ctively searching for financial fraud in companies they audit, and being the bearer of unpleasantness more often than blessings. Accountants are required to state whether they have any doubts about a companys financial strength. I didnt know how many people just dont pay attention to their own numbers, said Steve Crail, and how defensive people are when they are wrong. Besides the responsibilities in accounting, the risks of lawsuits also have caused some accountants to leave the field. Some firms no longer perform auditing, and those that do have raised their fees to compensate for the increased risk. With this responsibility, there also comes a certain amount of tension. There are no health hazards of being an accountant, but working in the field can be very stressful at times. When accountants have to balance books, meet with clients, and work from morning to nighttime, mistakes can prove to be very worrisome and frustrating, and some people prefer a career with virtually no stress. All jobs have positives and negatives. For most of those entering the accounting profession, however, the advantages can outweigh the disadvantages. Accounting can be anything a person makes it. It can be glamorous and exciting or tedious and dreary. Much depends on a persons attitude. Many people who enter the profession are happy and perfectly satisfied being accountants. They have reached their goal.There are four major areas of work within the public accounting field: accounting and auditing, taxation, management consulting, and entrepreneurial services. In large firms, these are separated into different departments. In smaller firms, the areas may not formally divided because the same person may perform more than one of these functions.The first level on entry into the public accounting field is accounting and auditing. Accounting and auditing are basic functions of most public accounting firms and in most large firms still generate a large portion o...
