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My girlfriend is a young accountant with a CPA and likes her job. She works 40 hour weeks. Before you make a career change, make sure it is the CAREER you actually hate and not just the job.
My girlfriend is a young accountant with a CPA and likes her job. She works 40 hour weeks. Before you make a career change, make sure it is the CAREER you actually hate and not just the job.
Agreed! Many young posters here state they don't like the career they have chosen and plan to just go back to school to learn something else. Many make career changes over time, I have. But I feel it's sometimes just an excuse to keep going to school and avoid the real world. I'm not saying that's the case with you, but as the above poster mentioned, make sure it's the career you're unhappy with and not just the job itself. Could save you a lot of time and money!
Maybe branching off into another industry may give you another perspective. I'm fortunate to work in banking. I started working in Regulatory reporting (reporting bank information to the Federal Reserve and other local & foreign regulators according) and requires you to apply US GAAP & other non-US pronouncements eg Belgian, Japanese standards, all prior to IFRS.
However, throughout my banking career, I've done system conversions, data mapping for reporting, implement accounting systems, accounting policy (keeping up with FASB now ASUs), implement Basel accord, legal entity controller, compliance officer etc. I've never done audit but just finished establishing a QA unit at my job as this is now a requirement from the regulators. QA is not audit but there are lots of similarities.
So it depends on industry and the type of job. We don't all tick & tie & do the same monotonous stuff day in day out.
However, if your passion is healthcare, I'd say go for it. I believe you have to love the job you do or you'll be miserable. I'd advise you to keep your CPA license updated because there's a lot you can do with it on the side plus you've worked hard to earn it.
Former big four CPA who now works at a large company in industry. I like my job, but the previous posters who are telling you that you won't be sitting at your desk all day when you get promoted are fudging the truth. If this path isn't for you, get out sooner than later, because the opportunity cost will only get higher as you get paid more and land a job with less hours. Lastly, I wouldn't worry about what your mom thinks about your career.
Before you give up on accounting completely, get out of public and try a corporate job. It is still desk work but is so much better than any public accounting job it is hard to even categorize them in the same industry. Public accounting auditing is by far the worst job you can get in accounting, that is why people usually only do it for a couple years, leave and swear to never do it again.
Public accounting audit departments, especially large firms are nothing more than legal white collar sweatshops. Tons of mind numbing and pointless work that once the bill is produced nobody even cares about until it is time to do it all over again next year.
Before you give up on accounting completely, get out of public and try a corporate job. It is still desk work but is so much better than any public accounting job it is hard to even categorize them in the same industry. Public accounting auditing is by far the worst job you can get in accounting, that is why people usually only do it for a couple years, leave and swear to never do it again.
Public accounting audit departments, especially large firms are nothing more than legal white collar sweatshops. Tons of mind numbing and pointless work that once the bill is produced nobody even cares about until it is time to do it all over again next year.
I have an accounting degree, used to have a CPA license, and love what I do, which is accounting systems, from smaller tactical systems to large, enterprise level SAP systems. There is a lot of room for growth in this area, as lots of folks are good at IT, but have no clue how the accounting works. Most of the best Analysts I work with worked as accountants before moving to the systems side.
In the 28 years since I earned my degree, I've done about 10 years of accounting and 18 years of systems, all in the corporate world.
If you don't want to go that route, move to a smaller local firm, or a small to medium sized local company that has growth potential for you. Another option is to move to a small town, and work for a local CPA with an agreement to buy the firm when the owner retires. Those firms make a ton of money, and living in a small town is often cheap.
I'm an accountant/CPA. i did public for 3 years and it was absolutely SOUL sucking. switched to private and have been in the same position for 4 years now. It's better but i do sit at my desk for 8 hours a day. and so does everyone else in the accounting department where i am.
if you are simply looking for better work/life balance suck it up for now, get your CPA license, and switch to private soon after. however, if you really hate sitting all day then i would say get out of accounting in general.
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