Regardless of what area of business you are interested in, there are certain key skills and personal qualities which will enable you to succeed.

The concept of lifelong learning and the flexible transfer of skills is a key government and EU policy, one which will play a vital role in the attempt to build the so-called "knowledge economy".

This is widely seen as vital to securing the long-term viability of the Irish and European economies, particularly when faced with competition from low-cost economies in China and south-east Asia.

This week's article marks the start of a six-part Business 2000 series, looking at the key skills and competencies which are necessary in a number of different sectors.

The aim will be to identify a number of important personal skills and qualities, which are transferable between careers, as well as gaining an insight into the demands of the particular sectors in question.

This week, we start with the accounting and finance sector. Over the next few weeks, we will examine media and PR; sales and and marketing; production, and manufacturing and law.

So what does it take to be a good accountant?

According to Mr Roger Acton, head of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in Ireland, a member of the international accounting body, ACCA, one key element is "stickability", a willingness to commit to the significant amount of training and exams necessary to become an accountant.

"It's difficult, but it's not overly difficult," he says.

"There are quite a few exams that you have to get through, so its not for the faint-hearted."

But it is not essential for prospective accountants to be straight-A students in maths.

The syllabus that a trainee accountant studies is broad and aims to develop the complete business person.

Good personal skills grounded in sound finance are more important than being a simple "number cruncher".

Key to this is the ability to think logically and to apply one set of rules to different circumstances.

"I think that a flexible mind is quite important, but, having said that, it has to be structured as well," he says. "In certain areas of this work, there are no grey areas. It is either right or wrong."

Over half of ACCA's members are female, destroying the stereotypical image of accountants being somewhat dull men in grey suits, Mr Acton notes.

But the profession has undergone some testing times recently.

Scandals such as the Enron fraud and the associated investigation of Arthur Andersen have meant that public confidence in the profession's ability to provide accurate and independent accounts has been shaken.

Young accountants can sometimes be faced with tough ethical choices from a relatively early age, says Mr Acton.

For example, under company law introduced in 2001, accountants are obliged to report any suspicions they might have under a wide number of subject headings.

"You have to be willing to tackle issues that other young people might not have to do at this stage of life," he says. "So you need integrity and personal stamina."

These are not academic but personal qualities. Many other skills can be taught, but personal qualities are an integral part of being a good accountant.

"The ability to learn and the willingness to learn are things you can pick up along the line," he says. "But what you can't pick up are certain personal qualities such as integrity, so their judgement and opinions have to be grounded in strong personal integrity."

Trusting your judgement and the ability to make well-informed, speedy decisions are also key qualities for a stockbroker, according to Ian Brady of Davy Stockbrokers.

Mr Brady, whose job as a portfolio manager involves choosing the best investment options for a range of clients, says the ability to work in "real-time" situations is also essential.

"You need the ability to make quick decisions, but also the ability to delineate from a large amount of information. We have information coming in from all over the world, such as markets in New York and Tokyo, so you have to be able to decipher what is actually relevant for your clients.

"You also have to have integrity. Your clients only trust you if you have it."

The ability to relate to and empathise with your clients is also important, Mr Brady adds. This can require a lot of networking and entertaining of clients.

"Different clients have different requirements, so you also need a nice manner about you, and to be able to network. In terms of getting new business, if you perform well, your clients will obviously introduce you to new people. Some of our people get extremely close to their clients, because there is a lot of trust there," Mr Brady says.

For a career in general business, he believes it would be difficult to get a better grounding than that which his job provides.

"You have to have the ability to look at a company and make informed decisions about whether they are a good investment," he says. "You see successes and failures unfold before your eyes and why they have succeeded or failed. So you are building up a huge skill-set about what makes a successful business."

Next Week: Media and PR