|
Accountants and auditors who have earned
professional recognition through certification
or licensure should have the best job
prospects. For example, Certified Public
Accountants should continue to enjoy a wide
range of job opportunities, especially as more
States require candidates to have 150 hours of
college coursework, making it more difficult
to obtain this certification. Similarly,
Certified Management Accountants should be in
demand as their management advice is
increasingly sought. Applicants with a
master’s degree in accounting, or a master’s
degree in business administration with a
concentration in accounting, also will have an
advantage in the job market.
Proficiency in accounting and auditing
computer software, or expertise in specialized
areas such as international business, specific
industries, or current legislation, also may
be helpful in landing certain accounting and
auditing jobs. In addition, employers
increasingly seek applicants with strong
interpersonal and communication skills.
Because many accountants work on teams with
others from different backgrounds, they must
be able to communicate accounting and
financial information clearly and concisely.
Regardless of one’s qualifications, however,
competition will remain keen for the most
prestigious jobs in major accounting and
business firms.
Employment of accountants and auditors is
expected to increase 10 to 20%
for all occupations through the year 2010.
In addition to openings resulting from growth,
the need to replace accountants and auditors
who retire or transfer to other occupations
will produce numerous job openings annually in
this large occupation.
As
the economy grows, the number of business
establishments will increase, requiring more
accountants and auditors to set up books,
prepare taxes, and provide management advice.
As these businesses grow, the volume and
complexity of information developed by
accountants and auditors regarding costs,
expenditures, and taxes will increase as well.
More-complex requirements for accountants and
auditors also arise from changes in
legislation related to taxes, financial
reporting standards, business investments,
mergers, and other financial matters. The
growth of international business also has led
to more demand for accounting expertise and
services related to international trade and
accounting rules, as well as to international
mergers and acquisitions. These trends should
create more jobs for accountants and auditors.
The changing role of accountants and auditors
also will spur job growth. In response to
market demand, these financial specialists
will offer more financial management and
consulting services as they take on a greater
advisory role and develop more-sophisticated
and flexible accounting systems. By focusing
on analyzing operations, rather than simply
providing financial data, accountants will
help to boost demand for their services. Also,
internal auditors will increasingly be needed
to discover and eliminate waste and fraud.
However, these trends will be offset somewhat
by a decrease in the demand for traditional
services and by the growing use of accounting
software. Accountants will spend less time
performing audits, due to potential liability
and relatively low profits, and will shift
away from tax preparation, due to the
increasing popularity of tax preparation firms
and software. As computer programs continue to
simplify some accounting-related tasks,
clerical staff will increasingly handle many
routine calculations.
|
