Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Considering a Career in Auditing or Accounting

One industry that is growing by leaps and bounds is the auditing and accounting industry. There are many great jobs available for people in this career field who have the appropriate educations. If you were to become an accountant, you would perform tasks such as keeping public records, making sure that taxes are filed appropriately, and helping a business to maximize their production. Whether you choose to work for the state government, federal government, for a business, or even for yourself, this kind of a career can be very rewarding.

Careers Available

The auditing and accounting field is a broad one, and there are many different careers that are available. First of all, there are public accounts who work for a variety of different people at the same time. You can either work with an accounting firm, or you can work on your own and enjoy the diversity of working with many different clients. You may also find yourself interested in a career in forensic accounting, which works with law enforcement agencies to uncover fraud and other crimes relating to money.

Another great career choice in this field is to become a management accountant. While this may take some years of hard work, it can be very rewarding. This type of accountant basically works with the rest of a management or executive team to help deal with various aspects of a business including planning, budgeting, and maximizing production levels within the company

There are many openings available for government accountants and auditors as well. Some of these types of positions may be working for the IRS and dealing with various aspects of taxes and even tax fraud. Other government positions may involve working with state or local governments to ensure that spending is done appropriately.

Preparation Needed

If you want to have a career in any portion of the auditing or accounting field, more than likely you are going to need a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Most places will require that you have at least 24 hours of your studies devoted to accounting classes as well. There are many other businesses and firms that will actually require that you have a Master's degree in either business or accounting.

Many accountants go on to get their CPA license from the state that they want to work in as well, which is very valuable. Most states will require that you have at least a bachelor's degree if you want to get your CPA, and many will require you to have even more hours than it takes to get a bachelor's degree. States have individual requirements, so if you are interesting in becoming a CPA it is usually a good idea to check into the requirements in your specific state.

Expected Wages

Becoming an accountant or auditor can provide you with great wages, especially if you do very well in school. As a general rule, most accountants will make between $30,000 and $80,000 each year. Most people who are just starting out usually make just under the $30,000 amount; however, the grades earned during school does seem to have a positive impact on how much you make when you are just out of school. Accountants who are serious about their jobs and work hard may make even more than $80,000 each year, with some even making up to $200,000 and better when they get into senior management positions. If you are willing to work hard, you can definitely make a great deal of money with this type of a job.

Companies to Consider

There are many different companies, both in the United States and Canada that are looking for qualified accountants and auditors to work for them. One very well known company in the United States that hires accountants and offers great pay and benefits is Oracle. They have various accounting positions, and they offer excellent health benefits, retirement benefits, and a great vacation plan. Another great U.S. based company that offers great jobs and competitive pay and benefits is Robert Half Management Resources. If you are looking for jobs in Canada, a couple great companies to consider include the National Bank of Canada and Ceridian Canada.

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