Account Analyst

If you’re the type of person who always has the checkbook balanced to the penny, then this might be the job for you. As an Account Analyst, you keep customer accounts accurately balanced. That means you scour all charges, payments, and returns on the account.

An Account Analyst is able to work in a variety of industries. From furniture stores to car dealerships to travel agencies, wherever there’s an accounting office, there’s an opportunity for you.

True to your title, you spend your days analyzing accounts. That means you not only add and subtract payments and charges on the computer system, but you also look for any discrepancies, handle customer questions and complaints, make adjustments as needed, correct errors, contact customers to instigate payments, issue refund checks, identify accounts that are likely to default, and create reports that summarize customer activity.

In addition to number crunching, Account Analysts have the opportunity to work with other departments within the company. You interact with the marketing department, planning and responding to sales promotions and special pricing. For example, if a customer buys a washing machine and it goes on sale a week later, you might contact them to inform them of the savings. You also work with the budgeting department to organize collections on outstanding accounts, or plan for future events.