One of the top myths surrounding careers in accounting is that accountants do not have exciting jobs. In reality, there are many exciting career opportunities open to accountants, including a job as an FBI Special Agent. At first glance, this may surprise some, but accountants are trained in the skills that FBI special agents need to do their work well. According to the FBI jobs website, there are only five entry programs through which someone can become an FBI special agent: Accounting, Computer Science, Language, Law, and Diversified (some combination of needed skills) (1).
One of the top myths surrounding careers in accounting is that accountants do not have exciting jobs. In reality, there are many exciting career opportunities open to accountants, including a job as an FBI Special Agent. At first glance, this may surprise some, but accountants are trained in the skills that FBI special agents need to do their work well. According to the FBI jobs website, there are only five entry programs through which someone can become an FBI special agent: Accounting, Computer Science, Language, Law, and Diversified (some combination of needed skills).
If you are familiar with the work of public accountants, and compare it to the tasks of an FBI special agent, it is clear why the FBI wants to hire trained and experienced accountants. When certified public accountants conduct audits of their clients, they must analyze the client’s financial statements and plan tests to check for errors or fraud in those statements. The tests often involve checking physical evidence, tracing documents, and interviewing employees.
When the FBI conducts an investigation, special agents must analyze information, sometimes financial data, investigate anomalies, and interview people to find additional information. Clearly, an experienced auditor will have skills essential to an FBI special agent.
To qualify for the Accounting FBI Special Agent Entry Program, a candidate should be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or possess similar education and experience to a CPA. Either way, the candidate will need an Accounting or Business degree (with additional accounting courses) and two years of experience working in public accounting.
The eligibility requirements to become a CPA vary from state to state, but many states now require that accountants complete a fifth year of accounting education in addition to an accounting degree. In addition, the candidate must pass the CPA exam, and have about two years of experience before receiving their certification. Becker CPA Review provides a state-by-state listing of CPA requirements.
However, being a CPA may not be enough to move you to the top of the FBI’s hiring list. They list some critical skills they look for (one of which is accounting) on their career website. A candidate with several of their skills might be more valuable to the FBI. Some of these include foreign language skills and experience in law enforcement, the military or other intelligence experience. Check out their webpage for a full list.
In addition to professional and educational qualifications, there are several other criteria that must be met by anyone who is interested in working as an FBI special agent. For example, the FBI jobs website says that all candidates must pass a background investigation, and meet certain physical fitness requirements.
FBI Jobs: http://www.fbijobs.gov
Becker CPA Review: http://www.beckercpa.com/state/index.cfm
