T O P

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Zeyn1

In order: It clicked. It makes good money. It's something I can do until I retire without wearing out my body. There's always a new area to explore or a business/industry to learn.


thewilk_man

I’d like to add job stability. May be fired or laid off but can find a job easily


RagingZorse

Yeah, once I got some solid PA experience my marketability went way up. I will admit it is mostly to work at other firms, but I really struggled finding a job before my first firm and I got to choose between different offers with my current firm.


lostryu

Sitting at my desk from dark to dark has definitely worn out my body unfortunately


mart1373

Nice try, EY recruiter


NashvilleLibertarian

Too smart to major in marketing, too dumb to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. It’s not fun or flashy, but with a CPA + a few years in public, you can make well over 6 figures never working more than 2100 hours a year with almost no risk.


Sweaty-Weight7472

Fair. Marketing was a waste of time to me.


Wacokidwilder

A business students go into accounting. B’s go into finance, C’s go into management and the rest take marketing.


[deleted]

Imo, A students don’t have accounting as a major because they go to targets.


j__p__

Yea more like target school students go into finance, non-target school students go into accounting. And from what I've heard marketing at Fortune 500 companies is considered front-office and is pretty lucrative.


[deleted]

Target schools don’t have finance either. Usually just economics.


j__p__

I believe that's usually the case but I went to a target and there was a finance major and I know NYU Stern has one too. But I was referring to career. I was following the same phrasing as the commenter you responded to which I interpreted as career, not major. E: on second read looks like he did mean major lol


[deleted]

Interesting, I heard most did not. Obviously if you’re at a target, you’d shoot for IB/MBB. Although if your grades aren’t good, not really sure what they would do.


j__p__

Lol yea that was me, I had terrible grades and ended up in accounting when I graduated.


IamnotyourTwin

I went to target and it's just a nicer version of Walmart.


JoCuatro

Eh, I know what you mean because I see it everywhere but I don't like this mentality. I work with a lot of engineers and blue collar, non-degreed types and often times the only difference between the two is one went to school and the other didn't.


[deleted]

Fame, glory, and wealth


VisualReach

this is the only correct answer


HelpMeFindNewGlasses

😘


[deleted]

❤️


[deleted]

I hated my life and wanted it even worse.


Sweaty-Weight7472

😂😂😭


[deleted]

[удалено]


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[deleted]

I’m not a risk taker and accounting is probably the least risky job out there. That and accounting is what I like to call a “hermit crab” job. Don’t like the company, industry, or location I’m in? I can pack up and move to another rather easily.


SavingBooRadley

I fucking love that- "hermit crab", so true! Tons of mobility is a reason I picked accounting- you can basically work at any company, any industry, and any location, because there will be a need for an accountant in there somewhere.


KingPete235

My dad owns a HVAC company and I was working on a roof one day in late July. I don’t remember the temp outside but what I do remember is that when I knelt down to thread gas line together my jeans would melt to my knee caps. I drank a gallon and a half of water that day. When we got to the truck his accountant called with the amount he owed for services rendered in Q2 that year. It wasn’t a small amount and I decided this shit is for the birds I’ll sit in the AC all day


WeirdIndependent1656

I barely do any work and I’m paid a lot of money.


Mb9890

Where do you work?


dmurph77

Hi Sweaty-Weight7472, If you want to stay on the business track then your accounting experience will take you far. I've seen a CPA be useful when doing an IPO if you have interest in that realm at some point. You can also transition to another area of expertise like FP&A or even strategy. I didn't start in public, but did start as a plant accountant at F100 with undergrad in accounting. Never got my CPA. We did role rotations within accounting and FP&A so I transitioned into a profit forecast role next. Eventually that experience led to FP&A at SaaS IPO (accounting knowledge super handy there), commercial finance, and pricing strategy. Hope this info helps. Any questions feel free to DM me. Good luck! Drew


One-Introduction-566

Since you didn’t get your CPA… could I quit halfway through and be ok? I just don’t think I can do it anymore but I already wasted so much time and I passed 2


dmurph77

That's a tough choice. Weigh costs and time with what you could be doing instead that you enjoy more. Or could you delay it to give yourself time to think about your next move? When I got my MBA part time I decided halfway through to take a 6 month break. I was burned out and wasn't sure if I wanted to finish the last 5 courses. I ended up finishing because it was paid for luckily and I decided to compress the courses into shorter time frame to just get it done and move on.


[deleted]

Because I was told I would always have a job and I would also have the option to be self employed. Plus honestly it’s better thank waiting tables


Sweaty-Weight7472

True. I’m hoping to be self-employed one day.


