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Career Rating and Comparison
| Category | This Career | All Rated Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Career Satisfaction |    | |
Degrees and Schools
Students may pursue bachelors or masters degrees in accounting, or business administration with a concentration on accounting. Colleges and universities offer B.S., B.B.A. and M.B.A. degree programs that qualify graduates for accounting and auditing jobs. Graduates from educational programs that are accredited by organizations such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) are often preferred by employers. Many graduates take an additional 30 hours of coursework to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Community colleges and business schools offer associate's degrees in accounting that, when combined with substantial relevant experience, may meet the requirements of some employers for jobs as junior accountants.
Classes
Coursework for accounting students typically combines time in class with lab time learning software packages. Internships are common, as they are key to gaining the work experience required to obtain certification and licensure in states that require it. Classes usually include:
- budgeting
- financial analysis and reporting
- taxation
- accounting systems
- managerial accounting
- internal controls
- internal and external auditing
- international accounting
- software packages
- ethics, laws and regulations
- accounting issues specific to not-for-profit and government organizations
- business courses
Online Classes and Programs
Obtaining a degree or taking courses for certification in accounting online is common. As there are many programs to choose from, selecting accredited programs such as those certified by the AACSB can help narrow down choices. Be sure to evaluate carefully the financial aid, job placement and internship opportunities available through any online program.
Online courses should also be part of an institution with accreditation from agencies approved by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or United States Department of Education (USDE).
Employment Requirements
Most employers require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in accounting or business administration with a concentration on accounting. However, some may require a master's degree in these areas, while others may accept an associate's degree in combination with substantial work experience, especially for junior accountant positions.
Any accountant that files a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is by law required to be a CPA. Accordingly, most states require that public accountants be licensed CPAs to practice. To obtain certification and a license, applicants are usually required to pass the Uniform CPA Examination prepared by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and meet specific educational and experience requirements, including an additional 30 hours of college-level coursework.
To promote their hireability, accountants and auditors may pursue optional certification from a list of accrediting agencies, including:
- Accreditation Council for Accountancy and Taxation
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
- Association of Government Accountants
- Institute of Internal Auditors
- Institute of Management Accountants
- ISACA
How to Evaluate Accounting Schools
Prospective accountants or auditors should consider asking the following questions when evaluating programs:
- Focus - Does the program emphasize, or provide sufficient course offerings, for specialization in an area of choice such as internal auditing or forensic accounting? Are courses oriented towards earning a CPA credential?
- Accreditation and reputation - Is the program accredited by the AACSB? How does it compare to other accredited programs? Is it nationally or regionally ranked by a respected publication?
- Class size - Are courses and labs often crowded? Are classes difficult to get into because of popularity?
- Practical experience - Does the school coordinate an internship program with plenty of appealing opportunities?
- Tuition and financial assistance - What resources are available to students to help them take advantage of scholarships, grants, work/study, loans and other kinds of financial aid?
- Additional costs - Will students be expected to purchase expensive software programs and manuals, or pay lab fees?
- Career assistance - Does the school coordinate sizeable job fairs with desirable companies? Is there a well-organized job placement program? What is the program's track record for placing graduates?
Accountant or Auditor Job Description
Companies, government agencies, and institutions of all sizes and industries rely on accountants and auditors to make sure they keep accurate financial records and pay taxes on time and correctly. Additionally, any taxpayer may rely on an accountant for similar services. Other services an accountant or auditor may provide include financial and investment planning, budget analysis, some legal services and information technology consulting.
What is Accounting?
An entertaining animation that explains accounting in a way that almost anyone should understand. Covers the three different users of accounting info (insiders, outsiders, and government) and the different “languages of accounting” used. Produced by AccountingWITT.
There are four basic types of accounting: public, government, management and internal auditing. Responsibilities include:
- advising on tax-related advantages and disadvantages of business decisions
- preparing individual and corporate income tax returns
- advising on compensation and health care benefits
- designing accounting / data processing systems
- selecting controls to protect assets
- external auditing of financial statements; verifying for investors and authorities that statements have been properly prepared and reported
- investigating and analyzing bankruptcies and contract disputes, money laundering, securities fraud and embezzlement, and other potentially criminal financial transactions
- maintaining and reviewing records of government agencies to ensure accuracy and proper processing
- auditing individuals and private businesses whose activities are subject to taxation and/or government regulations
- ensuring that revenues are received and expenditures are made in accordance with laws and regulations
- working for the Federal government in budget analysis and administration, financial management, financial institution examination or as Internal Revenue Service agents
- strategic planning and developing products as part of an executive team
- recording, analyzing and interpreting a company's financial information for its executives
- budgeting and performance evaluation
- cost management and asset management
- preparing financial reports for creditors, regulatory agencies, tax authorities and stockholders
- verifying the effectiveness of an organization's internal controls
- checking for waste, mismanagement or fraud
- evaluating an organization's financial and information systems, internal controls and management procedures
- reviewing company operations for effectiveness, efficiency and compliance with government regulations and corporate policies
- reviewing and recommending controls for an organization’s computer systems to ensure reliability, safety and integrity of protected information
Public Accounting
Career tips, salaries, and lists of schools.
