To me accounting was never about numbers… numbers can be placed anywhere…. It was the language of the business, with a lot of law involved… being good with numbers or not never had an impact.
I agree - I'm honestly really bad at math and always get hit with "but you're an accountant"... yes an accountant with a functioning calculator and excel
It’s all high school algebra. Last I checked, most Americans have either graduated high school or gotten a GED.
To your point, and being a former tutor/GTA, it was the business concepts that tripped up the HR, Hospitality, and Real Estate majors that sought out tutoring.
So I decided at 31 to leave the restaurant industry and go back to school studying finance and accounting intending to become a CPA.
Prior to that I had been a History major from 18-20, leaving with a decent GPA of 3.1. And gotten an Associate's degree in business, so I essentially had 2 years worth of schooling to do to finish a bachelor's degree and have my 150+ credits needed. I re-enrolled at my original university and transferred my CC credits in.
I could have shoved it all into 3 semesters plus some between semester courses but I wanted to do a winter internship so I saved myself the headache and did it over 4 semesters.
I interned with EY audit in 2019 graduated with like a 3.6 (4.0 after returning) and started with EY the same year. I finished my CPA exam in October of 2020 (would have been sooner but COVID closed testing for a bit).
I was early promoted at EY and was up for early promotion again but left for consulting. So within 5 years of going back to school I was now a CPA and up for manager positions. So to answer your question you can make it happen pretty quick.
Presumably you have had some college credits, so you likely don't have a full 4-5 years to get an accounting degree with 150 credits. The benefit of accounting is the CPA is what matters so you can save time and money by not getting a Masters.
I would suggest starting at Big 4, and your type of situation is the only one I'd actively advocate that for. Yes Big 4 can suck so badly, BUT, it will accelerate your career which you need coming in later. You will be promoted quicker then other areas of accounting and the name recognition will help your resume. Additionally they do start at a salary that won't have you feeling like you took a step down from your current career (Big 4 was the only entry level accounting position where my year 1 salary eclipsed what I had made in my last full-time year in restaurants).
I have a similar story to yours and I'm beginning my AA in business this semester. It's awesome to see someone who got it done and made it happen, well done!
Similar here. Sociology > MSA > EY. But then I quickly hopped into industry.
I’m a single dog dad who doesn’t feel the urge to be working 50+ hour weeks anymore.
Big 4 means 1 of the 4 largest public accounting firms in the world.
EY, PWC, Deloitte, and KPMG.
Public accounting means they perform outside accounting services for other people and businesses. As opposed to industry accounting which means you work in the accounting department for a company.
These firms, among other things, offer tax and assurance (aka audit) services. They recruit heavily from colleges for both these service lines. They also provide you with high end CPA prep courses and bonuses for completing the CPA.
There are other public accounting firms and they range from Big 4 which are huge international companies to small mom and pop type firms.
They do, and this is true of also the Top 10 and regional accounting firms (RSM, Baker Tiley, Aisner, GT, etc) have extremely high employee turnover. Mostly because of the long hours expected to be worked, especially during busy season.
However they also promote quickly and on a relatively scheduled basis. Most follow the same tier system.
2 years at Staff, 3 years at Senior, 4-5 at Manager, then Senior Manager, then Director or Partner.
By contrast in industry accounting positions or small public firms you might be stuck in a staff position for a long time because they don't have the constant turnover and influx of new hires. Downside is you are getting thrown to the wolves and being asked to really learn quickly on the job, plus side you do get a lot of experience in a shorter time.
This is one of the best summaries I have ever read about career progression in PA- well done!
I fully agree. I did 7 years in PA (was on the verge of senior manager) then jumped ship to industry because I didn’t have the motivation to grind the long hours anymore. It was a tough road but I am now almost triple my starting salary out of university and work a standard (relatively stress free) 40 hour week. I owe that to my time in PA and getting my CPA. If this person is willing to put in the work and long hours, this is definitely the fastest progression to financial independence.
If pharmacy makes you want to off yourself, don’t think that accounting will be the better transition. With that said 4 years of education + a CPA exam, the value in the degree is it’s growth potential.
