Pursuing a Career in Accounting? Opportunities Are Yours For the Taking

If you're interested in pursuing a career in accounting or auditing, the opportunities may be yours for the taking. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, the accounting profession will experience strong job growth over the period from 2006 to 2016. Accounting jobs are expected to grow by 18 percent between 2006 and 2016. This growth is faster than the average for all occupations. It is projected that almost 226,000 accounting jobs will be created during the ten year period. The strong growth in accounting and auditing jobs is expected to result from economic expansion, changes to financial laws, and stricter corporate governance. Accounting career opportunities will also be created by changes to financial reporting standards, business investments, mergers and acquisitions, and other events that are expected to lead to greater scrutiny of accounting practices and company finances. Growth in accounting jobs will also be driven by the desire to make government agencies more accountable. According to the Handbook, candidates with a master's degree, who obtain certification or licensure, or who are skilled at using accounting and auditing computer software will have the best career opportunities.

What jobs do accountants and auditors do? The role of accountants and auditors is quite broad. Generally speaking, accountants and auditors prepare, analyze, verify and communicate financial information for clients that may include corporations, governments, non-profit organizations, or individuals. But the specific job descriptions of accountants and auditors vary depending on the type of accounting and auditing job.

What types of accounting career opportunities are there? There are four major fields of accounting and auditing: public, management, government accounting, and internal auditing.

Public accounting jobs: Public Accountants provide a wide range of consulting services relating to accounting, auditing, tax, and other financial activities. A career in a public accounting involves providing services such giving advice to companies or individuals to help them get certain tax advantages and preparing and filing income tax returns. External auditors are responsible for auditing financial statements for companies to ensure that they have been prepared properly. Many public accountants have the professional designation Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and they may work on their own or in public accounting firms.

Management accounting jobs: Management accountants prepare and analyze the financial information of the companies for which they work. If you pursued a career in management accounting, you would be responsible for maintaining budgets, managing expenses, analyzing financial information, preparing financial reports and managing company assets.

Government accounting jobs: A career in government accounting means you would be employed by a Federal, State, or local government agency. Government accountants are responsible for maintaining and analyzing the financial records of these agencies. They may also be responsible for auditing private businesses and individuals. For example, accountants for the Internal Revenue Service are employed by the federal government to review taxes received by businesses and individuals. In addition, they are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the various government agencies are making expenditures in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Internal auditing jobs: Internal auditors are responsible for ensuring that the financial records of a company or individual are accurate. They check for fraud or non-compliance with laws, and they help to prevent financial loss. Other responsibilities of an internal auditor may include reporting on audits, advising on or recommending changes to a company's operations an/or financial activities, reviewing data regarding a company's assets, liabilities, stock, income and expenditures, preparing reports and financial statements, and reviewing compliance with corporate policies and government regulations.

What are the educational requirements for a career in accounting or auditing? Your duties as an accountant will vary according to what type of accounting you decide to specialize in or what kind of accounting job you want to pursue. Accordingly, if you are pursuing career opportunities in accounting or auditing, the education and training requirements can vary depending on your role. Most accounting jobs require at least a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field but some employers will only consider job applicants with a master's degree in accounting, or a master's degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting.

Licensure and certification for accounting jobs: Only a Certified Public Accountant is permitted to file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, if you're interested in a career working for a public company that's registered with the SEC, you need to be licensed as a CPA by your State Board of Accountancy. Most States require CPA candidates to be college graduates and to have some accounting experience. To become a CPA, you must pass a four-part examination prepared by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). This is required by all States.

Things that can help increase your accounting career opportunities:

o Previous experience in accounting or auditing, such as experience gained in summer or part-time internship programs, will help your chances of getting an accounting job.

o Knowledge of computers and financial software applications will make you a stronger candidate for an accounting job.

What skills do you need to succeed in an accounting career? If you're interested in accounting career opportunities, you must:

o be proficient in math and you must have excellent analytical skills

o communicate effectively

o be good at working with people

o have basic accounting knowledge

o be familiar with accounting software

If you're seriously thinking about accounting or auditing career opportunities, information is available from the following organizations:

o AACSB International

o American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

o National Association of State Boards of Accountancy

o Institute of Management Accountants

o Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation

o The Institute of Internal Auditors

o ISACA

o Association of Government Accountants

Want more accounting career advice? Looking for an accounting job? Fins great accounting career opportunities Andrea writes for FoundCareer, the totally free job site that's unlike other job web sites. No fees to post jobs and no subscription fees to search jobs.
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READ MORE - Pursuing a Career in Accounting? Opportunities Are Yours For the Taking

Why Choose a Career in Accounting?

One of the biggest key benefits that you can obtain form accounting is the experience you can gain from working in the accounting field. With accounting, you learn how businesses work and operate in a ever evolving field. This is very important experience that you can gain, that will not only help you in the field of accounting, but this experience will also help you know how to organize and run your own business. It is a fact that many successful business people in the world today, were at one time involved in the field of accounting. The knowledge they gained form accounting helped them build their own professional establishment. Even if you eventually leave a career in accounting to pursue a career somewhere else, your experiences from accounting will still become useful and beneficial.