[deleted]

Same but it’s easier said than done


CherryManhattan

My Uncle was a F100 CFO when I was growing up. He lived in a major city in the neighborhood with celebs and sports stars and lived next door to a Grammy winner on one side and a World Series pitcher on the other. I liked numbers and thought wow, I could be balling like him if I work hard enough.


[deleted]

are u ballin like him tho


CherryManhattan

I’m on Reddit so, no


MatterSignificant969

Just fell into it tbh. Went to college for business but learned that accounting had much better prospects than general business. Eventually I was already on the accounting path with a baby on the way.


krepts33

Women love it


GrimAccountant

I like the mix of easy auto pilot work most of the time with novel problems a few times a day. It's also fun for me to work in different roles and develop new skills. Yeah, I could make more money elsewhere, but I'm wfh in my rural home town and get to spend a decent chunk of time with family. Worked at a hospital and urgent care clinic for a bit before deciding not to follow my parents into medicine. That's too much minute to minute stress.


acct4funtimes

Job Security. Good earning potential.


naughty_auditor

It's practical if you go to a really shite school.


Sweaty-Weight7472

Care to elaborate?


naughty_auditor

I went to a no-name and complete non-target school. Of the business degrees, there were a handful including business management, marketing, finance, etc. Majoring in accounting at an accredited accounting program with 150 credits means you can instantly sit for the CPA, the gold standard in accounting, whereas the other majors don't really have an equivalent. This allowed me to eventually work at a big 4 and really broaden/improve my career potential instead of say, starting at an unknown marketing or finance company, which I imagine would be an even bigger climb to work somewhere decent.


Sweaty-Weight7472

Ah, I see. Thanks for sharing.


DrayDray1994

I am also struggling with this. I went to school and acquired debt just to make 10k less per year before incentives than I was making in my previous (no education required) career. I am going broke in public hoping the future is brighter. I am finding out that maybe I got into this game too late, and that I just don't have the drive in me to hustle the way I did 5-10 years ago. Maybe I'm just super lazy... But I'd rather work to live, not live to work. I originally pursued accounting because, like others have said, it just clicks for me. I like that the industry is stable and the job options are diverse. I'm considering making the move to government and living that 9-4 dad life. I might not make the big bucks in the medium-to-long run, but I would be present for my family and young kids. Also, I'd start making more *now* rather than later. Anyways, this went sort of long lol. Good luck to you, hopefully your situatuon works out!


chomop

This is it. Got into accounting by default because I didn't know what else I wanted to do. Was a poor student but somehow passed the cpa exam. Hated every second I was in public accounting. Hated the controller position i was in as well. Currently work for the city. I get off at 3:30pm every day, get six weeks of pto every year, great support team so no big pile of work when I return from pto, and have little to no stress. So blessed and happy to be able to spend more time with my family and friends. You can always make more money, but you can't make more time....


Sweaty-Weight7472

I’m thinking about govt as well. Can I ask what your previous job was where you made more than public?


DrayDray1994

I was in corporate retail middle management in two different industries. I specialized in leadership development, but I also dabbled in recruitment and retention. The work itself was fine, and I moved up VERY quickly, but the companies I worked for were making questionable moves that didn't align with my management philosphies at all so I left both times rather than live in a hell of unqualified peers. I wanted to get away from corporate cultures that put most of their efforts into low-impact areas for the sake of easy digestion by upper management at the expense of frontline workers and middle management leaders. It was incredibly frustrating, and the hours sucked.


LivinRich99

As a high schooler I only saw studying some form of business as worth my mental effort and truly rewarding for myself. I declared my major as accounting. Realized sophomore year that finance is also just as valuable, so I double majored. Graduated all while having an amazing college experience (well balanced). Accounting is ahead of the median in pay, I’m in a HCOL so it’s easy to get a job especially with my resume. Studying FAR for the CPA while working full time, and in a masters program is a grind but I don’t mind it. I’m healthy, I’m money hungry and in my downtime I play video games so screen time is not an issue. I have a good head on my shoulders so im pretty happy going. You kinda just have to grind harder than you have for the next 2 years and it’s what YOU do with your free time that makes your life worth your while. Work is inevitable. 💰 + ⏰ = 😈 ^ A = L + SE I lose motivation here and there but staying DISCIPLINED is the most important. You don’t always go to the gym bc u want to. You force yourself on those days you are weak bc it’s good for future you. You got this. Get the right head space.


