Page 105 - Encyclopedia of Business and Finance

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Careers in Accounting

Illustrative jobs which generally require college Jobs which generally do not require college
studies in accounting studies in accounting

• Accounting assistant
• Accountant
• Accounting manager • Accounting clerk
• Accounting specialist • Accounts Payable assistant
• Accounting supervisor • Accounts Payable clerk
• Accounts Payable Manager • Accounts Receivable assistant
• Accounts Receivable Manager • Accounts Receivabel clerk
• Budget analyst • Bookkeeper
• Chief financial officer • Cost Accounting clerk
• Controller • Payroll clerk
• Cost accountant
• Cost accounting manager
• Director of accounting Table 2
• Director of financial reporting
• Division controller
• Financial analysts
• Government accountant
• Government auditor Because of the growing complexity of business, spe-
• Internal auditors cializations have been established within accounting and
• Management accountant
• Management analyst auditing. For example, auditors who have studied and
• Personal financial advisor gained considerable experience in financial services, or in
• Project and government account analysts a critical aspect, such as acquisitions and mergers or pen-
• Public auditor (partner/manager/senior staff)
• SEC accounting associate sions, are in demand in service firms that provide consult-
• Senior public accounting specialist ing services. Specializations in the accounting for
• Tax accountant
• Tax examiner industries, such as retailing, entertainment, insurance, gas
and oil, or consumer products, often provide promotional
Note: In some instances, persons with less than a college diploma have
sufficient experience to be hired for some of these positions. opportunities.

CAREERS IN ACCOUNTING THAT
Table 1
DO NOT REQUIRE A COLLEGE
DEGREE
As noted before, there are positions in accounting that are
identified by the U.S. Department of Labor as requiring
less than a college degree. A variety of positions identified
were forty-four states and the District of Columbia that by the Labor Department as financial clerks, including
required CPA candidates to complete 150 semester cred- those classified as bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing
its of college coursework. This requirement adds thirty clerks, are needed in all types of organizations; in 2002
credits to the usual four-year college program in account- there were 3.7 million such clerks. The outlook for
ing. Many of the remaining jurisdictions were considering employment (to 2012) is that virtually all job openings
adopting legislation requiring 150 credits, to be effective will be related to replacement of individuals who have left
no later than August 2009. There are many significant dif- positions. There is high turnover in this category of work-
ferences among the jurisdictions related to both education ers as workers move to other types of positions, including
and experience. The Web sites of the accountancy boards ones that represent promotions. Therefore, there are
of each jurisdiction provide useful information about opportunities for those wishing to enter such positions.
requirements. Most positions require a high school diploma and
Knowledge of accounting and auditing continues to exist in virtually every industry in the United States. Such
be critical to handling job responsibilities. Such knowl- workers are expected to know basic computer software
edge alone, however, is not sufficient. Accountants are programs. Most U.S. comprehensive and career-technical
expected to have advanced competencies in handling a high schools offer courses in accounting and in computer
variety of accounting and auditing software and in design- software applications. Also, proprietary business colleges
ing accounting information systems. Furthermore, as well as junior and community colleges have programs
accountants and auditors are expected to strategically ana- that prepare students with the basic knowledge and skills
lyze, interpret, and assess the information from the sys- needed in many beginning accounting positions. Many
tems they develop and implement. employers provide training on the job for the specific

82 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION