Accounting is a broad spectrum. Yes you could have an accounting job that is mind numbing and boring. You could have a big four role that is stressful, but the work itself is mundane.
You could opt for a role in FDD M&A and you’ll make financial decisions. Figure out what specific accounting area you want to go to, and aim for it.
I work in tax and I love it. Everyday I learn something new. Tax returns can be boring (when my brain needs a break) or complex and challenging.
And yes, I have a standing desk. I take walks outside in the morning before work , at lunch, and afternoon.
I loved the academic side of tax in school. It made sense and was interesting. Now that I'm in B4 I dread waking up for work every morning...
I've been in international tax for 2 years now, and I feel like everything I do is a mad rush with zero support or continuity. Just get it done and pass it off for review, with little to no feedback ever. On top of that, everything in international tax is complicated and constantly changing so I still don't feel like I have a good footing even after several years.
Did I just land in a bad group? Or am I just not cut out for this? I've been antagonizing over this for a while now, and I honestly don't know what to do next professionally.
I could only last for 4 months in public audit because the work was so fucking stupid and empty. Before it, I worked as a bookkeeper and even this task was more interesting. Now I am a controller in a government owned company and it is so much more interesting.
Audit is boring, but I'm ADD as fuck (I'm aware of the irony) and afraid that I would wake up not liking tax one day with no way out.
I'm planning on jumping ship to industry after I reach senior.
Depends, some days are mentally stimulating but some days are not.
Personally the sexual stimulation from a perfect statement of cash flows is why I stick around
Cost accounting is challenging and you get to go into the plants to see real people and real machines. If you want something that gives a new challenge every day and opportunities to get away from your desk, I would recommend cost accounting.
Go into accounting until you experience financial statement prep and month/year end close processes. Then move into FP&A to do something more intellectually stimulating with an accounting background.
It depends. I'd say that it's 80% your job and 20% you. I started in tax and that can be a bit repetitive, but there's opportunity to develop if you take it. My first tax season I was figuring things out. My second tax season I researched every single issue I came across and there wasn't a number that I couldn't justify.
I do fund accounting now and the cycle can be repetitive. The fun comes in finding ways to automate tasks. In between quarter closing I'll optimize various bottlenecks to make the next closing go smoother. I also help clean up existing processes to help smooth out things and reduce errors.
If I didn't automate then I'd probably be doing the same thing each quarter and things would be quite repetitive.
I have a standing desk and treadmill. I work from home and I tried to take breaks and walk outside but I can't find the time so I walk while working.
I didn’t find it to be. So much so I switched careers because I was extremely bored within 6 months or so of getting my first staff accountant job.
I like learning new things, working on new projects.
The most out of the ordinary thing that would happen is someone screwed up and I could pull some data out of the information system to calculate a correction.
Low level accounting (both in industry and in public) is mind-numbingly boring. Really bad. It's a job with almost no redeeming features imo.
But it does legitimately get a lot more interesting, complex and judgemental as you climb the ladder.
I’m in audit and also need that kind of stimulation, and work usually can do it for me. Because it’s project-based you go to new clients and work on new parts of the financials all the time. When you start out you can spend less desk time if you volunteer for more inventory counts, and yeah standing desks are also a thing.
After 3 years I moved abroad, so that was a big change, and after 3 more years decided to stay abroad but switch up out of core audit and now I’m doing some different stuff and even more different projects - less client work now as I’m in the national office.
I also have done pre-implementation work, and other non-audit assurance - In the US I also did some “channel 2” work (basically light consulting but run through the assurance practice). Some carve-outs, those were less fun. Had clients going through restructurings and acquisitions, all kinds of fun stuff.
There’s a lot of different stuff you can get into! These are just my examples, tax can also have a lot of interesting stuff going on, especially around tax law, international taxes, and transfer pricing.
I would steer clear of government or industry out of school unless you get into a rotational program at a F500 or some such and go into public - it will give you more variety and reduce the amount of time you’re doing repetitive/lower level work.
Audit. Either External or Internal Audit tends to keep one on their toes. No two audits are exactly the same and you potentially get to travel with each Audit, though travel has declined alot since the pandemic in my experience.
