 CPA = Certified Public AccountantBusiness runs on CPAs. And CPAs run businesses. With positions like Chief Financial Officer, Managing Partner, President. CPAs run the show from Wall Street to Main Street. From international accounting firms to rock bands. From the FBI to professional sports teams. From multinational corporations to dot-com start-ups.Your CPA certification will open doors to influential jobs that put you in control of your career and your life. In a public accounting firm, you might examine a company's financial records, provide business consulting services or develop a computer system to track sales. In a company, you might advise on how to increase profits or analyze future financing needs. In government, in teaching…any way you slice it, as a CPA you've got juice. What's Hot in Accounting?Sizzling specialty areas include:Assurance Services: In addition to traditional  audit services, such as examining the annual reports of public companies, new exciting niche areas have increased the demand for the expertise of CPAs. New services that CPAs provide include WebTrustSM/TM Services for business transacted over the Internet, CPA SysTrustSM Services for users of information technology systems, CPA Performance View for measuring and evaluating business performance, and CPA ElderCare Services for the elderly and their families.
Consulting Services: Individuals, businesses, financial institutions, non-profit organizations and government agencies need CPAs to offer objective advice and assistance. Information Technology (IT) Services: Exploding IT growth has created huge opportunities for CPAs with strong computer skills to design and implement advanced systems to fit an organization's needs. Forensic Accounting: Also known as investigative accounting or fraud auditing, forensic accounting digs below accounting records, searching for evidence of criminal misconduct.
Environmental Accounting: With increasing resources focused on environmental issues, CPAs conduct compliance audits and design preventive systems to ensure compliance. International Accounting: In today's global economy, CPAs with an understanding and mastery of international trade laws and regulations are in great demand. Tax and Financial Planning: CPAs help individuals and companies with financial planning investments, taxes, mergers and acquisitions and much more.Where do CPAs Work?Public AccountingCPAs in public accounting provide professional services to the public either as a sole practitioner or as a member of a CPA firm. To the clients, a CPA is an objective outside resource who, by looking at their business procedures, advises upon ways to improve their services and processes and ultimately their bottom line. In public accounting, CPAs travel to various companies to meet with clients working in a variety of businesses. There are three main areas in which CPAs typically work within public practice:
junior accountant or associate) generally assist those in charge of an audit (the senior accountants). After two or three years at a public accounting firm, you may get promoted to senior accountant. As a senior accountant, you will be in charge of your own audits and possibly have staff accountants working for you. At the manager level, CPAs supervise the senior accountant staff. As a partner in a firm, your responsibilities would increase to include managing client relationships, obtaining new clients, and the supervision of managers. Partners make decisions that impact all aspects of a firm's operations. An individual or solo practitioner is a CPA who owns his/her own business and employs only a few individuals to support his/her work.
Business & Industry CPAs who work in business and industry work for a company and are required to have specialized knowledge for that particular industry. On-the-job training and continuing education are essential. A CPA in industry might be responsible for developing, producing and reviewing data useful for making business decisions and developing strategic business plans. In addition, CPAs must report data findings to internal and external parties. Not only are they responsible for reporting on past operation, but also for interpreting results for management and forecasting future financial results and capital requirements. The variety of companies for which one could work is as vast as the yellow pages. Some positions in industry include:
CPAs hold a wide range of local, state, and federal government positions. The federal government employs CPAs in its agencies, including, but not limited to the following:
The salaries and requirements for each job title tend to vary according to the different tiers of government (local, state or federal). As a general rule, the higher the salary and the more people you are responsible for, the greater likelihood that you will be required to have a CPA license and several years of experience in your area of expertise. Also, many government job titles have several levels of classification. For example, CPAs can be titled Accountant I, II, III, IV and so on. As the level of classification increases, so does the degree of responsibility and the salary. Education Accounting educators are a critical part of the faculty in community colleges, university schools of accountancy, colleges of business administration and graduate schools of business. They also research and write books and articles concerning accounting principles and procedures. Some of the CPA educator career titles include:
To learn more about what CPAs do and to find out if it's right for you, check out www.startheregoplaces.com. |
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