Are you satisfied with your occupation right now? Don’t you desire to move upwards or be marketed? One method to take your accountancy career to the next level is taking advanced accounting profession training like acquiring an accounting certification from ACA.

Today’s accounting students are striving and making more efforts to be qualified accountants. While accountants can be exemplified workers and leaders in the professional world, it takes a lot to be a certified accountant. To be a highly-respected professional requires more than technical knowledge and confidence. It demands dedication and consistency. It’s a position that demands flexibility and a discipline that needs multi-skills to provide high-value accounting and other specialised and related services.

ICAEW ACA is an advanced program that is highly respected and renowned in the accountant world.

What is a Chartered Accountant?

If there are levels in accounting, being accredited as a chartered accountant (CA) signifies you have accomplished accounting at a high level under the advanced training from ACA, ACCA, etc. Being a chartered accountant also indicates that you are among the members of one of the most respected bodies in the professional accounting world. The difference between an accountant and a chartered accountant also differs with CA undergoing more in-depth and has earned a wealth of professional experience to earn their accounting certification are eligible for a wide range of tasks.

Chartered accountants are highly qualified to take numerous specific activities within the realm of accounting discipline. From working with corporate taxes to financial advising, a chartered accountant is the counterpart of a certified public accountant.

The Roles of Chartered Accountant

Chartered accountants are versatile and flexible. Having undergone advanced and in-depth training and experience allows them to work in a variety of commercial sectors. These works are often under financial accounting, management accounting, applied finance, and taxation. From private entities to public/government institutes, CAs can change and wear several hats and may choose and determine which line of work they prefer.

They can oversee, handle, and manage a business’s accounting procedures, or they can shift to more narrow lines of work. Chartered accountants can also work overseas, be it from an American or European firm, as long as you have connections in other foreign countries.

Be it a part of management head of a corporate entity, a freelancer or a consultant/finance advisor for hire, chartered accountants are highly skilled enough to excel in almost any of these fields, which makes them demand in various sectors of the economy.

How to Become A Chartered Accountant

As we’ve said earlier, becoming a chartered accountant requires undergoing advanced training and earning an ACA qualification. However, in some countries, the procedure and requirement to earn the CA badge can differ. In Singapore, the most recognised accounting certification/qualifications that will get you a job are:

• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
• ISCA (Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants)
• CIMA (Chartered Institute Management Accountants)
• ACA (Associate Chartered Accountant), which is given by ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)

Regardless of where the CA accounting certification you planned choosing, becoming a chartered accountant requires may work more than a standard bachelor’s level degree. Chartered accounting students need to meet strict academic requirements and practical applications. ACA qualifications are at least 15 exam modules, 450 days of practical work experience, ethics and professional scepticism and professional development. (You can learn more about the 4 ACA qualifications here. Nonetheless, the salary and opportunity are well-worth the efforts.

Crucial Skills That A Chartered Accountant Should Have

If you got what it takes to become a chartered accountant, there are few sets of skills that you need to possess to earn the prestigious designation. After all, if you seek to build a successful and well-respected global career in accounting, your accounting certification wouldn’t be enough.

Why do such skills matter a lot? While it doesn’t require you to be a Math wizard, you need to develop and cultivate unique skills for dealing with complex situations and work within the spectrum of accounting. Here are a few skills that every successful chartered accountant possess:

Strong problem-solving skills – financial report errors, managing expenses, handling regulatory changes and even cash flows are few challenges in economic sectors that chartered accountants may encounter at various degrees of complexity; all demand problem-solving skills.

Enhanced business acumen – The troubles within financial affairs require making careful decisions and efforts. Sufficient business knowledge and experience are key pathways for enhancing your business acumen as a chartered accountant.

Communication – Communication is one of the universal key traits that every professional worker should have. As a chartered accountant, your communication plays a major role when working with accounting teams regardless of whether you are in the administration position or not, communication skills are your pathway when working with accounting teams.

Adaptability – Chartered accountants require to be flexible with all the constant changes in finance standards and protocols. Without the skill to adapt, it will be almost impossible to keep with workplace dynamics, provision for clients and projects. Adaptability does not speak that your accounting certification came from prestigious providers; it is about embracing the changes that happen in the accounting profession and being able to modify yourself to deliver the best service in your position.

Time Management – A successful CA has the ability and skill to work with multiple projects and meet their deadlines such as financial reports and handling and reviewing financial statements in taxation. Deadlines are among the most sacred in any given project and operation. The ability to deliver on time with satisfying results are the ideal skills and attributes that companies seek in top accountants.

Proficiency with spreadsheet platforms – Perhaps among the most basic skills that are needed for CA. Today’s accountant industry relies on using software applications such as spreadsheet platforms (such as MS Excel) to accomplish tasks. Regardless of your accounting position, spreadsheets are the most intimate part of an accountant’s life and career and you are expected to be proficient at it.

If you are looking for more information about ICAEW modules or an ACA qualification, you can visit ICAEW Singapore for more details about applying for ACA chartered accountant.

Edward Bertrand