How to become an Accountant: Accounting is just one of those things that requires patience, time and mathematical skills. If you are an someone that does not have any of those characteristics, then accounting is probably not the best career choice for you. What is an Accountant: An accountant is someone that keeps and inspects financial accounts, either for other individuals or for companies. How to become an Accountant: 1. Excel in Maths: One of the most important things when wanting to become an accountant, is making sure that when you are in high school, you do outstanding in maths. It is also a good idea to speak to the school's guidance counselor and ask him/her which classes would be best for you to take in order to prepare yourself for further studying in accounting for your diploma or degree. 2. Contact Colleges or Universities: In advance, about one year before you graduate high school, contact colleges/universities and ask them for their application forms and catalogs in order to prepare yourself a little more. Before you can receive your Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification, you are required to obtain your bachelor's degree in accounting. 3. Research Degree Requirements: It is important that you do research on the requirements of the degree for whichever college/university you choose to get your CPA certificate from. 4. Choose a Field: There are various fields in accounting and it is very important for you to decide which one you are most interested in. The 3 major fields are as follows: - Government - Public - Management Accounting and Internal Auditing Under each of the 3 above mention fields, are various sub-fields so you should now understand why it is important to find the field which best suites you. 5. Learn Accounting Software: Become familiar with various accounting software. Get to know what they do and how they operate. 6. Intern or Part-Time Job: Intern or get a part-time job at an accounting firm while you are in college/university, in order to gain experience. There are many accounting firms that state this as a requirement when hiring college/university graduates. Helpful Tips: - Remember, once you obtain your CPA certificate it needs to be renewed every so often, so you need to prepare yourself to take continuous educational classes in order for it to get renewed. |
