10 Steps How to Get a Career as an Accountant

(doylc.com) How to Get a Career as an Accountant - Becoming an accountant requires a degree and experience. With an accounting degree, you can choose to work for individuals, corporations, or government. Accountants and CPAs must pass difficult certification tests that focus on accounting skills, ethics, and law. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that demand for accountants will increase 16 percent over the next decade. Within the first 5 years of making the decision to graduate, you can choose the job you want, earn professional certification, and begin building a client base. Find out how you can make a career as an accountant.

Steps by Steps :

1. Obtain a bachelor's degree in accounting. You can also choose finance if you want to work as a certified management accountant.

If you would like to become a guest student, you can choose several guest student electives during your studies. Accounting is one of the most popular career paths you can pursue, but the focus differs from that of public accounting or management accounting.

2. Complete accounting internships during school time. Working experience in a company gives you the opportunity to ensure that you pursue a career in accounting. Most companies require a novice to have accounting experience prior to hiring.

Some companies may require a year or more of experience, so you can consider multiple internships or a long-term internship very competitive in the job market.

3. Decide which career path you want to take. There are several ways you can use your degree in a public or financial setting.

become an auditor. Certified Public Accountants (CPA) are accountants and accountants who help individuals with financial and tax planning. You will be hired to prepare tax and other accounting records. After school, they are usually employed in an accounting firm.

Become a government accountant. These accountants work for government agencies at the local, state or national level. They are also employed by private companies to work with the government on financial tasks.

become an accountant. If you prefer to work in big companies, this is the best career path. Management accountants manage and plan the financial systems of large companies. You will be asked to analyze data and generate reports so that business decisions can be made.

become an auditor. As a chartered accountant, you may be hired as an employee or consultant for an organization to review its financial records. They can find reporting issues or suggest ways to improve accounting, organization, and efficiency.

4. Take the certification exam. You must contact the appropriate national professional organization to take a unified certification exam. Certification varies by career path.

Contact the Institute of Certified Public Accountants to take the CPA exam. Contact the Institute of Internal Auditors to take the Certified Internal Auditor exam. Contact the Institute of Management Accountants to apply for Certified Management Accounting certification. There are additional certifications you can request from other professional organizations; However, you may not need to start practicing bookkeeping.

Most exams take place in 4 parts over the course of a month. You can also enroll in exam preparation courses after completing your undergraduate degree to study for the exam.

5. Apply for an entry-level position with an accounting or accounting firm. To obtain your license and certification, you may need to work full-time in an accounting firm for at least 1 year. You submit proof of your experience with the help of a licensed accountant or chartered accountant.

6. Contact your state's business license office to apply for an accounting license. You may need to take ethics courses and gain work experience before being licensed.

7. Several years experience. You can start your work as a junior associate or as a sole proprietor finding his own clients. It can take 2 to 5 years to find a full customer base.

8. Consider earning a master's degree. If you plan to work in a specialty like management accounting, you can improve your salary and job prospects.

9. Earn continuing education credits. You must earn credits to keep your certification and license. Most professionals agree that knowledge about accounting software is extremely important as the practice has changed the most in recent years.

10. Consider opening your own practice. Once you have successfully developed your accounting practice, you can either start your own business or become a consultant. Consultation may allow you to create a more flexible schedule or work in an accounting specialty of your choice.