Hello Steemit! My name is Persimmon and I love helping people develop their professional abilities! I hope you guys enjoy it or find it useful! 

How to be an Accountant

Why Accounting?

Accounting has long been seen as a safe career choice. It allows for professional growth, a comfortable income, and a skill that can be used for anyone interested in freelancing. The landscape of accounting has changed a lot with the advent of software that can help people manage their finances and taxes on their own online. However, there is still a need for accountants, so keep reading if you want to find out how to make your dream into a reality!

Education

In most countries, accountants usually need to have a bachelor's degree. This is usually a Bachelor of Commerce degree with an accounting specialization or concentration. However, there are places that accept associates or advanced degrees/diplomas in accounting. Additional certifications may also be required for certain positions.

Training

One recommendation is to do a lot of internships while in school. This will allow you to develop hands on skills that could impress future employers. Some companies also offer training 

Certifications

Certifications are a great way to boost your employability, help get you into a specific niche, earn more money, and open more doors for yourself. Here are a few common Accounting certifications:

• Certified Public Accountant: (CPA)
• Chartered Management Accountant (CMA)
• Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)
• Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Each certification has its own requirements. Some require that you take a couple of courses, while others may require you to have a certain number of years of experience. Regardless, looking into this early will definitely help  plan your career path.

Where can I work?

Accountants can work almost anywhere! Large companies, startups, firms like KPMG and Deloitte, universities, hospitals, government agencies and so much more.

Skill sets

I took a look at a bunch of accounting jobs and here are the most popular skills that employers are looking for. Learning these skills can help make you more employable, boost your salary, or help you get that promotion!

• Experience with Quickbooks
• Statutory reporting and analysis
• Year-end audit preparation
• bookkeeping
• Advanced knowledge of Excel (including VLookup and Pivot Tables)
• Tax Prep
• Sage
• Oracle
• SAP
• Creating Financial reports

....... and so much more!

There you are! I hope this post was informative and if you guys like what you've seen here, let me know and I'll make more. Take care, Steemit!

What career map would you like to see next? Comment below and i'll make another post like this!