Job descriptions have the power to either simplify or complicate the hiring process. When you post a job description that entices readers and provides an in-depth overview of your company, you will have a far easier time finding the right talent for your business. Writing an exceptional job description requires the ability to understand the mindset of today’s modern jobseeker. Of course, there is no distinct formula to do this, but there are ways to boost your description’s level of effectiveness. If you need help writing an engaging and informative description, take a look at the Junior Accountant Job Description Sample below.
Junior Accountant Job Summary
As a junior accountant, you will be responsible for maintaining, preparing, and reconciling accounts and other financial documents. This position will require you to have a broad understanding of basic accounting principles and excellent communication skills. The accounts that you will be in charge of belong to smaller company subsidiaries, so you will need to feel comfortable submitting your findings to higher-level executives.
Junior Accountant Job Responsibilities and Duties:
- Reconcile various bank accounts by compiling and balancing financial information
- Maintains accounting records of subsidiary branches using balance sheet analysis and general ledger accounts
- Helps secure sensitive financial data by assisting other team members with database creation and maintenance
- Corrects accounting errors and posts journal entry adjustments
- Prepares fixed asset depreciation and accruals
- Determines the financial status and health of various organizations and businesses
- Updates and maintains general ledger accounts by keeping close track of accounts receivable details and control accounts
- Expands knowledge base by participating in educational programs and reading accounting publications
- Completes other accounting tasks as needed
Junior Accountant Skills and Qualifications
- Firm grasp of basic and intermediate accounting principles
- Ability to perform elementary mathematical operations
- Willingness to meet deadlines on a consistent basis
- Comfortable handling and storing confidential financial information
- Close attention to detail
- Ability to compile professional and thorough accounting reports
- Respects and understands SFAS Rules
- Can produce high-quality work regularly
- Ability to analyze information in an objective and nonbiased manner
Company Profile
New City Accounting strives to be the gold-standard for accounting and financial service providers across the country. We have been serving the community for almost 50 years and have built and maintained a reputation that is based on excellence and dedication to our clients. When you allow us to handle your accounting needs, our professionals will do their best to ensure that no detail is overlooked. Our company offers a plethora of unrivaled accounting services to businesses and organizations of all types and sizes.
Writing a Job Description Best Practices
- The Junior Accountant Job Description Sample above is an excellent example of a well-written job description, but you may still be wondering about the less conspicuous aspects of job postings. If this sounds like you, the following tips can provide you with a high degree of guidance.
- Do remain specific. The enemy of a professional job description is vagueness and verbiage. You should make sure that your description clearly highlights all of the main details about your company and the job itself. If your description lacks clarity, jobseekers will not take the time to decipher it.
- Do include a location. Your job posting should always include your company’s geographic location, specifically the city, state, and country that you are located in. If you forget to include this information, you may receive a barrage of applications from candidates outside of your targeted area.
- Do include a list of required skills and qualifications. This is a major part of any description, and without it, jobseekers will not be able to determine whether or not they can perform the job. This section should emphasize the desired education level, skill set, and personal qualities you would like to see in a worker. Remember to specify which skills are preferable and which skills are mandatory.
- Do include recruiter contact information. This information will be helpful in the event that an applicant has questions or concerns regarding the job or the hiring process.
- Don’t include salary information if it is against company rules or regulations.
- Don’t use abbreviations or vague job titles. This will only make your job harder to find if the applicant utilizes a search engine.
- Don’t forget to use bullets.
The tips above can greatly simplify the job description writing process and make your posting more reader-friendly. Remember, the key to a great posting is conciseness and clarity.
Junior Accountant Job Responsibilities
The job responsibilities section is perhaps the most important part of your junior accountant job description as it outlines the potential employee’s responsibilities and day-to-day duties as well as your expectations of the kinds of work he or she can do. This is the most substantial portion of the job description, so it’s especially important to organize it in such a way to make it easy for jobseekers to read and understand quickly. The best way to organize your list of job responsibilities is in bullet points, which is much easier for readers to absorb than a lengthy paragraph.
Starting each duty with an active verb also helps make the job description more engaging. Remember, it isn’t necessary to include every single potential duty in your junior accountant job description. Listing 6-8 of the most important responsibilities will give a strong overview of the job.
Take a look at the following possible junior accountant job responsibilities:
- Analyze financial information regarding assets and liabilities, and prepare balance sheets
- Coordinate with management staff to prepare quarterly budgets
- Uphold accounting controls in compliance with company rules and federal and state regulations
- Maintain records of accounts payable and receivable, and log all incoming and outgoing payments
Junior Accountant Job Specifications
While the job responsibilities section is usually the longest, the job qualifications and skills section is the most specific. This is where you break down the exact requirements candidates need to have before they apply for the job. Since this part of your junior accountant job description gives quantifiable requirements, such as how much education, experience or training you require, it’s the first step in determining whether applicants are over- or under-qualified for the position.
The first step to writing this section is meeting with the hiring manager or accounting manager to determine the most crucial junior accountant job specifications to include. When you know exactly what kind of candidate you’re looking for, it’s easier to craft a junior accountant job description that appeals to jobseekers who are well-qualified for the position. It’s a good idea to break this section up into “required” and “preferred” qualifications so you don’t unnecessarily eliminate candidates missing qualities that are less important or are easy to cover in training.
The following are some potential junior accountant job qualifications and skills you might include:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or a related field
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy in maintaining financial records and following company guidelines and procedures
- Advanced competency in Microsoft Office Suite programs
- Prior experience working with accounts payable and accounts receivable