The skills required in accounting are not high except in two areas being, analytical and computer skills. When compared to many of the different professional careers out there, almost any skill requires you to have some type of attention to detail as well as computer technology skills. However, accounting differs from the rest in other areas. In accounting you do not have to socialize with many people, you work in a self pressure environment only, and you do not need a high amount of initiative. This separates accounting from many other different professions, making accounting a much easier career to develop the necessary skills to become an accountant. The best feature of a career in accounting, is that anyone can learn to become an accountant. There are no specific skills or talents that cannot be learned and developed in the field of accounting.

The other major benefit of a career in accounting is the great pay. In fact, in your first year of accounting you can make as much as fifty-five thousand dollars a year. Within ten years or less of your career in accounting, you should be making over six figures. This can be obtained quicker by furthering your degree in accounting which you can reach as high as an MBA. There are many careers that take much longer to receive accreditation for that do not allow you to earn that type of income so quickly. Along with all the other benefits of accounting, it is no surprise that accounting is a very popular field that many people are working to get into.

You can see for yourself that accounting has many professional and career benefits that are appealing to anyone. From being able to work in a professional setting either for a large corporation, the government or yourself, accounting offers some key features and benefits that cnanot be found in other professional careers.

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Tips To Start Your Accounting Career

What are the best ways for you to get your accounting career started? When I started my career, I know I was a little intimidated by the process. However, once you know what you are doing and how to go about lining everything up, you can actually you're your accounting career up and running in no time.

The first step to getting your accounting career up and running is to make sure you have the proper education. In order to have an accounting career you will want to make sure you have some sort of accounting education. Check on line and you may be able to find a school or program that can help you with getting your degree. If, though, you already have your accounting degree, you are one step closer to getting your accounting career off the ground.

Once you have your education completed, the next step in getting an accounting career going is to figure out what you want to do, exactly. For instance, you can choose a corporate accounting career, you can work for individuals, or you could even work for a non-profit organization of some kind. In other words, before you get your accounting rolling you will need to figure out what exactly your accounting career is going to be.

Once you figure out what type of accounting career you want to get started, you can begin your search for a job. There are three good places to look for jobs that can get your accounting career off the ground: the internet, newspaper, and through a headhunter. Check online job sites to see what types of accounting jobs are available in your area. Finding an entry-level job can be just the boost you need to get your accounting career going.

Another way to find that local job is through one of the local newspapers. Check the classifieds in the paper under accounting. There you can find accounting career entry level jobs that may help you. You can also contact a headhunter in the area. A headhunter specializes in placing people in jobs for their clients. If you have the education required to get into an accounting career, a headhunter may be able to place you with one of his or her clients.

Getting any career off the ground is a little bit of a challenge for most anyone. You want to get your accounting career going, and that is something that can be done as long as you know how to go about it. First, make sure you have the education required of someone with an accounting career. Next, figure out exactly what type of accounting career you would like to have, whether it be corporate, private, or non-profit. Finally, it is time for you to get a job and get your accounting career rolling. If you want to build a career, get yourself started by following these simple tips and you will be going before you know it.

If you would like to view more of my articles on accounting jobs [http://www.ac-accountingcareer-tips.info], please feel free to visit my accounting careers website!

READ MORE - Tips To Start Your Accounting Career

Why settle a Career in Accounting?

One of the biggest key benefits that you can accept execute accounting is the experience you can bag from working in the accounting field. With accounting, you learn how businesses work and operate in a ever evolving field. This is very critical experience that you can come by, that will not only succor you in the field of accounting, but this experience will also benefit you know how to organize and hasten your absorb business. It is a fact that many successful business people in the world today, were at one time alive to in the field of accounting. The knowledge they gained effect accounting helped them invent their have professional establishment. Even if you eventually leave a career in accounting to pursue a career somewhere else, your experiences from accounting will collected become useful and generous.



The skills required in accounting are not high except in two areas being, analytical and computer skills. When compared to many of the different professional careers out there, almost any skill requires you to have some type of attention to detail as well as computer technology skills. However, accounting differs from the rest in other areas. In accounting you do not have to socialize with many people, you work in a self pressure environment only, and you do not need a high amount of initiative. This separates accounting from many other different professions, making accounting a powerful easier career to obtain the well-known skills to become an accountant. The best feature of a career in accounting, is that anyone can learn to become an accountant. There are no specific skills or talents that cannot be learned and developed in the field of accounting.



The other major abet of a career in accounting is the gargantuan pay. In fact, in your first year of accounting you can produce as remarkable as fifty-five thousand dollars a year. Within ten years or less of your career in accounting, you should be making over six figures. This can be obtained quicker by furthering your degree in accounting which you can approach as high as an MBA. There are many careers that lift remarkable longer to receive accreditation for that do not allow you to acquire that type of income so expeditiously. Along with all the other benefits of accounting, it is no surprise that accounting is a very accepted field that many people are working to obtain into.



You can inspect for yourself that accounting has many professional and career benefits that are provocative to anyone. From being able to work in a professional setting either for a big corporation, the government or yourself, accounting offers some key features and benefits that cnanot be found in other professional careers.

READ MORE - Why settle a Career in Accounting?