Accounting is a great career choice for those left-brain thinkers who value logic and thoroughness. But just having a mind for accounting won’t leave you with high career satisfaction. For example there are many PriceWaterhousCoopers careers that you can pursue, but if you ultimately do not love what you are doing, you are doomed for failure. You must enjoy the work, the ultimate love of numbers, and the occasional long hours.
So, what is the outlook for accounting and where is it heading. My prediction is that there will be a boom in public accounting as our country pulls itself out of this long recession. Too many public accounting firms have been running very lean and mean and soon enough they will not be able to keep up with the demand. Hiring will happen quickly and swiftly as there is a need to capture the market share of clients. PriceWaterhouseCoopers careers will be on the rise again soon enough. In fact, I predict that the supply will not keep up with the demand. Many young people are heading for other careers at the moment (mostly in the technology, entertainment, and the arts.)
For example, Savannah College of Art & Design had just 70 students a decade ago and now they run over 7,000. Full Sail University in Orlando (Media, Entertainment & Arts) has seen unbelieveable growth in the last 5 years. Now before you think that accounting is dead, this is actually good news. When the supply does not meet demand the job seekers are in control. KPMG careers, Deloitte careers, Ernst and Young careers will all be in a candidate control environment before too long. This means higher salary, more training, more attention to retention services.
The average salary for auditors and accountants in 2009 was right at $60,000 (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The top ten percent earned $104,000 while the bottom ten percent earned less than $37,000.
Contrary to what most people think PriceWaterhouseCoopers careers like
Image via Wikipedia
other public accounting firms are more upward mobile than other careers. The structure in many of these firms encourages progression in title and responsibilities. You do not always see this in other career fields.
Public accounting can also have some adventure to it as well. While it is pretty deadline-driven, you get to travel and be apart of unique challenges and business industries.
The overall stress level can be high as well for accounting professionals. Certain times of the month it is not unusual to pull 50-60 hour work weeks to get either the month end or year end close finalized.
Earning your CPA is very important if you want to pursue public accounting as a career. Many accounting students today are staying in school getting their Masters in accounting, obtaining enough hours to sit for their CPA, and getting the CPA designation right away. As you can see PriceWaterhouseCoopers careers along with other reputable public accounting firms can be a great choice for you in the days ahead despite the sluggish economy. Lastly, make sure you are ready for the interview. There can be many unusual interview questions that you can get so you can never be too prepared.
Related articles
- What are the Best Careers in Accounting? (CPACareerCoach.com)
- Accounting Internships for College Students (CPACareerCoach.com)
+Jonathan Milligan is an Executive Recruiter/Career Coach that has successfully placed hundreds of Accounting & Finance Professionals. If you are currently struggling in your career, he is available on a limited basis for personal 1-on-1 career coaching and for resume makeovers.
Pingback: How to Get Hired by Big 4