SPbSUE: “Economists will always be in demand. What is the work of an economist? What is the most difficult thing in the work of an economist?

Economist is traditionally one of the most popular areas of study in Russian universities. Today IQ Review will tell you what kind of profession an “economist” is, how it differs from being an accountant, and how much they pay for it. Natalya, an economist with five years of experience, shared her story.

Profession economist

I live in the Kastorensky district of the Kursk region. She worked as an economist for 5 years, she started working after finishing her 3rd year at the institute.

Why does a company need an economist?

Many people believe that the profession of an economist is akin to the profession of an accountant. After all, both of them work with numbers related to the organization’s work, its profitability and results.

Difference between economist and accountant consists in the fact that the accountant actually collects and systematizes the documentation and its contents, and the economist must analyze and evaluate the results of work for a specific period, identify shortcomings and, based on what happened, make a forecast.

Yes, yes, an economist is a kind of predictor who is based on facts.

What you need to know to work as an economist

First of all, working as an economist involves close communication with numbers, formulas and various kinds of relationships. Therefore, knowledge of mathematics and its fundamentals is mandatory. Anyone who is unable to find the percentage of a given number simply has no business in this field. It is desirable, or rather, even mandatory, for a person to have an analytical mind. After all, based on the obtained data, it is necessary to assess the current situation at the enterprise and submit a report to the manager.

An example of an economist's work - prove which of the selected areas of activity is profitable, and which project should be suspended or completely closed.

Nowadays, the vast majority of specialized higher educational institutions, technical schools and colleges have faculties that train economists. This is due to the fact that the profession is very popular among young people. The university I graduated from has an agricultural focus. From the first to the third year we studied subjects that all competent and educated agricultural workers should know. I won’t list everything, but among them were crop farming, livestock farming, philosophy, mechanization and others.

At first we didn’t understand why we needed, say, mechanization. But in senior courses, when in statistics or enterprise economics we began to be asked problems to calculate fuel consumption, seed yield or livestock productivity, in which it was necessary to derive profitability and projected profit, everything fell into place.

The essence of the profession of economist is to know all the ins and outs of the enterprise, every “cog” that can be “screwed” into the system in order to increase returns.

And, of course, in modern conditions every specialist should know a computer. And not at the user level. An advanced user of Microsoft Office programs is the minimum required for work; they usually also require knowledge of 1C products.

How to find a job for a novice economist

Getting a position as an economist, especially from scratch, without work experience, is very difficult, almost impossible. This requires either, or a lucky break. Newcomers can get this job in an alternative way - start working at the enterprise in a different position, while simultaneously studying at a university to major in economics. Management will definitely notice the employee’s desire for improvement and, at the first opportunity, will provide the desired position.

Typically, when hiring newcomers to this position, managers do not make serious demands.. They ask you to present a diploma of education and ask several questions about your knowledge in the field in which the company operates. Whether the candidate can cope with his responsibilities or not remains to be seen during the probationary period. For all employees this is three months; for management personnel the period can be extended to six months. At this time, the management of the enterprise may decide to dismiss the employee due to the fact that he cannot cope with his duties. Therefore, apart from lost time, the director of the enterprise does not risk anything in this situation.

The main thing for any position is the applicant’s goodwill, correct speech and communication skills. Particularly in the provinces, where everyone knows everything about each other, the authorities usually make inquiries about the person.

How I found a job - personal experience

From personal experience I can say that I read an advertisement in a local newspaper that a trading company needed an economist. Having plucked up the impudence, since I had only completed my third year at the institute by profession, I came to the director and stated that I didn’t know anything about work, but I was eager to work in this field and in this position. I must say that I worked for a long time, so I imagined the “kitchen” of a trading enterprise. This was also said. I don’t know what was the decisive factor, but two days later the director called me back and invited me to come to the company’s office with documents for registration.

Functional responsibilities of an economist at an enterprise

A few words about what an economist should do at his workplace every day. First, you need to describe the company itself a little. This is a part of a network company, well-known in Russia, which specializes in retail trade in consumer goods (food, household items, furniture, toys and office supplies). The structure of the organization, which was managed by 6 people, included 30 rural shops.

