[garnerr2]

In college I didn’t know what I wanted to do. My friends and father all said to just get an accounting degree. There will be good jobs available. So I got a bachelor’s and master’s degree in it. HUGE mistake.

After serving tables for 7 years, I got my first auditing job. I was so excited to get my first “real” job as everyone called it. After a few months, I started to realize how pointless auditing really is. We nitpick stupid little things to make it look like we actually did something during the audit. Half of the time, we have no idea what the hell we are doing. We are really learning the process as we audit. We aren’t helping anything and nobody wants us there. All they want is for the auditors to sign off so other people can think things are working correctly.

Another thing, the arrogance of the Accounting profession is crazy. You would think the office is full of world renowned surgeons or people that are finding cures/solutions to actual problems in the world. I think everyone is told they have to act like their job matters and not to mention how pointless the audit actually is. The people that speak up are looked down on and won’t survive. So everyone goes around smiling acting like their job matters and they are super smart.

I recently passed the REG section and I am not any smarter nor do I even remember 95% of what I studied. The only thing different is everyone at work thinks I am a step closer to be included in the “club”. It’s all a big joke.

Funny how I wanted a “real” job when I was serving tables but it turns out that job was more real than my auditing job ever was. I actually affected people’s days in a positive way. I worked with people that weren’t arrogant just because they had some stupid Accounting degree or certification.

I feel that most are scared to admit their job/career sucks because most people tie their self worth to their careers.

Anyway, that is my rant. I could go on for hours. I just feel like the whole profession is just a big made up sham because of pointless regulations. We aren’t actually doing anything of importance.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

AUD - 76
REG - 78
FAR - Aug 2016
BEC - 79

[Anonymous]

[SAO247]

I agree with the above. On second thoughts, accounting probably isn't a field I would enter into if I could do it again. I would probably go into some sort of Engineering, given I didn't really discover what my true interests and passions were until I was in the middle of studying for the CPA exams. That said though, there are literally millions of ways your accounting skills can be used, and it is still a highly important and necessary field. If you understand accounting and finance, you understand about 90% of what it takes for businesses to be successful. (at least in my opinion)

AUD - 81
BEC - 89
FAR - 88
REG - 84

ASO

[the LAST Coffee]

Only chose Accounting as a major because Computer Science wasn't something I could handle even with tutoring. Come on, practically 100% employment upon graduation, good starting pay, and career options? That's why most of us chose it, I know I did. I didn't choose it because I “liked” it, but I have to learn to deal with it.

FAR 84 (AUG '15)
BEC 83 (AUG '15)
AUD 79 (OCT '15)
REG 71, 78! (NOV '15, FEB '16)

[Mayo]

I hated my life as a Senior in the Big 4. But i loved the people I worked with. Once I left to industry I started liking my job again.

Mayo, BBA, Macc

[SaveBandit]

Regret it every day.

I work in corporate, but your comment about the arrogance in accounting is spot on. Lots of cocky nerds out there.

Like ASUAlum, I want to get this certification behind me and move on with my life. I promised myself I will not be working in corporate accounting in five years. People get so caught up in the minutia of it all and I can't stand it. “Oh should we breakout holiday pay into a separate line item? Let's have a 30 minute meeting about it.” It's like wow, who the hell cares? It all rolls up into wages anyway. Gahhhhh

AUD - 94
BEC - 86
FAR - 85
REG - 90

If you pray enough, you can turn yourself into a cat person.

4 for 4

FAR 85
AUD 94
BEC 86
REG 90

[ecg19]

Worked for one of the big 4. I can't say I enjoyed it. I was totally regretting my decision but felt like I had to keep at it since I had “made it” in my own eyes.

I ended up moving countries and now I work for a not for profit. Love it. I am a financial accountant which I never would have imagined before (I was a tax accountant as I have a law degree also) and it's seriously awesome. I have a lot more ability to change policies and it feels like I'm actually achieving something every day.

Perhaps you just need a job/role change?

Military spouse living in Germany

REG 1/13/2016 - 82
AUD 1/15/2016 - 82
FAR 5/24/2016 - 80
BEC 5/27/2016 - 85

CA PETH 6/19/2016- 86 BOO
CA PETH 6/21/2016- 90 AND NOW I AM DONE!

[Anonymous]

I want to hear more opinions so BUMP!

[jessica8926]

Do I like accounting? No but for me it was all about the stability and money. Growing up in a household where no one in my family went to college but me and seeing how much my mom struggled to support us made me really not want a life like that. So I chose accounting because I was decent at it and it was stable and would offer good money without having to go to school for 20 gagillion more years like a doctor or lawyer. I now make more money than anyone in my family including my mom who has been working since she was 16. I am 25 for christ sake and have more stability than anyone else I know who did not choose accounting. Thats the real reason I chose it. I do not HATE it as thats a little too strong of a word, but I am content in it. I would be a Vet or Zoo keeper if I followed my passion, but again too much schooling, not enough stability, and I sucked at anything science related. It is also a rewarding career in the sense that if you do things right, listen to your bosses, and take initiative on things you can easily get promoted. I don't have to win a bunch of super difficult cases in court or open my own vet practice or fly a plane for 12 years before making decent money etc. Now that is not to say I am lazy and took the easy way out. Accounting is not easy you still have to put in the time for school and clearly the time for this test if you want to get a decent paying job etc, but it is an acceptable amount of effort for an acceptable amount of money and reward.