Public accountants in general conduct a wide variety of activities that include accounting, tax preparation and advising, auditing and consulting. They often specialize in one or more areas:
Many public accountants are Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), and some states require that they be.
Government Accounting and Auditing
Areas of responsibilities can include:
Management Accounting
Areas of work for managerial accountants can include:
Management accountants may also be called managerial, cost, corporate, industrial or private accountants.
Internal Auditing
Internal auditors may specialize as compliance auditors, information technology auditors and/or environmental auditors. Their work can include:
Accountants and auditors may work in one office, travel to different offices regularly, or work from home.
From an Expert:
Accounting Career Choices
Helpful overview of accounting career paths, including public accounting, industry accounting, not-for-profit accounting, government accounting. Covers specific kinds of jobs in each path and advantages. Touches upon ethics as well. Produced by Larry Walther of principlesofaccounting.com.
Career Profiles
To help career searchers evaluate their options, BrainTrack has asked hundreds of workers to profile their jobs with a review and ratings. See below for a summary of this career compared to all rated careers and for detailed reviews.
| Category | This Career | All Rated Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Career Satisfaction | | |
| Opportunity for Promotion | | |
| Career Flexibility | | |
| How Cool Is The Career | | |
| How Stressful | | |
| Social Orientation | | |
| Earnings Potential | | |
| Task Variety | | |
| Job Security | | |
Job Title: Accountant
Attended: San Diego State • San Diego, CA
Studied Accounting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"It can be boring. I like to do different things."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | SDSU has one of the best accounting programs. It is very difficult. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | The company is growing. New positions are opening up. |
| Job Security | 8 | I am good at my job. I work hard and they notice. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | There is opportunity for growth, and this means there will be raises. |
| How Stressful | 9 | The industry is competitive. The deadlines are very short. |
| Task Variety | 5 | I do the same things everyday usually. Some days I request new tasks. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Many people want to work at my company. This industry is competitive. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | My position does not allow me to work at home. It is also difficult to get time off. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | People are constantly asking me to help them. The VP of sales is always calling me. |
Job Title: CFO
Attended: Missouri State University • Springfield, MO
Studied Accounting (completion in 1980)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"Accountants are needed in almost all areas of business. Career opportunities are plentiful."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Strong business school. Too much emphasis being placed on other majors than accounting |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | Many companies look to advance individuals with a strong understanding of all areas of a business. Accounting requires a thorough understanding of all areas of a business. |
| Job Security | 7 | Banking field is continually in need of qualified employees due to increased regulation. Accounting is a basis that allows you to continue into other areas of a business due to your understanding of what makes a company financially successful. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | Accounting provides the ability to find ways to make a company more successful financially. Because of this, it provides a direct connection to the ability to earn more as a reward for your contribution. |
| How Stressful | 7 | Accounting is involved in all areas of a business. So if any area of a business is struggling, you get involved in that struggle and try to determine how to correct it. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Since you deal with all areas of a business, you may be working with the marketing area one day, a production area the next, a customer the next, and so on. It allows for a variety of knowledge and contacts. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | Accounting is generally not viewed as a cool career. However, it is recognized for people's ability to advance and earn a good wage, so in that sense it is cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | Accounting generally requires hands on work in different departments. You must be available when and where those other departments work. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | Accounting works with all other areas of a business. You must interact with every area on their level. |
Job Title: President/Founder
Attended: University Of Texas At Austin • Austin, TX
Studied Higher Education Administration (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Doctorate
• Submitted: 3/7/2012
"After graduating with a BBA and MBA in Accounting, I entered the PhD program in Higher Education Administration. I have recently started a new consulting company in which I perform all accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll duties for the company myself."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | Although my grades were high throughout my undergraduate and graduate program in accounting at Texas Tech University, I was disappointed at how difficult the CPA exam was. I had expected to be better prepared upon graduation. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | There are always accounting positions available. In terms of moving up to the executive ranks in a major company, I would need to have passed the CPA exam. I didn't like my career being limited so I went back to school. |
| Job Security | 7 | My job is secure as long as I want to do it. My main concern is the ongoing need to get new clients, something I have not had much experience with or education in during school. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | As long as you pass the CPA exam, there are many options available with high potential earnings, especially in tax accounting with a large firm. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Depending on your specialty, accounting can be highly stressful. There are many rules and regulations that you must always be knowledgeable about. These regulations are updated frequently, especially regarding payroll and taxes. |
