There’s lots of varying professions here, but I’ve seen a few people who are accountants. I’ve been thinking of going into accounting (university) and then getting one of the designations. Either way, I’d like to hear some of the advantages, disadvantages, experiences you guys had as being an accountant. I would appreciate any info, thanks!
If that’s where you want to go, you’ll know it after taking your first two accounting courses. You’ll either love it or hate it. But that’s definitely not all there is to accounting.
I’m an accounting major, so I haven’t had any experience in the workforce to tell you about. I graduate in April though. After you graduate, you’ll most likely start out in public accounting (working for a firm), take the CPA exam after a few years, get your three letters, then either stay in public accounting, or conquer the universe.
At least that’s pretty much the gist of it from what I hear.
There are a ton of websites you can visit to read about the wide wonderful world of accounting (aicpa.org, fasb.org, pcaobus.org, sec.gov) I would even check out the big 4 websites (deloitte.com, kpmg.com, pwc.com, ey.com) to give you an idea of what it would be like to work for a firm, and what accountants do.
There are a couple of CPAs on this board. I know that countingbeans is a CPA, really helpful guy too.
Unlike work as a repo-man, soldier or wedding photographer, people rarely try to kill you for doing your job.
Unlike baristas, the dirty old men who visit your establishment DO NOT try to hit on you.
Like every service-oriented profession, speaking another langauge is a plus. In your case, probably American.
If you like numbers, go into mathematics or finance. If you like money, go into engineering. If you’ve ever stopped after a set to re-organize the weight tree that holds the plates by the bench and/or squat rack more than once in a workout, consider accounting.
[quote]Otep wrote:
If you’ve ever stopped after a set to re-organize the weight tree that holds the plates by the bench and/or squat rack more than once in a workout, consider accounting.[/quote]
Holy fucking shit is that correct…
LOL. If your aren’t anal by nature, this won’t be the career for you.
[quote]Otep wrote:
Unlike baristas, the dirty old men who visit your establishment DO NOT try to hit on you.[/quote]
At least one of the accountants at my last job was gay…he might’ve enjoyed that.
[quote]power_bulker wrote:
I’d like to hear some of the advantages, [/quote]
I’ll try and keep this short:
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Knowledge Base - If you stay with a small firm you will learn Audit, Tax, Bookkeeping and consulting. I could run a business right now, no questions asked, from the first sale to the tax return. Now I am not saying I would be the best in the world, but I know what to do, from starting capital and up.
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Audit skills - LOL. I can’t even explain really, but once you “get” audit, the whole world just changes. I’m not going to give myself an e-BJ, but I got shit on lock down. Being good at audit helps you be better at life in general.
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Busy Season is in the winter - I don’t know about you, but fuck the snow, fuck being cold, and fuck winter sports. I could never do this job living in San Diego.
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People Respect you more than Lawyers - And you bill out at less an hour, which means you get more calls.
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Responsibility - You aren’t a slouch that just punches a card twice a day. I took the end of last week off, and had to work late Tuesday and Wednesday night to make sure shit was set for my staff, my bosses and my clients before I left. You make a difference.
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Satisfaction - Dude, I help people live their fucking dreams every day of my life. I help clients make, run, and sustain their businesses. It is fucking WIN to hear a happy clients voice because you busted your ass for him or her. Feels good man.
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You Work a Fuck Ton in season - I bill close to 900 hours in the 15 weeks of tax season. That is billable too, not including lunch, dinner and commute. I also want my name on the door, and have the most hours worked in my peer group. So not everyone has that much time in.
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Tax Season - It fucking sucks, but it is a quick 3.5 months. You first two years won’t be too bad. Once you’re a senior, you are fucked though. BUT, most people that make real money work more than 2080 hours a year, our OT is just mostly packed into 15 weeks.
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You need to grow up quick - I act like an assface child on this board, because it’s fun, but also because I have to act like a stuffy dork so much at work. Not that big of a deal.
Such as? Got to be more specific. Otherwise I can write out my career so far for you if you want… lol
[quote]skaz05 wrote:
If that’s where you want to go, you’ll know it after taking your first two accounting courses. You’ll either love it or hate it. But that’s definitely not all there is to accounting.
