Accounting is among the fastest-growing occupations, with positions available in nearly every industry. Businesses rely heavily upon detail-oriented accounting professionals to insure the efficiency and financial stability necessary for longevity and success.
The primary tasks of accountants include the analysis and communication of financial information through financial statements, public records, payroll and taxes. Certified Public Accountants (CPA's) are trained to provide financial consulting, auditing, employee benefits guidance, budget analysis and limited legal information. Changing laws due to recent business and accounting fraud continue to shape the requirements for this field.
Students are often able to combine other academic interests with a career in accounting. For example, an interest in art may lend itself to working as an accountant for an art gallery; a passion for fashion design may lead to a position with a retail store or modeling agency; a love of NASCAR may lead to accounting work in the racing industry. Few professions are as versatile as accounting; since every almost every industry needs to employ competent accounting professionals.
As part of the business school in most colleges, accounting degree programs require a number of general business courses and electives that equip graduates to qualify for a broad scope of accounting positions in a variety of business environments. Public accounting, management accounting, government accounting and internal auditing are the primary accounting areas; and graduates may find themselves working anywhere -- from small businesses to large corporations.
Accountants usually work in an office, utilizing computer software to input financial information and generate reports. Often, accountants form part of a team in larger corporations to help formulate a budget or financial strategy.
Most jobs as accountants or CPA's require a bachelor's degree or a master's in business administration (MBA) with an accounting emphasis. Classes may include financial, managerial and cost accounting, along with coursework in auditing, federal taxes, accounting information technology, business math, ethics, business law and economics. The specialty area of forensic accounting, for example, involves additional classes in criminal justice and law. Other accounting specialties may require supplemental coursework as well.
To acquire CPA certification, accountants must pass the CPA exam and fulfill the additional requirements of the resident state. But upon certification, CPAs generally command the highest salaries among accounting professionals. For those who are detail-oriented and enjoy working with numbers, this career may be a perfect fit.