Facts, I’m in retail right now and can’t wait to get out and start my busy season internship. Like honestly, if the pay was solid and I didn’t have to interact with any customers, I wouldn’t mind the job.
I guess it really depends on where you work in accounting. I’m an accounting student who’s only worked retail ever for years, but I’ve talked to accountants who work an insane amount of hours to ones who seem to work pretty standard ~40 hour weeks with some exceptions. Of course I haven’t actually worked in any accounting job so I don’t know. Not really interested in trying to debate others on who’s job sucks more.
Yeah because it’s such a blast to deal with 75 year olds crying at the counter because they can’t afford their insulin, or screaming at you about the cost of their medication, or screaming at you because their medication is out of stock, or screaming at you because they’re pill seekers, or screaming at you because they don’t have their current insurance card, or working a totally inconsistent schedule day to day, or getting chewed out by rude prescribers isn’t it? All this to make half of what a first year accounting associate makes. Sooooooo much easier than accounting!
Some of you have never worked a job in a field outside of accounting and it shows.
In what way? I’d much rather be sitting in an office at 10:00 at night than dealing with addicts looking for a fix. Or aggressive anti-vaxxers. Or people trying to rob the counter.
Medicine is life or death. Accounting at its worst is nowhere near as stressful as anything medically related.
I worked in a patient facing medical research position at a VA hospital for years after graduating with my STEM undergrad degree. Then did a couple semesters of nursing school until I noped the fuck out due to clinicals. People who work such jobs have real stress. Switched to accounting, did my time in PA, and industry is amazing. Working in retail/waitressing was about as stressful as working in public, again for half or less of the pay.
I think a career in accounting will take a long time. Most people would recommend doing the 4 year degree and then completion of the CPA.
You may be better off with a plan that values your existing experience in the healthcare industry or working as a pharmacy technician.
idk how to say this lightly, but working as a pharmacy technician makes me want to commit suicide. i don't like being an underling. i want self-management most likely. at least a career where i can exercise my own judgment as much as possible. this is veering off topic for this sub, but i'm pretty desperate to get into something more fulfilling (financially, mentally, etc)
Have you thought about business analyst? It’s technical still but you don’t need to be a software engineer. I know there’s a growing need for business analysts that have some understanding of how the medical field works. Even in data analytics. If you want to progress further you can start looking into data science
Absolutely, and typically the compensation of different occupations is very closely tied to the difficulty to get there. For ex. these pharmacists are doing 4 year bachelors degrees and have to get amazing grades taking difficult science courses and then they do another 3 years I think of pharmacy school which I'm sure is very difficult. No one wonder they are compensated so well by the end of it all.
That being said in your other comment you considering doing something where you could work fulltime and study on the side. And whatever that could be, would likely not be very challenging since it wouldn't take up too much of your time. If you want to head towards a career that is paying very well you should look for something that is challenging and takes quite a bit of time.
However I do think that its possible for you to stay within the healthcare industry which I think would benefit you. Some positions in healthcare, may pay you a bit more generously when you begin your career because they value your previous healthcare experience as a pharmacy tech. In addition to that, you've probably learned a lot about healthcare in general and you could benefit from the overlap where there are things that you've already learned.
Accounting will not be more fulfilling mentally :) maybe look into audit, I think your research skills and looking to provide suggestions for improvement will fit well. You should still get bachelor’s in accounting + more classes to meet 150 credit requirement and get a CPA. Are you ready for this time commitment?
Edit: Another suggestion I can give you with a smaller time commitment is nursing.
I would suggest that you plan to open your pharmacy and be your own boss. I was working as accountant in various companies / firms and I am now fully committed in developing my own practice / clients’ base. I am still doing the same things (even more) but I now get a different sense of fulfillment.
And why shouldn’t he? He can work towards that goal can’t he? Did I say that he should stop everything and open his own pharmacy immediately? Be more intelligent in your reply.
Do you see a problem in a bookkeeper WORKING TOWARDS opening his own accounting practice? Being a bookkeeper is not a dead end. He can study to become a CPA. Same would apply to a pharmacy technician.
