What is an accounting analyst and how to become one

Advice for a business student: Most students do not major in accounting if they are a business major, and many regret later not having done so, if they graduate without any internship/business experience. Besides, if the economy is not doing well and jobs are not plentiful (this is the case now with COVID 19), accounting is a very recession-proof degree, as you come out of college with skills, and aptitude work, and pay attention to detail, and problem solve.

I would also tell a business major that if they have an aptitude in accounting, that can be evaluated by their first basic accounting class, I would ask them to speak to the principal in it and keep persevering with an accounting degree. And would tell a business major to stay focused on graduating in accounting, NO MATTER how much work it is or how hard it is compared to the other business majors, because this degree gets you a JOB at the end of the degree and a career path that does not need to stay in accounting. If a student has a work ethic in studying and an aptitude in learning, this is the best business degree you can achieve because many degrees are general. At the same time, employers look, these days, for specific skill sets, and problem-solving, and critical thinking. Accounting degrees give you specific skill sets, AND problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. You should also take other classes to add value to your accounting degree, which many community/state colleges offer, like QuickBooks Accounting (learning a basic computerized accounting system), EXCEL, SQL, etc. I would also tell an accounting major to get involved in the accounting clubs/societies at their schools, and their communities, and nationally. Student Accounting Society (SAS) is a way to begin in Freshman and Sophomore years, and then there is the Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) for high-GPA accounting majors, and where the Big Four public accounting firms recruit from. In addition to that, there are the state CPA societies like, the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA), and the national CPA society: AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants). As an accounting major, switched from Communications/Drama, to make sure I had a job at the end of my formal schooling, I joined the SAS, BAP, FICPA, and AICPA. Also, the National Association of Black Accountants is a great organization to expand a student's networking opportunities. Student membership in these organizations is free, and scholarships are available as well.

For graduates pursuing a career in accounting, my advice would differ if I advise while in school versus after they graduate. If they are still in school, and they are not sure what area of accounting to work in, I would suggest they choose the public accounting route first and, depending on their level of interest in global versus regional versus local, I would tell them to try to get into auditing and pursue their CPA license (they can start sitting for the exam after a bachelor's in accounting, in the state of Florida), so they can work with a variety of clients and see the differences in their accounting systems, their industries, their internal control systems, and their company culture. The auditing field allows a graduate beginning his/her career to see a plethora of pathways in accounting. Sometimes, depending on the graduate's interests, like in TAX, Internal control, corporate accounting, etc., they may want to jump into an organization's entry-level accounting job. Regardless of their start, a degree will not have given the accounting graduate all the skill sets in EXCEL/Spreadsheets required for the job. So I highly recommend taking refresher courses at a local community college or online, with places like Udemy.com, where they can find high-quality, on-demand, online training in these skills.