Have you ever considered becoming an accounting clerk? It is a good career for people who enjoy working on computers and monitoring finances! This post will cover the accounting clerk job description and various other aspects of this career. Many people may not be aware of the important job responsibilities that accounting clerks have. This occupation has a good projected rate of growth, so this is a solid career to pursue. Pay is reasonable for the required level of education. This job might just be perfect for you if you have an interest in entering income and expenses into financial tracking software, monitoring finances, and much more. Clerks typically work in an office, but there are additional settings they may work in. You can continue reading if you would like to learn more about how to become an accounting clerk.
Accounting Clerk Job Description
The job of an accounting clerk can be fast paced, which can be stressful for some people. Accounting clerks typically work in large office settings. Clerks may work for accounting firms or other general companies. They commonly work full (40 hours a week). In some instances, they may need to work during the weekends, into the evening, or during holidays. Occasional overtime hours may also be necessary. At times, accounting clerks may need to work with accountants and other coworkers, but they typically work independently. They may be supervised by a certified public accountant in some companies, but other companies may trust their clerks to work completely independently.
Usually, a typical accounting clerk job description contains the following items:
- Use bookkeeping software to document and monitor financial transactions
- Maintain current financial information with bookkeeping software
- Be responsible for receiving cash and checks and keep track of them
- Ensure that all reports are accurate
- Use computer software to monitor and track the company’s expenses and income
- Create reports and financial balance sheets for the company
- Look out for discrepancies and differences within the financial documents
- Assist other employees as needed
The accounting clerk’s job responsibilities may vary slightly from one company and work setting to the next. Some clerks may only be given certain responsibilities, while other clerks may be completely responsible for bookkeeping and monitoring the income and expenses. However, most clerks spend a great deal of their work time using the QuickBooks and Excel computer software.
Specific job titles may also vary. For example, some accounting clerks would have the title of payroll clerk, billing clerk, etc.
Accounting Clerk Education Requirements and Training
The accounting clerk education typically consists of a GED or a high school diploma. However, some companies prefer to hire an individual who has an associate’s degree in a related field. These degrees are typically in accounting or business. Occasionally, an individual with a bachelor’s degree will work as a clerk. However, those who have a bachelor’s degree tend to be promoted rather quickly to higher level positions.
It is not unusual for clerks to receive on the job training. This is especially common for new clerks who do not have an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree. Typically, on the job training lasts for approximately 6 months or until new clerks can competently complete their work tasks independently. Some companies will request that their new accounting clerks take specialized classes to help them with particular aspects of their job. For example, some clerks may need to take classes on the bookkeeping software commonly used by accounting clerks, or they may need to take accounting classes.
Certification is optional for clerks, but it is not mandatory. In order for a clerk to become certified, he or she must first have a minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in the field. After they meet the minimum work requirements, they must pass a lengthy 4-part exam. In addition to passing the exam, they must also agree to abide by a certain code of ethics for accounting clerks.
In addition to education level, there are certain personality traits that are ideal for clerks to have. These traits include: being oriented to small details, knowledge of and familiarity with computers and technology, strong math skills, ability to work quickly and efficiently under pressure, good communication and interpersonal skills, solid organizational skills, critical thinking skills, and a solid integrity and set of ethics.
Accounting Clerk Salary
The median accounting clerk salary, according to the Bureau for Labor Statistics (BLS)*, had a value of $35,170 per year (or $16.91 an hour) as of May 2012. This is very close to the average median for all occupations which was $34,750 per year as of May 2012. The median value is not the same as the value of the average salary (although the two can be rather close), but it just reflects the value located in the middle of the registered salaries. It means that half of all employed accounting clerks have earned a little more than this value, and the other half of them earned a little less. The top 10% of clerks earned more than $54,310 per year. The lowest 10% of services managers earned less than $21,610.
It is important to note that the salaries of these clerks vary based level of education and years of relevant work experience. Accounting clerks who have higher education and more work experience are more likely to receive higher annual salaries. Accounting clerks may be able to earn extra income through bonuses and profit sharing. Clerks may earn annual bonuses of as much as $3,000 per year. If a clerk has to work over the typical 40 hours, they may also receive higher earnings. Clerks who are in the later stages of their careers tend to earn right around $35,000. For clerks just starting out, entry level salaries are typically around $31,000.
Accounting clerks who work in San Francisco, CA and Napa, CA tend to receive the highest annual salaries for clerks. Other cities that pay clerks fairly well include: Chicago, IL, Minneapolis, MN, New York, NY, and Austin, TX.
Accounting clerks often work 40 hours a week. In some instances, they may need to work overtime, weekends, into the evening, or over a holiday. This is typically influenced by the setting in which they work. Clerks typically work on their own, but in some cases they may need to work with accountants or other clerks. Overall, job satisfaction tends to be quite high for accounting clerks.
Accounting Clerk Job Outlook
The accounting clerk job outlook is pretty good. According to The BLS, the projected growth of accounting clerk positions is 11% between the years 2012 and 2022. This rate of growth is approximately the same as the average of all other occupations in the United States. This anticipated increased need for accounting clerks is attributed to economic growth. As businesses and organizations expand, there will be a greater demand for accounting clerks. This should result in more career opportunities for individuals pursuing this type of position. Those who have an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree will likely have the best job prospects. However, there should be an adequate number of accounting clerk job openings for those who seek them.