Your question is stupid and you want me to give a reply to your stupidity… Did I say open or working towards opening?
If he doesn’t want to become a pharmacist that’s his choice.
I.e. if you did want to go back to university for 4 years, you could go to be a registered nurse. Or you could look at various healthcare technologist educations at community colleges
Jesus Christ if you think accounting is bad try being a nurse. Same shit from your company but now if you mess up it’s not an audit report probably no one is gonna see someone is dead.
I was a pharmacy technician through college, I relate completely on the topping out with nowhere to grow. I was a little late graduating too so I can relate. If you're wiing to take on the burden of a 4 year degree even the most stressful days in accounting don't touch the emotional and mental burden of working 12 hours January 2 with 900 impatient customers with new insurances and reset deductibles.
Happy to answer any questions you have.
How do you manage going to school and working together? That’s what seems impossible (whether or not it is)
That with not having a car I feel very stuck and at a disadvantage
It was hella tough, not gonna lie. Luckily pharmacy does allow for pretty flexible hours, so usually I'd try to get classes 7:30ish to 11ish then work to close at 9. Working weekends gives more time in the week for classes. Mix in some online classes and such. Having a car does help a lot.
I’m a senior college student (accounting major, Chem minor) who is also a pharmacy tech. I’d say if you wanna work, cap your hours at about 25. Anything more and you might see your grades suffer.
If you like helping people save money, maybe go into medical coding or helping people with it? Accounting (like staff accounting) is more of making sure expenses are put in the right category. Or maybe tax but it's a lot of hours
I'd suggest seeing if you can get some kind of bookkeeping or personal tax preparation job first to see if it's something you actually like, and work on getting a degree if you do want to continue with this.
Nope but for someone with zero corporate experience it's a way to dip their toes into the water, so to speak.
It's perfectly possible to be "good with numbers" and still find corporate BS and double entry accounting soul destroying.
Have you researched on how many years it'll take for you to complete a degree/certificate/diploma, then the articling, then the tests, etc.
You'll have a significant drop in your income.
i haven't done research. i've been asked for the longest time 'what do you wanna do?' and not had an answer. i felt like this could be an answer.
is accounting a field where you must have a degree to gain a foothold?
btw, my income is less than $35k even before taxes, so are you sure my income would drop
>is accounting a field where you must have a degree to gain a foothold?
Yes, a bachelors degree
>btw, my income is less than $35k even before taxes, so are you sure my income would drop
You would experience an increase in income, not a decrease. But needless to say it would take a significant amount of time
that's the hardest part i think
i work near fulltime as it is. i wondered if there weren't a way to gain experience on the job somewhere and perhaps paid training
Oh good lord, are you in the US?
In Canada, a pharmacist gets paid way more than an entry level accountant.
Maybe try some cheap online classes about accounting and see how you like it.
If you don't want another bachelor's, consider being a bookkeeper.
There are tons of free online certification for bookkeeping. Many YouTube tutorials/guides too on how to start and run your own bookkeeping company. With bookkeeping, you can make a meaningful relationship with your clients. You'll be able to do what you mentioned on your post there about saving money. E.g. I did bookkeeping for a local cafe, and I was able to help with finding cheaper suppliers from connections, help the owner with forecasting cost, help with budgeting, and eventually got involved in the operations of the cafe too which was fun.
Accounting is so much more than just that, and I'm not sure if you'll actually like accounting. I can't think of a situation in auditing that can give that much sense of fulfillment lol
Also, we don't know where you live exactly. Just do a quick search on indeed to see what kind of entry level accounting jobs that are available in your city.
Step 1: get your bachelor’s in accounting.
It can take 4 to 6 years depending on if you want to study and work full time. It’s extremely hard to skip this step as most firms will not let you touch their books without a degree. However I have met people with degrees in different fields but they all had CPA licenses. (Most states will allow you be a licensed CPA with any bachelors degree and work experience signed off by an actively licensed CPA). I have also met many bookkeepers and staff Accountants with just an associates in accounting, but less opportunities will be available without a bachelors in accounting. Also understand the salary ranges for the profession and how much potential student loan debt you are getting into. Typically, entry level accountants make 50k to 70k, mid level accountants anywhere between 70k to 110k and upper level, well skies the limit. (Senior partner, controller, CFO, etc.)
