Honestly, the most surprising thing is that most people hate it. I’m an accountant because I love numbers and organization, but didn’t want to go into engineering. Every company I’ve worked for has an accounting department of very sad people. They talk about how they wasted their lives going into this career, “but at least it’s a stable paycheck, y’know?”.
The pay! I had a few different careers I was considering, but went with accounting because at the time it was one of the only careers with legitimate online degrees. I’ve been in the field 4 years now and make $100k. That puts me at the top 5% of household incomes where I live.
The lack of actual work. I’m here for opening the books at the beginning of the month, closing at the end, and not much else. 75% of my days are a whole lotta nothing. At my current job we bring in video games on Fridays and play at the office.
Older me kinda wishes younger me had considered accounting, but younger me was hung up on your first point. Younger me didn’t want a boring job. Older me is like “I don’t have to love my job, I just have to not hate it. I can do the things I love during my time.” And a low key, low stress, high autonomy job kinda nails that. I’m kind of accounting adjacent (data analyst) and it’s working out so far, but there’s probably more salary stability in your career vs mine. The February to May crunch kinda scares me tho.
Older me kinda wishes younger me had considered accounting, but younger me was hung up on your first point. Younger me didn’t want a boring job. Older me is like “I don’t have to love my job, I just have to not hate it. I can do the things I love during my time.” And a low key, low stress, high autonomy job kinda nails that. I’m kind of accounting adjacent (data analyst) and it’s working out so far, but there’s probably more salary stability in your career vs mine. The February to May crunch kinda scares me tho.