| An accounting major seems pretty cut and dry; | | | | benefits. |
| the course of study will prepare a person to | | | | Government Accountant |
| handle all of the situations that they come across | | | | There are accountants at almost every level of |
| in a career in accounting. What may surprise | | | | government - township, city, county and federal. |
| some people is the fact that a degree in | | | | Government accountants work to oversee all |
| accounting can also prepare you for several other, | | | | allocations of funds and financial performance of |
| even higher paying jobs than just preparing | | | | wherever they happen to be in charge of. Usually |
| someone's taxes. | | | | the higher up in the chain of government, the |
| Public Accountant | | | | more opportunities there are available for |
| This is the job that people most often associate | | | | accountants. On the federal level accountants are |
| with a degree in accounting. A public accountant is | | | | needed for the IRS, the Department of |
| usually self-employed and extraordinarily busy | | | | Exchange, as well as in the Treasury. |
| during the months of March and April, preparing | | | | Government positions often offer a good level of |
| the tax returns for individuals, couples, families and | | | | security, very competitive pay and an excellent |
| small businesses. The downside of public | | | | benefits and retirement package. The level of |
| accounting is that it is very seasonal in nature; | | | | competition for these positions can be very high |
| aside from the first quarter of the year the | | | | because they are among the best jobs available in |
| workload can be very lean so many public | | | | the accounting field. |
| accountants have other another type of job to | | | | Internal Audit |
| subsidize their income. | | | | Internal Auditors can be responsible for |
| Private Accountants | | | | implementing and conducting a corporation's |
| Private accounting is a good gig, you'll most likely | | | | financial strategy. This could include elements of |
| have your own office and you'll spend your time | | | | general accounting, conducting audits and |
| working on only the books from only one | | | | involvement in purchasing and loss prevention. |
| company. As the private accountant you'll be in | | | | Members of an internal audit team, if they |
| charge of organizing the books for the company | | | | perform well, will often have the opportunity to |
| so you have the opportunity to make your job | | | | move up into areas financial planning or even |
| easier by simply being more organized. | | | | upper management. |
| This is a full time type of position that often pays | | | | Internal Audit may very well have the most room |
| pretty well, but you'll be responsible for more than | | | | for growth and advancement of any of the |
| your public accounting counterparts. The business | | | | different careers that can come from a degree in |
| that you are employed by will be expecting a lot | | | | accounting, which also means that there is one of |
| from you - you'll be filing the company returns, | | | | the highest earning potentials among positions |
| assuring that the books are kept up to date and | | | | available to those with accounting degrees. |
| in order, and you'll be responsible for helping the | | | | Don't be fooled into thinking that an accounting |
| company to avoid many financial pitfalls that can | | | | degree can only lead to filing taxes for people in |
| occur without the proper dedication to the | | | | April; a degree in accounting can lead you to |
| position. | | | | many secure and highly profitable positions in all |
| With the added pressure of the position will often | | | | different types of fields. The preparation you'll |
| come with added reward - as a full time | | | | receive from the accounting coursework can and |
| employee rather than being self-employed, you'll | | | | will prepare you for types of jobs you may |
| most likely be entitled to paid sick days, paid | | | | never have thought possible. |
| holidays, paid vacations and a host of other | | | | |