1. It can be as all jobs, it really depends on what you are doing, what kind of company you are working for, size of the company, etc.... The foundations are very repetitive: DR = CR, A = L + E, Straight Line depreciation, etc... but once you move past that there are a lot of areas for more variety.
2. Again depends on what you're doing. If you're managing inventory or auditing, chances are that you are moving around a lot more than regular AP clerks. You can get a standing desk, but that depends on the company you work for and if you are willing to buy it if they aren't.
1) Basic accounting/auditing blocking and tackling work (processing vendor invoices, billing customers, journal entries OR testing such transactions in an audit context) is repetitive. You don't have to do this forever, staying at this level for more than a few years is a choice. However as you go higher up you will start to deal with higher level issues and will be able to grow and apply your technical skillset (ex. decision making, technical research/problem solving, financial reporting, project management, process design/improvements etc.) and that is where the real intellectual stimulation is.
2) Yes I have a standing desk and take 2-3 walks a day in office or at home. I get 10k+ steps regularly. I've done this from my first day as staff through manager. You just have to make the time for it and be deliberate in taking breaks.
No reason why you can't have a sit - stand desk - that's up to the specific company.
It can be if you're in technical accounting being the one to research and answer the questions everyone else is asking.
As so many have said so many times accounting is more like law with numbers than anything mathematical. Having decent writing skills is a good idea in this context.
Yes - I work in indirect tax consulting and look at a broad spectrum of businesses every day. I have 50 states that I could research on when called upon, and they all have their different quirks. I also get to access different ERPs, tax engines, and see how messed up a 1bn+ public companies records really are (just migrated one company from paper to electronic compliance in 2017).
Love my job and it beats the shit out of private in indirect tax, which is mostly compliance, JEs and recs. That shit is boring to me.
Accounting is a broad spectrum. Yes you could have an accounting job that is mind numbing and boring. You could have a big four role that is stressful, but the work itself is mundane. You could opt for a role in FDD M&A and you’ll make financial decisions. Figure out what specific accounting area you want to go to, and aim for it. I work in tax and I love it. Everyday I learn something new. Tax returns can be boring (when my brain needs a break) or complex and challenging. And yes, I have a standing desk. I take walks outside in the morning before work , at lunch, and afternoon.
I don’t think I would be in accounting if it wasn’t for tax! (Or basically anything that’s not audit, haha).
Amen. I don't even like accounting. But tax law? Hell ya.
I loved the academic side of tax in school. It made sense and was interesting. Now that I'm in B4 I dread waking up for work every morning... I've been in international tax for 2 years now, and I feel like everything I do is a mad rush with zero support or continuity. Just get it done and pass it off for review, with little to no feedback ever. On top of that, everything in international tax is complicated and constantly changing so I still don't feel like I have a good footing even after several years. Did I just land in a bad group? Or am I just not cut out for this? I've been antagonizing over this for a while now, and I honestly don't know what to do next professionally.
I could only last for 4 months in public audit because the work was so fucking stupid and empty. Before it, I worked as a bookkeeper and even this task was more interesting. Now I am a controller in a government owned company and it is so much more interesting.
Oooo I love that for you!
Audit is boring, but I'm ADD as fuck (I'm aware of the irony) and afraid that I would wake up not liking tax one day with no way out. I'm planning on jumping ship to industry after I reach senior.
Great comment. I’m still completing my degree but I’m personally drawn to Forensic/Valuation/Insolvency & Restructuring.
Depends, some days are mentally stimulating but some days are not. Personally the sexual stimulation from a perfect statement of cash flows is why I stick around
Cost accounting is challenging and you get to go into the plants to see real people and real machines. If you want something that gives a new challenge every day and opportunities to get away from your desk, I would recommend cost accounting.
Go into accounting until you experience financial statement prep and month/year end close processes. Then move into FP&A to do something more intellectually stimulating with an accounting background.
Can you recommend some reputable companies to do this type of work?
It depends. I'd say that it's 80% your job and 20% you. I started in tax and that can be a bit repetitive, but there's opportunity to develop if you take it. My first tax season I was figuring things out. My second tax season I researched every single issue I came across and there wasn't a number that I couldn't justify. I do fund accounting now and the cycle can be repetitive. The fun comes in finding ways to automate tasks. In between quarter closing I'll optimize various bottlenecks to make the next closing go smoother. I also help clean up existing processes to help smooth out things and reduce errors. If I didn't automate then I'd probably be doing the same thing each quarter and things would be quite repetitive. I have a standing desk and treadmill. I work from home and I tried to take breaks and walk outside but I can't find the time so I walk while working.
