Whether you are in college or just fresh out of college and trying to figure out what to do with your life, or are thinking about a career change a little later in life, it can be scary and stressful to try and figure out what career is right for you. One career that has been popular for a long time is accounting. Everyone needs an accountant at some time or another, so has longevity. The pay can be pretty good too. Of course, not just anyone is cut out for accounting. It does require some special skills and strengths.
So if you’re on the fence, here are 3 tips for those considering a career in accounting.
Be Comfortable With Finances
Accountants give financial advice to some degree to their clients, especially during tax season. It is up to you to learn the lingo and explain it in layman’s terms to people. When it comes to matters of finances, it’s important that you are not only comfortable looking at and talking about your client’s finances with them, you should also be comfortable with your own finances.
For example, if you owed a ton of money last year on taxes and you aren’t quite sure why, a career in accounting may not be best for you. Similarly, if you haven’t thought about reaching retirement at all and have no savings whatsoever, you probably want to go into a different field.
Look At Your Math Skills
It may go without being said, but being an accountant requires a fair amount of math and there is really no way around that. If math has never been your strong suite, this just may not be the right career for you. However, if you’re decent at math and just need a little refresher, you may consider taking some math classes at your local community college to brush up on your skills.
If you aren’t sure, there are many tests online you can take to figure out what your math skill levels are. This is a great way to know where you stand so that you can figure out if going into accounting is what you really want to do.
Think About Clientele
Do you have a lot of friends and just know a lot of people in general? If so, you will likely already have some built in clients when you first start your accounting business. However, if you’ve just moved to a new city, aren’t a people person, or just don’t know a lot of people, it may be really difficult for you to get started as an accountant.
Being an accountant certainly isn’t for everyone, but who knows – it may be just the right career for you! Hopefully this list helps you to decide.