The first thing that started my activity– this is a compilation of daily turnover for each store. For this purpose, there was a special notebook, which was lined by hand, where a list of stores was located horizontally, and the amount of daily revenue sold by each outlet was entered vertically. Amounts were selected from the 1C program with a cumulative total. As a result, at the end of the month the result of the enterprise’s work was visible in the form of a total amount and the result of the work of each store and its turnover. This concept refers to the number of days required to sell the average stock of goods in a retail outlet. Average inventory for the period is divided by the average one-day turnover of the point.

At the end of each month, in a special table made in the Excel editor, a comparative analysis of the work of each outlet was carried out in comparison with the previous month and the same period last year. This made it possible to analyze the work of the enterprise as a whole and for each department.
Costs and expenses were analyzed in the same way. I made similar forms to analyze the costs of electricity, repairs of premises, gas supply, wages and deductions, and the amount of remaining goods in stores.

The number of reports the preparation of which was part of my responsibilities is difficult to calculate. The main three were sent monthly to the head office located in the city of Kursk, and included all the indicators that the company had achieved over the past month. Every month a report was prepared to the Statistical Office, which included the same data. In addition, quarterly and annual reports on production performance for the quarter and year were submitted.

By the end of the quarter, I was developing a plan for each store for the next three months. Planning was based on a comparative analysis of similar periods of the past three years and the last quarter.

By all rights, the plan for a retail outlet should be directly linked to the number of people living in the village where the store operates, but this is a real problem. Information about residents is collected by calling village administrations, but they have one thing in their papers, but in reality it is completely different. They provide information only about registered citizens who, perhaps, have not lived there for many years, and those who came to work and live without registration are simply not taken into account.

Therefore, my method was the most optimal. In January of each year, an indicative plan for the coming year was drawn up. It was based on the figures that the parent company presented to us and the capabilities of each store.

How much do economists earn?

It’s difficult for me to talk about how much people in my profession earn in big cities, but for our area my salary was considered good. My salary was 16,000 rubles. Minus the income tax of 13% and trade union dues from this figure, we received about 14,500 rubles per month. Payments were made officially, with all necessary deductions. The social package was represented only by payment of sick leave and gifts for children for the New Year holidays - not the scale of an enterprise that offers free trips to the sea or its own children's camps.

According to the statistics that I was interested in, the minimum salary of an economist in a large city starts at 22,000 rubles, and its upper limit is 80,000 rubles. But in order to earn that much, you need to have extensive work experience in this specialty, and also live in the city.

Pros and cons of being an economist

To the advantages of the profession It can be attributed to the fact that the economist is an employee independent of anyone other than the director. In addition, people who decided to devote themselves to this profession are individuals who put a creative approach to activity at the forefront. The ability to see what others don't see, to improve structure and staffing so that efforts can be directed towards achieving goals is really exciting.

I don't see any shortcomings in this work. The only problem, characteristic of the vast majority of enterprises in our time, is to load the one who copes with his responsibilities with the maximum number of additional functions that distract from the main process.

What does it take to be appreciated and noticed?

In my case, the only people above me in rank were the director of the organization. Accounting is not my thing! But I had no desire to become a leader. No, I don’t want to say that I’m not ambitious! Very much! But this is not the case. Our director had so many responsibilities and problems that it sometimes seemed to me as if he spent the night in his office. The enterprise, which he inherited from his predecessor, was in a state of extreme decline. And he didn't even have time to breathe.

I held a good position, I really liked my work, and I didn’t want to change anything. In addition, not having much experience and experience, I tried to go to neighboring branches of the parent organization to see experienced economists, where I learned a lot. Several times I was sent to advanced training courses, after which I was entrusted with working with personnel.

Parting words for beginners

The most important thing in our profession, as in any other, is to remain human. Attention to details and numbers, perseverance and literacy are qualities that must be present. It is advisable, if the opportunity arises, to first get a job as an assistant economist. This will allow you to avoid many mistakes and miscalculations common to beginners in any profession.

If you want to enroll in the Faculty of Economics, then you need to understand what an economist does and what a young specialist will encounter at an enterprise. The list of responsibilities of this type of employee is formed through special instructions. They are developed for specialists of a certain enterprise, guided by the staffing schedule. The formation of a specialist’s responsibilities should be based not only on basic functions. It is necessary to take into account the rights and responsibilities of an economist, as well as specific tasks. It should be noted that this specialty may vary.

Diversity of professional activities

What does an economist do? It is necessary to distinguish between specialists in labor, sales, type of staffing, salary, etc. Basic skills are the same for all types of this profession. But tasks with responsibilities can differ significantly depending on the activity.

