Planning your post secondary pathway can be stressful: as a teenager, it can be difficult to picture where you see yourself in 10 or 20 years. You probably still have clear memories of playing at recess in elementary school, and now you are suddenly faced with the idea of choosing a career that will impact the rest of your life?
As incredible as it may sound, high school is definitely not too young to start thinking about adulthood. In fact, the more carefully you plan your post secondary years, the better off you will be in the long run, even if you change plans a few times. The most important thing is that you choose an area of learning that you feel successful in and enjoy pursuing. Should you happen to love learning numbers, why not consider a post secondary pathway in accounting?
Accounting doesn’t always get the reputation it deserves among young adults. The stereotype of an accountant usually looks rather boring, crunching numbers and bogged down with piles of paperwork. If you have somehow developed this negative view of an accountant, you may want to change your perspective. Accountants are some of the most well-respected and well-paid professionals you’ll meet, and work in some of the most exciting companies you can imagine. Let’s take a closer look at why you should seriously consider becoming an accountant, and what skills you’ll need to get there.
Is accounting the right career pathway for you to pursue? You may be surprised to learn what it takes to be an accountant!
Why Become an Accountant?
Accounting remains one of the most popular careers of choice for Canadians, and while it may not seem like the most exciting job when you are a teenager it's important to consider the many benefits of working in the field. As an accountant, you’ll be working in a field where there is always high demand: accountants work with the financial information of individuals and companies, and in many cases require someone who can help them stay organized.
Accounting is also a large, broad area of work that touches every industry and field. Sports teams, tech companies, school boards, charities, private individuals, museums, energy companies, banks - you name it - all likely work with an accountant to ensure their expenses and revenues are documented. Whatever your personal passion and interests are, you can likely connect with it in an accounting role.
Becoming an accountant also means you will be financially stable, as certified accountants can command a great starting salary. If you see yourself as a leader, you can sharpen your business skills and climb your way through the corporate ladder, becoming a chief financial officer or managing a team. Thinking of owning your own business? Start your own accounting firm or sell your services to individuals or small businesses. As an accountant, you’ll have so many options to choose from.
To become an accountant, you will need to take a lot of courses and a rigorous certification pathway. Find out more.
What Skills Do You Need to Become an Accountant?
So now that we know why so many people want to get into accounting, we should probably discuss what accounting is all about.
An accountant is a professional that is responsible for keeping and interpreting the financial records of businesses, organizations or individuals. They play an important role in companies, keeping and analyzing financial records so that businesses can make informed decisions, file taxes transparently, assess risk, and comply with provincial and federal laws.
To be successful as an accountant, you’ll want to have the following skills in place.
Strong Math and Analytical Skills
As you might expect, accounting requires a lot of mathematical thinking and problem-solving, so if you love your math classes then accounting may be the perfect profession for you! Accountants deal with numbers in practical, financial contexts, using their mathematical skills to determine projections, taxation, losses, and calculate different outcomes. They must maintain detailed spreadsheets, understand how to apply a variety of mathematical formulae, and have a keen eye for detail and accuracy.
Accountants must also be able to compile and analyze raw financial data. The financial data of any company is a major asset, and informs decision making in nearly every area. As an accountant, you will be privy to a lot of important information and will be responsible for ensuring that the company has the most accurate and critical view of their finances.
Accounting programs and courses will require you to have strong grades in secondary school mathematics to be considered for admission. If you are applying to university programs, you will need to have an academic stream mathematics credit.
Business Skills
Accounting professionals will typically work for a company or the business side of an organization, so having some business savvy will be important to your success. You will need to understand what your company or clients value, how the organization operates, and the marketplace in which your company operates. With business knowledge, you will find it much easier to communicate with non-accounting colleagues and clients, and will find it much easier to navigate your day-to-day communications.
Organization
While considered more of a ‘soft’ skill, organization is actually a key skill any accounting professional needs to have.
Organization skills are critical for accountants who must often handle the complex web of transactions that occur on a daily basis. Because your role will be to document and track and categorize all incoming and outgoing funds, you will need to ensure that you or your team are able to manage a significant amount of data. Many accountants will also work with different clients or projects, so staying on top of your files and data is critical!
Luckily, there are so many new innovations in accounting software that make organizing easy: so having some proficiency with digital tools will come in handy.
Are you in high school and trying to figure out which career to pursue? Accounting should be on your list!
Communication
Communication remains an important skill to have in nearly any profession that requires interpersonal interaction, but as an accountant you will need to be able to communicate clearly through clear financial statements, be able to build trust with your employer or clients, and share key information and recommendations professionally.
Where Can I Learn Accounting?
Accounting and finance programs are available in universities across Canada, with the best programs offered in the largest institutions. However, depending on the type of accountant you want to be, you will also find courses in numerous private and community colleges.
University Pathways
If you are looking to pursue the pathway of a chartered accountant, you will need to take a university pathway. You can combine a major or minor in accounting with programs in finance, marketing, law, or other areas of business administration. University programs can be competitive to get into, but upon graduation you will be well prepared to work in some of the highest paid entry level jobs in major companies and firms. Some of the top universities for accounting and finance in Canada include:
- University of Toronto
- York University
- Concordia
- McGill
- University of British Columbia
- McMaster
- Laval
- University of Montreal
College Pathways
If you want to work in an accounting role without a chartered accountant designation, you will find plenty of programs in accounting and bookkeeping at most private and public colleges across Canada. You can learn how to manage payroll, how to use various types of accounting software, learn general accounting procedures, taxation, or how to work in inventory or accounts payable and receivable departments. You might be surprised at the broad range of options there are in accounting at the college level!
How much money can you make as an accountant in Canada? Accountants are high earning professionals whose skills are always in demand.
Where Can I Find Financial Accounting or Basic Accounting Help?
If you are a student looking to get into an accounting program, or are already in a program and need help to be successful in your program, you may want to consider getting an accounting tutor to help you with your work.
Accounting tutors will have a strong understanding of the general principles of accounting and will help you to understand the demands of your program. If you are a secondary student looking to get into accounting, a tutor can help you perform your best in your math and business courses and give you valuable insights on which schools and programs are best suited for your strengths and interests.
Check for online accounting courses here.
Finding an accounting tutor is easy thanks to Superprof Canada. Superprof is a site that connects tutors to students across Canada, and makes it easy to connect with the right teacher for you. You can find accounting tutors through the site’s search tool - simply enter ‘accounting’, and you will find dozens of profiles of tutors near you. Message prospective tutors directly to see if they are available when you need them, or if they have the kind of expertise you are looking for.
Find an accounting tutor on Superprof today!
Accounting is one of the best careers you can pursue: it pays well, offers stability, and is one of the most well-respected professions. Learn all about accounting careers in Canada.
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