Employment areas and Prospects
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers maintain complete sets of books, keep records of accounts, verify the procedures used for recording financial transactions, and provide personal bookkeeping services. They are employed throughout the private and public sectors, or they may be self-employed. Financial and investment analysts collect and analyze financial information such as economic forecasts, trading volumes and the movement of capital, financial backgrounds of companies, historical performances and future trends of stocks, bonds and other investment instruments to provide financial and investment or financing advice for their company or their company's clients. Their studies and evaluations cover areas such as takeover bids, private placements, mergers or acquisitions. Financial analysts are employed by a wide range of establishments throughout the private and public sector, such as banks, brokerage houses, insurance companies, investment companies, manufacturing firms, trust companies, utility companies and underwriting firms. Investment analysts are employed primarily by brokerage houses and fund management companies.
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
-
Keep financial records and establish, maintain and balance various accounts using manual and computerized bookkeeping systems
-
Post journal entries and reconcile accounts, prepare trial balance of books, maintain general ledgers and prepare financial statements
-
Calculate and prepare cheques for payrolls and for utility, tax and other bills
-
Complete and submit tax remittance forms, workers' compensation forms, pension contribution forms and other government documents
-
Prepare tax returns and perform other personal bookkeeping services
-
Prepare other statistical, financial and accounting reports
Financial analysts
-
Evaluate financial risks, prepare financial forecasts, financing scenarios and other documents concerning capital management, and write reports and recommendations
-
Plan short-term and long-term cash flows and assess financial performance
-
Analyze investment projects
-
Advise on and participate in the financial aspects of contracts and calls for tender
-
Follow up on financing projects with financial backers
-
Develop, implement and use tools for managing and analyzing financial portfolio
-
Prepare a regular risk profile for debt portfolios
-
Assist in preparing operating and investment budgets.