Why would people leave the industry of accounting

Hi Deja,

Accounting is a great industry to pivot in and out of. As an accountant, you have a skill set that enables you to be valuable in a wide variety of industries. There will always be a demand for accountants. And you have an opportunity to become and expert in a field of accounting (i.e. tax, forensic). That said, it does not mean you have to remain in the accounting industry. The field of accounting can act as a base for people to expand professionally from or remain in.

Hi, Deja,

I agree with Rachael's answer - the accounting field is often where professionals lay the foundation to work in many different parts of a business (e.g. moving into a management/operational role rather than sticking to financial reporting). One of the great things about the accounting field is the opportunity it provides to move into many different roles.

With that said, the accounting industry is also very demanding and fast-paced. I think it is very easy for professionals to burn themselves out since the work is challenging and requires a significant time commitment. You have to be vigilant in maintaining your work-life balance to be successful. Many firms are embracing greater flexibility to embower their employees to take control of that balance a little more easily.

The accounting field is a great starting point for a career. You will learn a tremendous amount, build meaningful relationships, and have opportunity to work in a variety of different spaces, both within the industry and out of it. At the end of the day, accounting might not be the long-term solution for many people, but I imagine many folks who start in accounting and move on to work elsewhere would agree that the time they spent as accountants was valuable.

I hope this helps - feel free to reach out if you have any other questions. Good luck!

Hi Deja,

This is a great question! A lot of people join the accounting industry straight out of college because of the vast amount of knowledge, experience, and leadership qualities you will learn and develop in a short amount of time. As Jacob mentioned, it is a great place to build a foundation in the finance world that you will be able to leverage and expand across many different business areas.

With that being said, a job in public accounting can be very demanding and there is an expectation to work long hours 3-4 months out of the year. As a CPA with 2-3 years of experience, you are a very sought after professional that many companies will offer jobs with increased salary and less hours. Public accounting is not for everyone, but it is a great place to start if you know you want to do something in accounting/finance in the future.