| Task Variety | 4 | While daily tasks themselves are varied, there is a flow with date-driven time periods such as monthly P & Ls, cash flow calculation, quarterly statements, tax reports, and such. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | Accountants have never been perceived as cool. They are typically perceived as reliable, dependable, trustworthy, detail-oriented individuals. They have an important position related to the ongoing financial success of companies. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | Accountants are always in demand and there are positions where telecommuting or work-at-home options are available. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | Accounting is not a particularly social career. There are many long hours working independently, but there can be projects that cross horizontal silos and can be collaborative in nature. |
Job Title: Accounts Payable Auditor
Attended: Loyola University Chicago • Chicago, IL
Studied Accounting (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/7/2012
"The particular segment of the market in which my company provides services is a challenging and rewarding one. As an A/P Auditor I am compensated for my performance and this helps with daily motivation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I had profs that challenged our ways of thinking. I was also well prepared for the internships I had and for my eventual first job. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | In the four years I have been with my company, I've been promoted twice and I see at least a few more opportunities within my smaller office. Beyond that, I may have to relocate for further promotion. |
| Job Security | 9 | My position is based on audit recoveries. As long as I continue to produce revenue, I will have a job. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | I have been fairly satisfied with my earnings progression thus far. As I continue to get more skilled at my job, my earnings should continue to grow at a reasonable and acceptable rate. |
| How Stressful | 6 | As with any job, some days are more stressful than others. Time sensitive audits can make some week or two stretches rather long and stressful, while transition between projects can be much less stressful. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Our industry involves a variety of tasks that can be scheduled for different times. Some days can be all audit but others can be vendor contact, report prep, or client relations. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Working with a number of different recurring and new clients is pretty interesting. In terms of explaining the industry, people seem somewhat interested so it is not completely boring. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I can usually work remotely and if need be flex my schedule if necessary. The skill set I've developed within my current job is somewhat job specific, but is still fairly marketable. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | Our office is very small. Some days when I am not at a client or am very busy I only see and interact with a few people. |
Job Title: Audit Manager
Attended: Montana State University • Bozeman, MT
Studied Accounting/Economics (completion in 1984)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 3/7/2012
"Due to my location, my pay is limited, but the work is good."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | The program had good teachers and students had a high pass rate on the CPA exam. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | I work for a small firm, so to move up I would have to buy out the boss or start my own firm. |
| Job Security | 9 | Lots of work is available within my specific field. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | It all depends on the current bids for jobs and how efficiently you get your work done. |
| How Stressful | 6 | Deadlines do exist, but clients are what's puzzling in this type of work. |
| Task Variety | 7 | It depends on the current job. It may be one that you did for many years or a new client. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | It's not a cool field, but it is stable work. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | We try to be available from 8 to 5 each day. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I have a limited client base and there's not much social networking in this field. |
Job Title: Staff Accountant
Attended: University Of Phoenix • Online,
Studied Accountancy (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 3/9/2012
"I love my job. It's never the same thing over again. I got into it after I had my bachelor's in a totally different field and was truly interested in it rather than simply picking something to get through school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | It's hard to really get a feel for what you're learning when you can't just go up to the teacher and ask something. I had one teacher who never even answered my questions. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | I just passed part 3 of the IRS SEE exam, or the Enrolled Agent exam. Once I've been accepted to practice before the IRS I'll be an Enrolled Agent rather than just a Staff Accountant. |
| Job Security | 9 | It's tax season and there's only me and the owner at our firm. My job is very secure. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | In this economy, all earning potential has dropped some. But accountants will always have a niche and can continually make money during poor times. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Because I enjoy my job, the stress level isn't as high as it could be. However, it is tax season, so stress will grow. |
| Task Variety | 7 | There are some things I do every day. But even if I'm doing the same thing, each client's circumstances makes it different. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I think it's cool, but I'm well aware that to most people we're nerds who like to count beans. It's difficult to remember sometimes that I think it's cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | My current firm isn't very flexible, because as I mentioned before there are only two of us. But in general, accountants can find work anywhere. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | Since it's just me and one other accountant, if we don't have clients in the office, there can be very little interaction. But we have clients come in all the time which allows for lots of interaction. |
Job Title: Account Service Representative
Attended: Kaplan University • Alexandria, VA
Studied Accounting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/9/2012
