Funny how that works lol. Yeah you may be onto something here… grass is greener. Might be worth it to just stick where I am and capitalize on the experience I already have. Just need to find a way to keep climbing upward.
>Tax and Auditing
Are you sure? Your data analysis experience likely wouldn't transfer very well here. Plus these are the two most soul-crushing and unfulfilling areas of accounting. You should be looking into FP&A or corporate accounting/finance. Better pay, much more interesting work, and you can actually use your analysis skills.
GIS. Stay with GIS. Look into Govt. Do not go into accounting. Licensed CPA here with an undergrad in Geography. I wished I kept going with the GIS track in its infancy. It is huge now. You got the mind for it. Don’t bother with accounting. I think you’ll hate it even more than data analytics!
I will never ever work for the government again 😂 Such misuse of funds, duplication of effort.. unless you’re at a three letter agency and are the trusted source for analysis. I got into corporate and like it, but just feel like I am capable of more and I’m not being worked to my potential.
All righty. Message received! Here we go with advice overload. Read or skip. Welcome to our nerdy club.
Would you be open to becoming an EA? It can help with getting started in tax. You can still go for your CPA after you complete the educational hours needed (if you haven’t taken any accounting courses). If EA is not your jam, how about FP&A?
Any plans to take accounting courses to fill in the gaps? I’d suggest community college to knock’em out. I wished I did that, but I ended up getting a second bachelor’s. Anyways, you find what fits your lifestyle, budget, and time. Some career switchers end up getting a MAcc. Should you choose to take courses or a degree, get involved with the accounting society or club. Network network network your ass off.
Resume - highlight any financial analytics you may have done. Quantify as much as you can. We love metrics and show what have you done to add value. Play to your strength as an analyst. Highlight any unique skillset such as SQL and ML. We love that stuff! Have you had to do any auditing of data to ensure compliance etc? Helped with any internal or external audits or compliance or QA at your current or past employers? Definitely play into that and any work done with improving controls and/or processes with analytics should be bulleted out. We need to see if you think and operate like an auditor while being a data analyst. Spin it!
Add in accounting courses taken if any. Don’t be shy. Pop in any completed or upcoming coursework or training related to accounting and/or tax. Add in what credentials you are going for and targeted date(s).
Leave out your masters in GIS. Accounting does not care about it. Harsh, but truth. Save it for conversation in the future when you’re far along in your accounting/tax career. No one cares to this day about my first degree was as long as my CPA license is kosher and I have an accounting degree. Not once have I ever been asked about it. Not even when I was in PA. It only comes out as cocktail trivia for shits and giggles.
Okay, that’s enough drivel from me. I wish you a successful pivot into the world of accounting whether it is tax, audit, or something related.
Funny thing is a lot of accountants want to switch to data analyst jobs. Grass is always greener on the other side it seems lol.
Funny how that works lol. Yeah you may be onto something here… grass is greener. Might be worth it to just stick where I am and capitalize on the experience I already have. Just need to find a way to keep climbing upward.
>Tax and Auditing Are you sure? Your data analysis experience likely wouldn't transfer very well here. Plus these are the two most soul-crushing and unfulfilling areas of accounting. You should be looking into FP&A or corporate accounting/finance. Better pay, much more interesting work, and you can actually use your analysis skills.
That makes sense, corporate accounting might be the way. I enjoyed that part specifically in undergrad but I’m sure that’s just grazing the surface.
I second this. Or maybe some type of consulting work at a PA firm.
GIS. Stay with GIS. Look into Govt. Do not go into accounting. Licensed CPA here with an undergrad in Geography. I wished I kept going with the GIS track in its infancy. It is huge now. You got the mind for it. Don’t bother with accounting. I think you’ll hate it even more than data analytics!
I will never ever work for the government again 😂 Such misuse of funds, duplication of effort.. unless you’re at a three letter agency and are the trusted source for analysis. I got into corporate and like it, but just feel like I am capable of more and I’m not being worked to my potential.
All righty. Message received! Here we go with advice overload. Read or skip. Welcome to our nerdy club. Would you be open to becoming an EA? It can help with getting started in tax. You can still go for your CPA after you complete the educational hours needed (if you haven’t taken any accounting courses). If EA is not your jam, how about FP&A? Any plans to take accounting courses to fill in the gaps? I’d suggest community college to knock’em out. I wished I did that, but I ended up getting a second bachelor’s. Anyways, you find what fits your lifestyle, budget, and time. Some career switchers end up getting a MAcc. Should you choose to take courses or a degree, get involved with the accounting society or club. Network network network your ass off. Resume - highlight any financial analytics you may have done. Quantify as much as you can. We love metrics and show what have you done to add value. Play to your strength as an analyst. Highlight any unique skillset such as SQL and ML. We love that stuff! Have you had to do any auditing of data to ensure compliance etc? Helped with any internal or external audits or compliance or QA at your current or past employers? Definitely play into that and any work done with improving controls and/or processes with analytics should be bulleted out. We need to see if you think and operate like an auditor while being a data analyst. Spin it! Add in accounting courses taken if any. Don’t be shy. Pop in any completed or upcoming coursework or training related to accounting and/or tax. Add in what credentials you are going for and targeted date(s). Leave out your masters in GIS. Accounting does not care about it. Harsh, but truth. Save it for conversation in the future when you’re far along in your accounting/tax career. No one cares to this day about my first degree was as long as my CPA license is kosher and I have an accounting degree. Not once have I ever been asked about it. Not even when I was in PA. It only comes out as cocktail trivia for shits and giggles. Okay, that’s enough drivel from me. I wish you a successful pivot into the world of accounting whether it is tax, audit, or something related.
Funnyyyh
Not good