Howtobeaqualifiedaccountant;Thisquestionmayberaisedbyanyonewhoisgoingtobuildhiscareerinaccountancyprofession.Ofcourseit'sverynaturalthatsmartpeoplealwayskeentogetsomeproofofthecompetenceandskillstheypossess.SamehappenedwithmewhenI'vejuststartedmycareerinaccountancyfirm,butitwaseasyformetodecideonasthereweretoomanygoodadvisersaround.Howevertherearelotsofpeoplewhoconsideringtodevelopinaccountingbuttheyarecurrentlynotemployedinanyaccountingareaanddon'thaveanyrelevantacademicbackground.Whatdoyouneedforobtainingprofessionalqualificationandbecomingrecognizedinaccountancyprofession?Professionalqualificationinaccountingisgrantedthroughvariouscertificatesissuedbyaccountingbodiesinthemostcountriesworldwide.Thisqualificationcanbeobtainedafteryoualreadyhavesomeacademicdegree.Suchbodiesareactingthroughouttheworldintheformoforganizations,cheapairmax2011,associations,societies,etc.Mainlytheyallhave2objectives:Protectpublicinterestsbysettinghighstandardsinprofession'spractice(includingcertificationprocess)andprotectinterestsofprofessionals.Howeverinreallifetheiractivitiesoftenrepeatonesoflaborunions.Buttodayacrossthejobmarketaccountantspossessingsuchqualificationsareconsideredtobecapableandcredibleforwiderangeofcareers,offeredhigherpositionsandpaidalmosttwicemorethanthosewhodoesn'thaveit.Apartfromthataccountingqualificationautomaticallygivesanopportunityforordinaryaccountanttobepromotedformanagingpositionsinanycompany.Thereisapresumptionthatsuchqualificationisnecessaryonlyforpeoplewhoworkinpractice(underpracticeitmeanscompaniesprovidingaccounting,auditing,tax,airmax90,financialadvisoryandsimilarservices).Butevenassumingittobepartiallyfair,itdoesn'tstillmeanthatpossessingsuchqualificationsinindustrywillnotentitleyoutohighersalariesandopportunities.Whatarethemostrecognizedandrespectedprofessionalqualificationsinaccounting?Mainlyallsuchcertificatescanbeobtaineduponpassingcertainsetofexaminationsandprovingpracticalexperience.Howevermostofaccountingcertificatesarerecognizedonlywithinthecountrywheretheissuer(professionalbodyorinstitution)resides.Whenitcomestointernationallyrecognizedandreallyvaluablecertificationstherearenotsomanyaroundtheworld.Ifwetakeonlythosewhichmayreallyaddvaluetoyourresumerecordsthelistwillbelikefollowing:ACCA-issuedbyUKbasedAssociationofCharteredCertifiedAccountants(accaglobal.com).-morepracticeoriented,internationallyrecognizedcertificate.ACA-issuedbyUKbasedInstituteofCharteredAccountantsofEnglandandWales.(1.icaew.co.uk)-morepracticeorientedcertificate.CIMA-issuedbyUKbasedCharteredInstituteofManagementAccountants.(cimaglobal.com)-moreindustryandmanagementaccountingoriented.CPA-issuedbyUSAbasedAmericanInstituteofCertifiedPublicAccountants(aicpa.org)-widelyrecognizedinpracticeandindustrywithinUSandCanada.Whatareentryrequirementsforstartingprofessionalqualification?Minimumentryrequirementsvarydependingoncountry,butthemostofprofessionalqualificationsinaccountingareopentoanybodywithsomeprevioushighereducation.Insomecountriesitevenpossibleforschoolleaverstostartwithcertaintermsandconditionsmet.Formoredetailsyoushouldrefertowebpagesofbodiesstatedabove.Generallywhatyouneedforsure,cheapairmax90,itisgoodskillsofEnglishespeciallywritten.Previousexperienceorknowledgeofbasicaccountingwouldbeanassetaswell,butnotthatcritical.