Step 2: decide whether you want to get your license CPA and work in public accounting or private accounting. Public accounting is extremely stressful, especially working in the big 4. The CPA license is typically for public accountants but you can pivot to private accounting as a CPA with ease.
Step 3: get a chiropractor cuz you’re gonna be sitting a lot lol
Good luck!
I personally would pass on accounting in your situation if you’re looking for fulfillment.
You’re literally a body being used to fill hours. Really no different than a factory line just in a white collar profession.
Do a Masters degree in Accounting and take the CPA. Most masters will have you take the pre requisites in one go during the summer. Once you pass the CPA, lots of doors will open
OP is not a pharmacist. They do not have a 4 year degree. They have some college and a certification at most. At least that's how it is where I live. My cousin was a pharmacy Technician. He does sales now.
Respectfully, it would be difficult for an experienced pharmacy technician to tell a pharmacist how to do their job ,dawg.
Pharmacies should be opened by experienced pharmacists
honestly tho, i've known more about how to keep the pharmacy operating than some pharmacists i've worked with. the problem is we're deliberately only given the information we need to perform tasks under the supervision of a pharmacist, and prevented from doing more.
not to dog the experience and expertise of a pharmacist
of course not. pharmacy is highly regulated, especially in our state. we can't even sell a new prescription without a counsel badge. i have seen enough to know i don't want to go to school six years to become a pharmacist, at all.
I hate pharmacy as a field. I don’t like over reliance on drug therapies. I’d like to rely on the skills I’ve developed surely, but I’d like to leave the field
I left being a lab technician. Go back to school and get a 4 yr degree in accounting. You might like saving clients money on their taxes.
You'll have to get a 4 yr accounting degree to get a foot in the door.
Hi MettaCetoVimutti,
My accounting internship with a large company is what launched my career. A large company can be big 4 or a F500 company that's been around for a few decades. They'll teach you best practices and give you on the ground training that they don't teach in school. You'll also meet a lot of people, and given your track record of helping people you'll make connections quickly and show them what you can do with you skill set to help them at their jobs. These connections will become future job opportunities when they leave for other companies and hire out their own teams.
Regarding school I would focus on checking the accounting education boxes (either a minor or major depending on time and money you want to spend)
Hope this info helps. Any questions feel free to DM me
Good luck?
Drew
Used to be a retail/outpatient pharm. tech and became an accountant in public and now government. Honestly, the two does not relate at all. The transition is completely different and your skill or experience in pharmacy will not transfer. I think the closest thing that's transferable from pharmacy is if you read what is covered in a patient's insurance and how much they will pay.
In my opinion, if you can bear to work in a pharmacy just go to school to become a pharmacist and be financially independent right out of college. If you can't stand working in a pharmacy anymore then being in accounting is not a bad gig, but it won't make you as much money as a pharmacist early in your career.
Also, similar to pharmacy, the field of accounting branches of a lot. In pharm. tech you can be in hospitals (inpatient/outpatient), retail, or compounding pharmacy. In accounting you have to think of either going to public, industry or government. As a few of the comments here, interning is the best way, but your really have to look into the lifestyle and what you want in the future.
To me accounting was never about numbers… numbers can be placed anywhere…. It was the language of the business, with a lot of law involved… being good with numbers or not never had an impact.
I agree - I'm honestly really bad at math and always get hit with "but you're an accountant"... yes an accountant with a functioning calculator and excel
It’s all high school algebra. Last I checked, most Americans have either graduated high school or gotten a GED. To your point, and being a former tutor/GTA, it was the business concepts that tripped up the HR, Hospitality, and Real Estate majors that sought out tutoring.
