Career in Accounting

List of Jobs in the Field: Accountant, Auditor, Project Estimator, Banker, Accounting Clerk, and Financial Advisor

Typical Work
Typically an accountant will work for a C.A. firm, a large company, a bank, or an investment firm doing work that is related to his/her training. You need technical skills to work in this field, skills you will obtain through post-secondary education and by achieving an accounting designation. Typical work includes doing internal or external audits of an enterprise, preparing tax returns, examining or preparing income statements, balance sheets, or statements of earnings. A career in Accounting can also involve work in the field of investment analysis, market analysis, estimating project costs, and managing operations.

Necessary Education
To become an accountant you need to obtain a post secondary bachelors degree or equivalent in a relevant field (typically a B.B.A or a B comm.)
After obtaining your undergraduate degree the next step is to enter the workforce or to work towards a designation. The different types available are Chartered Accountancy, Certified Accountant, Certified Management Accountant and Certified General Accountant.

The most popular of these designations is the Chartered Accountancy. After completion of a bachelor's degree in a related field (i.e. Business or equivalency) it requires that you obtain three years of general practice in a public accounting firm while being evaluated through tests and assignments throughout your work experience. After completion of your work experience and a final exam you will obtain your C.A. designation.

CMA
Similarly to a C.A. you need to first complete a bachelor's degree then pass an entrance exam before you can begin working on your CMA. After successfully completing the entrance exam you will be placed into a strategic leadership program while at the same time you will gain practical experience by working in the accounting filed. This is a two-year program. After completing the program and having gained two years of practical experience you will obtain your CMA designation.

Necessary Skills
Analytical Skills
Quantitative skills
Qualitative Skills
Hard working
Dedicated
Thorough

Interests
Math
The Business World
Finance
Investment

Salary Ranges: $25,000 (Clerk) to $250,000+ (Partner or CEO)

Associations and Organizations:
Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants - http://www.cica.ca
ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) - http://www.acca.co.uk/
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales- http://www.icaew.co.uk/
American Association of Finance and Accounting- http://www.aafa.com
The American Accounting Association- http://aaahq.org/index.cfm

Important Links
http://www.accountingnet.com/
http://www.careers-in-accounting.com/

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