"I have always enjoyed working with numbers and being able to analyze and interpret data. Accounting is a great field for people who enjoy working with spreadsheets and analyzing data."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | Kaplan was a great school for me. It allowed me to go to school full time while working. I am a single mother of a four year old child, so without having an option for a flexible school schedule I would not have been able to finish my degree. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | The one thing that I have found difficult in the accounting field is breaking through. Most companies want you to have a degree and years of experience. For those like me who are trying to start out, it can be overwhelming to try and find a company who will give you a chance. I have my degree but because I am a new graduate I don't have the experience yet. Unfortunately, there are not many opportunities for newcomers in this field. |
| Job Security | 9 | In today's economy no job is truly secure, in my opinion. Accountants, however, will always be needed. Depending on your field in accounting and where you live, accounting opportunities are readily available. For that reason I feel secure in my position. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | There really isn't a limit on what you can make in an accounting position. It would all depend on how hard you wanted to work and how much you limit yourself. |
| How Stressful | 5 | I think accounting work can be very stressful. It really would depend on the type of accounting you were in and how large a company you work for. The company I work for is small so I don't feel stressed. There are corporate positions that are stressful. The assumption is that the more you make, the more stress you'll have. |
| Task Variety | 4 | There is a variety of tasks to be done, but for the most part you continue to repeat duties weekly, monthly, and yearly. My jobs gives some variation but for the most part I do the same thing daily. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | I have never really thought about the coolness level of my career. I think it would really depend on the individual. Im sure there are "cool" accountants out there. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | There are accounting jobs in every city and state nationwide. This makes finding a job pretty flexible. Once you have experience in the field you have the potential to be able to work from home or even start your own business. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | There are some accounting positions were you would interact. I work in an office with three other people. We all are in cubicles so there isn't really much interaction. |
Job Title: Senior Accountant II
Attended: University Of Maryland, College Park • College Park, MD
Studied Accounting (completion in 1998)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/6/2012
"I'm somewhat satisfied since I've always had a job straight out of college. With the economy as fragile as it is, I've received numerous calls to work for other companies and that is a nice luxury to have. I consider myself fortunate that I am employed in these tough times."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | I didn't feel that UMCP helped my schooling. I had gone to community college (ie. Montgomery College) prior to UMCP and felt I got a better education that set the groundwork for the advanced classes. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | Right now in my position, I am probably capped out. The person above me is the Controller/Comptroller and they've been here for 15+ years. |
| Job Security | 8 | Even to this day, I've always had the luxury of having opportunities to work for many companies in their finance teams. The market is tough right now for everyone, yet my company still has a hard time filling almost all lines of accounting positions. I've tried to leave once and my company matched to make me stay. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I think I'm capped out as a Senior Auditor. Until I'm a finance manager of some sort, I do not see me making more than 70k. |
| How Stressful | 9 | Pretty stressful. We have a very tight schedule closing the books and with audits on our 10-q/10-k, there's always changes. So having to prepare, change, submit, and repeating this a few times so our CFO can see it before submitting it to management is difficult. It never ends, which is why I have such great job security. |
| Task Variety | 2 | Very little variation. I've done the same thing over and over for a long time. With my daily activity being as redundant as it has been, I can see why people get bored of this job very easily. I have a lot of friends/family that did accounting for 5+ years and then went off and did something else. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | Definitely uncool. When I was single, I almost think being an accountant was considered a red flag to women. Prior to people knowing me, a very general misconception is that accountants are boring, nerdy, and number junkies. This is totally untrue. |
| Career Flexibility | 2 | My job is very inflexible. With monthly closes, quarterly closes, and annual closes, it's very hard to take vacations. And when we're not closing the books, we're reconciling balance sheet accounts. I definitely work more than 45+ hours per week and I definitely do not have a good balance between my personal/family and professional lives. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | Very little. We definitely have management meetings, but I do not have any interaction on a regular basis with most of my finance team. That's very unfortunate, because I consider myself to be a very social person. |
Job Title: Accounts Receivable Specialist
Attended: Western Technical College • La Crosse, WI
Studied Accounting (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/6/2012
"I enjoy working with numbers and problem solving. I also do some cost accounting work that I enjoy."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The teachers and books were extremely helpful and effective. The curriculum could have included more hands on work. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | A promotion would require a bachelor degree or better, but I am going to school online for my bachelor degree in accounting. I get good feedback from my superiors in regards to my work. |
| Job Security | 10 | The company I work for is a local company, yet they have been in business for 83 years. I have perfect attendance, good rapport, and work for a strong company. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | My employer is one of the best paying companies in the area I live. My pay is comparable to that of someone with a bachelor degree. |
| How Stressful | 6 | My job has a lot of deadlines and one small mistake can take hours to locate. I also have to perform my work alone and not many others understand my ledgers and spreadsheets. |