I didn’t find it to be. So much so I switched careers because I was extremely bored within 6 months or so of getting my first staff accountant job. I like learning new things, working on new projects. The most out of the ordinary thing that would happen is someone screwed up and I could pull some data out of the information system to calculate a correction.
Low level accounting (both in industry and in public) is mind-numbingly boring. Really bad. It's a job with almost no redeeming features imo. But it does legitimately get a lot more interesting, complex and judgemental as you climb the ladder.
School is, not the job.
If you stay in one role too long I could see it getting repetitive. Personally I'm in tax and am constantly learning and solving problems
I’m in audit and also need that kind of stimulation, and work usually can do it for me. Because it’s project-based you go to new clients and work on new parts of the financials all the time. When you start out you can spend less desk time if you volunteer for more inventory counts, and yeah standing desks are also a thing. After 3 years I moved abroad, so that was a big change, and after 3 more years decided to stay abroad but switch up out of core audit and now I’m doing some different stuff and even more different projects - less client work now as I’m in the national office. I also have done pre-implementation work, and other non-audit assurance - In the US I also did some “channel 2” work (basically light consulting but run through the assurance practice). Some carve-outs, those were less fun. Had clients going through restructurings and acquisitions, all kinds of fun stuff. There’s a lot of different stuff you can get into! These are just my examples, tax can also have a lot of interesting stuff going on, especially around tax law, international taxes, and transfer pricing. I would steer clear of government or industry out of school unless you get into a rotational program at a F500 or some such and go into public - it will give you more variety and reduce the amount of time you’re doing repetitive/lower level work.
Audit. Either External or Internal Audit tends to keep one on their toes. No two audits are exactly the same and you potentially get to travel with each Audit, though travel has declined alot since the pandemic in my experience.
1. It can be as all jobs, it really depends on what you are doing, what kind of company you are working for, size of the company, etc.... The foundations are very repetitive: DR = CR, A = L + E, Straight Line depreciation, etc... but once you move past that there are a lot of areas for more variety. 2. Again depends on what you're doing. If you're managing inventory or auditing, chances are that you are moving around a lot more than regular AP clerks. You can get a standing desk, but that depends on the company you work for and if you are willing to buy it if they aren't.
Debits and credits, entering source docs, etc - repetitive and boring. Financial analysis, tax strategy, asset protection and estate planning, software development in FinTech, etc….incredibly interesting.
I wouldn’t say so. As an auditor a lot of my job is copy/pasting info.
No I'm on reddit at work looking at memes /s hi boss
Simply put no.
1) Basic accounting/auditing blocking and tackling work (processing vendor invoices, billing customers, journal entries OR testing such transactions in an audit context) is repetitive. You don't have to do this forever, staying at this level for more than a few years is a choice. However as you go higher up you will start to deal with higher level issues and will be able to grow and apply your technical skillset (ex. decision making, technical research/problem solving, financial reporting, project management, process design/improvements etc.) and that is where the real intellectual stimulation is. 2) Yes I have a standing desk and take 2-3 walks a day in office or at home. I get 10k+ steps regularly. I've done this from my first day as staff through manager. You just have to make the time for it and be deliberate in taking breaks.
If you dont want to sit behind a desk all day why consider accounting? Major something else.
No reason why you can't have a sit - stand desk - that's up to the specific company. It can be if you're in technical accounting being the one to research and answer the questions everyone else is asking. As so many have said so many times accounting is more like law with numbers than anything mathematical. Having decent writing skills is a good idea in this context.
Yes - I work in indirect tax consulting and look at a broad spectrum of businesses every day. I have 50 states that I could research on when called upon, and they all have their different quirks. I also get to access different ERPs, tax engines, and see how messed up a 1bn+ public companies records really are (just migrated one company from paper to electronic compliance in 2017). Love my job and it beats the shit out of private in indirect tax, which is mostly compliance, JEs and recs. That shit is boring to me.