it fluently.
- Organisational skills: You are a whizz at structuring your folders, sheets, and other documents so that you can find everything in no time.
- Communicative skills: You can create clear reports that are also understandable for people who do not have your financial background.
FAQ.
Here you will find an answer to the most frequently asked questions about accountants.
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what is and what does an accountant do?
An accountant is responsible for the company's accounting. This includes paying and preparing invoices, drawing up VAT returns, and the periodic closing of the accounts. An experienced accountant analyses the figures and formulates advice for the company's financial optimisation.
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is an accountant well paid?
An accountant with a few years of experience earns more or less the average gross salary in Belgium, which is somewhere between €3,300 and €3,800 gross per month. In addition, there are also interesting benefits such as pension savings or hospitalisation insurance.
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what is an accountant not allowed to do?
An accountant may prepare the annual accounts, but they may not be involved in the audit process. However, they can provide the necessary input for the auditor, but an accountant may not influence this task. An accountant or controller is allowed to perform this process.
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how can I apply for a job as an accountant?
Finding a job as an accountant is easy. Create a Randstad profile and search our accountant jobs. Have you found what you are looking for? Then send us your CV. No jobs available at the moment? Set up a job alert and receive accountant jobs from us as soon as they become available.
