Accounting is not boring
If you want to become a qualified chartered accountant (QCA), you'll need to have endurance.
Brett Morrison is a qualified chartered accountant in Springs and he gave the Addie some insight on what it is to be an accountant and on how to get there.
Chartered accountants work in all fields of business and finance.
This includes auditing, taxation, financial and general management of systems and budgets.
A chartered accountant also provides financial advice for anyone who feels they need help with managing their budget as well as liaising with clients and analysing risks.
He or she advises clients on business transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions and also on areas where the business can improve, detecting and preventing fraud and managing junior colleagues.
Morrison studied at the University of Witwatersrand from 2006 and qualified this year as an official QCA.
If this is something you might be interested in, you need to focus on maths and financial accounting.
“It is hard work and very challenging,” says Morrison, “but is very rewarding in the end.”
He says it’s a tough seven years, where you first need to do a four-year degree and the rest of the three years are when you do your articles.
There are many universities around Gauteng that offer accounting courses.
Depending on the area and firm, a freshly qualified chartered accountant may get around R140 000 per annum.
“That is if you get accepted into a big firm,” he says.
He adds that when you do your articles, try your best to get into a big firm as this will benefit you in future.
You need to have good people skills, be good with numbers and have financial knowledge, Morrison also adds that you need to be good at talking.
“We aren’t all as boring as the stereotyping makes us out to be, it is actually a fun profession,” says Morrison.
