Ask a CPA

During my time in high school I enjoyed so many different things, from science and math to the fine arts. By the time I was a junior, I had decided I would persue a career in Nursing as that touched on the area of science, which I was very drawn to. Prior to making that decision, I considered careers in engineering and music as well - but never accounting. This was ironic as my father was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and had spent his career in Public Accounting working for a big firm. He did not attempt to lead me in any specific direction toward a carreer in business as his wish for me was to find something I loved to do.

Once I got to college, I found there were many other things that interested me besides nursing, including art history, criminal justice and sociology...so many, I often felt I couldn't pick just one. By my softmore year, I had decided nursing wasn't the right path for me and began to take introductory classes in many different areas to get a feel for what I might want to do. Once I took my first accounting class, something just clicked. I started to get information on all the different types of careers available to accountants and CPAs and saw that a world of possibilties would be opened to me. It was shortly thereafter that I selected accounting as my major and graduated with an offer to a Big 4 firm. While I went from school into public accounting, there were tons of options besides that.

Today I am working in Government Accounting, and would never have guessed (in a million years!) when I was in high school that I would be doing something like this. I am so glad I explored the opportunities that being a CPA presented and often wish I had gotten more involved in accounting back then. It would have probably been a shorter road in my education, but I do not regret it for a minute. Being a CPA is highly reputable and I have so many choices on what to do next. Sure, once in a while I reflect back and think about going into music...but I love what I do now!

Being a CPA, Government & Nonprofit

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There are so many things that need to be done to help ensure that your business gets off to a good start. Here is a list of a few things that helped me when I started my own accounting firm.

Be passionate about what you are doing. Choosing the right business is essential to your success. Choose a service or product that you are enthusiastic about and eager to spend a significant amount of time developing. Most people underestimate the amount of time it takes to start and run a business. I was lucky to have a very understanding family that allowed me the time I needed. Be prepared to dedicate a substantial amount of time to this endeavor.

Create a useable business plan. Mapping out your goals and strategies in written form is fundamental to the process. There are many business plan templates available on line that can help you get started. Updating the plan often as things change is also crucial to your success. Embrace change. I truly believe that stagnant businesses die. Be prepared for constant change to improve your business and stay ahead of your competitors.

Seek advice. There are so many experts that are willing to share their experiences and their advice for free. A wonderful source is the non-profit organization called SCORE. Its mission is to help business owners form and grow their businesses, by providing one-on-one mentoring through one of its 364 local chapters and by providing practical tools online at www.score.org. Another great resource is the U.S. Small Business Administration. These organizations provide practical advice from the simplest of subjects to the very complex.

Keep a positive attitude. There are peaks and valleys in any business. Maintaining a “can do” attitude is necessary to get you through some of the difficult times. I am convinced that most successful business owners never entertain the idea that their business could fail. There is no room for failure, as long as you keep working toward success.

Internships & First Job, Professional Community

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A lot of factors go into consideration in addition to GPA.

- First, be sure you meet the educational requirements to sit for the CPA when you graduate college. You can access state-specific information at the following link: www.startheregoplaces.com

- Extracurricular involvement demonstrates an ability to work in a team, which is required for any public accounting job.

- Work experience and internships demonstrate professional skills.

- There are also intangible qualities firms look for in new recruits – Can the candidate work independently yet also as part of a team? Does the candidate enjoy problem solving and interaction with clients and colleagues? Does the candidate possess a curious mind and desire to learn? Be sure to exemplify these skills when applying for jobs!

- You also need to be proactive and work with your college career office and network and talk to people already working at a Big 4 firm. It doesn’t hurt to get started as soon as possible. You’ll find a lot of CPAs would relish the opportunity to help out any students interested in the field, so don’t hesitate to reach out to your contacts.

Internships & First Job, Public Accounting, Salary

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The aspects of any successful business go well beyond simple number crunching. Communication skills, creative thinking, relationship building, problem solving, effective marketing – the list goes on and on – all play an essential role and are important tools to becoming successful in business.

With an accounting background, you are poised to succeed in accounting, industry, marketing, or any number of other career paths because you have the necessary background to be able to understand the inner-workings and financial aspects of business. You will have a great understanding of analyzing, predicting, reporting, and evaluating very important data, and with a compliment of creative skills as you mention above, your options will be even greater.

There is no better entrance tool to any business-related position than an accounting degree and the CPA designation. With these, you’ll find yourself holding a very important key to your future – whatever future you choose.

Being a CPA, Colleges & Classes

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Work-life balance has been a frequent discussion recently for both private companies and CPA firms alike. The good news is that, as a CPA, you will have credentials that designate you as a knowledgeable professional who can manage their own schedule and workload.

I currently work alongside a number of successful leaders and staff in our firm that are under flexible schedule arrangements to help accommodate family and other interests. Additionally, there are a number of opportunities for me and others to occasionally work from home or at varying times in the day, allowing us to maintain the schedule of our families while continuing down a great career path in accounting.

With the work-life balance and flexible schedule conversations on the forefront of employers’ minds today, the stage is perfectly set for you to enter a strong profession for a successful career while maintaining the quality of life you desire.

Being a CPA, Work/Life Balance

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