You can start looking for accounting jobs and advance your accounting career while you are still in university pursuing your accounting degree. These programs include an internship component in which you work in a private accounting firm or a government agency for a semester applying the theories you learn in class to real situations. This does not usually occur until your last few years of university. Before that you can take steps to help you gain experience by applying for summer jobs with private businesses doing clerical and office work, such as working in payroll or accounts receivable. Many companies hire accounting students for these positions during the summer when they need relief staff.
During your internship, you can advance your accounting career by performing well in your job. Many employers take on students as interns when they know they will be hiring and in this way you may even have a job offer before you complete your degree program. All accounting graduates start off in entry-level positions and learn the basics of accounting and the business from the ground up. Quite often you may need to receive on-the-job training so that you learn how this business operates as no two businesses do things in the same way.
The work you do in your first few years on the job are essential in helping you advance your accounting career. To do well as an accountant and to have many more opportunities for employment, you do need to seek certification. The designation of CPA (Certified Public Accountant) is the most prestigious certification in accounting and is one that all accountants aspire to have. There are requirements that you must meet in order to be eligible to write the exam, which include at least two years of work experience. The work you do must include just about all aspects of accounting from entering financial data to auditing and has to be verified by your employer. You also need to take an additional ten course beyond your degree program and many universities offer these courses as part of a five-year degree program. The exam is very difficult and very few pass it the first time they write it.
Other certifications you can strive for to advance your accounting career include the CMA certificate. This certificate in management accounting will help you obtain a position as a cost accountant or in a managerial position in a firm. If you like auditing work, then you can become an internal or external auditor with a CIA certificate. With this certification, you can work for a company auditing the books, as a third party doing contract work or as a forensic accountant.
The job outlook for all careers in the accounting industry is bright. All companies and government agencies require accountants to keep their financial records and offer many opportunities for advancing in an accounting career. In the government, for example, there are levels assigned to each position, allowing you to gain experience in one before you advance to the other. Since all states have regulations regarding the licensing of accountants, you do need to check with the state in which you plan to work to ensure you meet the licensing requirements.
