Becoming a CPA; recommending careers - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

hrandani · 10-23-2007, 07:18 PM

I was wondering if anybody had advice on moving into finance, actuary, CPA type work for someone who earned their degree in science. Despite heavily resisting the whole educational process, I'm not too happy at the prospect of facing a career in my field after slogging through the degree, and was entertaining thoughts of picking up, and moving in the complete opposite direction.

I must be going crazy, as I've never taken classes in business or accounting, but for some reason this fantasy has really taken a hold on me. I've been through webpages about sitting the CPA exam in the States and it seems that you generally for most places need to have taken anywhere from 15-60 hours in accounting / business law classes to take the exam, but not in all states. For example, Alaska apparently allows you to take the test with a degree in another field if you work for a CPA for a year. I'm just barely in my early 20s and would welcome change / a move, and am not opposed to chartered accounting in Canada or whatever they refer to it as. At any rate a few semesters back in some community college wouldn't kill me.

I'm in a flux right now careerwise and just was exploring things. My other option was to go back into law school, so I thought I'd toss this into the ring and see if I came out with any other good choices.

Thanks in advance.

nonplussed · 10-23-2007, 07:57 PM

The key to happiness is to figure out what turns you on and find a way to get a related job. Unfortunately, Hrandani, you sound like you are way too focused on credentials, professionalism, and what others would see as a respectable job.

For example, why are you even considering a CPA? Nothing in your analysis indicates that you have any passion about making our market economy work better for all citizens by more effectively measuring business success. Nothing indicates that you have a jones for effectively ensuring an individual company's success by finding creative ways to marshall scarce resources. That's what CPAs do and the good ones really get turned on by it. Do you? Or are you just a smart guy who wants a job superficially worthy of his intellect?

And law school? Same question. Why?... besides just sounding impressive and requiring intelligence.

Go spend a weekend on a mountaintop with a bottle of wine and a journal. Write crazy poetry and howl at the moon. Don't come down until you know who you are. Otherwise you will pick a career that you will wind up slogging through, just like you hate your science degree.

hrandani · 10-23-2007, 08:02 PM

I appreciate your advice.

I've just spent the past two years howling at the moon and writing poetry and screaming my soul out into the wilds and staring into the void that lies in every man's soul. I used to think I had an idea of where my life was going, but shit happened. I made zero progress, learned to deal with the emptiness, and now I want to stop fucking around and move into a career. I've explored a lot of options and this is the one that I keep coming back to, so I'm interested in hearing from people who know anything about moving into this field. When I was little I knew a CPA and she was undoubtedly one of the most clever people I've known, and thoroughly enjoyed her job. I didn't just pick this out of a hat, man.

I couldn't care less what other people thought about or if they respected me. I want something that's challenging, interesting and has job security. As for my intelligence, a curse, it's a blessing - it's all I have. What the hell do you suggest I do with it?

So uh it's this or the marines. haha ~

Plan9 · 10-23-2007, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrandani

So uh it's this or the marines. haha ~

Well, I was going to suggest the military. The civilian life is very much the rat race.

Military? Challenge yourself. Deprive yourself. Harden yourself.

Go jump out of planes for Uncle Sam. You'll learn humility and fear and pain and respect.

And your ass will be deployed twice to a 3rd world country to get shot at and not be allowed to return fire.

frozenstellar · 10-24-2007, 02:13 AM

as someone currently going through the australian chartered accounting (CA) program, i daresay that if you aren't *that* kind of person that really really enjoys this area of business, then you'll struggle, and struggle hard. I dont know how the study aspect of CPA in the US goes, but I know here in australia, CA is definately no walk in the park.

you sound confused from the very start - you mention actuary, cpa & law. you couldn't have really struck 3 completely different areas of work. I've got friends working as an actuary (and the ballbreaking exams that go along with it) & also in commercial law, and whilst they are both insanely intelligent guys, I can assure you that if either of them didnt enjoy what they were doing, there is no way they would be doing it.

The_Jazz · 10-24-2007, 04:25 AM

I'm going to be completely honest; the CPA's I know are also some of the most boring people I know. The work itself is not very interesting unless they are involved in high-level financiing. None of the CPA's I know get out of bed wanting to race to their desks.

We've hired no less than 5 former CPA's who wanted out.

If you want a career in business there are many other possibilities that are more exciting opportunities out there. There's nothing wrong with being a CPA, but if you've spent years "howling at the moon", this particular career will be the polar opposite.

hrandani · 10-24-2007, 07:29 AM

That was somewhat facetious directed at the guy who was encouraging me to explore other options and forget about it. I'm not worried about happiness, it comes and goes regardless of what you do. I daresay I'm a fairly boring person so that's not a problem.

If I could I'd like to redirect this thread back to the original intent, which was advice on moving into the professional arena. That's my goal, is to find a professional field to move into. I've done IT and field biology, some microbiology, and for all my initial disdain of white-collar work when I was younger I'm beginning to see the error of my ways, because these fields are pretty limited in terms of long-term career options.