| Task Variety | 4 | My daily routine is pretty repetitious. Some days I do have to find mistakes, which requires problem solving skills, and often I help out our cost accounting clerk with her work. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 9 | My employer thinks out of the box. They have a fitness center, swimming pool, and counselor on sight that is free for employees. |
| Career Flexibility | 2 | I follow a set schedule, and in order to complete the job, I believe that is necessary. Since the company I work for is local, there isn't room for relocation and they don't hire part-time help. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | I work with customers daily and enjoy the business communications we have. Internally, I work with specific fellow employees daily and others I say to hi to passing. |
Job Title: Senior Internal Auditor
Attended: Roosevelt University • Chicago, IL
Studied (completion in 2005)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 3/9/2012
"I love the work and the structure. I learn new skills all the time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 3 | The professors work part-time and most have full time jobs, so they are not enthusiastic about teaching weekend and evening classes. Also, they give open-book exams. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | There are not many chances to be promoted within Internal Audit because there aren't many positions. Promotions are available within Accounting, though. |
| Job Security | 10 | Regardless of the economy, Auditors are always needed. The turnover rate is fairly high, so employers value you and there are always job openings in this field. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I make an excellent salary and I get a very generous bonus every year. |
| How Stressful | 1 | The workload might be stressful to some, but I really enjoy it. The heavy travel may not be suitable for all, but I love it. |
| Task Variety | 5 | While the core work may be very similar, it does vary because I am doing this work globally. I occasionally get assigned special projects which add variety to my work. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | I can't think of a job that offers more travel and excitement. I have been to 4 continents for this job, with First-Class airline seats to international locations. Hotel stays, food, and transportation are paid for. I get to keep all my accumulated airline and hotel points for my own personal use. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | I travel for work at least 200 days out of the year, and there is no flexibility. Audit scopes and arrangements with all the offices to be audited are made months in advance and it is impossible to move/change them. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | I have been to offices all over the world and I've made friends in many countries. When the entire Audit staff travels somewhere, (e.g., a convention), we all go to dinner, see a show, etc. together. |
Job Title: Manager
Attended: NYU • New York, NY
Studied Accountancy (completion in 1999)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/7/2012
"The pay/remuneration is not high. The work requires long hours."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | The school provided a solid technical base. In addition, school courses provided the requirements to sit for the CPA exam. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | The firm is top heavy with many new partners. Promotion from manager to a higher position is quite difficult, due to a lack of business case. |
| Job Security | 5 | There has been some recent turnover in our firm. However, I have also been working for the firm for over 10 years. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | There is a lack of large bonuses and the starting salary is low. |
| How Stressful | 7 | The long hours and demanding partners make the work stressful. In addition, the industry is highly regulated by the PCAOB. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Daily tasks can vary, depending on the engagement. However, administrative tasks can be repetitive. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | The accounting profession has a social stigma. In addition, the nature of the work can be very dry. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | My working hours vary depending on the project. I do not have to be in the office from 9am- 5pm. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | There is significant interaction with clients. In addition, the engagements require close coordination with team members. |
Job Title: Sr. Staff Accountant
Attended: Oklahoma Christian University • Edmond, OK
Studied MBA - Accounting (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 3/8/2012
"I love accounting work - the thrill of putting a puzzle together. It is very fulfilling and enjoyable."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | It was a great program with knowledgeable instructors that was geared toward working adults. Both the accelerated course plan and the quality of education made it worth completing. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | The university has many opportunities depending on where I am willing to work. The only thing that limits me is my own requirements for a job or the job's location. |
| Job Security | 10 | I work for a public university, so I know that it will not be closing. Along with that is the fact that we do have reserves that can see us through the bad budget years, so layoffs or RIFs are not an issue either. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | You will never get rich working in higher education, but you can make a decent salary. What makes it worth while are the other benefits. |
| How Stressful | 5 | I chose average because there are times that my job is high stress (yearly audit time) and then there are times when there is hardly any stress. |
| Task Variety | 7 | I have a variety of duties and while some are the same every month, others change with the time of year. It is a given in the accounting world that the work will be somewhat repetitious. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Most people do not think of accounting as a cool job field. While I think financial statements are extremely cool, most of the world would see them as dry and boring. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | Accountants can work in any number of places. If one wants to work for themselves, then that is a possibility. Almost every business needs at least some accounting staff. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I spend a large portion of my day talking to people in order to determine the correctness of entries. This gives me the opportunity to interact with a large number of people on campus. |
Job Title: Director Of Business Services
Attended: Univ Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studied Accounting (completion in 1998)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/8/2012