Responsibilities of the Chief Economist

What does an economist do if he is in charge? His responsibilities include increasing the efficiency, profitability and productivity of the enterprise. The chief economist must manage and organize the company's activities. The specialist needs to take care of carrying out such activities, due to which the cost of production will be reduced. Quality should, on the contrary, increase.

His responsibilities include organizing activities affecting the formation of business projects. The Chief Economist also works to improve management systems. He manages the units subordinate to him. What does an economist do? The responsibilities of a top-ranking specialist should include the development of economic regulations for a variety of activities. The main responsibilities of a specialist include the ability to organize work, ensure timely completion of assigned tasks and strict compliance with planned plans.

What should a specialist be guided by in his activities?

In order for the work to be completed, the economist must thoroughly know all the necessary regulations, as well as methodological and regulatory documentation, through which it is possible to exercise control over the procedure for management activities in the organization. He needs to know the structure of the enterprise, production capacity, as well as the basic principles of manufacturing products. In addition, the chief specialist must be able to organize the economic activities of the enterprise.

What should a simple worker be able to do?

The responsibilities of an economist include performing activities aimed at increasing the company’s efficiency, its profitability, and the quality of the products produced. He must also master other types of products. The specialist prepares the accounting documentation used to enable the preparation of financial statements. The functions of an economist are to analyze economic activities. This is done not only from the position of the whole company, but from its individual divisions. What is an economist responsible for? His responsibilities include using the company’s internal reserves to achieve set goals, monitoring the implementation of planned targets, and drawing up contracts. He must also fulfill contractual obligations.

The job responsibilities of an economist include his participation in various marketing studies, the ability to predict the subsequent development of an enterprise, and the preparation of economic tasks that will help improve the organization's activities.

Basic skills of an economist

The specialist must:

1. Understand the rules for forming business projects, plans and reporting.
2. Be able to draw up planning and accounting types of documents.
3. Be able to generate financial reports.
4. Analyze business activities, understand labor legislation.

Functions of a financial economist

A financial economist prepares production plans. He leads the development of activities aimed at selling the finished product. His responsibilities also include planning profits, investments, and income taxes. It must provide prompt financing and fulfill settlement and payment obligations.

The activities of an economist of this rank include the preparation of reporting and banking documentation for all types of payments. It keeps records of claims made by suppliers and those services that were not paid for within the periods specified in the contract. A finance specialist must analyze the implementation of estimates with their calculations, generate reports, and conduct operational analysis of the enterprise’s activities. Improving methods for using current assets and funds from the state budget are also included in the scope of activity of a financial economist.

Base for work

Such a specialist must navigate regulations, orders, instructions. He must know the regulatory documents that facilitate the implementation of his work at the enterprise. An economist must create plans (perspective and annual) and reports. His responsibilities include conducting all necessary calculations.

Care and attention required

Practical and applied economics involves analyzing the state of a particular production, as well as developing management decisions. Who is this job suitable for? An economist must have good analytical and logical thinking. This activity requires serious concentration. Responsibility for the decisions made by a specialist should be no less high. He definitely needs to be careful and attentive to the numbers. In addition, economists must be literate. Otherwise, they will not be able to conduct analysis and form correct conclusions.

Who, if not an economist, could have predicted that today we would face a devaluation of the ruble? These masters of numbers and graphs can be classified as people who can predict the future, because economics is the art of juggling numbers and data to predict market trends, as well as reading financial indicators.

What? Where? How many?

Today, the labor market is oversaturated with economists, but the popularity of this profession during the university admission season not only does not decrease, but is also growing rapidly. Every year in Russia, 250 thousand graduates leave the walls of their alma mater, clutching a diploma in their specialty and “Economics”, and they all ask the same question: “Where should I go to work?” In 2013, the country's fatigue with unemployed specialists was alleviated by the Ministry of Education and Science, reducing the number of budget places in economic specialties by 19.8%. To your luck, competition in your job search will decrease slightly.

Let's weigh everything. "Pros and cons"

Analysts from Forbes Russia magazine have identified a paradox in the system: there are too many economists, but not many are suitable to work in large corporations.

AGAINST

• Compensation. The salary of a novice economist is one and a half times lower than that of a novice engineer or programmer.
• Health. An economist spends most of his time at the computer and doing calculations. This is a sedentary job that can take a toll on your vision and overall health.
• Although work is not a wolf, you will have to look for it. Competition in the labor market exceeds demand. It will take more than one year before you become a highly qualified specialist.

