Successful accounting professionals must possess a wide skill
set, which includes everything from a fine sense of detail to an
understanding of the latest technology to excellent
interpersonal skills. Accounting careers require that you
monitor your clients' financial transactions to make sure that
they are both accurate and legal. No matter in which field of
accounting you work, you likely will spend a great deal of time
entering data while preparing financial documents. Preparing and
reviewing these documents takes patience, concentration, and a
fine sense of detail. For example, when auditors take inventory
of their clients' assets, they need to pay careful attention to
how their inventories match up to the clients' financial
records. In order to prepare financial statements well,
accountants require honesty and integrity. Tax laws and other
legal information pertaining to accountancy can change over
time, so successful accountants need to take the initiative to
stay up to date on current laws and trends.