"I work in the long-term care industry of healthcare. It's become increasingly difficult over time and pay is decreasing. I'm currently unemployed and looking to work in a different part of healthcare."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | UofPhx is a good program for adults continuing their education. None of the program is geared for healthcare, however. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | Working in long-term care as a Business Office Manager does not provide much upward mobility. I could be a Controller, but I really don't have the generic accounting background for it. |
| Job Security | 1 | I'm currently unemployed and having trouble finding work. I'm trying to get a job in something other than long-term care. |
| Earnings Potential | 1 | The nursing home industry is being de-funded. In my last 3 years working, my wages were frozen and there were mandatory furlough days. Next, I was laid off completely. |
| How Stressful | 10 | Insurance companies work very hard to not pay for the services rendered at healthcare providers. Nursing homes are mostly Medicaid, which is usually the worst to collect. It's very stressful. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Some functions, like preparing a Daily Census report, were done every day. Other functions, like figuring out which insurance company to collect from, changed every day. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | Who wants to work in a nursing home? It's hard to watch elderly clients die and collecting money is very difficult. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | Nursing homes have set hours for Business Offices and the manager must be there. There's usually meetings, too, in the early mornings, making early morning work hours mandatory. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | Nursing home business offices are open doors for residents and families. There's usually a small 'baby bank,' which residents need to get to upon demand. |
Job Title: Bookkeeper
Attended: The College Of New Jersey • Ewing, NJ
Studied Law & Justice (completion in 2000)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/8/2012
"I was never able to afford law school. I was never able to find a job in forensics."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The classes were too large. We did not receive adequate personal attention from the professors. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | It is a small company. There is no room for further advancement. |
| Job Security | 3 | I am dealing with drama on the job. I am afraid that the company is going to dissolve before year-end. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I am making more per hour than most people. I am seeking additional work since I feel I am not making enough money to be comfortable. |
| How Stressful | 10 | Dealing with finances is always stressful. When there is little communication between co-workers, the stress also mounts. |
| Task Variety | 8 | It can be challenging to take on new tasks. New tasks can sometimes be daunting, though. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | The company I work for is a leading firm in social media. I also work virtually, so it's very convenient. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I have a background in Law. I also have a strong background in accounting. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Being in a virtual office environment, I need to have good communications skills. I use email and Skype daily. |
Job Title: Controller
Attended: SUNY Old Westbury • Old Westbury, NY
Studied Sociology/Business (completion in 1980)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/7/2012
"I have been working as an accountant/controller for the past 25 years and have worked in many business venues. Currently, I work for a print advertising company and function as the Controller/Human Resources person."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 4 | Basically,I wanted to become a Social Worker but managed to get jobs in the business field. My scholastic focus changed as I became more adept at "keeping the books." My school didn't have a strong business program. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | The position that I hold is multifaceted. I handle more than one aspect of the business and unless I want to go into the factory and literally produce the fliers, I do not see any movement in this firm. |
| Job Security | 8 | In the economic environment of "today," I believe that no job is absolutely secure. Even some business owners don't know if their particular market will be able to maintain each industry. Job security is a thing of the past and it really hits on many levels (Loyalty/motivation/salary recognition). |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | I have been fortunate to receive incremental increases throughout my history with this company. I hope that continues |
| How Stressful | 4 | I have been at this job for over 7 years and I know "the routine" pretty well. Sometimes there are deadlines while business is getting busy but generally, I can handle the stress of prioritizing my workload. |
| Task Variety | 8 | As I said, I prioritize my duties. In so doing, each day is pretty much dedication to "routine functions” (inputting A/P, A/R, Bank, and then depending on the day payroll duties, budget updates, cash balances, inventory control, monthly closing, etc... |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | This is not for the rock star type. It's a desk job with little interaction and little outside gratification. You must be self motivated. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I would like to spend more time at home, but my job is not conducive to that work environment. All of the activity of the business is on site and it would be extremely difficult for me to "have a finger on the pulse" from a remote location. Also, I directly interact with the owner who needs up to date information on budgets and inventory. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | The owner plans two or three "office" functions a year. Everyone attends with their families and it usually ends up as a nice day. |
Job Title: Financial Analyst
Attended: Kennesaw State University • Kennesaw, GA
Studied Finance (completion in 1994)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/8/2012
"I enjoy building financial models. I also enjoy trying to predict future outcomes."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | I had great professors who made it very easy to understand the subject matter. The professors had real-world experience, which made the classwork that much more applicable (more so than if the professors had purely been academics). |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | In 3.5 years at a previous job, I was promoted from Financial Analyst to Senior Financial Analyst to Finance Manager. With my current company, I have been promoted from Financial Analyst to Finance Manager to Finance Director. |
