5 Things You Need to Know Before Becoming an Accountant

An accountant is one of those professions you either hate it or love it. People who don’t like accounting say this career is too dull and tedious.

And, people who love accounting are usually good at numbers and interested in the businesses ins and outs. If you want to be an accountant, you should try doing your research first and here is why.

Are you trying to work for a firm who sells accounting services to businesses, or are you trying to work for a publicly traded company privately working on their financial reports?

While there are many pros and cons to these two options, you should really do your research when making your choice between public vs corporate.

All accountants are super busy during tax season. Working overtime from January to April depending on where you work. If you are a person who does not like to work overtime and being stressed during busy seasons, you may want to choose another career.

Although every industry has busy seasons and over time, accountants tend to have longer hours on average.

If you didn’t know, CPA’s on average make more money than just an accountant. This is because certification gives you more experience to take on management positions with more responsibilities and the authority to audit. Becoming a CPA is a really good idea if you are trying to move up and make more.

Starting a business is tough, especially in a very competitive industry like accounting. If you google accounting firm, most likely, you will see a dozen of accounting and CPA firms.

This is because a lot of accountants decide to start their own firm after working years in corporate. But don't be afraid since there is always a need for accountants.

If you start a business, in the beginning, you will have to take every client that comes through the door. Meaning clients not being able to pay, clients treating you as their psychologist, clients getting mad at you for their mistakes.

After this, you can niche down to get the clients you really want, and charge more for your services.

These are a few of the reasons why you should do your research before jumping into an accounting career. If you already know this is the career for you, excellent, you are on the right path to success.

A business accountant in Westchester, New York, and business owner of Karpos & Associates is the perfect example of a successful accountant starting a business.