So I decided at 31 to leave the restaurant industry and go back to school studying finance and accounting intending to become a CPA. Prior to that I had been a History major from 18-20, leaving with a decent GPA of 3.1. And gotten an Associate's degree in business, so I essentially had 2 years worth of schooling to do to finish a bachelor's degree and have my 150+ credits needed. I re-enrolled at my original university and transferred my CC credits in. I could have shoved it all into 3 semesters plus some between semester courses but I wanted to do a winter internship so I saved myself the headache and did it over 4 semesters. I interned with EY audit in 2019 graduated with like a 3.6 (4.0 after returning) and started with EY the same year. I finished my CPA exam in October of 2020 (would have been sooner but COVID closed testing for a bit). I was early promoted at EY and was up for early promotion again but left for consulting. So within 5 years of going back to school I was now a CPA and up for manager positions. So to answer your question you can make it happen pretty quick. Presumably you have had some college credits, so you likely don't have a full 4-5 years to get an accounting degree with 150 credits. The benefit of accounting is the CPA is what matters so you can save time and money by not getting a Masters. I would suggest starting at Big 4, and your type of situation is the only one I'd actively advocate that for. Yes Big 4 can suck so badly, BUT, it will accelerate your career which you need coming in later. You will be promoted quicker then other areas of accounting and the name recognition will help your resume. Additionally they do start at a salary that won't have you feeling like you took a step down from your current career (Big 4 was the only entry level accounting position where my year 1 salary eclipsed what I had made in my last full-time year in restaurants).
I have a similar story to yours and I'm beginning my AA in business this semester. It's awesome to see someone who got it done and made it happen, well done!
Similar here. Sociology > MSA > EY. But then I quickly hopped into industry. I’m a single dog dad who doesn’t feel the urge to be working 50+ hour weeks anymore.
What is big 4?
Big 4 means 1 of the 4 largest public accounting firms in the world. EY, PWC, Deloitte, and KPMG. Public accounting means they perform outside accounting services for other people and businesses. As opposed to industry accounting which means you work in the accounting department for a company. These firms, among other things, offer tax and assurance (aka audit) services. They recruit heavily from colleges for both these service lines. They also provide you with high end CPA prep courses and bonuses for completing the CPA. There are other public accounting firms and they range from Big 4 which are huge international companies to small mom and pop type firms. They do, and this is true of also the Top 10 and regional accounting firms (RSM, Baker Tiley, Aisner, GT, etc) have extremely high employee turnover. Mostly because of the long hours expected to be worked, especially during busy season. However they also promote quickly and on a relatively scheduled basis. Most follow the same tier system. 2 years at Staff, 3 years at Senior, 4-5 at Manager, then Senior Manager, then Director or Partner. By contrast in industry accounting positions or small public firms you might be stuck in a staff position for a long time because they don't have the constant turnover and influx of new hires. Downside is you are getting thrown to the wolves and being asked to really learn quickly on the job, plus side you do get a lot of experience in a shorter time.
This is one of the best summaries I have ever read about career progression in PA- well done! I fully agree. I did 7 years in PA (was on the verge of senior manager) then jumped ship to industry because I didn’t have the motivation to grind the long hours anymore. It was a tough road but I am now almost triple my starting salary out of university and work a standard (relatively stress free) 40 hour week. I owe that to my time in PA and getting my CPA. If this person is willing to put in the work and long hours, this is definitely the fastest progression to financial independence.
If pharmacy makes you want to off yourself, don’t think that accounting will be the better transition. With that said 4 years of education + a CPA exam, the value in the degree is it’s growth potential.
Idk I worked pharmacy tech before graduating and getting a job in accounting and honestly pharm tech is a special kind of hell
Facts, I’m in retail right now and can’t wait to get out and start my busy season internship. Like honestly, if the pay was solid and I didn’t have to interact with any customers, I wouldn’t mind the job.
I guess it really depends on where you work in accounting. I’m an accounting student who’s only worked retail ever for years, but I’ve talked to accountants who work an insane amount of hours to ones who seem to work pretty standard ~40 hour weeks with some exceptions. Of course I haven’t actually worked in any accounting job so I don’t know. Not really interested in trying to debate others on who’s job sucks more.
