Starting Off Your Accounting Career

Most recent finance and accounting college graduates have a good chance of getting a job at a large company. The chances of landing a job at one of the Big Four accounting firms, which are Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, are greater if you graduate from an Ivy League school like Wharton or Harvard. These large firms recruit accounting graduates right from college but usually prefer those with at least a few years of work experience. However, you should note that some of these large companies let go of new hires after the busy season is over.

If you just have a finance or business degree from any accredited university or college or you are in your mid 30s or so, the best option for you is to settle for a smaller accounting firm in your city or locality. To begin with, you need to pass your CPA exam to demonstrate that you are ready to commit yourself fully to a career in accounting.

If you lack the money or time to attend a full-time course in a university for accounting, you also have the option to go for an online degree, in which case you need to be careful about the online university you choose. The university has to be fully accredited and your State Board of Accountancy has to be willing to accept the credits you earn from that university. If you choose the wrong university, the time and hard work you put towards starting your accounting career will be wasted.

It is not surprising to see most firms you apply for ask for some work experience along with your degree. A lot of graduates face a situation where they do not have experience but also cannot join any firm without experience, in which case the best option is to volunteer their accounting skills in community business and non-profit organizations. If you want to stand out from the rest of your competition, you could also consider taking courses in advanced mathematics, computer programming, or IT, all of which give you knowledge and skills that are useful in firms that use high tech equipment. Portraying your skills properly on your resume is also extremely important for people entering the job market. You can look at examples of resumes and cover letters online at sites like Monster.com and AccountingResumes.net

If you have decided to start a career in accounting, you have a lot of career paths open to you, and your choice is almost completely based on your own preferences. Given below are some common options to choose from.

Tax Accountant

In order take up this career path, it is best to have some background in legal or tax accounting, and you need to keep up with the latest tax laws and changes to them to succeed in this career. Most of the work you get as a tax accountant happens during the tax payment and returns filing seasons, so it is likely that a firm may just hire you temporarily. To avoid this, make sure that the firm you approach is hiring you for a long term.

Auditor

Almost every private and public sector enterprise needs some level of auditing work in order to run properly and comply with regulations. If you choose a path in auditing, you need to have in-depth information about the operations and divisions of a company. This includes learning how the products and services offered by the company are sold and the flow of income to the company. You may also have to maintain accounts and ledgers and handle the company's compliance with State and Federal laws.