Accountant
Comprehensive Sites
American Institute of CPAs: Student Career SiteAlso known as “Start There, Go Places,” this site is intended as a CPA’s career portal, with tabs at the top of the page that link you to the CPA skillset, colleges and scholarships, jobs and internships, and an area for student members. If you delve further into the skillset information, you’ll find a personality quiz to find out if accountancy is right for you, as well as information on the CPA exam.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Accountants and AuditorsFrom this site of the U.S. Department of Labor, you can gather some basic information on what it’s like to be an accountant or auditor and also details on wages and related occupations. You can read the description of the work and decide if being an accountant might be right for you. Take a look at the education and training required or licensure and certification to be a CPA.
CareerOneStop: Accountants and AuditorsView the occupational information for this profession and also find a video describing the life of an accountant. National salary data, an occupational profile, and the recommended education and training needed to be successful in the profession are provided for students interested in this career.
Princeton Review: Accountant/AuditorFind out what a day in the life an accountant might be like at this page, which provides a comprehensive overview to the career. You can also access information on what kinds of college majors could be right for you, or find out what to expect in terms of income after two, five, or 10 years of work in the field. Facts and figures about being an accountant include lists of what professionals read and some potential employers to consider.
Young CPA NetworkFrom the American Institute of CPAs, this career planning site includes salary guides and other tools to help you pave your way to success as a CPA. The site was created to help students ensure skill development and increase their competencies and opportunities in the field. A self-assessment tool will help you test your skills, while a tool for registering your interest on a worthwhile committee is provided. Other links include descriptions of career paths, the future of the accounting and financing profession, and several articles intended to help you increase your marketability and performance.
Occupational Titles
Accountant
Auditor
Corporate Accountant
Financial Examiner
Financial Manager
General Accountant
Project Accountant
Tax Accountant
Tax Consultant
Accredited Academic Programs
Princeton Review: Accountant, College MajorsIf you are interested in becoming an accountant, check out the majors listed at this page, such as business administration or economics. You can then click on your selection to be taken to a list of colleges in the U.S. that offer your major in the area you are looking to study in. Complete contact information on web sites for these colleges can be easily accessed to find out more about the academic program.
Start Here, Go Places: Top Business SchoolsThis site is very valuable if you are looking for top business schools and accounting program. The schools here are all accredited, with a separate list for those specifically offering an accounting degree, and business school programs by major.
Salary Levels
Indeed.com: Accountant SalariesYou will see charts depicting the average salary of an accountant across the U.S. at this page, as well as the average salary of several jobs with related titles.
PayScale: AccountantPayScale offers unique salary information at this site, beginning with median salary for an accountant according to the years of experience. The median salary by employer type is also displayed at the page, which has connections to further information on salary by city, by certification, industry, gender, degree, or major.
Professional Organizations
American Accountancy AssociationThis organization promotes international excellence in the field of accounting and offers a student membership to introduce you to the association. The discounted membership entitles you to journal access and a broad range of information for learning about the industry.
American Institute of Certified Public AccountantsIf you click on “becoming a CPA,” you will find an educational center for students that includes scholarships and award applications, career advice, and a young CPA network. This forum takes you to a webcast series focused on issues important to students, as well as tools to help you find a work/life balance and to develop your career.
American Taxation AssociationThis organization is open to anyone with an interest in taxation and related research. If you are thinking about becoming an accountant, you might be interested in knowing about the education available here, including a variety of publication on tax law, tax conferences, and journals.
Association of Government AccountantsThe “tomorrow’s professionals” link may be of particular interest to students, where you can find career profiles, case challenges, and information on becoming a tax professional. Student memberships are available to college students and those in their very early careers.
Job Opportunity Sources
4Jobs.com: Accounting and FinanceYou can post your resume at this site, research the industry, or simply search for jobs across accounting and related fields. Thousands of jobs from private and public companies nationwide are listed here for you to peruse. A graph at the site also lets you look at trends in the accounting and finance sector.
Indeed.com: Accountant JobsThe list of job number at this site exceeds 80,000 and is collected from nationwide databases and private companies. Click on whatever position you are most interested in to take you to a job description, or simply e-mail the listing to yourself for future use.
Start Here, Go Places: Jobs and InternshipsRecent job postings, internship leads, and a variety of resources for job seeking can be found at this page, which is the student’s career resource from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A video at the site shows how one intern worked her way to CPA certification.
Licensing & Certification
Accreditation Council for Accountancy and TaxationSeveral credentials are described and available from this organization, including accreditation in business accountancy, accredited tax advisor, tax preparer and elder care specialist.
Certified Government Financial ManagerThis resource will tell you all you need to know about the benefits of certification, as well as taking the first steps towards earning this credential and studying for the exams.
Uniform CPA ExamFrom a leading licensing source, the details on the Uniform CPA exam found here include complete examination preparation, a tutorial and sample tests, and news on passing rates and other information for students. Live webcasts about the computerized Uniform CPA Examination can be viewed from the site that features expert panelists and information for students.
Publications
CPA JournalA publication of the New York State Society of CPAs, this publication offers features, such as research skills and a table of contents that includes finance, management, taxation, and personal perspectives. You can e-mail the stories at the site or find printer-friendly features of this online magazine.
Journal of AccountancyYou can view recent publications directly from this site or browse subjects by author dating back to the year 2000. Personal and financial planning, practice management, and tax issues are all discussed and appropriate for experts in the field, as well as those new to the field of accounting.
Tax AdviserKnown as the magazine of “planning, trends, and technology,” the Tax Adviser provides updated information on the latest tax developments, for students and professionals who are interested in being most up-to-date on the industry. All issues posted are available at no cost online.
Online Forums & Blogs
Tax Professional BlogThis tax professional blog has important discussions on tax law and plenty of papers to download on tax controversies, treaties, and news.
Career Videos
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants: Live WebcastsThe archives at this site offer students who are looking to take the Uniform CPA Exam videos from past events that featured expert panelists. Topics address examination content, as well as test administration, and are available as video or slide presentation.
CollegeGrad.com: Accountant and Auditor CareersLearn about how accountants and auditors are involved in all types of financial development. The specific roles of accountants and auditors, their specialties, and ways that you can take full advantage of all the different professions and flexibility in the field are discussed.
CPA Skillset VideoYou can learn how CPA certification helped this student succeed in business, with information on primary job responsibilities, as well as how earning it helped strengthen the skills he needed in the field of accounting.
Young CPA Network: Webcast SeriesThe webcasts available from this site focus on issues that are important to young professionals, including discussions from leaders in the profession, free webcasts on topics sponsored by the IRS, and the ability to download podcasts on accounting topics, such as auditing, consulting, financial management, and much more.