It has been proven that the love of money can be mutual

Do you know who Carl Celian Icahn is? In his speech to experienced and not so experienced economists, one of the richest people in the world, whose fortune is estimated at 12.5 billion US dollars, a successful economist, financier, and investor, said: “Think for yourself.” Behind this seemingly unremarkable phrase lies deep meaning and useful advice for those who are at a crossroads before making a decision. Carl Icahn advises not to succumb to trends and remain “a guy who thinks with his own head,” because, in his opinion, these are the types of employees that corporations have been waiting for - people who are ready to go ahead and have ideas are vital to business.

Money loves peace and quiet

For those who are determined to climb the economic Olympus, psychologists advise maintaining a balance between two works: on oneself and economic achievements. Many people associate economics with money, and its “smell,” as we know, can intoxicate and lead astray.

• Don't work if it doesn't make you happy
• A large income is not a guarantee of prosperity. Know how to save, you are an economist!
• Plan. Alternate painstaking work with communication with friends and loved ones - the most ingenious ideas will come to you in moments of relaxation
• Take care of your health. Don't overwork yourself - success should be met cheerfully

If you are an economist and until today could not find your place in the sun, then after reading this article, you have come halfway... Follow these simple tips and you will become your life companions success, balance and confidence in the future.

The first economists appeared quite a long time ago. Namely, with the emergence and development of commodity-money relations. Of course, then they were called differently, but this does not change the essence.

The term “economics” first appeared in Ancient Greece. Xenophon, Plato, and Aristotle thought and wrote about the problems of economics at different times. Unlike many scientists, they not only raised problems, but sought and found solutions to them.

For a long time, economic theory developed in different directions and in different countries. The so-called classical economics was created by the famous scientist Adam Smith.

Karl Marx made a significant contribution to the development of economics with his Marxist political economy. For a long time this concept was dominant in the Soviet Union.

In the era of development of the global market economy, the profession of economist is the most in demand in the labor market.
This is a “multifaceted” universal profession in any sphere of the economy with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Among the theorists and practitioners there are many famous economists and Nobel Prize winners, such as Aristotle, Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Paul Krugman and others.

Let us consider in detail everything about the profession “Economist”.

Economist - requirements for the profession

The initial educational foundation course for the aspiring economist is Economics, the economic "Bible," an encyclopedia for the aspiring economist with the basics of economic theory, written by Emeritus Professors Campbell R. McConnell and Stanley L. Brew.

The following abilities and qualities will help you develop successfully and master this science:

• intellectual ability,
• logical and mathematical memory,
• concentration of attention,
• perseverance,
• ability to work on large volumes of information.

If you have the above abilities, then you can choose this profession.

If you are in doubt, to understand whether this is your calling for years to come, take a career guidance test.

Profession economist - description

It all depends on the area of ​​activity of the organization, the most profitable are: banking, construction, trade.

An economist mainly deals with:

• analysis,
• management,
• development,
• the need for personnel,
• forecasting and planning of cash flows,
• budgets,
• business plans,
• contracts,
• financial indicators,
• loan portfolio to improve the efficiency of the organization’s financial and economic activities.

The areas of work of economists are wide, including the public service, financial institutions, restaurant and hotel businesses, enterprises, private organizations of various forms of ownership, and research institutes.

Depending on the specific type of activity, accountant-economist, engineer-economist and manager-economist are conventionally distinguished.

An economist is a kind of “financial doctor” who knows all the strengths and weaknesses of an organization and makes decisions on the correct setting of priorities and goals for eliminating financial problems, losses, optimizing expenses and income, and obtaining maximum profits at minimal costs.

An accountant, engineer, manager, economist are workers without whom not a single planning and economic department of a successful enterprise can manage. These professions are often combined based on the main goal of the work - managing the organization's economy. The economic component of the position is mandatory; options depend on the specific functions of the employee: economist-accountant, engineer-economist, manager-economist.

Profession economist accountant

The modest and painstaking worker from Alena Apina’s frivolous song actually has no time to be “nice.”

An economist-accountant may be listed as an employee of a department or the only accountant of a small company.

The main feature of his profession is the ability to impeccably keep records and analyze the activities of a production site or an entire organization.

He must know everything: from the rules for drawing up primary documentation to plans for economic development.

