Career Profile: Accounting
 Whether you are a seasoned accounting professional or just entering the industry, accounting remains one of the most popular undergraduate degrees and is highly sought after in the workforce. With job market projections expected to grow between 18 and 26 percent through 2014 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accounting will remain a popular profession in the coming years. Although accounting primarily deals with balancing the books and ensuring that a company’s money is being handled accordingly, other opportunities are available in the accounting profession aside from just crunching numbers.
Recently forensic accounting has witnessed some growth due to several high profile scandals in corporate America. With the introduction of new legislation aimed at combating financial fraud, forensic accountants work to ensure that companies accounting practices are following the law, especially in regards to tax filings. Other areas of opportunity for accountants include working in accounting firms, government at the state, local, and federal level, or in-house accounting for corporate entities.
Working for one of the “Big Four” accounting firms remains a popular route for many accounting professionals because of the esteem and regard they represent. Today the Big Four includes, Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Depending on career objectives, some accountants will move on from accounting firms like the Big Four to working for companies as an in-house accountant to opening their own firm where they serve clients such as small and mid-size businesses.
Unlike in years past, accountants have received a seat at the executive table to strategize and plan with leadership to determine the best course of action for a company. Since accountants understand money and are extremely familiar with the financial health of an organization, they are sanctioned to provide evidence, facts, and advice on business decisions, rather than relying on assumption.
As a profession, accounting presents many different opportunities and routes for accountants to pursue. From public accounting, in-house accounting, government, to auditing and management accounting. For novice and veteran accountants alike, the next several years offer above average industry growth, which will afford them the opportunity to witness career growth in the accounting sector of their choice.
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