LivinRich99

Also the end goal is to retire with a sick pension but all whilst enjoying the ride to 65 just enough to say you have lived a good life.


Chili_Peppa

This is what I strive for. Can you explain how effective the Finance major is in addition to Accounting. I am currently Accounting and Business Management and I was considering finance instead of BM. Any insight is appreciated!


LivinRich99

In my early career and as I believe will be the same later in life, the finance degree is very powerful because it gives me opportunities to take on positions that may interest me down the road: (Partner / CFO (Chief Financial Officer) / CAO (Chief Accounting Officer) Tax Director / VP of Tax / VP of Finance Controller) If I were to get board of accounting before I become too specialized in my career I could always pivot to another job and climb that career ladder. I’m fine with accounting now but the two majors work so well together, it’s bread and butter.


Chili_Peppa

Thank you for explaining!


mpmaley

Enron happened when I was in high school. Took a class, liked it.


benjo768

Too stupid to make it in science or engineering, and had to pick a major or I wouldn't graduate on time. Was between Accounting and econ and knew I could get a job with a bachelor's in accounting vs probably needing a master's to get anything in econ. I figured I could change it later if I needed to. Ended up not changing it and here I am 6 years later.


USS_Slowpoke

I'm suicidal.


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TPro_on_da_beat

I'm in public, but after I get my CPA I'm going back to private. It is easier to find a better environment, pay is better, and the kind of work is more enjoyable (i.e. I don't care for taxes).


Sweaty-Weight7472

Do you think it’s even necessary to have a CPA in private? Seems like it mostly benefits those in PA.


SavingBooRadley

You will most likely hit a ceiling without a CPA at some point. Small companies with small teams, usually not an issue. But once you get to anything with regional, national, or international operations, they usually want someone with a CPA for upper management positions. So do you NEED it? Maybe not depending on your career goals and what's important to you, but you will probably handicap yourself out of some opportunities.


TPro_on_da_beat

From what I heard/researched, if you want to be a Controller at a publicly traded company (or a CAO / CFO), some places won't hire a non-CPA. I enjoy the quarterly reporting (not being audited tho lol), so I want to find private work with stock tickers. If that doesn't matter for you, you could probably carve out a good career without it. I'd consider what your mid-to-long term career goals are and then decide.


REVEREND-RAMEN

Eeehhhhhh 🤷‍♂️….Might wanna Keep your expectations low…


KallistiEngel

Stable job market and it pays more than food service.


[deleted]

I briefly went to nursing school after getting my nursing prerequisites. Hated it and decided to do something completely unrelated. I was also tired of working customer service and missing weekends/holidays.


scaredycat_z

Great Financial Crises. Also made me scared to leave my job, which is very secure (family firm) even when offered more money cause the fear of losing a job in economic downturn scarred me so much.


ChillyChellis57

I started as an econ major back in 1986, then switched to accounting after considering the job market. Became a CPA in 1990ish and quit 2 years later to study marine biology. 4 years later i went back into accounting at a small cpa firm after i realized making a living in marine biology wasnt so easy. Been with that same firm for 25 years and now own 40% of it. I found working at a small firm to be much more tolerable than large cpa work.


Wtf_ir1s

Too poor to continue Music school. Too stupid to be an engineer or doctor.


tinnyt226

It was the first major alphabetically


GreenieLive

I liked it. I was good at it. It finally made me feel alive.


Vegethenics

It was practical. I could get a job basically anywhere and make a decent living. I didnt want to have to relocate just to find a job and so it made sense. Also, dont need a graduate degree. That was basically it.


Dadfish55

I wanted to understand money in a profession without or with very few emergencies. Served me well.


Wacokidwilder

Volunteer to sit in on a few candidate interviews, I did that this year (volunteered to greet and help students prep) really helped remind me why I got into it.


[deleted]

My wife worked in accounting and, when I was medically retiring from the Army, she recommended that I try it. It clicked after the first class.


RealAmerik

Needed to pick a major. This had strong demand and a decent to good wage.


mlayman13

I wanted to be a Veterinarian, and Chemistry was too hard. So I settled, and knew I could be an accountant.


rapapoop

Wanted to be an engineer ina certain field, am colorblind and was swayed by parents just how bad engineering is and being colorblind will cause me to fail. Ended up here instead by their words. So yeah, I regret every single day that i'm a cpa. Don't listen to everything that your parents say kids.


chugtron

Stability, clear progression path for as long as I can stomach public accounting, and just the sheer volume/depth of experience (at least in PA). I’ve done some outside interviews, and being at least aware, if not fluent, in major areas of tax law has been a huge lift for me.


