Accountants and auditors compile and organize financial data for everything from annual reports to internal audits. They research and monitor tax codes and prepare tax returns. They also keep abreast of movement in the financial markets. They may be asked to advise businesses and individuals on financial policies and investments. They may help develop and oversee systems that compile financial information. Companies often employ their own auditors; while there are large accounting firms, many accountants are self-employed.

SALARY: In Boston, staff in-house accountants average between $22,000 and $30,000; senior accountants average between $28,000 and $40,000. Managing CPAs earn between $65,000 and $95,000 while partners in firms make well into six figures.

EDUCATION: At least a bachelor's degree; in large firms, additional training is required on the job. Master's degrees may be preferred at a management level. Certified public accountants must master specific coursework, take a rigorous exam and have experience in the field. In Massachusetts, accountants must be licensed.

Advertising staffs include both business (salespeople and account executives) and creative personnel (writers, illustrators, etc.) They must devise creative and appealing solutions to marketing problems. They must devise campaigns that present a company's product in memorable, enticing ways in several media. Advertising personnel may be employed by a specific company to promoteits products or by an independent advertising firm, which is hired by companies for specific projects.

SALARY: Starting average, about $23,000.

EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree in advertising or business; artists need formal training and portfolios. Employers look for creativity and imagination.

Today's bank is more competitive, more inclusive and more consumer-driven than ever before. And changing technology and the growth of other financial institutions is still having its effect. Financial institution managers must be comfortable with numbers, computers and their software, and, in today's marketplace, with all kinds of people.

SALARY: The national median is $39,700. Salary varies with the size of the institution and the discipline, such as finance, within it.

EDUCATION: While you can still get a job with a bachelor's degree in business, the ever-tightening market is more amenable to those with more education in precise areas, such as investments or accounting. For some jobs, a master's degree is demanded.

Bookkeepers record receipts and expenditures of a business and communicate this information to managers. They often handle payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable and may work on tax returns and other government forms.

SALARY: About $20,000.

EDUCATION: High school diploma with business training.

Buyers are expected to get the best price for the best service and/or products for their companies. They may buy the raw materials for production, purchase wholesale goods to sell to another wholesaler or buy goods to sell to the public at retail. They must be aware of market conditions and time purchases to meet manufacturing or seasonal deadlines.

SALARY: Buyers $29,100; senior buyer, $41,100. Purchasing agents, $41,100; purchasing manager, $47,100

EDUCATION: An associate's or bachelor's degree. Salary increases dramatically with more education.

All these job titles involve making transcriptions of proceedings. Court reporters make transcripts of proceedings in a courtroom or lawyer's office. But those with the same skills may make real-time translations of many things, including closed-captioned TV programs or live conferences. A CART (computer-aided real-time translation) reporter may accompany a hearing impaired student to school or a deaf party in a court case to a hearing. They must be familiar with the computer equipment used in transcription. They may be charged with its care and may develop software for use in their profession.

SALARY: Mid-$30,000s to start; $45,000 is the median salary for all court reporters.

EDUCATION: A two- or four-year college course in court reporting. In Massachusetts, court reporters must pass a state exam.

These are the people who must develop funding sources for non-profit organizations, from universities to the Audubon Society. They seek out contributions from individuals and corporations and track down grants from government agencies or private foundations. They devise fund-raising campaigns.

SALARY: $46,100 is the national median. The highest salaries are found in medical institutions, followed by educational institutions.

EDUCATION: College degree in liberal arts or business. Post-graduate programs offer certificates or master's degrees. Certification through exam is offered after five years in the field and often is sought by employers. Continuing education is required.

Economists study how people use things such as land and labor to produce marketable goods and services. They weigh the cost of a product or a policy against its benefit. Market research analysts are primarily concerned with product design and promotion. Both devise research methods, employ statistics and quantify survey or other research results to make forecasts. They may work in government, business or academia.

SALARY: Junior marketing research analysts, $23,120; senior analysts, $45,770. Median for all economics PhDs, $61,400.

EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree is a must; a PhD is required for many jobs.

Financial planners advise potential investors where to put their money for the best return. They interview clients, assess their needs and wishes and plan an investment strategy. Brokers market stocks, bonds or other financial instruments. Both planners and brokers may work for investment firms. Financial planners also work at banks or run their own businesses.

SALARY: Brokers begin as trainees, paid at an annual salary of between $25,000 to $40,000. After that, brokers often work on commission, although firms may guarantee a wage the first year or two. While the sky's the limit once a broker gets his wings, the average salary for an experienced broker is $78,000; experienced institutional brokers, $156,000.

EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree is required, preferably in finance or a related field. Few candidates get jobs right out of college, however. Firms seek those with sales experience and interpersonal skills. Brokers must be licensed.

Human resources specialists help hire and train employees and establish policies for hiring. They calculate employee compensation and benefits. They may help create a diversity plan and implement it. They may help employees learn more about each other through workshops or seminars. They may be generalists, performing all personnel duties, or they may specialize in one area, such as labor relations.

SALARY: Staring, about $26,000 for those with bachelor's degrees. Department man-agers median salaries range from the mid-$40,000s to mid-$50,000s while the human resource director can earn just under $100,000.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in human resources; advanced degrees enhance employment and advancement opportunities.