I’m an accounting major, so I haven’t had any experience in the workforce to tell you about. I graduate in April though. After you graduate, you’ll most likely start out in public accounting (working for a firm), take the CPA exam after a few years, get your three letters, then either stay in public accounting, or conquer the universe.
At least that’s pretty much the gist of it from what I hear.
There are a ton of websites you can visit to read about the wide wonderful world of accounting (aicpa.org, fasb.org, pcaobus.org, sec.gov) I would even check out the big 4 websites (deloitte.com, kpmg.com, pwc.com, ey.com) to give you an idea of what it would be like to work for a firm, and what accountants do.
There are a couple of CPAs on this board. I know that countingbeans is a CPA, really helpful guy too.[/quote]
Thanks man.
Keep in mind Big Firm, and Small Firm are going to be two different animals.
I can only really speak from a small firm perspective, which is honestly superior… 
I would take two of our seniors over 5 big firm Managers anyday, and get more work done, more accurately too.
my mom is a certified CPA.
she has a nice car and my parents live in a big house.
[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
my mom is a certified CPA.
she has a nice car and my parents live in a big house.[/quote]
Yeah, you can make real good money Fo Sho
[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
my mom is a certified CPA.
she has a nice car and my parents live in a big house.[/quote]
Her bed is nice and big tooo 
Accounting is a good base, means you always have something to fall back on.
Would bore the shit out me personally but its a very good thing in the business world to have a good understanding of the numbers.
What kinds of Math courses did you have to take in college, Beans?
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
What kinds of Math courses did you have to take in college, Beans?[/quote]
Ahhh, shit let me think…
Statistics
Business Calc (Joke)
Intermediate & Advanced Accounting (while not math specifically…)
Finance (Under grad, which blows, and Graduate, which is much more fun)
So to answer honestly, not much
Oh, and Fuck Calc.
That shit is hard, and I never even come close to using it one little bit.
I hated that class. My brain just doesn’t comprehend anything after “slope of the line”. And WTF is a Tangent? And the gay ass “e” thing? Fuck that class.
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
Oh, and Fuck Calc.
That shit is hard, and I never even come close to using it one little bit.
I hated that class. My brain just doesn’t comprehend anything after “slope of the line”. And WTF is a Tangent? And the gay ass “e” thing? Fuck that class.[/quote]
Lol man wtf You didnt have to take much calc. Certian colleges for me to transfer to like UCI etc want Calc 2…
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
Oh, and Fuck Calc.
That shit is hard, and I never even come close to using it one little bit.
I hated that class. My brain just doesn’t comprehend anything after “slope of the line”. And WTF is a Tangent? And the gay ass “e” thing? Fuck that class.[/quote]
haha agreed.
I’m kind of looking to move away from exercise science just because I really don’t think I can spend the rest of my life dealing with dumbasses in the gym. Finding out what you want to do for a living is such a bitch.
My dad has been a CPA for 33 years.
Regardless of whether you actually file taxes or not, you can be rest assured that if you have a degree in accounting you will always have a job. Plenty of accountants serve as CEOs and marketing managers in lieu of doing accounting.
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
Finding out what you want to do for a living is such a bitch.[/quote]
I kind of fell into this. I didn’t choose it.
I was really good at it, and liked the idea of everything coming back to balance. Plus I saw the salaries and opportunities and I was down.
But yeah, finding a career is a bitch, then making it one is ass pain too.
Fuck accounting.
I have an exam on wednesday for it and i want to get it out of the way so i can move on with my degree and never touch it again.
Things like law/economics/public relations, now that’s the best business subjects.
[quote]Otep wrote:
If you’ve ever stopped after a set to re-organize the weight tree that holds the plates by the bench and/or squat rack more than once in a workout, consider accounting.[/quote]
Man I do that every fucking day at the gym.
I mean how hard is it to put the plates in the right spot? I don’t come into your happy place and fuck shit up, like they’re working so hard they can’t lift their 25’s onto the right peg inbetween sets.
Probably looks weird the sweaty guy organizing all the plates everyday lol.