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Accountants: Do you like your job?

post #1 of 273
12/25/08 at 12:16am
Thread Starter 
For the accounting folks on here, do you like what you do? Particularly if you're a CPA, though Private opinions would be helpful too.

For the record, I haven't had enough real world experience, besides basic intro classes, to know whether I like "numbers" or not (LOL, everyone always asks, "well, do you like numbers??" as if that's the magic answer)

I'm trying to add to my wintertime, out-of-school desperation at the bleakness of the future.


Thanks!
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post #2 of 273
12/25/08 at 5:49pm
Thread Starter 
No one here is accountant? That's not a good sign! LOL I'm just trying to figure out if you can still be happy and successful without selling your soul to a Big4 and then working 65 hours a week, forever.
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post #3 of 273
12/25/08 at 5:52pm
My dad is one, hated it and now is in the world of finance. That's my major, it doesn't seem all that appealing to me but it is an extremely versatile major.
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post #4 of 273
12/25/08 at 5:53pm
Thread Starter 
What does he do in Fnance? What it an easy switch, assuming he only had an accounting degree? What I hate about finance, is usually no clear job titles. Same thing with the whole freakin world I guess, you don't just say, "I want to be a .............."
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post #5 of 273
12/25/08 at 5:57pm
I'm not an accountant, but I had to take some classes for my MBA. I hated them. I'm a numbers geek, but not that kind of numbers geek. Finance is much more interesting to me.
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post #6 of 273
12/25/08 at 5:57pm
Accounting is a pretty boring job, I'd imagine. I mean think about what you do all day... You compile data and present it in the form of reports so that other people can make decisions. My father started as a CA but he quickly moved in to a more operational/managment role. A lot of accountants just like to do their thing in their corner.
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post #7 of 273
12/25/08 at 6:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Milhouse View Post
I'm not an accountant, but I had to take some classes for my MBA. I hated them. I'm a numbers geek, but not that kind of numbers geek. Finance is much more interesting to me.
Suppose I switch it up and major and Finance right now (Hell, I'm going to be there forever anyways..), what kind of fields are out there for someone from a state college with a 3.0? To do your job, would someone with an accounting degree and finance minor (or vice versa) be qualified? PLUS, these days, would a finance degree be a smart move, with all the layoffs? I won't be an iBanker or anything, but I wouldn't mind something like a financial advisor.
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post #8 of 273
12/25/08 at 6:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by longskate88 View Post
What does he do in Fnance? What it an easy switch, assuming he only had an accounting degree?

What I hate about finance, is usually no clear job titles. Same thing with the whole freakin world I guess, you don't just say, "I want to be a .............."

Very easy switch. Entry level jobs are going to suck for the most part no matter what you do. If you graduate from a state school with a finance degree you aren't going to be doing anything fun and exciting anyway. You may be like a loan officer or something. Accounting is very good for consulting, what I would like to do. I also feel that it is the language of business, and being a master in that can't be a bad thing.
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post #9 of 273
12/25/08 at 6:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by longskate88 View Post
Suppose I switch it up and major and Finance right now (Hell, I'm going to be there forever anyways..), what kind of fields are out there for someone from a state college with a 3.0?

To do your job, would someone with an accounting degree and finance minor (or vice versa) be qualified?

PLUS, these days, would a finance degree be a smart move, with all the layoffs? I won't be an iBanker or anything, but I wouldn't mind something like a financial advisor.

Financial advisor actually has really high job satisfaction, from what i've read. It pays fairly well, the hours are predictable, and it's usually pretty stress-free.
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post #10 of 273
12/25/08 at 6:20pm
Most financial advisors are just salesmen in disguise.
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post #11 of 273
12/25/08 at 6:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by randallr View Post
Most financial advisors are just salesmen in disguise.
Yes, that's my opinion too. You're selling services and products, which I don't want to do. I just want to talk to people about their money, and how best to utilize it. Would that be some type of budget analyst?
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post #12 of 273
12/25/08 at 6:28pm
I'm not an accountant but work with CPA's and CA's who moved on to industry soon after getting their designations with Big 4's. Some are in more traditional accounting roles but others work in strategy or planning (what I do). I think it's a good field to study and the designation is solid.
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post #13 of 273
12/25/08 at 6:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spatlese View Post
I'm not an accountant but work with CPA's and CA's who moved on to industry soon after getting their designations with Big 4's. Some are in more traditional accounting roles but others work in strategy or planning (what I do). I think it's a good field to study and the designation is solid.

Dumb question, but can you expand on "moving into industry?" Is that like, moving from doing public accounting at the Big4, to private accounting/strategy/planning at a private corp?
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post #14 of 273
12/25/08 at 6:51pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by GQgeek View Post
Accounting is a pretty boring job, I'd imagine. I mean think about what you do all day... You compile data and present it in the form of reports so that other people can make decisions. My father started as a CA but he quickly moved in to a more operational/managment role. A lot of accountants just like to do their thing in their corner.

How do you become the person that makes the decisions?
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post #15 of 273
12/25/08 at 7:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by longskate88 View Post
Dumb question, but can you expand on "moving into industry?" Is that like, moving from doing public accounting at the Big4, to private accounting/strategy/planning at a private corp?

That's it. Again, I should let the accountants on the board weigh in, but many I know didn't have ambitions to advance in public practice. Once in a corporation, you can look into other areas of finance or beyond.
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