What Do Public Accountants Do?
A public accountant is essentially a general accountant who either works for an accounting firm or has his or her own private practice. Public accountants, who often become CPAs, perform a number of accounting services for their varied clients, either individuals or corporations. Public accountants’ daily tasks range widely, from auditing, tax and financial planning to consulting and providing advice about compensation and benefits. You may also find yourself meeting with clients, working with larger teams of accountants and eventually training other junior accountants. Many public accountants also end up rising to a high-level position within a firm or moving to a private corporation to become a controller or CFO. Though public accountants do traditionally work in an office setting, because they often work with several clients at one time, they encounter a wide variety of types of work and people, keeping the job engaging and interesting. An accounting degree, however, is crucial to e