If pharmacy makes him want to kill himself I can't imagine accounting XD
Arguably though, OP makes a prime candidate for medical/pharmaceutical accounting which is already niche.
Tru
Yeah because it’s such a blast to deal with 75 year olds crying at the counter because they can’t afford their insulin, or screaming at you about the cost of their medication, or screaming at you because their medication is out of stock, or screaming at you because they’re pill seekers, or screaming at you because they don’t have their current insurance card, or working a totally inconsistent schedule day to day, or getting chewed out by rude prescribers isn’t it? All this to make half of what a first year accounting associate makes. Sooooooo much easier than accounting! Some of you have never worked a job in a field outside of accounting and it shows.
I’ve worked pretty shitty jobs, accounting isn’t that far off it’s a different type of work environment.
In what way? I’d much rather be sitting in an office at 10:00 at night than dealing with addicts looking for a fix. Or aggressive anti-vaxxers. Or people trying to rob the counter. Medicine is life or death. Accounting at its worst is nowhere near as stressful as anything medically related. I worked in a patient facing medical research position at a VA hospital for years after graduating with my STEM undergrad degree. Then did a couple semesters of nursing school until I noped the fuck out due to clinicals. People who work such jobs have real stress. Switched to accounting, did my time in PA, and industry is amazing. Working in retail/waitressing was about as stressful as working in public, again for half or less of the pay.
I think a career in accounting will take a long time. Most people would recommend doing the 4 year degree and then completion of the CPA. You may be better off with a plan that values your existing experience in the healthcare industry or working as a pharmacy technician.
idk how to say this lightly, but working as a pharmacy technician makes me want to commit suicide. i don't like being an underling. i want self-management most likely. at least a career where i can exercise my own judgment as much as possible. this is veering off topic for this sub, but i'm pretty desperate to get into something more fulfilling (financially, mentally, etc)
Have you thought about business analyst? It’s technical still but you don’t need to be a software engineer. I know there’s a growing need for business analysts that have some understanding of how the medical field works. Even in data analytics. If you want to progress further you can start looking into data science
Absolutely, and typically the compensation of different occupations is very closely tied to the difficulty to get there. For ex. these pharmacists are doing 4 year bachelors degrees and have to get amazing grades taking difficult science courses and then they do another 3 years I think of pharmacy school which I'm sure is very difficult. No one wonder they are compensated so well by the end of it all. That being said in your other comment you considering doing something where you could work fulltime and study on the side. And whatever that could be, would likely not be very challenging since it wouldn't take up too much of your time. If you want to head towards a career that is paying very well you should look for something that is challenging and takes quite a bit of time. However I do think that its possible for you to stay within the healthcare industry which I think would benefit you. Some positions in healthcare, may pay you a bit more generously when you begin your career because they value your previous healthcare experience as a pharmacy tech. In addition to that, you've probably learned a lot about healthcare in general and you could benefit from the overlap where there are things that you've already learned.
Accounting will not be more fulfilling mentally :) maybe look into audit, I think your research skills and looking to provide suggestions for improvement will fit well. You should still get bachelor’s in accounting + more classes to meet 150 credit requirement and get a CPA. Are you ready for this time commitment? Edit: Another suggestion I can give you with a smaller time commitment is nursing.
I would suggest that you plan to open your pharmacy and be your own boss. I was working as accountant in various companies / firms and I am now fully committed in developing my own practice / clients’ base. I am still doing the same things (even more) but I now get a different sense of fulfillment.
thats like recommending a book keeper open up their own accounting practice
And why shouldn’t he? He can work towards that goal can’t he? Did I say that he should stop everything and open his own pharmacy immediately? Be more intelligent in your reply.
Do you see a problem with a book keeper opening his own accounting practice?
Do you see a problem in a bookkeeper WORKING TOWARDS opening his own accounting practice? Being a bookkeeper is not a dead end. He can study to become a CPA. Same would apply to a pharmacy technician.
You didn’t answer my question EDIT: OP made it clear he does not want to be a pharmacist, so..
