Accountants: Do you like your job?

I'm just trying to figure out. Think about what you do all day...

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Originally Posted by TimTom

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I'm just trying to figure out. Think about what you do all day...

Is this sarcasm or not? Hard to tell

Originally Posted by JAY13

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fire away with specifics

Originally Posted by JAY13

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Thanks for all the great real world info!

I am working on my undergrad in Finance, but it seems like I would be much more marketable with an Accounting degree given the foreseeable trend towards greater transparency and regulation.

Do you guys agree with this assessment or not?

I am only a junior and have the ability to switch to Accounting if I so chose (I enjoy both, finance slightly more), so any advice would be greatly appreciative.

Should I stick with Finance or be better off going Accounting?

Originally Posted by JAY13

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Should I stick with Finance or be better off going Accounting?

Stop overthinking it/being a ***** and get both if you are that worried about it... at most it is 6-8 additional classes. Then you don't have to worry.

Originally Posted by gqreader239

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Im in my junior year at UT and am following a general finance degree track. Does anyone have experiences with the MPA/PPA (masters program for accounting) degree? Many accounting students I know are going through the program. My peers all say it is extremely hard and takes up an extra year. However, they all say that they are guaranteed a job when they graduate. Is that true? Is anyone ever guaranteed a job because of a certain degree they hold? Is the masters degree that desireable?

Garanteed is an overstatement, but if you have a good gpa, decent school and good personality you can't do that badly.

Originally Posted by JAY13

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Should I stick with Finance or be better off going Accounting?

I do a lot of hiring where I work and at other organizations I have worked at previously. I work in the Financial Services industry and often deal with potential employess with the accounting vs finance background.

As an undergrad degree, a Finance degree is essentially worthless. With the limited number of courses that constitute a bachelors degree in Finance, you will really not have the depth of study that will make you truly proficient in Finance (from a professional standpoint). If you are going to do Finance, it is best when paired with something else.

Finance can be paired with a minor or double major in the following... Mathematics, Engineering or Accounting. Either of those 3 combinations do a fine job of augmenting the overall course of study. Economics could also be a potential combination. But make sure it is a very "quantitative" Finance and Economics focus.

As my dad would say, "Finance is a bullshit degree". Finance, unless from a top school, is a rather vague degree (as an undergrad). A graduate degree in Finance is a different matter all together. And a top school may still not provide you with sufficient knowledge, but being from a top school would make you attractive to employers (regardless of course of study).

If you want a guarantee of employment... sorry to say but there is no guarantees. However, an undergrad in accounting, is a very solid background. Then you get a job at an accounting firm... get some experience and sit for the CPA exam.

A CPA is by far one of the safest and most respectable jobs that you can have. Particularly with the increased regulation and auditing that companies are going to be subjected to. An accounting degree is a wise choice.

That being said... under no circumstances should you only major in Finance. Either pair Finance with one of the above mentioned disciplines, or switch to Accounting.

Take it from me.... I was an undergrad in Finance. I am trying to prevent you from making the same mistakes that I made. lol

Oh i forgot to say.... being a general ledger type accountant blows!!! Journal entries are annoying. All that type of thing is awful.

It is better to start at an accounting firm and pay your dues as an auditor.. then get the CPA and go into a management position.

But just doing the daily nuts and bolts accounting really stinks... in my opinion. Depriciation, amortization, fixed assets, accruals, etc.... makes me want to puke. hahahaha


Cost accounting is cool.. however. Budgeting is also a good application of accounting

Originally Posted by Serg

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Stop overthinking it/being a ***** and get both if you are that worried about it... at most it is 6-8 additional classes. Then you don't have to worry.

It is not so much "being a *****," as you so eloquently put it, it's the fact that I work full-time dealing craps at a casino on the graveyard shift (3am to 11am!my sleep is fukt to say the least) and take care of two small children when I am at home also going the school full time. Time management has become everything to me. I need to carefully plan my escape from this HELLLLLLL !