Law I'm not interested in personally but it is something I've been involved in peripherally all my life, and I know I could do it in a pinch.

I haven't heard a great deal about CPA or actuarial work, so that's my question:

What's it like, do you recommend it, how did you get into it?

10-23-2007, 07:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
hrandani Insane	Becoming a CPA; recommending careers I was wondering if anybody had advice on moving into finance, actuary, CPA type work for someone who earned their degree in science. Despite heavily resisting the whole educational process, I'm not too happy at the prospect of facing a career in my field after slogging through the degree, and was entertaining thoughts of picking up, and moving in the complete opposite direction. I must be going crazy, as I've never taken classes in business or accounting, but for some reason this fantasy has really taken a hold on me. I've been through webpages about sitting the CPA exam in the States and it seems that you generally for most places need to have taken anywhere from 15-60 hours in accounting / business law classes to take the exam, but not in all states. For example, Alaska apparently allows you to take the test with a degree in another field if you work for a CPA for a year. I'm just barely in my early 20s and would welcome change / a move, and am not opposed to chartered accounting in Canada or whatever they refer to it as. At any rate a few semesters back in some community college wouldn't kill me. I'm in a flux right now careerwise and just was exploring things. My other option was to go back into law school, so I thought I'd toss this into the ring and see if I came out with any other good choices. Thanks in advance.

10-23-2007, 07:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
nonplussed Tilted	The key to happiness is to figure out what turns you on and find a way to get a related job. Unfortunately, Hrandani, you sound like you are way too focused on credentials, professionalism, and what others would see as a respectable job. For example, why are you even considering a CPA? Nothing in your analysis indicates that you have any passion about making our market economy work better for all citizens by more effectively measuring business success. Nothing indicates that you have a jones for effectively ensuring an individual company's success by finding creative ways to marshall scarce resources. That's what CPAs do and the good ones really get turned on by it. Do you? Or are you just a smart guy who wants a job superficially worthy of his intellect? And law school? Same question. Why?... besides just sounding impressive and requiring intelligence. Go spend a weekend on a mountaintop with a bottle of wine and a journal. Write crazy poetry and howl at the moon. Don't come down until you know who you are. Otherwise you will pick a career that you will wind up slogging through, just like you hate your science degree. Last edited by nonplussed; 10-23-2007 at 08:00 PM..

10-24-2007, 04:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	I'm going to be completely honest; the CPA's I know are also some of the most boring people I know. The work itself is not very interesting unless they are involved in high-level financiing. None of the CPA's I know get out of bed wanting to race to their desks. We've hired no less than 5 former CPA's who wanted out. If you want a career in business there are many other possibilities that are more exciting opportunities out there. There's nothing wrong with being a CPA, but if you've spent years "howling at the moon", this particular career will be the polar opposite. __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

10-23-2007, 08:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
hrandani Insane	I appreciate your advice. I've just spent the past two years howling at the moon and writing poetry and screaming my soul out into the wilds and staring into the void that lies in every man's soul. I used to think I had an idea of where my life was going, but shit happened. I made zero progress, learned to deal with the emptiness, and now I want to stop fucking around and move into a career. I've explored a lot of options and this is the one that I keep coming back to, so I'm interested in hearing from people who know anything about moving into this field. When I was little I knew a CPA and she was undoubtedly one of the most clever people I've known, and thoroughly enjoyed her job. I didn't just pick this out of a hat, man. I couldn't care less what other people thought about or if they respected me. I want something that's challenging, interesting and has job security. As for my intelligence, a curse, it's a blessing - it's all I have. What the hell do you suggest I do with it? So uh it's this or the marines. haha ~

10-24-2007, 02:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
frozenstellar Without Wings Location: Australia	as someone currently going through the australian chartered accounting (CA) program, i daresay that if you aren't that kind of person that really really enjoys this area of business, then you'll struggle, and struggle hard. I dont know how the study aspect of CPA in the US goes, but I know here in australia, CA is definately no walk in the park. you sound confused from the very start - you mention actuary, cpa & law. you couldn't have really struck 3 completely different areas of work. I've got friends working as an actuary (and the ballbreaking exams that go along with it) & also in commercial law, and whilst they are both insanely intelligent guys, I can assure you that if either of them didnt enjoy what they were doing, there is no way they would be doing it.

10-24-2007, 07:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
hrandani Insane	That was somewhat facetious directed at the guy who was encouraging me to explore other options and forget about it. I'm not worried about happiness, it comes and goes regardless of what you do. I daresay I'm a fairly boring person so that's not a problem. If I could I'd like to redirect this thread back to the original intent, which was advice on moving into the professional arena. That's my goal, is to find a professional field to move into. I've done IT and field biology, some microbiology, and for all my initial disdain of white-collar work when I was younger I'm beginning to see the error of my ways, because these fields are pretty limited in terms of long-term career options. Law I'm not interested in personally but it is something I've been involved in peripherally all my life, and I know I could do it in a pinch. I haven't heard a great deal about CPA or actuarial work, so that's my question: What's it like, do you recommend it, how did you get into it?