Accountants: From Backroom to Boardroom
	Accounting professionals have assumed a more strategic role within their companies, becoming more visible and interacting with colleagues in many different departments. To succeed in this environment and make yourself more marketable, it's critical to have interpersonal skills equal to your financial expertise.

House Votes to Tighten Accounting Oversight
The House of Representatives approved a bill that would tighten accounting oversight, a legislative response to the violations that led to the collapse of Enron.

International Financial Reporting
Globalization is hitting financial reporting -- precisely at the same time as the Enron disaster. SmartPros spoke with leaders at the forefront of the effort to globalize standards, focusing on the International Accounting Standards Board, the rule-making body dedicated to global representation of accounting standards.

Career Trends

Divorce Planners Illuminate Finances
	A growing number of the 1.1 million Americans who get divorced every year are calling on the services of divorce planners -- specialists who are usually certified financial planners or public accountants trained to help clients understand the financial implications of getting divorced.

Technology Skills Pay Off for Accounting Professionals
Technology is playing a critical role in the evolution of the accounting profession, making it critical for accounting professionals to continually sharpen their technical knowledge and skills.
 
Wanted: International Experience
Recent developments throughout this increasingly global world demand an understanding from accounting and finance professionals of the industry overseas as well as at home.

Forensic Accounting Is Hot Job
With a virtual media cottage industry blooming on the corpse of bankrupt Enron and its complicated array of alleged financial shenanigans, could it be just a matter of time before some television executive plots a new drama starring ... forensic accountants?

Job Opportunities for New Grads

Accounting Industry Top U.S. Employer The accounting services industry ranks first among the top employers with job offers for graduating college students, according the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Tougher Job Market for Grads
This Spring's college grads will find fewer employers offering hiring bonuses and top-flight salaries, let alone stock options.
 
Student Leaders Name PwC Top Big Five Campus Recruiter
PricewaterhouseCoopers has been named as the overall leader in Big Five campus recruiting for the second year in a row by the Emerson Student Advisory Board.

Entry-Level Accounting Jobs Abundant; Grads Seek Strong Salaries
Despite the recession and high unemployment rate, many college students that will earn their diplomas this spring have significant job opportunities.

What Accounting Graduates Should Consider
Finance executives have some words of wisdom for this year's accounting graduates: Consider the "Big Five" -- the hottest specialties in the profession.

State And Local Governments: An Attractive Career Option
There is more to accounting than joining a Big Five accounting firm. Your options include working for the government. 

Links for Professionals and Students

• SmartPros Job Search
• Career Counselor by Accountemps
• Careers With the IRS
• AndersenAlumni.net is a networking resource for Arthur Andersen employees and alumni.
• Financial Planning Association Career Center
• Institute of Management Accountants Career Center
• Information on The AICPA Center for Specialty Designations (Includes Accredited in Business Valuation Program, Certified Information Technology Professional, and Personal Financial Specialist)
• National Assocation of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
• AICPA Student Web site for College Students and High School Students
• Nextgenaccountant.com
• SmartPros Accounting Students
• Business Today Magazine (for students) published by Princeton University and available online