Job titles and career paths

Career paths

To obtain the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification a student must meet additional credit hour requirements and pass the four-part Uniform CPA exam prepared by the AICPA.
It includes accounting, auditing, tax, and consulting for clients (small/medium-sized businesses, corporations, governments, non-profits, individuals) .
CPAs often specialize in areas such as Tax, Compensation/Employee Benefits and Asset Protection.
Some CPAs audit the financial statements of their clients and produce reports to investors and authorities to certify that the statements have been correctly prepared.
CPAs generally have their own practice or work for accounting firms.
Forensic accountants investigate white collar crimes such as fraud and embezzlement and may work closely with law enforcement and attorneys.

They generally work "in-house" recording and analyzing financial information.
Management accountants are usually part of a senior management team and work to interpret data that executives need to make business decisions.
They prepare financial reports for non-management groups including stockholders, creditors, regulatory agencies and tax authorities. Other responsibilities include budgeting, performance evaluation, cost management and asset management.
As part of a an accounting department, they may work in planning budgets, cost accounting and analysis.

They work in the public sector, maintaining and analyzing records of government agencies.
They audit private businesses and individuals who are subject to government regulations or taxation.
They guarantee that revenues are received and expenditures are made in accordance with laws and regulations.
Federal government accountants may work as Internal Revenue Service agents, or in financial management, financial institution examination, or budget analysis and administration

They verify the accuracy of internal records and check for mismanagement, fraud or waste.
They analyze financial systems, management procedures and internal controls.
They review company operations, evaluating efficiency, effectiveness and compliance with corporate policies and procedures, laws and government regulations.
Some internal auditors may recommend controls for organizations’ computer systems to ensure the reliability of a system and the integrity of data.

Source: The Business Journal Book of Lists (2009)