Is accounting a good career choice? (CPA, bachelors, skills, degree)

[princesasabia]

I want to start an accounting program next fall and I was wondering if accounting is a good career choice. It wont get too boring will it? I like math and business so I figured accounting would be a good choice for me.

[K-Luv]

If you like math and business, then accounting may be something that you will enjoy.

I am not sure about the job market these days, though.

[Nomadic9460678748]

I have a friend who took an accounting degree and is now employed by an accounting firm that works specifically with non-profits and arts organizations. He loves his job and gets to do something for the arts!

People will always need audits, need their taxes done, or need to have their books balanced . . . but I agree with the second poster, check out the caliber of the department you're considering and maybe talk to someone there about career placement opportunities, or how some of their previous graduates are faring!

Best of luck to you!

[jhtrico1850]

I heard from my director of student services that 2009 was the worst year in accounting recruiting in a while. She also said that she heard from some firms that think they underhired for 2009 so 2010 should be better, barring a depression. The trough has probably been reached in terms of accounting recruiting. Heck, I got an internship November 2009, originally planned for 20 hours, and they're trying to get me to work extra hours.

If he gets into an accounting program now, the job market should be a lot better by the time he graduates. If not, his accounting degree is going to be at least a lot more useful than a Sociology one, etc.

Table 6. The 30 occupations with the largest employment growth, 2008-18

Accounting is #1 in terms of openings with a Bachelors woo

Accounting exams are no fun at all. But I'm glad I have an internship. Math never gets harder than basic algebra, you just have to memorize lots of different arbitrary rules.

[NYCAnalyst]

Accounting is boring. You are paid to follow a set of rules (GAAP). You are not paid to think, question, or be creative. All the talented math and business guys head into finance and stay as far away from accounting as possible.

[princesasabia]

Originally Posted by NYCAnalyst

Accounting is boring. You are paid to follow a set of rules (GAAP). You are not paid to think, question, or be creative. All the talented math and business guys head into finance and stay as far away from accounting as possible.

NYCAnalyst Im guessing your a financial analyst? I hear if someone has an accounting degree they can get a job in finance but the same isnt true vice versa is that true? If I do get bored with accounting can I get a job in finance?

[jmgg]

If you pursue a CPA, accounting can be a very lucrative occupation. There's excellent demand for CPA's. If, after you are done with school, you decide to go the public accounting route, either working for a business or as a grunt for a CPA firm, the pay and opportunities drop considerably.

It's a love it or hate it occupation. No middle ground here.

I took lots of accounting as electives when I attended college (thought it would do me more good than a bunch of theory courses) and hated every minute of it.

I have many CPA friends and they're all very happy in the profession. I think there's something wrong with them.

[NYCAnalyst]

I am a financial analyst.

Whether a finance guy can head into accounting, I do not know. But whether he can or cannot does not matter. The fact is that he never wants to, ever. Accounting pays much less, the work is much more boring, and the exit opportunities are much more limited.

Whether an accounting guy can head into finance, yes it is possible, but rarely ever happens. Why? Most of the finance guys are from elite-level schools, such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, etc. Most of the accounting guys are from 2nd tier (at best), 3rd tier, or below schools. Don't believe me? How many of the elite-level schools even offer accounting as a major? Very few. Walk into any high-powered investment bank or hedge fund. I guarantee you that, at the analyst / associate level, the finance people making the real money will be from top schools, and the guys working in the accounting department will be from 2nd or 3rd tier schools.

That being said, most of the finance jobs only recruit from the elite schools. If an accountant wants to make the switch, 99 times out of 100, the pedigree (and the math / quant skills) are not there. If you want to switch from accounting to finance, the general path would be accounting --> ace your GMATs (700+) --> top-10 MBA school --> work in finance. Notice I did not mention anything about the CPA.

For example, please look at the distribution of quantitative GRE scores in accounting vs. finance as an intended major:

http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/p...4_extended.pdf

[cpg35223]

You know, I'm in my mid-forties, and I've known a lot of accountants. Ask any of them if they enjoy their work and you get a shrug of the shoulders. Now, I know there are certainly exceptions (Post #3 in this thread as an example), but wouldn't you rather work in a profession where you got up in the morning excited by the possibilities of your day, rather than simply cross things off a to-do list?

That being said, I think the accountants I've known who have been happier are the ones who really invested their time in learning the broader disciplines of business, allowing them to become more like consultants and strategic planners.

[slim04]

Originally Posted by NYCAnalyst

I am a financial analyst.

Whether a finance guy can head into accounting, I do not know. But whether he can or cannot does not matter. The fact is that he never wants to, ever. Accounting pays much less, the work is much more boring, and the exit opportunities are much more limited.

Whether an accounting guy can head into finance, yes it is possible, but rarely ever happens. Why? Most of the finance guys are from elite-level schools, such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, etc. Most of the accounting guys are from 2nd tier (at best), 3rd tier, or below schools. Don't believe me? How many of the elite-level schools even offer accounting as a major? Very few. Walk into any high-powered investment bank or hedge fund. I guarantee you that, at the analyst / associate level, the finance people making the real money will be from top schools, and the guys working in the accounting department will be from 2nd or 3rd tier schools.

That being said, most of the finance jobs only recruit from the elite schools. If an accountant wants to make the switch, 99 times out of 100, the pedigree (and the math / quant skills) are not there. If you want to switch from accounting to finance, the general path would be accounting --> ace your GMATs (700+) --> top-10 MBA school --> work in finance. Notice I did not mention anything about the CPA.

For example, please look at the distribution of quantitative GRE scores in accounting vs. finance as an intended major:

http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/p...4_extended.pdf

I would also say being a professional football coach is much better than being a high school gym teacher.