| Job Security | 10 | I've been with the same company for ten years. Over the last three-plus years, we have gone from 4,000 employees to 400 employees, and I'm still here. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | I make a six-figure salary, and every year seems to be better than the year prior (financially). Also, as I previously alluded to, I feel I have greater job security than most of my co-workers. |
| How Stressful | 7 | Accuracy is imperative, and sometimes the data sources are not necessarily the best, so you have to be concerned with "garbage in - garbage out" scenarios. Deadlines are tight, and it can be difficult to compile data, analyze data, and make the data presentable within the requisite time frames. |
| Task Variety | 10 | My world is almost entirely ad-hoc. While I do have certain tasks that must be performed on a monthly basis and on a daily basis, I support different departments and different functions, all with different analytical and reporting needs. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | It is exciting to attempt to predict future outcomes, and see how close you can come to being accurate. It has a certain prestige about it in that you get face time with all levels of executive management. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I have remote access which allows me to work from home as often as I like. I do not have a set schedule, so I can show up to work or leave to go home virtually any time that I choose. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Everybody needs numbers, and when they do, they come to me. Also, people generally want to get an idea of potential financial impact prior to implementing an idea. |
Job Title: CPA
Attended: King's College • Wilkes Barre, PA
Studied Accounting (completion in 1995)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted:
"The job pays very well and allows me and my family to enjoy a certain amount of comfort. However, the job itself can be mundane and boring."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | King's College had excellent professors that were great at their jobs. The college also had excellent facilities. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | Public accounting has many different levels, and therefore promotions are regular. There is also the ability to move to other industries at a higher level. |
| Job Security | 9 | Public accounting is an in-demand profession, so very few jobs are lost. My employer has been in business for 85 years. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | Accounting pays well and has a relatively good starting salary. CPA firm partners can make a lot of money, as can CFO's in private industry. |
| How Stressful | 8 | The stress comes from deadlines that are often imposed on your work. However, it's rare that your failure will cause any significant issues with people's lives. |
| Task Variety | 8 | Different clients bring different challenges on a daily basis. When working on a project, you are often looking at different aspects of the project everyday. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Accounting is not exciting, and is often boring. If a person likes to travel then the level of excitement could be higher, as there is a lot of travel involved in public accounting. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | Part time employees are common in the accounting industry. Every company needs accounting services, so there are often opportunities for new career options. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | As a CPA, you are constantly interacting with clients. Generally many of the projects are team oriented, to you are always communicating with co-workers. |
Job Title: Invoice Auditor
Attended: Grove City College • Grove City, PA
Studied Business Management (completion in 1997)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/16/2012
"I enjoy finding monies due to our company. It is a satisfying job, and a challenging one."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | Grove City College has the best of everything. The professors are the best around. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | The company is large. There are many opportunities to advance. |
| Job Security | 10 | The company has been around for many years. The money we find is significant and worthwhile tracking down. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | Company is very healthy and treats employees very well. |
| How Stressful | 5 | I do not think there is much stress at all. You do your work and leave it there. |
| Task Variety | 8 | Always doing something different. Same type of work daily, but there's new stuff all the time too. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Not a glamourous job. Was not looking for that in a job. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | Career is very flexible. We can make up our own schedule, which is very nice. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I see fellow employees all day long. I get to know about people and their lives away from work too. |
Job Title: Controller
Attended: Widener University • Chester, PA
Studied Taxation/Financial Planning (MSTFP) (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 3/15/2012
"While I like my job auditing the company's financial documents and ensuring proper processing of AP & AR departments, it feels somewhat limiting. I feel that my role in this small to mid-size company is capped and I don't want to leave because I like it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | Widener's teachers and the program structure make the school an excellent choice. The only reason why I did not select excellent is because the program is small and many of the courses in the graduate bulletin are never offered. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | There is no chance of a promotion at this company. It is too small and I would have to look to a medium or larger sized company. |
| Job Security | 10 | I have a solid track record and I am a very trusted individual. There is always a need for someone in my position and my work ethic keeps me employed. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | A small company like this can't afford to compete with larger organizations. While there is great earning potential if I leave for a larger company, I am pretty limited here. |
| How Stressful | 8 | There are times when it becomes very stressful. Every April is stressful because we have the corporate taxes due in March and a health insurance renewal event due in April. |