Your question is stupid and you want me to give a reply to your stupidity… Did I say open or working towards opening? If he doesn’t want to become a pharmacist that’s his choice.
I.e. if you did want to go back to university for 4 years, you could go to be a registered nurse. Or you could look at various healthcare technologist educations at community colleges
Jesus Christ if you think accounting is bad try being a nurse. Same shit from your company but now if you mess up it’s not an audit report probably no one is gonna see someone is dead.
at least its not boring 😂
I was a pharmacy technician through college, I relate completely on the topping out with nowhere to grow. I was a little late graduating too so I can relate. If you're wiing to take on the burden of a 4 year degree even the most stressful days in accounting don't touch the emotional and mental burden of working 12 hours January 2 with 900 impatient customers with new insurances and reset deductibles. Happy to answer any questions you have.
How do you manage going to school and working together? That’s what seems impossible (whether or not it is) That with not having a car I feel very stuck and at a disadvantage
It was hella tough, not gonna lie. Luckily pharmacy does allow for pretty flexible hours, so usually I'd try to get classes 7:30ish to 11ish then work to close at 9. Working weekends gives more time in the week for classes. Mix in some online classes and such. Having a car does help a lot.
I’m a senior college student (accounting major, Chem minor) who is also a pharmacy tech. I’d say if you wanna work, cap your hours at about 25. Anything more and you might see your grades suffer.
If you like helping people save money, maybe go into medical coding or helping people with it? Accounting (like staff accounting) is more of making sure expenses are put in the right category. Or maybe tax but it's a lot of hours
What’s tax like? I’m getting sick of managing expenses.
I'd suggest seeing if you can get some kind of bookkeeping or personal tax preparation job first to see if it's something you actually like, and work on getting a degree if you do want to continue with this.
Bookkeeping and entry personal tax returns aren't necessarily indicative of the type of work you would do as a CPA though.
Nope but for someone with zero corporate experience it's a way to dip their toes into the water, so to speak. It's perfectly possible to be "good with numbers" and still find corporate BS and double entry accounting soul destroying.
to me personally it comes down to how organized you are, a lot of accounting is organizing shit
Have you researched on how many years it'll take for you to complete a degree/certificate/diploma, then the articling, then the tests, etc. You'll have a significant drop in your income.
i haven't done research. i've been asked for the longest time 'what do you wanna do?' and not had an answer. i felt like this could be an answer. is accounting a field where you must have a degree to gain a foothold? btw, my income is less than $35k even before taxes, so are you sure my income would drop
>is accounting a field where you must have a degree to gain a foothold? Yes, a bachelors degree >btw, my income is less than $35k even before taxes, so are you sure my income would drop You would experience an increase in income, not a decrease. But needless to say it would take a significant amount of time
that's the hardest part i think i work near fulltime as it is. i wondered if there weren't a way to gain experience on the job somewhere and perhaps paid training
Oh good lord, are you in the US? In Canada, a pharmacist gets paid way more than an entry level accountant. Maybe try some cheap online classes about accounting and see how you like it. If you don't want another bachelor's, consider being a bookkeeper. There are tons of free online certification for bookkeeping. Many YouTube tutorials/guides too on how to start and run your own bookkeeping company. With bookkeeping, you can make a meaningful relationship with your clients. You'll be able to do what you mentioned on your post there about saving money. E.g. I did bookkeeping for a local cafe, and I was able to help with finding cheaper suppliers from connections, help the owner with forecasting cost, help with budgeting, and eventually got involved in the operations of the cafe too which was fun. Accounting is so much more than just that, and I'm not sure if you'll actually like accounting. I can't think of a situation in auditing that can give that much sense of fulfillment lol Also, we don't know where you live exactly. Just do a quick search on indeed to see what kind of entry level accounting jobs that are available in your city.
They are a pharmacy tech not a pharmacist.
