Overview of jobs in accounting, auditing and tax services in Myanmar

Like anywhere else in the world, jobs in accounting, auditing and tax services in Myanmar are all about numbers and money. At the core, these roles monitor all the money going in and out of the company, through ledgers, spreadsheets, reporting, and assuring that the correct systems are in place to ensure ultimate accuracy, auditability and transparency to all stakeholders. Accounting (auditing and tax services subsets) is an incredibly old profession, dating back to ancient civilisations. One will find jobs in accounting from the smallest business up to multinational corporations and governments. The accounting department is central to any company, and people within it cooperate with all of the other departments. For example, they will work with the HR department in the payroll aspect to ensure that salaries are paid (in a timely and accurate manner) and they will work with other departments with accounts payable and accounts receivable. Auditing and tax services jobs are specialisations of accounting. Auditing is a non-biased examination of the financial records in a company, and auditing jobs may be found within a company (internal auditor) but it is more common are jobs as external auditors, which are normally found in specialised firms. Many international companies will use external auditors as the findings are more likely to be unbiased. Similarly, jobs in tax services, with jobs such as a tax accountant: these roles will often be found in external professional services as tax services are not normally required all year round, more specifically at the end of the financial year. To work as an accountant in any capacity, one is required to pay acute attention to detail and have an affinity with numbers.

Career opportunities in accounting, auditing and tax services in Myanmar

In recent years the Myanmar Government has encouraged more foreign investment. This has meant that many international companies have set up offices, especially in urban centres such as Yangon. These companies follow international standards, meaning that there is a lot of opportunities for all levels of accountants. Accountants are required in all businesses, from a small shop all the way up to these multinationals, and the requirement for professional accountants is not going to slow down. For auditing and tax services, one would most likely find opportunities at large firms such as KPMG and PWC who specialise in tax and accounting services. To become an accountant, one must firstly embark on a college degree, and typically from there do a traineeship. A college degree is required whether working for local, government or corporations. From there experience needs to be acquired in order to enable one to move up the ladder, perhaps from junior accountant to accountant, to senior accountant and all the way up to financial controller. All the way through their career ladder an accountant must keep up with rules and regulations as well as taking on further internationally recognised studies, such as CPA (Certified Public Accountant). During their career, an accountant may choose to find a niche and specialise, perhaps eventually going into a consulting role. Some accountants also provide “freelance” services, especially around tax time.