Originally Posted by JSC4President

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Oh i forgot to say.... being a general ledger type accountant blows!!! Journal entries are annoying. All that type of thing is awful.

It is better to start at an accounting firm and pay your dues as an auditor.. then get the CPA and go into a management position.

But just doing the daily nuts and bolts accounting really stinks... in my opinion. Depriciation, amortization, fixed assets, accruals, etc.... makes me want to puke. hahahaha


Cost accounting is cool.. however. Budgeting is also a good application of accounting

Thanks for the input! This is what I have been hearing from other professionals. Accounting though arduous, seems to be the most beneficial foundation for an undergrad.

Originally Posted by JSC4President

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I do a lot of hiring where I work and at other organizations I have worked at previously. I work in the Financial Services industry and often deal with potential employess with the accounting vs finance background. As an undergrad degree, a Finance degree is essentially worthless. With the limited number of courses that constitute a bachelors degree in Finance, you will really not have the depth of study that will make you truly proficient in Finance (from a professional standpoint). If you are going to do Finance, it is best when paired with something else. Finance can be paired with a minor or double major in the following... Mathematics, Engineering or Accounting. Either of those 3 combinations do a fine job of augmenting the overall course of study. Economics could also be a potential combination. But make sure it is a very "quantitative" Finance and Economics focus. As my dad would say, "Finance is a bullshit degree". Finance, unless from a top school, is a rather vague degree (as an undergrad). A graduate degree in Finance is a different matter all together. And a top school may still not provide you with sufficient knowledge, but being from a top school would make you attractive to employers (regardless of course of study). If you want a guarantee of employment... sorry to say but there is no guarantees. However, an undergrad in accounting, is a very solid background. Then you get a job at an accounting firm... get some experience and sit for the CPA exam. A CPA is by far one of the safest and most respectable jobs that you can have. Particularly with the increased regulation and auditing that companies are going to be subjected to. An accounting degree is a wise choice. That being said... under no circumstances should you only major in Finance. Either pair Finance with one of the above mentioned disciplines, or switch to Accounting. Take it from me.... I was an undergrad in Finance. I am trying to prevent you from making the same mistakes that I made. lol
This is true, and I would add that tax is a great area to be in... Take as many tax classes as your accounting undergrad offers.

Originally Posted by JSC4President

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If you want a guarantee of employment... sorry to say but there is no guarantees. However, an undergrad in accounting, is a very solid background. Then you get a job at an accounting firm... get some experience and sit for the CPA exam.



FYI most accounting firms only hire CPA eligible undergrads. In most states this means a degree in accounting with 150 hours. There are a few states that still only require 120 hours (NY is the main one) but almost all of the state boards are switching to the 150 hour rule.

Originally Posted by Texasmade

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FYI most accounting firms only hire CPA eligible undergrads. In most states this means a degree in accounting with 150 hours. There are a few states that still only require 120 hours (NY is the main one) but almost all of the state boards are switching to the 150 hour rule.
NY is going to 150 this august so get your paperwork in before that to sit for the exam. Let me reiterate that accounting is the best undergrad business degree to have. When you get into MBAs or an MS dont do accounting if you want to go private. Do finance or some specialty finance MBA program. MS in Tax is cool if you want to go that route but not many do. do you time in Public, then after 3-5 years move over to private if you still can see yourself in this job. I couldnt see myself making a career out of this so I started applying to gov agencies after a tad under 2 years to get out of there.

Originally Posted by JSC4President

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Oh i forgot to say.... being a general ledger type accountant blows!!! Journal entries are annoying. All that type of thing is awful.

It is better to start at an accounting firm and pay your dues as an auditor.. then get the CPA and go into a management position.

But just doing the daily nuts and bolts accounting really stinks... in my opinion. Depriciation, amortization, fixed assets, accruals, etc.... makes me want to puke. hahahaha


Cost accounting is cool.. however. Budgeting is also a good application of accounting

What is a general ledger type accountant? Do you mean bookkeeper?

Masters of Accounting seems kind of useless to me.