A course in accounting teaches you in-depth information about every facet of financing. Learning about the terminology, ethics and profession of accounting helps you develop valuable job skills. These skills give you an edge in a competitive job market and add credibility to your resume. For example, accounting courses offered at Iowa State University prepare students to accept job positions in industry, government and public accounting.
Completion of an accounting course broadens your job opportunities. Accountants held about 1.3 million jobs in 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor reports. Even if you already work in the business field, you could take an accounting course to make yourself more valuable to your company. Your boss might increase your salary or give you a promotion based on your new skills. In 2008, the average salary for jobs in accounting was $59,430.
When you take a course in accounting, you also learn how to do payroll and bookkeeping. From real estate companies to retail chain stores, every kind of business relies on at least one individual to monitor the expenses and make sure employees get paid. Knowing how to manage a company's finances enables you to seek employment as a bookkeeper. Also, a larger corporation may hire you for payroll services.
Most accounting courses cover topics relating to basic principles of federal income tax. A career in pubic accounting, such as taxation, enables you to be your own boss. You can open up your own accounting firm and get paid to file taxes for others. Because almost everyone has an obligation to file taxes every year, there will always be a demand for this job skill.
You can use the knowledge gained from an accounting course to benefit your personal life. Use this new information to better manage your own finances and monitor expenses more proficiently. Applying principles of accounting to your everyday spending habits will help you make wiser choices. In fact, you can save money each year by doing your own taxes instead of paying an accountant.