So, you’re thinking of becoming an accountant? It’s a great career choice, but there are a few things you should consider before leaping. Here are six questions to ask yourself to help you decide if accounting is right for you.
Do You Have Strong Math Skills?
Accounting is a math-based profession, so it’s important to be comfortable with numbers and have a good understanding of basic algebra and geometry. If you don’t feel confident in your math skills or think you could use some improvement, consider taking some online or community college courses to brush up on your skills.
Are You Good at Organizing and Managing Information?
As an accountant, one of your main jobs is to keep track of company data, financial transactions, and business processes. You’ll need to be able to hold large amounts of information in your head at any given time, so it’s important that you are comfortable with taking on lots of different tasks at once.
Do You Like Working Independently?
Like lawyers and physicians, accountants often work alone (the exception being in public accounting, where there is a team dynamic). If you need regular interaction with others or the ability to work in an open office setting, this might not be the right career for you. On the other hand, accounting can be ideal if you enjoy having some peace when working on complex projects.
Are You Detail-Oriented?
In order to be successful as an accountant, you need to be extremely detail-oriented. This means being able to pay close attention to small details, catching errors, and ensuring accuracy in all your work. If you have a tendency to overlook the little things, or if you don’t enjoy putting in the extra effort to get things right, accounting may not be the right career for you.
Do You Enjoy Working with Computers and Technology?
Accounting is becoming more and more automated, which means that it’s important for accountants to know how to use the latest computer software and systems. If you don’t feel confident in your ability to learn new technology or don’t like putting in the extra time to keep up with all the latest programs, accounting may not be a good fit for you.
Are You Okay with Long Hours of Analysis and Research?
If analysis and research sound like fun, then this might be the right career choice for you! Accounting involves a lot of careful studying of financial statements, business reports, and data sets; as an accountant, your job will involve taking lots of information and making sense of it.
So, is accounting the right career for you? If you answered yes to most of the questions above, then chances are it is. But remember, there are no guarantees in life, and no one can predict exactly what the future will hold. The best thing you can do is take some time to investigate the profession further and see if it’s a good fit for your personality and skillset.