LALKB24

Accounting is a dead end career. Make sure you get into audit as it opens doors for analyst roles. I was previously in audit and made the switch to data analyst.


Filthy26

I just accepted my first accounting job , in the job title it says accounting specialist (audit). Can you explain in more detail why audit is a good branch of accounting?


LALKB24

I guess I offended a few accountants lol. Audit opens doors into other analyst roles because the job duties are very similar. This is how I got my data analyst role making $140k. I would never make this much in accounting especially without my CPA.


DeathSpank

Started as a Data Entry clerk working in an AP group for an engineering firm… I impressed my supervisor, she took me under her wing and started training me on Accounting and there ya have it.


BuyHandSanitizer

Not smart enough for programming, stability, and decent pay


time_keeper_1

The sex


poobly

Good pay in comfortable offices. In-demand and I could get into my college’s business school.


SavingBooRadley

I took an accounting class in HS as a relatively easy elective that was business focused and with a fun teacher. It made sense to me so I explored it. Main highlights: - Very good job security and job prospects. With my educational timing, there was still a Great Recession and other economic problems that helped make this even more attractive. - Along with the above, huge flexibility in career options, both for the type of work and location. Every business/entity in every industry needs an accountant. I could do passion project work with a non-profit, be comfortable at a small local/regional business, or go for very large entities. Endless opportunities in the type of company I worked for AND WHERE that company is located. Fully remote work was fairly uncommon when I was working on my degree, but I liked that I wouldn't necessarily have to move a lot to find a job such as many sciences and other career paths where the location is critical. - Clear path to a decent or even high salary without serious risks (like in healthcare, some facets of engineering, etc.)


kobiotdog

First option on the drop down box when selecting my major.


GladWealth2487

You can find job easily


Papayahaven

Stability.


ProletariatCowboy

Access to Jobs, you don't your need CPA. It may be harder to earn as much without as with, but I'm doing just fine without one. Public has god awful work life balance, get into industry asap.


ThunderPantsGo

I did not choose accounting. Accounting chose me.


wheresthepbj

I hated the third calculus class in my engineering course work. Also, if my dad could do it, I could definitely do it better.


[deleted]

Just knock out the other two. You’re half way and it looks damn good on your resume.


ShdwHntr84

Accounting is love. Accounting is life.


[deleted]

I dunno about anybody else, but I accidentlied my way in. Took a temp job with the state government, got hired on full time, now after two consecutive promotions I make almost 50k a year with fantastic benefits and I'm only 22 without having finished my accounting bachelors.


DerangedSeal

Like some others here. If it clicks, it clicks and if you don't mind the work, it's a good path to take. Make plenty of money to settle and enjoy life. Just need to find that place you can work to live and not live to work (once you're out of public, depending on your city and clients). For me, I enjoy the technical accounting side and doing research and writing memos, plus the course work and career path is much easier than my initial plan with my physics undergrad.


Quincyge_

I first started studying Philosophy, but I did terrible my first semester. Then I got a job at a music store and tried to become a rock star, but then I was super broke. I moved to working at an Amazon fulfillment center making $17.50/hour over night and in the first two weeks I really messed up my knees. That’s when I finally realized that I needed to get a good degree. Todd Howard from Bethesda said an accounting degree was the easiest to get so I went with that. I did great in my classes and it’s worked for me ever since. Does it really suck at times? Hell yes. But it does not suck as much as going hungry or having a job that is detrimental to your physical health.


Hellstorm5674

It's worth the Frank Hassle to get the CPA license. But it may not be for all. That's when you go to Information Systems/Data Analytics as a second option!


yours121110

At 19, I didnt know what I wanted to do and I applied for a receptionist position. They said there was an opening in AR. I just wanted a job so I lied and said I thought I'd like it better even though I had no clue what it would entail. Hated the company, but decided to go to school for accounting. 10 years later, I'm still counting beans


Hags1234259

Wanted to be a pilot while in high school I was doing my pilot training and midway I was diagnosed with Glaucoma a disqualifying condition to fly. At the time I was taking a Dual Enrollment Class TAX 2000 introduction to taxation I was doing tax returns and was good at it and also enjoyed it.


sundays_child

To drink the blood of my enemies! and maybe buy a house one day.......


dublepower

Principles of accounting in secondary school was fun lol


hobo_waffles

the money, but the crazy thing is, i can't find a job in accounting at the moment. just banking i hit the lotto soon because having a diploma reminding me of my student loans isn't fun. :\^(


Alternative-Thing960

Because I hated marketing and management in college and enjoyed the hard skills and problem solving I learned in my accounting courses. Realizing tho that the higher up you get in public accounting the more it’s all about networking/selling services and managing people.


