Considerations Of A Career In Accounting Before You Make The Plunge
It’s a big decision to enter graduate school and earn your degree in accounting. And it’s not one that should be taken lightly. But before you decide to make the plunge, here are some things you need to know about how this career can affect your life.
What it Means First of all, let me explain the goals you will be working toward. Accountants serve as managers and administrators for business, helping companies establish accounting policies and procedures that help them meet their objectives. Accountants also advise other business professionals on the effective use of financial resources to achieve goals.
What it's Like Follow this link to find out about the positions in which I work and what my typical day looks like! Accounting has a lot of math and numbers, so you need a strong math background. You also need to be able to work independently and make quick decisions. I used to work in the financial sector, but today I have many clients that come to me in a variety of industries. The thing I like most about being an accountant is that I meet new people every day with different backgrounds and experiences.
It's Not Always Easy With all this career talk, it may seem difficult to imagine yourself choosing this path…it’s a big jump from working on the lawn crew or mowing somebody’s lawn to being a CPA. Read More...
Why I Do It My path in accounting is similar to what I expected. When I was in high school, my mom and dad encouraged me to go to college, so I enrolled in a community college. Once I received my Associates Degree, they encouraged me to continue working toward a bachelor’s degree and then a Master’s Degree. After receiving my BS degree from Dallas Baptist University, my dad said he wanted me to get an accounting job…this was before the great recession!
The Money In most jobs that are primarily for people with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, earnings decrease with each additional level of education; but that’s not always the case for accountants. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for accountants who had a bachelor’s degree was $62,000 in 2011. Those with a master’s made about $74,000. But as your education level increases, your earnings tend to level off.
Your Career Outlook The career outlook is good for accountants. According to the BLS, employment of accountants and auditors is expected to increase by 32 percent between 2010 and 2020. That’s far faster than average for all occupations (13 percent).
The Downside I have a question for you…why not just go get a job as a securities trader? You can also go into other areas, such as becoming an auditor or an actuary. It’s nice to have options. However, I would like to tell you why accountants should choose this career path over the ones that are available. There are many good reasons:
*Accounting is a well-respected profession. The people who work in accounting are some of the most ethical and diligent people in society, providing their clients with valuable services on a daily basis. You will get to meet lots of different people while training to be an accountant.
*Accountants are a vital part of the American economy. There are billions of dollars at stake every day that accountants manage. They make sure companies can effectively allocate resources, so our country can be more productive and economic growth is faster.
*Accounting is an exciting career. I enjoy my work every day and have met a lot of interesting people along the way. One client recently came to see me because President Obama was supposed to be in town that day! That’s right…the President was coming to visit his hometown! How cool is that?
*Professional growth opportunities abound for accountants who work hard and keep up with new trends in their field. There are many opportunities to advance in your career and earn more money.
*There is a need for accountants everywhere, especially when you consider the growth rate of accounting over the last 20 years! According to statistics, the accounting profession has grown at about twice the rate of other jobs in America. Not only that, but there are more open accounting positions than unemployed accountants available to fill them! Basically, this tells me that there will always be a demand for smart and efficient accountants, who can do their job well.
So What Are my Chances Of Getting A Job? If you’re asking this question, then I would like to tell you all about some great resources I have for you. I just started an online accounting degree program. This will prepare you for a career as a CPA and teach you many other skills that can help prepare you for other areas of the accounting industry. I have also joined the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, which is home to over 400,000 professionals who are working hard to provide accounting services and education.
You should consider yourself lucky if you get the chance to pursue an accounting degree while maintaining full-time employment. Once again, I encourage you to start doing your homework before making a decision that could affect your future for decades. Read More...
So Are You Ready To Pursue Your Dream? If you’re serious about being an accountant, then I hope you will take your future seriously and make a plan to become one. It’s not as hard as you think. Just follow the right steps, keep your eyes on the prize, and remember why you’re doing this…for YOU!
Go back to the main accounting careers page.
You can also check out our list of popular accounting career choices below.
Accounting Careers List Accounting Jobs Accountants keep track of money and assets for businesses. They help businesses make better financial decisions by looking at their business records. Accountants can assist businesses in various aspects such as payroll, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and income taxes.
Accounting Jobs Accountants can help businesses stay within the confines of laws and regulations. Some accountants are specialists in a given field within accounting such as financial accounting and auditing. An accounting specialist should be able to give good advice to an organization based on the information they’ve gathered.
Conclusion
Accounting is an exciting career choice that will help you develop a solid foundation for success in the future. It’s not too late to change careers or re-purpose your skills. Remember, though, that whatever career you choose, you’ll need to work hard at it to be rewarded with financial security and well-deserved recognition.
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Fast Facts About The Financial Industry Did you know? Accountants help their clients manage money and make sound financial decisions. There are a lot of job opportunities in the accounting field so it’s not too late to pursue one as your career choice.