While it can be nearly impossible to boil down an entire career in to one, short blog post, there are some insights we can provide in an ultimate guide to a career in accounting. Before you decide what you want to do with your career path or degree in finance or accounting, consider these points. What do you need to know most when you’re entering the field?

• Public Accounting. Many new accountants assume that the most obvious career path is to start in public accounting. There are four big public accounting firms, and working with these straight out of college can give you a lot of great experience that can help you down the road. These large firms will handle accounting and auditing for their clients.
• Corporate Accounting. On the other hand, corporate accounting may appeal to some individuals and can also result in long term career stability. Corporate accountants focus specifically on the financial needs of corporations and to ensure that their clients are compliant with federal laws and regulations.
• Government work. Other accountants might be more interested in working with the government. This kind of accounting can be more specialized and may need experience in things like international commerce. A strong background in economics may also be helpful for someone who wants to work within the government sector.
• Non-profit careers. Finally, there are options to work for non-profits as an accountant. There are many types of non-profits and while they will all have slightly different requirements when it comes to their finances, they all need an expert to work with them to stay compliant and productive.

When you’re deciding on a career path, look into the requirements of your desired position as well as the long term salary potential to determine the best fit for you.

Are you looking for your next accounting opportunity? We have accounting recruiters located in Phoenix, Orange County, Los Angeles and Denver.