ALT-1 How to become an Accountant
There are a variety of routes open to people who want to become an accountant.They all involve study, hard work, and examinations, and to be successful requires determination and commitment. However, the rewards are considerable. Accountants often become senior executives in major corporations, and many CEO's have an accounting background. Being a qualified accountant is major asset in business.
Not all 'accountants' are qualified as accountants. The term accountant is not legally protected and it is possible for someone to describe themselves as an accountant even if they are not a member of a recognised accountancy body. They can't advertise themselves as an accountant and there are a range of services they cannot offer, but in general conversation they can use the term to describe themselves without breaking any laws.
To become a qualified accountant often means achieving membership of a recognised accountancy body. There are are number of these around the world, such as the Chartered Institute of Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). In the USA to become an accountant requires completion of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination and demonstrating accountancy skills and experience.
There is no standard route to becoming an accountant. Deciding which one to take depends, in part, where you are starting from. It's important to obtain an accounting qualification that is valid in the part of the world that you are going to be based in.In the USA a CPA qualifies as such in a particular state, and many other states will not allow them to use the designation CPA until they have also satisfied that state's qualification requirements.
Deciding on the route also depends on the nature of the working environment desired, or available. A few years ago all Chartered Accountants in the UK had to qualify by working in a firm of Chartered Accountants and performing audits, as well as passing examinations. But Certified Accountants could qualify by working in a more commercial environment which still involved taking examinations but did not insist on performing audit work.
The routes into the accounting profession have now become more varied and flexible. It is still not easy to become an accountant, but for someone with the right skills and attitude, there are more ways in. More and more people are becoming accountants having started as bookkeepers or accounting technicians. Having proved to themselves and employers that they are competent in these areas, becoming a fully qualified accountant is a natural next step.
