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People & People

(Supplied by the N.Z. Society of Accountants.)

[unclear: igures] and Figures. The numeric sort that [unclear: re] written, and the humans that come in [unclear: l] shapes and sizes. An accountant offering [unclear: is] services to the public must be able to [unclear: andle] both sorts if he is to achieve work [unclear: tisfaction]. But "he" is not correct. There [unclear: e] some women accountants in public prac[unclear: ce]. There should be more.

[unclear: h] working in a chartered accountant's off[unclear: e] it is necessary to have ability and to be [unclear: ple] to concentrate on the job at hand; to [unclear: ave] integrity and independence; to have a [unclear: easant] outgoing personality; to be able to [unclear: ontrol] and lead; to have a blend of flexibili[unclear: and] drive; and to have facility with fig[unclear: es].

[unclear: here] are some graduates who can offer all [unclear: these] attributes and some who cannot. [unclear: hose] who are accepted into the office of [unclear: h] accountant in public practice will find [unclear: at] they have a career in one of the fastest [unclear: panding] professions. Dependent only on [unclear: emselves] they will have responsibility [unclear: well] paid, and have the chance of practical [unclear: xperience] in many avenues of commerce, [unclear: dustry], finance, and agriculture. Those [unclear: ms] which are connected with firms over[unclear: as] are able to offer to experienced gradu[unclear: es] further opportunities to gain experience other countries.

[unclear: chartered] accountant's work includes gen[unclear: ial] accountancy and secretarial services, tax[unclear: ion], auditing, costing, liquidations, receiv[unclear: ships], the handling of trusts, share valua[unclear: ons], prospectus certificates, and the giving [unclear: advice] to business management. In small [unclear: ms] the partners and staff may do many. [unclear: these] things; in large firms it is often pos[unclear: ple] for partners and staff to specialise in [unclear: e] sort of work they like best.

Some students follow a plan of attaining qualification through two years of full-time study, then complete their course as a parttime student. Whilst a full-time student it is possible to obtain practical experience in a chartered accountant's office during the long vacations. Such students return to their vacation employers when they start fulltime work as their employer knows their abilities and as employees they find that the depth and variety of the work they carry out, together with experience gained from contact with many businesses, people, and systems, provide them With an invaluable foundation for their future, whether it be as a chartered accountant in public practice or in the realms of commerce.

Whenever there are financial dealings, there-somewhere - is the accountant. Because of the accelerating recognition of the accountant's importance and the demand for his specialist services, an accountant's career in the business world of today is unlimited. Those who are qualified by examination and also through training in a chartered accountant's office are favourably placed to assess intelligently the future potential in available opportunities.

Working conditions in a modern chartered accountant's office arc second to none. Just as the practice and condition; of medicine have become unrecognisable from those of the last century, so has the profession of accountancy moved into the contemporary era. Much of today's routine bookkeeping is done by machine or computer and the time of the accountant is spent less and less in doing routine work. This leaves more time available for creative accounting and practical research. A chartered accountant and his staff are often away from their desks and out inspecting a client's farm, firm, or business concern. They may be discussing and actively working on problems of taxation or auditing, they may be advising on long-term development, attending meetings, or personally assessing aspects of office, factory, or farm management.

Throughout the world accountants arc heading the operations of commerical and industrial concerns, insurance and financial houses, public corporations, and goverment departments. In all of these the accountant is working with people. No longer is [unclear: be] the faceless man who holds the purse strings. He has to be where the action is, with people.