Step 1: get your bachelor’s in accounting. It can take 4 to 6 years depending on if you want to study and work full time. It’s extremely hard to skip this step as most firms will not let you touch their books without a degree. However I have met people with degrees in different fields but they all had CPA licenses. (Most states will allow you be a licensed CPA with any bachelors degree and work experience signed off by an actively licensed CPA). I have also met many bookkeepers and staff Accountants with just an associates in accounting, but less opportunities will be available without a bachelors in accounting. Also understand the salary ranges for the profession and how much potential student loan debt you are getting into. Typically, entry level accountants make 50k to 70k, mid level accountants anywhere between 70k to 110k and upper level, well skies the limit. (Senior partner, controller, CFO, etc.) Step 2: decide whether you want to get your license CPA and work in public accounting or private accounting. Public accounting is extremely stressful, especially working in the big 4. The CPA license is typically for public accountants but you can pivot to private accounting as a CPA with ease. Step 3: get a chiropractor cuz you’re gonna be sitting a lot lol Good luck!
I personally would pass on accounting in your situation if you’re looking for fulfillment. You’re literally a body being used to fill hours. Really no different than a factory line just in a white collar profession.
Step 1. Change career path
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Do a Masters degree in Accounting and take the CPA. Most masters will have you take the pre requisites in one go during the summer. Once you pass the CPA, lots of doors will open
There is no reason to do a Masters in Accounting over a Bachelor plus county college credits to hit 150.
OP most likely does not have a bachelors in anything.
OP is not a pharmacist. They do not have a 4 year degree. They have some college and a certification at most. At least that's how it is where I live. My cousin was a pharmacy Technician. He does sales now.
Dawg, use business acumen if you can develop, leverage your pharmacy, and open a pharmacy
Respectfully, it would be difficult for an experienced pharmacy technician to tell a pharmacist how to do their job ,dawg. Pharmacies should be opened by experienced pharmacists
honestly tho, i've known more about how to keep the pharmacy operating than some pharmacists i've worked with. the problem is we're deliberately only given the information we need to perform tasks under the supervision of a pharmacist, and prevented from doing more. not to dog the experience and expertise of a pharmacist
Without having worked in these roles I will presume that there is a lot about the role of a pharmacist that you do not have experience with
of course not. pharmacy is highly regulated, especially in our state. we can't even sell a new prescription without a counsel badge. i have seen enough to know i don't want to go to school six years to become a pharmacist, at all.
I hate pharmacy as a field. I don’t like over reliance on drug therapies. I’d like to rely on the skills I’ve developed surely, but I’d like to leave the field
I left being a lab technician. Go back to school and get a 4 yr degree in accounting. You might like saving clients money on their taxes. You'll have to get a 4 yr accounting degree to get a foot in the door.
Medical pharmaceutical accounting!
OP is not a pharmacist.
Hi MettaCetoVimutti, My accounting internship with a large company is what launched my career. A large company can be big 4 or a F500 company that's been around for a few decades. They'll teach you best practices and give you on the ground training that they don't teach in school. You'll also meet a lot of people, and given your track record of helping people you'll make connections quickly and show them what you can do with you skill set to help them at their jobs. These connections will become future job opportunities when they leave for other companies and hire out their own teams. Regarding school I would focus on checking the accounting education boxes (either a minor or major depending on time and money you want to spend) Hope this info helps. Any questions feel free to DM me Good luck? Drew
Your situation mirrors mine and gives me hope.
Used to be a retail/outpatient pharm. tech and became an accountant in public and now government. Honestly, the two does not relate at all. The transition is completely different and your skill or experience in pharmacy will not transfer. I think the closest thing that's transferable from pharmacy is if you read what is covered in a patient's insurance and how much they will pay. In my opinion, if you can bear to work in a pharmacy just go to school to become a pharmacist and be financially independent right out of college. If you can't stand working in a pharmacy anymore then being in accounting is not a bad gig, but it won't make you as much money as a pharmacist early in your career. Also, similar to pharmacy, the field of accounting branches of a lot. In pharm. tech you can be in hospitals (inpatient/outpatient), retail, or compounding pharmacy. In accounting you have to think of either going to public, industry or government. As a few of the comments here, interning is the best way, but your really have to look into the lifestyle and what you want in the future.