What steps would you recommend I take to prepare to enter the field of accounting?

Hi Adalberto,

As most responders have mentioned already, I think the best course of action is to try and take some sort of entry level accounting class depending on whether or not you are in high school or college. From there, you can get a decent grasp of the field and some of the basic fundamentals of the profession. In my experience, I would like to mention that accounting is not the same in the real world as what it feels like in accounting classes. In the real world, there is client interaction, project management, and much more than just crunching numbers. So with that being said, do no feel intimidated or put off from accounting if it seems too technical for you. Lastly, if you feel like accounting is a fit for you, I suggest obtaining the 150 credit requirement to sit for the CPA exam.

I would learn technology as much as possible (excel) and I would learn basics of financial accounting and tax law.

My advice would be to gather information to see if some aspect of the field appeals to you as a career as there are several work paths an accountant's career may take.  A good starting point for anyone would be to contact the Human Resources department of an accounting firm to see if you can meet in person with someone to discuss what the firm does.  That discussion could lead to many things including an opportunity to shadow an accountant at work.

Hey Adalberto,

Depends on what stage of your student career you are currently at. I think if you are in college or thinking about college that you should try to get a degree or minor in finance/accounting. The classes that will typically be in those accounting curriculum programs will set you up for a career in accounting. From there I think you can either choose to go to public ( public accounting) or private (working in industry in an accounting department). Those are typically your two routes. Also another thing to get good at is Excel. Excel is very important for accountants and you will probably have to use the program a lot.

I think if you are interested in accounting you should try to find an internship in the accounting field. In highschool I was able to intern at my town lawyers office, which made me stand out in college when compared to the other applicants. I also think it is important to be well rounded and make sure you have other interests besides work. People want to work with people they like to spend time with, so make yourself approachable.

Talk with professionals who are in the field to get a sense of what they do on a day to day basis. I also encourage you to intern before committing to the field to see if this is something you are truly interested in.

I would suggest finish your 150 units and CPA exams before starting the job in accounting field! To be honest, it was a bit tough to balance work, life and CPA exams especially when work get busy. I was lucky when I first started I was not as busy as other, so I had a lot of time to study for my exams through out my first year at PwC and I was able to completed all of my exams within my first year at the firm. A lot of my peers on the other hand are not as fortunate and after three years in, they are still working on their exams. Some of their passed exam sections had expired and then they have to retake. Therefore, I think if you finish your exams and 150 units you will be able to lift a lot of weight off of your shoulder.

The first step would be to do as much research as you can about the career paths related to accounting - whether it is public/industry accounting or something more finance-focused. The goal is to evaluate if the career field is the right choice for you and your future interest. It's not a bad idea to reach out to current professionals in the field for advice, shadow opportunities, and internship opportunities. Next, do research on which prep courses you are required to take to get into the major/minor at your college, and which would allow credits for the CPA.

Hi Adalberto M.,

One of the first things you should do is look into the industry you want to get your start in, and do research on it first to confirm if thats where you want to start. You could intern with companies in different industries and different levels of accounting. As some have stated previously, to speak to a professional and ask how did their career start. There will never be the perfect answer, but your curiosity may peak based on what you learn to make you want to explore that option.

Goodluck!

Hello Adalberto,

I would recommend to try and do a work experience for a short time in the different areas of accounting. Accounting can be divided broadly into Financial and Management accounting. Searching different articles online is a great help to get an understanding. A week would be enough to get a feel for the situation.

The answer to this depends on what stage you are at in college or high school. If accounting is something you are interested in, I would recommend taking a class as early as you can. I took my first accounting course in high school and it sparked my interest for the subject. If you are already in college I would recommend taking an intro to accounting course if you are in the business school and if you are not able to do so, try to audit a class by just showing up to a lecture and listening to see if this is something you are truly interested in. If you are, I would recommend looking into majoring in accounting and trying to decide what path you want to take with it whether or not you would like to pursue public accounting and be a CPA. Good luck in your process!

talk to someone who actually practices accounting. utilize your career resources and shadow professionals. A lot of people do not realize this but there is a lot of writing involved in auditing.

Hi Adalberto,

Everyone here has given you some great advice but I would add that if you do decide to pursue a career in accounting be open to the idea of change. Accounting is a career that requires continuous learning mainly due to the fact that rules and regulations change with time. In college you will learn the current accounting standards but it is possible that by the time you graduate there will be a new accounting standard that replaces the one you learned. Hope this gives some clarity in what to expect in the field of accounting, good luck!

If you are taking a serious interest in accounting, it's always helpful to learn some of the basics either through school or through work experience. Some of the fundamentals are getting an understanding of what a general ledger looks like, how do debits and credits work, and what role a bookkeeper plays in company.

In today's field of accounting, it's much more than just crunching numbers. Many companies rely on technology to improve their day to day functions, so it may not seem intuitive, but I'd actually recommend a programming class to prepare yourself for the digital world we are all bound to embrace. I certainly wish I did it when I was in school. Programming skills really do apply to so many industries and it'll come in handy in the most surprising way.

I would recommend planning your courses as early as freshman year of college. This is because it often takes more than a few classes to become eligible to take a CPA exam and obtain the CPA license, which is most likely what you will have to get if you are planning on doing private/public accounting in the US. Additionally, each state has its own requirement for the number of credits you need to have in order to become licensed. I knew back in sophomore year of college that you would need to have at least 150 credits to be eligible to get certified in MA. Since my school let me take additional classes during a semester, I tried taking advantage of it and took extra classes to get 150 credits as an undergrad. Other people often pursue a masters degree in accounting, because they did not get that many credits as undergrads. My recommendation would be take all the required accounting classes, take additional courses to meet the credits requirement, attend accounting club if you have one in college, visit accounting events, and start networking with accounting professionals as early as you can.

Hi Adalberto,

There are many different factors to consider when preparing to enter the field of accounting, however I believe one of the more important factors is ensuring that you are taking the correct classes to help you obtain the 150 credit requirement. In order to become a CPA you need to have completed 150 credits, therefore you will either need to attend additional classes after graduation, or you can take additional classes during your undergrad career. Either way, I believe it is important to have a plan in place so that you are prepared and can do it in the most efficient way possible. It is also common for CPAs to get their Masters to help fulfill this requirement, however it is not necessary.