[Riley_N]

Whenever I tell people I’m an accountant or that I’m working on my CPA people always automatically jump to the conclusion that I’m like a master of fraud and that I actually help managers hide the bad and buff up the good. I’m talking about adults here, not just high school hipsters who don’t actually know what they’re talking about (no offense to younger people here). Has anyone else noticed this? What’s the best/worst/funniest conversation you’ve had with someone when you’ve told them you are/want to be a CPA?

FAR: 85
AUD: 78
REG: 84
BEC: 89
I made it into the 300 club!

[Anonymous]

Yep, I get the “all you accountants are dirty crooks!”

I just laugh. Why entertain them?

[Mamabear]

I have never gotten that response, but if one more person says, “Oh so you can do my taxes”……No, no I can not. I've never even done my own taxes.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[yourmomsaCPA]

Um…no. I never get the crook response. Accountants are normally stereotyped as uptight, nerdy, unsocial and buttoned up. I normally get “you don't look or act like any accountant I've ever met.”

I've been in industry for 10 years and have been really fortunate but I can tell you, great accountants are a dime a dozen. Truly, there are a ton of them in my company alone. The really successful ones either 1. give up their entire lives to the job (no kids for sure) or 2. aren't your stereotypical accountant.

FAR - 87 2/18/14
AUD - 84 4/2/14
REG - 87 7/23/14
BEC - 78 8/26/14

I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

[Gabe]

I get two responses:

1. Oh, you can do my taxes (uhm no, I don't even do my own taxes)

2. You don't look like an accountant! (Gee, thanks?)

CPA, CFE
CISA- Experience will be completed by August 2016

[CPAfit]

People have said to me that accountants/auditors mostly look at the negative side of things rather than looking at the positive, which is quite true. I've noticed that whenever an accountant gets some financials/reports, the first thing we do is look for errors. As an auditor, that is basically their job “to look for errors”. If a person spends too much time working as an auditor, this thought process starts to transition into their lives. So to some extent, yeah I agree with those people 😛

AUD - 82
BEC - 78
FAR - 78
REG - 83

HIYA!

NH Licensed CPA - Jun 2018

[Rocky123]

Why does everyone assume that just because you are an accountant, you can do their taxes? I get that comment constantly.

Accountants definitely have a rep for being boring.

The tallest oak in the forest was once just a little nut that held its ground.

AUD-PASS
BEC-PASS
REG-PASS
FAR-PASS

Rocky123, CPA

[Anonymous]

I'm glad my mother finally understands that I can't do her taxes, and that I actually audit clients. Luckily my friends, parents, and in-laws are generally smart enough to know what accounting actually involves.

[taxgeek83]

Haha I get the tax question quite often. Generally I can answer any questions, and pick up a new “client” or two every year. And by client I mean friend who wants their taxes done for free. I really don't mind though and have fun doing them. Oh – and I usually get a bottle of wine or two out of it. 😉

Preparing a full set of financials though? Not a chance. It took me two shots at FAR to pass it, and I'm still not even sure how I squeaked by the second time. Cash flows suck.

[univegabw]

“Oh you are an accountant? Why do you guys love spreadsheets.” Granted I work in them all the time and do enjoy aspects of them, but I don't seek them out by any means and take them out for dinner.

A- 53, 55
B- Passed!
F- Not Yet Taken
R- 1/17/2015

[univegabw]

“Oh you are an accountant? Can you help me solve this prorate calculator in Excel? I can't get the math to work out, but I bet you can do it in your head.” I'm not Mensa smart in math by any means.

A- 53, 55
B- Passed!
F- Not Yet Taken
R- 1/17/2015

[Anonymous]

That's the best, “you must be really good at math.” Man, I can't do math past some advanced algebra at this point. Calculus? Forget about it. Excel does most of my math for me.

[Anonymous]

I was telling someone at my part time job I wasn't a fan of the tax part of accounting. His response was “Isn't that all you do?”

[Mamabear]

You guys should enjoy reading this thread:

https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/stupid-things-said-by-coworkers-relatives-or-friends-regarding-taking-this-exam

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[y_u_no_pass]

People will just start asking me tax questions. I really know only the basics of individual taxation, but I try to help if possible. A doctor did this to me just last week..

Florida CPA!
Took final exam 2/25/15.
Sent in Application 3/12/15.
Issued License 3/20/15.
Used CPA Excel solely for all exams.

[Pandarama]

My coworkers are the staple accountant (with the exception of doing taxes). Boring, look like dorks, unbelievably awkward, no social skills at all, pencil behind the ear. Our office actually even looks like the pictures of the accounting at a desk with just a lamp.

These guys make me look good. 😛

BEC - 80
AUD - 64, 75 - credit lost, 90!!
REG - 73, 74, 83
FAR - 61, 72, 85

Feels good finishing on my best note. Time to watch the mailbox.

[Author]

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