1. University of Alabama in Huntsville
April 2, 2008

2. Agenda
My Career Path
Opportunities in
Public Accounting
Differences between
Big 4, Regional &
Local Firms

3. My Career Path Internship in 1998
Full time employment in 1999 as an audit associate
Promoted to senior associate in September 2001, moved to Athens/Huntsville
Promoted to manager in September 2004
Promoted to senior manager in September 2007
Joined CDPA in January 2008 as a senior manager

4. what is public accounting?
A Common Misconception –
Certified Public Accountants (CPA’s) do people’s taxes!
Both true and false.
Managerial Accounting vs. Public Accounting
Managerial Accounting is concerned with internal control and pricing decisions
Public Accounting is primarily concerned with Auditing

5. why work in public accounting?
Multiple Career Paths
“career after career” – nobody knows a business better than the auditors
most CFOs have a CPA
most VP’s of Tax have a CPA
most CEOs come from an accounting background
“accounting is the language of business”
Work-Life Balance
flexible hours
flexible work arrangements – strong performance

6. why work in public accounting? (continued)
Professional Occupation
Prestige  credibility
make a decent living ($$$)
Networking Opportunities
meet client personnel & management
Learning Curve
understand different industries
lots of responsibilities

7. qualities and characteristics of accounting professionals
Organized
Well-rounded
Good at juggling multiple tasks
Strong interpersonal skills
Technically astute
Eager to learn and seeks out challenges

8. personal development opportunities
Sales and marketing
Recruiting/Interviewing skills
Training
Mentoring others – relationship building
Learn from the counseling of your own mentors
Community involvement
Public speaking experience
Networking
Organization affiliation

9. keys to success… Start Early! Join a business club
Recognize the benefits of using your school, your contacts, your professors, & career services:
make contact with employers early: office visits, shadow days, corporate mingles, resume book, mock interviews
Network with other students  future colleagues
Learn about and expose yourself to current industry issues

10. keys to success…(continued)
Talk to Professors & Faculty
Seek their career guidance
Many of them have real-life experience in the field of public accounting
Early Job Opportunities
Be proactive, yet polite at career fairs
Internships
Leadership programs for Sophomores

11. considerations when making your decision…
Content and challenge of Job
Firm personality and culture
Opportunity to provide creative input
Ability to work with leading companies
Opportunity for advancement
Ongoing learning opportunities
Ability to address your work/life needs

12. Multinational Firms / Big Four
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Ernst & Young
KPMG
Deliotte & Touche
These are the four largest accounting firms based on revenue and employees. For example, PwC is comprised of approximately 145,000 partners and staff in 149 countries with annual global revenue exceeding $20 billion.

13. Regional / National Firms
BDO Siedman
McGladrey & Pullen
Reznick, Fedder & Silverman
Dixon Hughes
Crowe Chizek
Grant Thornton
These firms are substantial in number of employees and revenue but generally do not have international operations and are still significantly smaller than the Big Four. Some of the firms are found throughout the U.S. while others are more regional (i.e., Southeast, East Coast, etc.).

14. Local Firms
Local firms range from one person tax preparers to hundreds of professionals in larger metropolitan areas. Most have only one office but larger local firms often have several locations within a given state.

15. Primary Differences Size in employees and revenue
Client base – sector specialization
Lines of service
Salary/Opportunities for advancement
Travel/Relocation