Vault Career Guide to Accounting

by Alba, Jason

• ISBN13: 9781581315912
• ISBN10: 1581315910
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-08-01
• Publisher: Vault Reports Inc

Summary

Accountants are crucial players in business, monitoring corporate financial activity and providing strategic financial guidance. After recent industry shake-ups, the accounting field is in need of new talent. It's time to start your own accounting career.

Author Biography

Jason Alba worked in tax accounting for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Viacom. He also worked in the financial reporting group at J.P. Morgan.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Overview of Accounting	p. 3
The Scoop	p. 5
What is Accounting?	p. 7
Why Accounting?	p. 8
Types of Accounting	p. 14
A History of Accounting	p. 16
Financial Regulation and the U.S. Financial Reporting System	p. 18
Financial Statements	p. 20
Industry Trends and Outlook	p. 24
Accounting Services	p. 29
Breakdown of Accounting Careers	p. 33
Types of Accountants	p. 33
Public or Private?	p. 37
Getting Hired	p. 39
Hiring Process and Interviews	p. 41
How Do I Get a Job?	p. 41
The Value of Summer Internships	p. 42
What Do I Put on My Resume?	p. 46
On-Campus Recruiting	p. 48
The Interview Process	p. 49
Sample Interview Questions	p. 52
The CPA	p. 55
Why Should I Become a CPA?	p. 55
The 150-Hour Education Requirement	p. 57
The Exam	p. 60
CPA FAQ	p. 60
Preparing for the Exam	p. 64
Required Work Experience	p. 67
On the Job	p. 69
On the Job	p. 71
Public Accounting Career Path	p. 71
Nonpublic Accounting Career Path	p. 77
The Training Difference	p. 79
The Typical Day in Accounting	p. 80
Day in the Life-Auditor Intern	p. 82
Day in the Life-Tax Staff	p. 84
Day in the Life-Staff Auditor	p. 86
Day in the Life-Senior Auditor	p. 87
The Typical Public Accounting Project Cycle	p. 90
Our Survey Says: Accounting Lifestyle	p. 91
Succeeding in the Firm	p. 96
Is There Life After Public Accounting?	p. 97
Investment Banking	p. 97
Corporate Finance	p. 98
Other Industries and Functions	p. 98
Accounting Employers	p. 99
BDO Seidman, LLP	p. 101
Berdon LLP	p. 102
BKD LLP	p. 103
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, L.L.C.	p. 104
Clifton Gunderson LLP	p. 105
Crowe Chizek and Company LLC	p. 106
Deloitte & Touche USA LLP	p. 107
Dixon Hughes PLLC	p. 108
Eide Bailly LLP	p. 109
Eisner LLP	p. 110
Ernst & Young LLP	p. 111
Goodman & Company, LLC	p. 112
Grant Thornton LLP	p. 113
J.H. Cohn LLP	p. 114
KPMG LLP	p. 115
LarsonAllen (Larson, Allen Weishair & Co., LLP)	p. 116
McGladrey & Pullen, LLP	p. 117
Moss Adams LLP	p. 118
Parente Randolph, LLC	p. 119
Plante & Moran, PLLC	p. 120
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP	p. 121
Reznick Group, P.C.	p. 122
Rothstein, Kass & Company P.C.	p. 123
Schenck Business Solutions	p. 124
Virchow, Krause & Company, LLP	p. 125
Weiser LLP	p. 126
Wipfli	p. 127
Appendix	p. 129
Glossary	p. 131
About the Authors	p. 139
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