Career Profile: Accounting, Creative Essay Example

Choosing a career is a decision that deserves research and care. Some points to consider in a career choice are education requirements, salary expectations, work-place description, personal characteristics, advancement opportunities, and growth prospects for the career field. In the following paragraphs, these questions will be answered for the field of accounting and accountant career.

Education requirements include a bachelor’s degree and often require CPA certification. A master’s degree is preferred and additional specialty training and certification is available. An accountant can later train as a CMA, CIA, ABV, PFS, or other specialties. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009) Desired personal characteristics include excellent communication skills, able to work independently and as a team, and practice good time management skills. A high level of commitment to and accuracy in work is needed. (Richards, 2009)

Median annual wages for accountants in May 2008 were $61,480. Starting salaries in 2009 were reported at $48,993 for bachelor’s recipients and $49,786 for those with a master’s. Standard benefits include health and life insurance, 401(k) plan, and paid annual leave. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009) Whether the business is small or large, accountants work inside an office, either individually or in teams of two to three people. In a large business, the accounting section may be broken into smaller internal departments and then organized into teams. (Macabasco-Yanuaria, 2011)

The accounting field is expected to have grown 22% by 2018. A large percentage of this growth will be for new jobs, as well as replacement for retirees or job transfers. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009) Accounting is a favorable field for an entry level employee with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting.

References

Macabasco-Yanuaria, L. (2011). Accountant Job Description. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from MissCPA.com: http://misscpa.com/accountant-job-description/

Richards, J. (2009, November 19). The Personal Qualities Needed to be an Accountant. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from Articlesbase: http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/the-personal-qualities-needed-to-be-an-accountant-1478279.html

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2009, December 17). Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010 -11 Edition: Accountants and Auditors. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos001.htm#training