An economist-accountant keeps records, generates reports, analyzes the company’s performance indicators: income, costs, profit, profitability, including in areas of production or trade.

He is an adviser to the head of a department or organization in everything related to financial discipline, timely, and most importantly, competent payment of taxes.

In other words, this irreplaceable person determines where there is no need to overpay, and where it is definitely worth investing.

Profession engineer economist

The profession of “engineer”, glorified by Mayakovsky, has not lost its relevance to this day. Few people think about what “engine” means “engine” in English.

Progress in the work of any company is impossible without a person who can calculate and analyze in detail the indicators of the internal economy.

He does not need to keep accounts, but he must know the accounting methods in this organization. The cornerstone of his work is costing, or a list of costs.

Based on these data, an economic engineer can and must develop measures to reduce costs and increase profits.

Materials, equipment, financial capital, salaries, innovations - nothing escapes the close attention of an engineer in the economic department.

In the analysis, he operates with markers of economic efficiency: profitability, profit per unit of expenditure, productivity growth rates, material consumption, payback periods for capital investments, etc.

The reporting and control functions of the economic engineer are based on these indicators.

Profession manager economist

Most of the irony fell on the omnipresent manager. The group's hit "Leningrad" has become the anthem of office proletarians, but the manager-economist is really "not like everyone else."

He is a manager even at the first stage of his career. Organization, planning, control are considered the three pillars of the “manager” profession.

Since he is also an economist, he cannot do without basic technical knowledge. That is why economic managers study everything at institutes: from accounting and economic analysis to modern methods of enterprise and personnel management.

They practice strategic decision-making skills and draw up a business plan.

Engineers and accountants work for managers.

The manager must have an excellent understanding of relevant legislation, keep abreast of the changing market, have versatile knowledge, communication skills and a willingness to take risks.

Knowledge of a foreign language is highly desirable.

A successful internship or study abroad will directly affect the income of a manager-economist.

This profession is classified as highly paid.

It requires erudition, practicality, flexibility, patience and perseverance in moving up the career ladder.

Profession of an economist - pros and cons

• demand for profession
• high salaries for specialists,
• the opportunity to work in any field or your own business.

• competition in the labor market, therefore it is necessary to constantly improve skills and knowledge through advanced training courses, learning a foreign language, and new programs;
• high responsibility for the results of the financial and economic activities of the organization,
• meticulous and monotonous work with numbers.

Profession economist is a sought-after profession

Prospects. It is better for young professionals to start with a minimum salary with the prospect of growth, development and gaining good experience.

A big plus will be knowledge of a foreign language, special programs and international certificates of advanced training, which affects the level of salary.

On average, salaries for a beginning economist range from $200 - $500, with experience, skills and depending on the specifics of the field of work - salaries from $500 - $5000 and above.

This article will also help you prepare an essay, essay or presentation about the profession.

In general terms, an economist is a specialist who is responsible for the results of a company’s economic activities. The specialty of an economist is similar in nature to the professions of a financier, accountant, marketer, manager. Economists are needed in all structures where there is a need for planning, calculations and control over financial flows, analysis of the results of the organization’s financial activities, and determination of profitability.

The profession of economist has become popular in the modern world due to the development of international trade and market relations, but despite this, its history goes deep into the past. The concept of economist appeared in Ancient Greece. It characterized a person who was engaged in housekeeping. He conducted a household analysis. The very first economist is Aristotle. He developed a theory regarding the utility value of production and commodity exchange.

Responsibilities of an economist

Coordinating the implementation and developing planned tasks based on statistics is the main function of an economist. The task of the economist is to carry out economic activities that are aimed at increasing the efficiency of the organization’s labor activity and its profitability, achieving the highest results through the optimal use of material, financial and labor resources, based on statistical data for all structural areas of the company’s activities.

1. determination of the efficiency of production and labor activities;

2. calculation of financial, material and labor costs necessary for the sale and production of products;

3. maintaining periodic reporting, developing, maintaining and adjusting a database of economic information, making changes to the database that occurred during data processing;

4. keeping records of indicators for all results of the company’s economic and financial activities.

What should an economist know?

In addition to his direct responsibilities, an economist must know the regulatory framework for auditing and accounting, economic activity, and statistical planning of the company.

It is impossible to be a professional specialist without knowledge of planning and accounting documentation, the organization of statistical and operational accounting of indicators, and methods of economic analysis. A good economist knows market methods of management and production technology.