There's more to the huge insurance industry than buying and selling. Within the industry are actuaries, adjusters, agents, brokers and underwriters. Actuaries value policies and what they cover. Adjusters or examiners determine the value of a claim and whether it is covered ance. Underwriters determine whether the insured person or property is an acceptable risk. Agents may represent one or more companies in their own businesses. Brokers do not sell for a company but find the best price and policy for the customer.

SALARY: The average for agents, brokers and service personnel in Massachusetts is in the low to mid-$30,00s. Most independent agents work on commission and incomes vary. The median salary for adjusters is just over $20,000. The median salary for underwriters is $30,800.

EDUCATION: High school is required and some college preferred for adjusters; a knowledge of a specific business such as auto repair is helpful. College is preferred for agents. Underwriters need a college degree, preferably in business or fincance, as do appraisers. Agents and brokers must be licensed.

Lawyers are advocates and advisors. They help clients prepare wills and transfer real estate. They represent their side in legal disputes, from criminal charges to divorce court. They must research the law and court decisions to determine the course a client should follow or to represent his position in court. Lawyers often specialize. They must be well-prepared, be able to think on their feet and have good verbal and communications skills.

SALARY: Income varies widely. Starting salaries nationwide in private industry averaged in the upper $30,000s, while that was the top starting salary paid to lawyers in the federal government.

EDUCATION: A doctorate in law, To practice law, candidates must pass a state bar exam.

Manufacturers representatives sell a company's products or services to wholesalers. In turn, wholesale sales representatives sell products to retail outlets. They may be independent contractors representing a number of companies. Changes in business practices have affected the profession as companies assign sales to outside agents, such as independent manufacturers agents.

SALARY: The median for full-time reps is $32,600; many work on commission, so salaries vary greatly.

EDUCATION: Sales representatives for technical or mechanical wares need to be highly trained; some may need engineering degrees. Other jobs primarily require the ability to sell.

Marketing departments plan and promote new products. Marketing personnel study market research and help determine when, where and how a company should introduce a product. They then help design the packaging and publicity to sell it. Marketing people also promote services and determine where and how to offer them. Those working in marketing must keep track of the competition and collect data on product sales and public desires.

SALARY: Starting, about $26,500. Marketing directors, $69,944 plus an average of $18,593 in bonuses; product and brand managers, $64,447 with $8,063 in bonuses; marketing services directors, $57,535, with $6,176 in bonuses.

EDUCATION: People arrive in marketing departments from a variety of paths. But a college degree in business or liberal arts, with a major such as English or planning, is needed. An MBA is sometimes preferred.

Trained in statistics and mathematical modeling, operations research analysts use their skills to solve organizational problems. Although they are often associated with the military, analysts tackle problems in any field. They may, for example, help determine airline maintenance and flight schedules. Analysts break problems into their component parts and choose the proper analytical technique. Management uses these methods to increase efficiency and profitability.

SALARY: Starting salaries for those with a master's degree are from the mid-$30,000s to the mid-$40,000s. Experienced analysts make between $50,000 and $60,000.

EDUCATION: Master's or doctoral degree in operations research or management science. College graduates can find jobs as assistants. Undergraduate study in mathematics, economics or engineering is helpful.

Paralegals can do much of the background work in a law office. They research facts, new laws and court decisions. They may draft motions and pleadings for court cases and assist attorneys at trial. They may arrange and prepare for real estate closings and help in estate and tax planning. Paralegals work everywhere from legal aid offices to government departments, and, like lawyers, may specialize.

SALARY: Entry level salaries in Massachusetts are in the low $20,000s. Salaries rise to the mid-$30,000 range after five years, where the national average stands.

EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree is preferred by most employers; some also require a paralegal certificate. Some, however, look for liberal arts graduates.

Brokers and salespeople link buyers and sellers. They find listings of homes and offices, show properties and work with banks and lawyers to secure financing for a sale. They research the real estate markets and may suggest a selling price for property. Once a sale is agreed upon, they must see that conditions of the sale are met. They may also manage income-producing property. Real estate salespeople must enjoy working with people; they often work nights and weekends.

SALARY: Most salespeople and brokers work on commission; earnings vary widely. The median income for experienced salespeople nationally is $23,100; for brokers, $38,000.

EDUCATION: Salespeople must be high school graduates, complete an approved real estate course and pass an exam to be licensed. Brokers must have at least one year of sales experience, take a broker's course and pass a second exam. Only brokers can be principals in a firm. The state passed continuing education requirements for license renewal, which will take effect in the next few years.

Changing technology has changed the secretary's job. They are now using complex computer programs that include word processing, graphics, spreadsheets and desktop publishing. They are expected to purchase and inventory supplies, organize and produce newsletters and brochures and maintain planning and project schedules. They also make travel arrangements, talk with clients or customers, sometimes via video conference calls. In legal and medical offices, they produce specialized documents and keep track of court or hospital schedules.

SALARY: Salaries vary with job title. General secretaries earn an average in the mid- to upper $20,000s. Executive secretaries or assistants earn the most in the field; their average salary range is in the upper $30,000s. Some earn a great deal more.

EDUCATION: Secretarial skills, which now include computer literacy, can be acquired in formal programs in high schools, business schools and community colleges. Typical programs last from one to two years.

DEMAND: Totalling more than 3.3 million, secretaries comprise one of the largest occupational groups in the country. There remains a need for a good secretary in offices of all types. However, the demand for legal and medical secretaries is more pronounced.

This story ran on page of the Boston Globe on 10/20/96.