| Task Variety | 8 | While 25% of my daily tasks are fixed, there always seems to be an unending list of issues and problems that pop up. These issues help to break up the day. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | As a controller, I have seen many an eyebrow raised when I mention my title and people understand I have to keep an eye on every penny leaving the company. It's not as cool as a race car driver; just a different kind of cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I can set my own hours which is good when I want to come in early and get a lot of the analyzing and reconciling done. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | I do not have much social interaction except for vendors that come by. This small company makes social interaction very difficult. |
Job Title: Payroll Accountant
Attended: Northeastern University • Boston, MA
Studied Economics (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/15/2012
"I became an accountant based on economic issues related in my area of study. Being an accountant limits my thinking strategy."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | My school's business programs were excellent. I was allowed to explore many different financial and accounting classes. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | If I am to stay in accounting I must go back to school. Although more schooling is needed, there are plenty of opportunities in accounting and finance. |
| Job Security | 4 | I have had to work numerous odd jobs. The accounting field is booming despite the economy. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | Earnings in accounting are great if you work in corporate accounting or get your CPA and take on clients. This job has its benefits. |
| How Stressful | 9 | Accounting becomes stressful when dealing with numbers. Sitting at a computer or staring at numbers for long periods of time are what keep some people from this field. Accountants also have one of the highest suicide rates. |
| Task Variety | 5 | My job function does not change much. I deal with the same data sets. I find myself constantly looking for new ways to be involved at work and how to make changes in my everyday work life. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Most people consider accounting boring. I believe accounting can be exciting depending on the position. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Being an accountant means you can work in numerous fields, from payroll to treasury. One of the drawbacks is that it deals strictly with tangible items versus economics or finance, which deal in theoretical. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | Being new to the company and working in a small department is very isolating. Much of this has to do with the culture of the company I work for. I often pray for more teamwork and interaction. |
Job Title: Certified Public Accountant
Attended: Ottawa University • Ottawa, KS
Studied Accounting (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/16/2012
"The most enjoyable aspect of my job is meeting all of the people that I do. I see new faces every day."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | While all of the information was provided, it was difficult to succeed online. I think I will attend a more traditional school for my M.A. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | I work in a private firm with a handful of other CPA's. There are alright raises, but in such a small environment there isn't a fast track to advancement. |
| Job Security | 6 | Like most industries in the current economic climate, I feel that everyone's head is on the chopping block. Although no one in my office has been laid off, it is still on my mind. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | CPA's get paid very well. When I finish my M.A. I expect to make a lot more. |
| How Stressful | 8 | I have all the pressures of having multiple small business owners hoping for me to help them. There isn't any room for carelessness in what I do. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Although I have the same concepts, each account is different. No two businesses run the same. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Although accounting may seem boring on the surface, I have a blast. Learning about various businesses on a daily basis is very fun. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | Well of course I work Mon. - Fri. 8 to 5. Pretty average, but I get 2 weeks vacation and 1 week sick leave. No part time or work from home options. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | As I have said above, I talk to small business owners regularly. There are always new and old faces in my office. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk
Attended: Grace College • Warsaw, IN
Studied Accounting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 3/16/2012
"I enjoy my entry level position as an accounting clerk and am hoping to be promoted within the next year. I find the work challenging and rewarding."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | My accounting professor had worked within the industry for years and gave his students many valuable insights. He also had a pretty rigorous curriculum that helped prepare us for many different situations. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | As I said above, I am anticipating a promotion within the next year. My company values consistent hard work, and I do my best to provide that. |
| Job Security | 8 | I feel that my job is very secure. As long as there is money, people are going to need accountants to manage it. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | There is a very high earnings potentials in my career. The more years of experience and the variety of experience one has, the more they make. |
| How Stressful | 7 | My career is currently stressful right now as we are in the middle of tax season and deadlines are tight. After tax season, things are only bad when we are doing end of the year figures. |
| Task Variety | 5 | I have consistent duties to perform day to day, like recording expenditures and handling payroll. I also have opportunities to branch out when there is a larger overall department project. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | I don't really know how truly cool accounting is. It is mostly viewed as something that uptight, anal people do. However, if people realized how essential accounting is to any form of business, I think they would find it much cooler. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | Right now I do have to go into the office every day. However, accounting itself can be very flexible, especially if I was to branch off in the future and go into practice for myself. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I work in a cubicle so I don't interact with others as much as I could. However, on breaks or if we're working on a larger project as a team, I do interact with my coworkers frequently. |
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