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Becoming an accountant requires a degree and experience. With an accounting degree, you can choose to work for private individuals, companies or the government. Accountants and auditors are required to pass difficult certification tests that focus on accounting skills, ethics and law. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for accountants to grow at a rate of 16 percent in the next decade. Within the first 5 years of deciding to earn a degree, you can choose the job you would like, earn a professional certification and begin building a client base. Find out how to get a career as an accountant.

Steps

  1. 1

    Obtain a bachelor's degree in accounting. You may also choose to pursue finance if you have a desire to work as a certified management accountant.

    • If you wish to become an auditor, choose several elective auditing classes while you are still in school. Auditing is 1 of the popular career paths you can take, but the focus differs from that of public accounting or management accounting.

  2. 2

    Complete accounting internships while in school. Work experience in a firm will give you the opportunity to ensure that you want to pursue an accounting career. Most firms require an entry-level candidate to have some experience in the accounting environment before being hired.

    • Some companies can require a year or more of experience, so you may consider several internships or 1 that is long-term in order to be highly competitive in the job market.

  3. 3

    Decide which career path to follow. You can choose several ways to use your degree in a public or financial environment.

    • Become a public accountant. Certified Public Accountants (CPA) are the tax advisers and bookkeepers that help private citizens with financial and tax planning. They are hired to prepare tax and other accounting documents. They are usually hired into an accounting firm after completing school.
    • Become a governmental accountant. These accountants work for government agencies at the local, state or national level. They are also hired by private companies to work with the government on financial tasks.
    • Become a management accountant. If you would rather work with large companies, then this is the best career path. Management accountants manage and plan the financial systems of large businesses. You will be asked to analyze data and produce reports so that business decisions can be made.
    • Become an auditor. As an auditor, you can be hired as an employee or a consultant for an organization to review their financial records. You can find problems with reporting or suggest ways to improve bookkeeping, organization and efficiency.

  4. 4

    Take the certification exam. You will need to contact the appropriate professional national authority to take a uniform certification exam. The certification will be different depending upon your 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 the Certified Management Accounting credential. There are additional certifications that you can seek from other professional organizations; however, they may not be necessary to start practicing accounting.
    • Most exams take place in 4 parts over the course of a month. You can also enroll in exam prep courses to study for the test after you complete your bachelor's degree.

  5. 5

    Apply for an entry-level position with an accounting or auditing firm. In order to achieve your professional license and your certification, you may be required to complete at least 1 year of full-time work at an accounting firm. You will submit proof of your experience with the support of a licensed accountant or auditor.

  6. 6

    Contact your state's business license office to apply for an accounting license. You may be required to take ethics courses and complete work experience before being granted licensure.

  7. 7

    Work in the profession for a number of years. You may begin work as a junior associate or a sole proprietor that finds their own clients. It may take 2 to 5 years to find a full client base.

  8. 8

    Consider earning a master's degree. If you plan to work in a specialty field, such as management accounting, you may improve your salary and job prospects.

  9. 9

    Take continuing education credits. You will be required to earn credits in order to keep your certification and license. Most professionals agree it is extremely important to remain knowledgeable about accounting software, as this is where the practice has undergone the most change in recent years.

  10. 10

    Consider starting your own practice. If you have successfully grown your accounting practice, you can choose to either start your own firm or become a consultant. Consultancy can allow you to create a more flexible schedule or work in an accounting specialty of your choice.

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  • The accounting field is seeing a rise in the number of CPA who run home offices. This is a career option if you want to have the flexibility to work from home and choose your schedule. However, it may be a good idea to work in a firm for a number of years before working from home.

Things You'll Need

  • Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance
  • Internships
  • Entry-level position
  • Certification exam
  • Work experience
  • Business license
  • Master's degree (optional)
  • Professional association membership
  • Continuing education credits

References

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