An accounts receivable clerk handles payments, invoices, and other accounting tasks. They need good administrative and customer service skills, and may require a college degree. Mistakes can be costly, so employers may require practical exams. Previous experience in customer service is preferred.
An accounts receivable clerk accepts payments and pays invoices on behalf of an entity, in addition to handling other minor accounting tasks. Someone who wants to become an accounts receivable clerk must be a high school graduate, and some companies prefer to hire employees with a college degree. An employee must have good administrative and customer service skills and someone planning to become an accounts receivable clerk can acquire these by attending various training courses or working in other junior management positions.
City governments, small businesses, and large companies all employ accounting officers, and the specific tasks these individuals perform vary from employer to employer. A small business employee can only process a few transactions a day, and many people involved in these jobs are entry-level employees who work on a part-time basis. On the other hand, someone who wants to become an accounts receivable clerk for a large company may have to complete a degree program in accounting, finance or a related topic. Additionally, some companies only hire individuals who have completed chartered accountant licensing exams administered by regulatory agencies or accounting industry associations.
Employees must have good customer service skills, as these people make daily contact with business customers and suppliers. Therefore, many employers prefer to hire employees with previous experience working in retail, banking or other professions where customer service skills are a component of the job. In addition, employees often need to send communications and invoices to customers; in that case, someone who wants to become an accounts receivable clerk must have good typing skills and the ability to use word processing software and email systems. Some people attend short university courses where they are taught to use widely used word processing software and communications equipment. Other people learn about these systems as a result of receiving on-the-job training while working in other office environments.
Mistakes in accounting can be costly, as suppliers who don’t receive payments can cancel orders; this can lead to service failures. Some employers require applicants for bookkeeping jobs to take practical exams in which accounting and data entry skills are put to the test. These tests may involve equipment such as calculators or accounting software, and in many cases, a candidate must meet a certain score to be considered for an open position. Therefore, people who are not majors in accounting sometimes enroll in university courses during which they are taught accounting skills and shown how to efficiently use calculators and other equipment.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
