The accountant's roles and responsibilities
An accountant has a wide range of roles and responsibilities. First and foremost, accountants must ensure that accounting and financial information is accurate and up-to-date. They are responsible for checking the accuracy of financial transactions, entering accounts, tax returns and any other accounting documents. The accountant must keep accounting records and maintain statistics on the company's financial statements. They must also ensure that taxes and social security contributions are paid on time. Other accounting tasks include bank reconciliation, preparation of financial statements, investment management, preparation of tax returns and internal and external audits. Accountants must also help plan and manage budgets and cash flows. Accountants are responsible for analysing data to help make business decisions, implementing accounting systems and automation tools, internal audits and relations with other entities, banks and suppliers. Finally, an accountant may also advise companies on financial strategies, investments and investment choices.
An accountant's salary and career development
An accountant's salary depends on his or her experience and skills. The average gross annual salary for an accountant in France is around €40,000. Here is a list of gross annual salary trends for accountants based on their years of experience:
- 0 to 2 years: Approximately €32,000
- 2 to 5 years: between €35,000 and €42,000
- 5 to 10 years: between €43,000 and €50,000
- 10 to 15 years: Between €51,000 and €59,000
- Over 15 years: Between €60,000 and €65,000
An accountant can also envisage a career move into different professions. Here is a list of 5 possible professions:
- Financial analyst ;
- Asset manager ;
- Chartered accountant
- Wealth management consultant;
- Management consultant.
