An accounting degree can lead to numerous types of careers in accounting. Below are various career paths you may choose.

Public Accounting

Public accountants perform a broad range of accounting work including tax, audit, bookkeeping and consulting services.

A tax professional may give advice on various individual and corporate tax issues, advantages or disadvantages of decisions made and how it affects the amount of taxes paid.

Auditing includes external and internal auditing. External auditors are hired by companies to audit their financial statements and ensure that they have been prepared accurately and correctly and reported properly. Internal auditors also work in public accounting and are hired by companies to ensure their internal controls are in place and working properly.

Consulting services may include an array of activities. Some examples include working with a company on their business value, mergers and acquisitions, pensions and benefits, information technology, security and many other possibilities.

Private Accounting

One area of private accounting is management accountants. This is an accounting who works for a private company. Some of their job responsibilities include analyzing and recording transactions and prepare financial statements. Other job responsibilities may include preparing a financial forecast or a budget, evaluating the company’s performance and cost management. In private accounting one may be a part of the executive team which involves interpreting the financial statements for the Chief Executive Officer and other key officers. This information is used to make decisions.

Governmental Accounting

As a government accountant or auditor one would provide accounting services for the government agencies. This may include auditing private companies who must abide by government rules and regulations. This also includes auditing other government offices such as counties or cities to make certain that revenues are received and expenditures are made in accordance with laws and regulations and recorded properly.

Other areas in government accounting include an Internal Revenue Service agents or FBI Forensic accountant.

Not For Profit Accounting

Not for profit accounting differs from normal accounting however it is similar in that one would work directly for the not for profit company doing many of the same responsibilities stated above in private accounting.