What Are The Requirements of GL Accountant position?

What Are The Requirements?

Qualifying as a general ledger accountant normally requires a combination of education, experience, and organizational skills and administrative abilities. Each particular company will define its own specific requirements, which may include a degree in accounting, a CPA license, and/or prior accounting experience.



Education
A general ledger accountant is a professional, who must have a good command of generally accepted accounting principles, standards, practices, and procedures. Therefore, a college degree is usually required. Depending on the size of the organization, there may be different levels of general ledger accountants, from entry-level positions to senior positions for accountants with more experience. A person with experience in accounts payable or receivable, bookkeeping, payroll, or other administrative functions may be able to work in an entry-level position, performing certain aspects of general ledger accounting. This person may be working in accounting while pursing an accounting degree, and will be able to move up to positions of more responsibility once a degree is obtained.

Interpersonal and Communications Skills
A general ledger accountant often supervises persons in other accounting and administrative positions, such as accounts receivable and payable, bookkeeping and payroll, so good interpersonal skills and leadership qualities are needed. And, due to the interaction with other members of the accounting department, good teamwork characteristics are important.
The general ledger accountant should possess good communications skills, since this position will have contacts at various levels of the organization, including with upper management and members of other departments, as well as a coordination and cooperation role with internal and independent auditors. This position also involves communicating and coordinating with third parties, including banks, customers and clients, vendors, reporting agencies, taxing authorities, and other governmental and regulatory agencies.

Experience
A position as general ledger accountant can be an entry-level position, depending on the requirements of the organization. In a larger organization, there may be different levels of accountants, and as experience is gained and performance is demonstrated, there can be opportunities to move up within the accounting department. In many organizations, experience is a prerequisite for assuming a general ledger accountant position. Also, accountants may begin their careers working in a public accounting firm, and then make the transition to private corporate accounting.

CPA or MBA
Many companies establish an accountant's status as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) as a qualifying criteria for professional accountants, showing that they have completed the necessary education and experience requirements, and have proven their knowledge of the principles, standards and practices that apply to the accounting profession. Other companies, while not making it a requirement, may give preference to a CPA or to a CPA candidate.
Likewise, a Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA) may be a qualifying criteria for employment in some companies, and may constitute a valuable, but not necessarily required qualification in others.