I think a lot of people would say they chose accounting because it was a stable industry. I have never met someone who can say they LOVE accounting.

AUD - 77
BEC - 82
FAR - 75
REG - 81

Illinois Certified Public Accountant 2016

AUD - 69, 77
REG - 74, 81
FAR - 75!
BEC - 71, 82

IL candidate!

Finally done (5/24/16)!! Yahooooooo!

[ChristieF]

I love accounting, but I'm also not sitting here thinking I'm somebody special. I grew up with my mom working at small accounting practices and to this day she regrets never getting her CPA. I work in industry and love my job and it's not boring. I've worked my way up from an AP clerk to where I am now. I'm the administrator on our accounting systems and I get to do accounting for our US and international offices. By no means is it boring (at least to me). Sure, the fact that I make good money is nice, especially because I made enough to cover us when my husband lost his job last year, but I'm not in it for the money. Had I not gone for accounting, I would've been a neurologist, and I certainly didn't have the money or the patience to go into medicine, so here I am.

If you're that unhappy in auditing, try changing to industry or another role in accounting, not everything is horrible.

FAR - 61, retake 1/22

AUD - 2022

REG - 2022

BEC - 2022

[mtaylo24]

I like Accounting and the challenges and rewards that it provides. I just don't have the personality for it. I'm too laid back, and most of my Accounting superiors have been tight asses, so we always end up butting heads.

CPA (2017)

REG:  75

BEC:  76

FAR:  77

AUD: 78

 

CMA (2019)

P1: 380

P2: 360

AUD - 1st - 60 (12/12), 61 (2/13), 61 (8/13), 78! (11/15)
REG - 55 (2/16) 69 (5/16) Retake(8/16)
BEC - 71(5/16) Retake (9/16)
FAR - (8/16)

[Anonymous]

I chose accounting because I was decent at it, I knew I could get a job coming out of school, and it was good money…PLUS I didn't really know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and my mom was really pushing for accounting.

Am I passionate about this JOB, nope – but it's a JOB and I don't think I have to be passionate about it. I work and then I go do the things I am passionate about. I do not HATE it and I like the people I work with. I've landed myself in a pretty good spot and I'd say it's fairly unique in that I am not at the tail end of the business (e.g. not preparing returns for the previous year's activity (anymore) nor am I doing journal entries for something that already happened). For a majority of my projects I am at the front end of the process and trying to figure out what the tax impact would be if we did A, B or C or what happens if a state changes their law.

If I could do it all over again and it offered the same stability and money – I'd definitely without a doubt do something with animals. Or I probably should've considered something in IT – however, anyone I know in IT is kind of in the same boat as me, so maybe it'd the same thing just a different topic. Either way, that's now how life works and it seems like a shame to throw all that schooling away, so for now my goal is to let the job I have now pay off my mortgage so I can eliminate my housing expense and put a bunch away in savings. Then I can go do the work my heart is drawn to without worrying about needing to be paid a certain amount to be able to pay my bills. What's the stupid Dave Ramsey quote? “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else”

[gennatay]

I don't hate accounting, but I don't love it either. Right now I'm working as an Internal Auditor. I like problem solving and researching. I'm an Internal Auditor now. I love problem solving and researching. I'm currently trying to find my way into forensic accounting or investigator/inspector general.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if i love accounting. But I do love to help people, and I do that on a day to day basis. Our clients depend on us for advice of all kinds. We are a tax firm that does only a handful of compilations and reviews. No Audits.

I also have worked in retail, banking and mortgage industries. I went back and got my accounting hours and CPA license at the urging of my wife and family. I don't regret the decision but I empathize your view. Try to find your strength and run with it. Don't let the other idiots derail you and put your fire out.

[Mae]

There seemed to be a wide range of opinions on this matter.

I can't say I regret going into Accounting. I think who you work with and your environment makes a major difference in whether or not you love your job. I have great co-workers and we do what we can to keep ourselves sane during the rough times.

That being said, I don't think I was a normal Accounting Major in college anyway. Accounting was the practical route. I minored in Anthropology and, when everyone else was applying for summer internships, I was in study abroad taking Anthro classes. I have often wondered if my views would be different if I was an intern but, this is where life has led me and I'd like to see where it goes. 🙂

AUD - PASSED MAR '15
REG - STUDYING SEP '16
FAR - PASSED MAY '16
BEC - PENDING JUL '16

[Anonymous]

Anyone watch the Groundhog Day lately – that whole movie makes the point that while every day is the same, what makes your life meaningful is how you treat people. In fact when Bill Murray's character finds out there are no consequences to his actions is when he ends up completely hopeless about life.

Anyway, sorry for getting so philosophical, but I refuse to believe that because I get up and do a job I'm not enamored with that somehow makes me a failure. Or anyone for that matter. Doing what you have to do to support yourself and your family, and then living your life after work does not mean you blew it – not by any stretch.

I don't love accounting, but I can say it has grown on me. I make a nice living and am looking forward to a secure retirement.

I've known people who walked away from what they see as all the BS of having a regular job and you know where they are right now – look at trying to live on $800 bucks a month in social security. Or 100K in school loans for a humanities PHD.

[Author]

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