| What
springs to mind when you think of an accountant? A number-crunching
nerd with glasses and a pocket protector? Hold on. Today’s
accountants bring a lot more than a calculator and math skills
to the table.
Do you listen and
work well with a diverse group of people? Do you ask why and
love to investigate details? Would you give yourself an “A”
in ethics? If you’re answering yes to these questions,
then accounting might be the career for you.
Types
of Accounting:
Public Accounting –
Like to travel? You might want to become a public accountant.
You’ll be traveling across town or around the country
to clients, doing audits, taxes, or consulting work. If you
want to rise in the ranks, you’ll need to get your CPA
(Certified Public Accountant) license.
Corporate Accounting – Dream
of being a CEO (Chief Executive Officer)? Many CEO’s
start as corporate accountants. They are controllers, financial
analysts, and CFOs (Chief Financial Officers). Yes, corporate
accountants crunch a company’s numbers, but they also
provide valuable suggestions to help a company grow and make
money.
Government Accounting – Interested
in politics? You could work in Washington D.C., advising top
officials on budgets, taxes and spending. If investigative
work is more your style, try the FBI. They use accountants
on their teams to investigate white-collar crimes.
Forensic Accounting – Are you
a super sleuth? If so, you might be a great forensic accountant.
They work to investigate fraud, money-laundering, identity
theft and tax evasion.
Showbiz Accounting – Want to
bring a little glam to your life and work with the stars?
To be a success, you’ll need a big dose of people skills
to handle all those egos. And you can’t be afraid to
say “No, you can’t buy that!” when your
client wants to empty his bank account for a new boat.
Interview with Audit Partner, Tom
Mooney
Growing
up, Tom Mooney, a partner at a Big Four public accounting
firm, didn’t always want to be an accountant. But during
his sophomore year at Villanova University, he needed to pick
a major. “Accounting was the class I was doing best
in,” he says. “And it seemed like a lot of kids
in accounting were getting jobs after school.”
 Tom
tested the job by doing an internship for a public accounting
firm. The work was interesting and he liked the people he
met, so he decided to work for the same firm after graduation.
Tom started as a staff accountant. While he
worked, Tom also studied for the CPA exam. After passing the
exam and completing two years of work experience, he earned
his official CPA license. Over the next 13 years, Tom earned
promotions to senior accountant, manager and finally, to partner
in his firm.
Working in public accounting isn’t always
easy. There are long hours, especially during the traditional
“busy season” of January through March. But Tom
loves his job. “I like learning about different businesses
and seeing a business grow.”
What does he want people to know about accounting?
“It’s a good job with high demand for the foreseeable
future,” he says. “And it’s less about math
than you think.”
What
You Can Do to Get Ready:
You definitely have to go to college and get
an accounting or business degree. If you want a CPA license,
you’ll have to pass the Uniform CPA Examination and
get some work experience. Since the CPA requirements vary
from state-to-state, make sure you check out the rules in
your town. The test is tough, but adding CPA after your name
can lead to better jobs and more money!
In the meantime, start building your skills.
Enroll in business, computer and communication classes. Practice
your leadership by volunteering to organize a dance or serve
as an officer in an after-school club.
What
it Pays:
Entry level accountants can expect $32,000
to $47,000. But accounting salaries quickly rise with experience
– within 4 to 6 years, you can earn up to $83,000. The
higher you go, the better the pay gets. Upper level managers
in medium size companies can earn up to $170,000 with those
in larger companies earning even more.
Other
Resources:
Check
out info on accounting careers, colleges and jobs. Features
CPA Exclusives – personal stories of real-life accountants.
Official
site of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Site
of the Institute of Management Accountants
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