Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

Compute, classify, and record numerical data to keep financial records complete. Perform any combination of routine calculating, posting, and verifying duties to obtain primary financial data for use in maintaining accounting records. May also check the accuracy of figures, calculations, and postings pertaining to business transactions recorded by other workers.

tasks jobzones knowledge skills abilities work_activities work_context interests work_styles work_values

Tasks

• Prepare purchase orders and expense reports.

• Compute deductions for income and social security taxes.

• Perform personal bookkeeping services.

• Maintain inventory records.

• Complete and submit tax forms and returns, workers' compensation forms, pension contribution forms, and other government documents.

• Match order forms with invoices, and record the necessary information.

• Calculate costs of materials, overhead and other expenses, based on estimates, quotations and price lists.

• Perform general office duties such as filing, answering telephones, and handling routine correspondence.

• Compile budget data and documents, based on estimated revenues and expenses and previous budgets.

• Perform financial calculations such as amounts due, interest charges, balances, discounts, equity, and principal.

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Job Zone

• Name: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

• Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

• Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

• Job training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

• Examples: These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.

• Svp range: (6.0 to < 7.0)

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Knowledge

Browse Knowledge

• Clerical
  Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

• Mathematics
  Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

• Economics and Accounting
  Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

• Computers and Electronics
  Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

• English Language
  Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

• Customer and Personal Service
  Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

• Administration and Management
  Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

• Education and Training
  Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

• Personnel and Human Resources
  Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

• Sales and Marketing
  Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

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Skills

Browse Skills

• Critical Thinking
  Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

• Time Management
  Managing one's own time and the time of others.

• Active Learning
  Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

• Active Listening
  Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

• Mathematics
  Using mathematics to solve problems.

• Reading Comprehension
  Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Instructing
  Teaching others how to do something.

• Writing
  Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

• Learning Strategies
  Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

• Management of Financial Resources
  Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.

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Abilities

Browse Abilities

• Near Vision
  The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

• Oral Comprehension
  The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Written Comprehension
  The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

• Oral Expression
  The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

• Information Ordering
  The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

• Mathematical Reasoning
  The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.

• Number Facility
  The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

• Deductive Reasoning
  The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

• Category Flexibility
  The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

• Inductive Reasoning
  The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

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Work Activities

Browse Work Activities

• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

• Processing Information
  Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

• Interacting With Computers
  Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

• Getting Information
  Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

• Analyzing Data or Information
  Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

• Performing Administrative Activities
  Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

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Work Context

• Telephone
  How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

• Electronic Mail
  How often do you use electronic mail in this job?

• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

• Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
  How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?

• Face-to-Face Discussions
  How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

• Contact With Others
  How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

• Spend Time Sitting
  How much does this job require sitting?

• Structured versus Unstructured Work
  To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

• Time Pressure
  How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

• Freedom to Make Decisions
  How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

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Interests

Browse Interests

• Conventional
  Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

• Enterprising
  Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

• Investigative
  Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

• Realistic
  Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

• Social
  Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

• Artistic
  Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

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Work Styles

• Attention to Detail
  Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

• Integrity
  Job requires being honest and ethical.

• Dependability
  Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

• Cooperation
  Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

• Independence
  Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

• Self Control
  Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

• Initiative
  Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

• Persistence
  Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

• Stress Tolerance
  Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

• Concern for Others
  Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

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Work Values

Browse Work Values

• Independence
  Workers on this job do their work alone.

• Working Conditions
  Workers on this job have good working conditions.

• Activity
  Workers on this job are busy all the time.

• Company Policies and Practices
  Workers on this job are treated fairly by the company.

• Working Conditions-Mean Extent
  Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

• Security
  Workers on this job have steady employment.

• Autonomy
  Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.

• Ability Utilization
  Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.

• Advancement
  Workers on this job have opportunities for advancement.

• Supervision, Human Relations
  Workers on this job have supervisors who back up their workers with management.

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