Accountants are employed for a variety of reasons in numerous fields. From government agencies to private companies, accountants provide valuable services to their employer. Vital to management decision-making, accountants track the flow of money throughout an organization. Many people within a company are interested in their accountant's work as it can lead to information about the health of their business.

The four main types of accountants are: public accountant, management accountant, internal auditors, and government accountants. To become an accountant, one generally obtains a college degree in accounting. Upon completion of the bachelor's degree, many accountants earn a Master's Degree in Accounting, often referred to as a MACC. Accountants that file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission are required to have passed their CPA exam. CPA stands for Certified Public Accountant, to earn this designation, one must pass a rigorous four-part exam over the knowledge that the accounting community deems necessary for success upon entering the field of accounting.

Several organizations govern accountants' work. These organizations modify and regulate accounting practices. These are usually referred to as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The GAAP, for short, is put out by FASB, the Financial Accounting Standards Board. These regulations ensure that the financial information published in financial documents is truthful. This is important because many people rely on a company's published financial documents to help make business decisions. It allows readers and analysts to know that the accounting practice at one firm is the same as the accounting practice at another, creating a uniform reliability. Careers in accounting are growing and profitable as new laws hold companies responsible for the numbers they generate. Accountants discuss and revise GAAP every year to ensure transparency in business operations. The work of accountants promotes honest business practice.