Someone wanting to enter the accounting field can choose to train for a number of possible positions. While the general concept for an accountant is to maintain a system of accounting records, there are many possible paths to take that expand well beyond this baseline activity. The following list contains brief descriptions of the more commonly recognized types of accountants.

Billing Clerk

The billing clerk position is responsible for invoicing customers, submitting the invoices to customers by whatever means are required, issuing credit memos, and keeping the billing records up-to-date. This is a relatively low-level position within the accounting department, which does not require a substantial amount of preliminary accounting training.

Bookkeeper

The bookkeeper position originates accounting transactions and compiles the information into financial statements. It also reconciles general ledger accounts. This position is responsible for, and likely personally handles, the invoicing of customers, processing of cash receipts, payment of suppliers, and tracking of fixed assets. This position also handles sales taxes and income taxes. A bookkeeper is only found in a small accounting department. When an organization’s accounting function becomes more complex, the bookkeeper is usually replaced by a controller.

Budget Analyst

The budget analyst position is responsible for coordinating the assembly of the annual budget, loading it into the accounting software, comparing it to actual results, and reporting on variances. This is a mid-grade accounting or finance position, and requires a modest amount of experience.

Cashier

The cashier position handles and properly records incoming and outgoing cash, including the processing of bills, coins, credit cards, and debit cards. This can involve the use of a cash register. Accurate cash recordation is emphasized. This position is entry-level, but still requires a great deal of attention to accuracy, as well as a good knowledge of sales and returns policies.

Chief Financial Officer

The chief financial officer position is the top-level accounting position in a business. This position is responsible for the accounting, taxation, and treasury staffs, as well as for maintaining a proper system of controls, strategic planning, risk management, fund raising, investor relations, and investments. CFOs are frequently required to have finance degrees and experience with fundraising; however, when fundraising is not an issue, then senior-level controllers may be elevated into this position.

Collections Clerk

The collections clerk position collects cash related to overdue accounts receivable by whatever means are most efficient and legally allowed, and will also recommend the recordation of some receivables as bad debts. This is a very skilled mid-grade position. Good collectors are difficult to find, so companies may pay extra to acquire and retain them.

Controller

The controller position manages the accounting department. In that role, the position is responsible for all transactions, controls within the accounting department, and the production of financial statements and other financial reports. This is the most critical accounting position in an accounting department, and so requires a great deal of experience in all accounting functions.

Cost Accountant

The cost accountant position reports on the cost of activities, products, and processes. The position can involve participation in target costing teams, reviewing inventory, analyzing proposed product or services prices, and many other tasks. This is a mid-grade position that requires substantial knowledge of both accounting and financial analysis.

Credit Manager

The credit manager position is usually found in mid-size to larger firms, and is responsible for reviewing and granting customer credit requests, with the goal of maximizing revenues while minimizing bad debts. This is an upper-level position, since the credit manager must make decisions that could potentially lose a large amount of money for the employer.

Fixed Asset Accountant

The fixed asset accountant position records the cost of fixed assets as acquired and altered over time, as well as their subsequent depreciation and disposition; also includes the recordation of asset retirement obligations and impairment charges. This is a mid-grade specialist position that requires a detailed knowledge of asset accounting; it is a particularly important position in asset-heavy industries.

Forensic Accountant

The forensic accountant position is involved with the examination of financial records when there is a suspicion of fraud, as well as the reconstruction of destroyed or damaged financial records. Thus, the position tends to be a third-party consultant that moves from job to job as required. This is considered a senior-level position, and should have an excellent grounding in audit engagements.

General Ledger Clerk

The general ledger clerk position records all journal entries in the general ledger, and reconciles all accounts. This person may also prepare several disclosures that accompany the financial statements. This is a mid-grade position, and requires a high degree of attention to detail; this is because journal entry mistakes can have serious negative impacts on a firm’s financial statements.

Payables Clerk

The payables clerk position records incoming supplier invoices, ensures that they have been approved for payment, possibly with three-way matching, and pays suppliers. This is a lower-grade position that does not require a broad range of accounting knowledge. Nonetheless, a payables clerk needs to be very detail-oriented, to avoid making payment mistakes.

Payroll Clerk

The payroll clerk position collects and aggregates time keeping information, calculates gross pay, subtracts payroll deductions to arrive at net pay, and issues payments to employees. This position usually requires an in-depth knowledge of payroll regulations, as well as the operation of payroll software. Given the knowledge required, this is considered a mid-grade accounting position.

Project Accountant

The project accountant position monitors the progress of projects, investigates variances from the project budget, and ensures that project billings are issued and payments collected. This is a mid-grade accounting position, especially when the person is expected to oversee a project’s accounting activities without any support.

Tax Accountant

The tax accountant position collects the information needed to complete tax forms, ensures that tax reports are filed in a timely manner, and researches tax issues as requested, advising management on the impact of different corporate strategies. Given the high level of knowledge required, this is considered a mid-level accounting position.