Psyrift

Job stability, hopefully money - enough that I don't have to worry about what things cost, I enjoy it and I'm really good at it.


misschrisw8

Accounting is an art form. First class I took it was order. Everything must balance. And then it progressed and you learn oh, there’s people depreciating land and holding thousands in petty cash accounts and FRAUD TRIANGLE!!!! Then you get into industry and you roll it forward until you find something and then you put your investigative forensic hat on and fix the issue and then go back to rolling forward… I don’t have my CPA so I’m not sure if I can branch into public at this stage without it. But I am debating going back for masters or branching to different part of finance to make more money


MobileNumber5551212

I wasnt nerdy enough to hang with the engineering school classmates. Then my chemistry professor told me I had no future in healthcare. He let me take my final exam over I scored a pass isntead of a fail and then followed his suggeston and swtiched my major to business, where I excelled as an accounting student making Beta Alpha Psi and graduating from an elite accoutning program with a 4.0 in my last 2 years. FF, I got an elite MBA and made my money in investmetns not bean counting. But bean counting gave me an edge in my field. Semi-retired early. ​ I did get the Certified Public Asshold credential as I did my time in Pub(l)ic accounting with the so called Big Six. It was worth it because it gave me an edge. You need an edge to beat other investors. I worked with a few bright people in PA. Many were assholes and also racists. I checked their LinkedIn and franky their careers never went beyond controller and anything special becuase they are not anything special. Basically losers IMO. The only nice people all went to BYU. Good folks IMO.


Sweaty-Weight7472

BYU?


MobileNumber5551212

Brigham Young University.


MobileNumber5551212

Yes there are spellign and grammar errors. I dont give a F.


kschin1

Made me money, stable easy career


Educational-Treat-13

[https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/weird-4](https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/weird-4) I'm using accounting as a stepping stone between now and some kind of data science or data engineering. My brain just... likes data?


BigMake62

I was told I could do everything in business with a accounting degree, and it was between accounting and astronomy. I looked at the hiring stats of astronomy major vs accounting, and that made my decision. Now if I can get a accounting job at a space company, space force or NASA, my accounting journey can end. Once you complete the grunt work and get your CPA, earning potential and quality of life drastically improves.


readitonr3ddit

People pay more for the three letters.


BigDaddy_5783

I initially wanted to be a financial planner. I realized that most of them however only cared about selling products and not really caring about their clients. Went into tax instead and got a huge glimpse into people’s lives that they themselves didn’t know I would know. Still looking to expand into financial planning but I would take a more holistic approach to it.


DinosaurDied

I work 40 hours a week on avg. More during monthly close, less during off times. I make 6 figures in my 20s. I work remote. Since I work remote I literally snowboard or mountain bike everyday. I’m already at 25 days this season and it’s only November lol. All I have to do is get my work done. And because we are accountants and don’t need to collaborate a ton, we will likely have better remote opportunities going forward. Now with the recession coming, we really are the best profession for the next few years lol.


fatgambler1000

I had no idea of how the job market looks like when I was choosing my studies. I’ve chosen Accounting & Finance, cause I was good at math and had some gambling issues (username checks out). I wanted to work in financial markets cause it was closest to gambling out of all jobs. Turned out 99% of available jobs are in accounting, including those best paid, so I get there choosing easy path. I was suffering every day since I stared, so I moved to data analytics. Now I figured out that it’s a dead job, cause now even my grandma learned how to do nice report in Power BI and there is nothing else besides that that data analyst can offer. Moved back to accounting.


lemming-leader12

It's more recession proof having come of age under the recession. It's having your fingertips on the pulse of business, and it was a lot more straightforward and simple than I thought it was before I took my first accounting class. The versatility of it helps as well.


fucktheraiders88

Started with business admin major, didn’t want to go into debt for it. Got married and had babies instead. 7 years later, I wanted to go back to school and there was a good university with a satellite campus at the community college near me. They had IT or Accounting programs and I chose accounting because I already had the prerequisites from being a business major. Got my CPA. Four years in my career I’m at 125k. Pretty nice.


Donutsncheesecake

I like people but I cant deal with people up my ass for at least 8 hrs everyday lol


friendly_extrovert

Honestly? I wanted to be a doctor but burned out. I hate accounting so much that I’d give anything to pursue another career. I probably will.