what is being an accountant like?

There are all kinds of accounting positions available.

You can find a position where you can work from home and/or listen to stuff while you work.

You can also post on Letsrun periodicially through the day.

Any business or math type degree can get you started.

You could work for a big company and reconcile general ledger accounts or analyze profit centers all day.

You could work at a small company and do payables, receivables and filing.

You can get in and work your way up.

Boring and somewhat lucrative

Pros:

1 - job security (relatively speaking)

2 - good money, which can be great if you want to work a lot

3 - easily transferable skillset across industries and companies

Cons:

1 - work/life balance can suck

2 - it's boring most of the time

3 - you will be around some really annoying people with poor social skills often

Your best bet for a quality life with an accounting degree is to pass the CPA, work for a Big 4 public accounting firm for 3-4 years, then move into a company as either internal audit/financial reporting/financial analysis. That is where work-life balance can get a great deal better and your life will not be as hectic and unpredictable as in public accounting. The good thing about accounting is it gives you a great base to move into other things like M&A, valuation work, commercial finance, etc, which is way more interesting.

Lots of hours but honestly.. there is ALWAYS a job market, and the pay is quite good. There's no drawback IF you have that skill set unless you just hate the idea of office work, rather than hands on, or "working with people."

I have been in Accounting for about 10 years starting at an entry level position, getting my CPA and have worked up to manager level and have had relatively few weeks working more than 40 hours.

Being an accountant is like using a shark to beat a dinosaur to death. It's pretty much the coolest, most bada$s thing you could ever hope to do.

Get back to work, toro.

Is this Jarman?

Just so you are aware of the inherent danger in this line of work:

POYNETTE, WI—Foul play is suspected in the death of an accounts receivable supervisor for a regional office-supply company, sheriff's deputies reported Tuesday.

Herbert F. Kornfeld, 34, was an alleged accounting gang leader considered by law enforcement to be a key player in a series of ongoing office worker turf wars. He was found dead Monday morning in the third-floor copy room of Midstate Office Supply, his employer of 12 years.

"We believe the victim was assaulted after hours Friday by an unknown individual or individuals," a Columbia County sheriff's departmaent spokesman said. "Though autopsy results are still pending, we believe the victim suffered fatal head trauma after his face was immobilized against the glass of a photocopier and repeatedly struck with the machine's cover."

Midstate Office Supply vice-president Howard Dinwiddie is expected this week to name accounts receivable assistant Irving Weinbaum, 23, as Kornfeld's successor

MonkeyMan wrote:

Being an accountant is like using a shark to beat a dinosaur to death. It's pretty much the coolest, most bada$s thing you could ever hope to do.

This^.

toro wrote:

Is this Jarman?

Yep!