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What steps can a student take to figure out what field of accounting they want to follow?

Accounting student at Towson university #accounting

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Mikayla’s Answer

Hi Ayomide,

I would advise you to take different kinds of accounting classes (financial accounting, audit, non-profit, governmental) while you're in school. Additionally, it's beneficial to obtain internships in different areas of accounting to help you figure out what area you want to work in before committing to a career. Network with professors and other professionals to get their insights, as well.
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Kellie (Kinsella)’s Answer

Hi Ayomide! Congrats on deciding you want to pursue a career in accounting. The are so many different things you can do with an accounting degree. Accounting gives you such a great understanding of how a business operates. I am personally a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and work as an auditor in a public accounting company. I think one of the most important things to think about when pursuing a degree in accounting is whether you want to work in the public accounting world or whether you want to work for a company as their accountant.

CPAs can do lots of different things like perform audits of financial statement or prepare tax returns. The biggest differentiator of this role is you are working with clients and usually provide an outside perspective on your clients' accounting operations. When you are a CPA, you often have multiple clients and get to see the way multiple businesses work. CPAs are busiest based on when their clients need their support. For auditors, this happens at year end to get the final statements together. For tax professionals, this happens in April and September when individual and corporate tax returns respectively are due. In addition to understanding technical accounting, it is important for CPAs to have great relationship skills and project management skills.

Industry accountants work for a company and perform things like preparing journal entries or putting together financial statements. They are responsible for accounting for how a business is performing and work for a company's Controller or CFO. Industry accountants are usually busiest at month end, quarter end, and year end to prepare the financial statements for the prior period. Industry accountants are often much more technically strong in one area of the financial statements, such as revenue or employee compensation.

Best of luck in determining what you'd like to do!
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Mitch’s Answer

I would suggest taking different accounting classes while in school to determine if there is an area or type of accounting that interests you or comes easy to you. Also try working multiple internships in different areas of accounting to help you figure out what areas of accounting you like and possibly what type of industry you would like to work in. Finally get involved with other clubs/groups who have the same interest in you and continue to network with other accountants, professors, and colleagues. Keep an open mind and find an area you are passionate about. Best of luck!
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Ken’s Answer

Hi Ayomide!


It is very important to become involved in a career area with which one can identify successfully.


Success is individual. Success is a feeling when one experiences fulfillment and satisfaction with what one is doing in life. Success is looking forward to going to work or whatever activity one does during the day and enjoying it. Success is self-actualization and development of one's own interests.


Success starts with getting to know one's self. Completing these exercises will be a good first step to getting to know yourself:
https://www.themuse.com/advice/14-free-personality-tests-thatll-help-you-figure-yourself-out


A good next step is to get more information about those interest areas identified in the above exercises and learning how one might possibly prepare for them with the possibility of experiencing fulfillment and satisfaction. Selecting a career area is like buying a pair of shoes. They may look great, but you need to try them on and walk in them for a while to determine the proper level of comfort and fit.


The most frustrating times I spent when I was doing college recruiting were the times when a graduate, once on the job, determined that he/she did not like the job for which he/she had studied, as he/she did not take the time or effort to do appropriate "shoe shopping" and pay attention to their feelings of "comfort or discomfort".


Here are some good ways to get some great information and career exposure:
- talk to your school counselor about participating in coop, intern, shadowing, and volunteer programs that will allow you to see what people do, how they got there, what advice they have, and how you feel about it
. - talk to the head of alumni relations at your school to arrange to talk to graduates working in your area of interest to learn more from them
- as many people get their start at a community college, talk to the head of alumni relations at your local community college to arrange to talk to graduates in your area of interest to see what they are doing and see how they got there
- talk to the head of alumni relations of any training program or facility related to your areas of interest to get valuable information from graduates and create valuable relationships.


Many different career and work areas require different types of education. Some can be prepared for during the last two years of high school. Some can be prepared for with some type of training or schooling or college after high school. Some can be prepared for by joining the military and benefitting from their training and educational financial assistance following your enlistment. By doing the exploration as outlined above, you will develop a sense of what is required to reach fulfillment in your career area. By doing the exploration as outlined above, you will develop a sense of how it will feel to be involved in such an area. Let your feelings be your guide.


As I have mentioned, and as you have come to realize, many different career and work areas require different paths through the training and education process, which is based upon your individual choice. Here is a very important video to watch as it highlights the importance of your personal choice:
http://www.ted.com/talks/julie_lythcott_haims_how_to_raise_successful_kids_without_over_parenting?utm_campaign=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=talk&utm_term=education


To get more information about your career and work areas of interest, here are some good tips:
http://www.wikihow.com/Network
https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations
https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1


Best of luck! Be true to yourself. The feeling and concept of success is yours - and is very personal. Let me know if this is of help.
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Kenzie’s Answer

Outside of taking classes and seeing what you like, there are many internships you could apply for that would expose you to different fields. Typically at smaller firms, they have accountants that help with audit and tax since they have less resources. As someone who does not know what field they would like to go into, this would be a great opportunity to see what the difference in the work, hours, and overall team dynamics. If you were interested in a bigger firm, you could communicate that you would like to see multiple fields and see what options are available. Firms tend to try to be accommodating. 
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