Accountant Jobs

Accounting, as a profession, has always been in demand as it is the backbone of every business entity. The place of an accountant is sacrosanct in every organisation, be it large or small. So, if you are good with numbers, especially mathematical skills, and are looking for a career path that combines good financial incentives with a sustainable work-life balance, accountant jobs may just be the answer.

✅ What is the role of an accountant in a company?

Accountancy is a demanding but rewarding career option. First and foremost, you will need to have a strong grasp on numbers to make inroads into any organisation. Mathematics skills are as essential for an accountancy professional as a gift of the gab is for a salesperson or a steady hand is for a surgeon.

In accountant jobs, you will be responsible for maintaining and interpreting the financial records of an organisation. Some of the other tasks that you will have to perform on a regular basis are:

• Ensure accuracy of financial documents, and their compliance with various laws
• Prepare tax returns
• Keep track of various departments’ budgets, needs and plans, and offer solutions on reducing costs, enhancing revenue, and maximising profits
• Conduct risk analysis assessments

However, just being good at these tasks will not take you far in this profession. To make it big, you also need to be able to see patterns in data and use past trends to make predictions for the business. An awareness of businesses globally — the success or failure of an organisation or corporate scandals and how they impact the stock markets – is the need of the hour.

✅ What are the educational qualifications required for accountant jobs in Singapore?

If you have decided to pursue a career in accountancy, the first step in that direction is to ensure you pursue the best and right education. You will need a minimum educational qualification of an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree in accounting for accountant jobs in Singapore. Thereafter, additional certifications, such as a master’s degree or courses in chartered accountancy, cost accountancy, or company secretary can help you surge ahead in your professional career.

✅ What are the skills required for accountant jobs in Singapore?

For the right kind of talent, accountancy, as a profession, can become a veritable goldmine. But before taking the leap into the world of numbers and data, you need to possess these essential skills that will help you get your foot in the door:

• Knowledge of Software: Accountants have to handle a lot of financial documents on a day-to-day basis. That apart, they have to organise large data sets too. So, for an accountant job in Singapore, or any other place, you must be familiar with a range of financial management and budgeting software.

• Soft Skills: These are basic skill sets that would help in improving communication at the workplace and, in the future, leading a team. Some of the soft skills required are strong written and verbal communication, attention to detail, problem-solving ability, time management, deductive reasoning, proficiency with Microsoft Office, and a solid grounding in mathematics.

• Business Awareness: This is something that many individuals forget about. The need for business awareness, especially in a field like accountancy, is immense. In simpler terms, business awareness is the knowledge of where your business fits in the market, and how economic or social developments can affect the same.

✅ How to get an accountant job in Singapore?

Singapore is among those countries where accountants get a warm welcome. The demand for accountant jobs is very high in Singapore. Off late, due to the tough trading climates caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, financial insights provided by accountants have become even more valuable. So, qualified accountants will have good prospects.

Also, Singapore’s open immigration policy works in favour of people from other countries. This apart, Singapore has been consistently ranked as either the best, cleanest, easiest, efficient or most competitive country to work in. The country’s vision is to be a leading accountancy hub for the Asia-Pacific region.

✅ In Singapore, which are the top companies that hire accountant jobs?

Singapore is reputed worldwide as a trusted hub for business and finance. Some of the top companies that hire for accountant jobs in Singapore are Barclays, Dyson, HSBC, Rolls-Royce, Shell, and Standard Chartered. These big-ticket British investors have increased their footprint in the country recently.

✅ How to get through the interview?

If you are a savvy interviewee, you can impress the panel with your knowledge of current affairs from the world of business. So, be up-to-date with whatever is happening in the business world. Regularly reading the business pages of reputed newspapers will stand you in good stead. You could also keep track of a couple of organisations that you think could develop and, explain during the interview, how those entities could do this.

You can draw comparisons with an organisation that has done well in the recent past, and discuss what prompted that success and the lessons other organisations could learn from that. Also, do enough research to be able to answer questions on your motivation to work for the organisation you’ve applied to, and the area of interest. Here, elaborate on your skills that are competency-based.

✅ What are some of the entry-level accountant jobs available in Singapore?

Entry-level accounting jobs in Singapore include bank tellers, retail loan officers, commercial credit analysts, and commercial bankers. If you are looking at specialty areas in investment banking, you can look for openings in fund administration, clearing and settlement operations, asset management, and collateral and derivatives.

There are opportunities galore in healthcare, non-profit organisations, and the government sector.

In healthcare, you can find entry-level jobs in payroll or medical billing. In the non-profit sector, you can look at handling and managing funding, fundraising activities and ensure that the organisation follows the rules and regulations pertaining to non-profits.

✅ What is the salary one can expect in an accountant job in Singapore?

An accountant can earn an average salary of S$52,000 annually. However, in-demand talent can command higher wages. Depending on experience, the salary can go up to S$1,20,000 too.

✅ What is the career path for accountants?

As an accountancy professional, you can find job openings in accountancy firms, insurance companies, and banks. Some of the profiles you can explore in this field are:

• Finance managers
• Financial controllers
• Financial advisors
• Chartered accountants
• Company secretaries
• Cost accountants
• Chief financial officers
• Accounting clerks
• Bookkeepers
• Budget analysts
• Auditors
• Comptrollers
• Forensic accountants
• Payroll clerks

Right at the beginning of your career, try to explore workplaces outside the Big Four accountancy firms — KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte. Though a job in any of these firms can help your career soar.