8 answers
Mary
Student
San Carlos City, Ilocos Region, Philippines
2
Questions
Asked
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Hello,I am incoming senior high school this year and I'm already thinking about choosing what to pursue in the future whether should I pick accountancy or IT to learn about it early.Which one is better?
For accountant,I am introverted person and for IT,I'm into technology but the thing is my grade in math is just average.
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8 answers
Sam Pawley
Senior Principal Security Engineer
5
Answers
Gladewater, Texas
Updated
Sam’s Answer
Hi Mary,
Neither one is "Better". What you need to decide is, which one is "Better" for You.
I went into college with a major in Math. In my first year, I decided I absolutely didn't want to pursue that major, but wanted to change direction to Computer Science. That change wasn't because I learned more about those fields, but more because I learned more about myself. I didn't enjoy Math, but I did enjoy Computers.
Choosing the "perfect" field for yourself doesn't lock you into it for life, but it is good to find a field you enjoy early on. If you truly enjoy the field, it becomes less "work" and more of an "adventure".
I don't know about Accounting, but if you choose a career in IT, to be successful you will need to keep learning for your entire career. Technology changes and if you don't keep learning, you are just slowly becoming obsolete. If you really find technology interesting, then that continuous learning becomes easy. And sometimes fun (that's how I personally see it).
You mention that you are introverted. So am I. I don't know the Accounting world, but in IT you will most likely be a member of a team. Normally starting out in IT you won't be a solo contributor. So, you will report to a manager, and you will have coworkers. If you are lucky, they will be talented IT professionals and you will learn a lot from them.
So, I wish you luck in finding your path. The fact that you are asking this question means you are approaching it intelligently with open eyes.
Neither one is "Better". What you need to decide is, which one is "Better" for You.
I went into college with a major in Math. In my first year, I decided I absolutely didn't want to pursue that major, but wanted to change direction to Computer Science. That change wasn't because I learned more about those fields, but more because I learned more about myself. I didn't enjoy Math, but I did enjoy Computers.
Choosing the "perfect" field for yourself doesn't lock you into it for life, but it is good to find a field you enjoy early on. If you truly enjoy the field, it becomes less "work" and more of an "adventure".
I don't know about Accounting, but if you choose a career in IT, to be successful you will need to keep learning for your entire career. Technology changes and if you don't keep learning, you are just slowly becoming obsolete. If you really find technology interesting, then that continuous learning becomes easy. And sometimes fun (that's how I personally see it).
You mention that you are introverted. So am I. I don't know the Accounting world, but in IT you will most likely be a member of a team. Normally starting out in IT you won't be a solo contributor. So, you will report to a manager, and you will have coworkers. If you are lucky, they will be talented IT professionals and you will learn a lot from them.
So, I wish you luck in finding your path. The fact that you are asking this question means you are approaching it intelligently with open eyes.
Thank you,I hope I can choose what truly is best for me!
Mary
Beth Mueller
Tax advice for companies
5
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Beth’s Answer
Hi Mary, I agree with the others that both are great career options. I'll provide some insight about being an accountant, because that is what my degree is in.
I agree with Shirley's answer that 'math' is not where we spend our time, but we do spend our time with 'numbers'. The field of accounting is very broad, with lots of directions you can take, but one thing that is common is that we spend a lot of time thinking about how the numbers translate into business actions, and vice versa. I got my degree in accounting, and now practice in the Tax field. I enjoy my career because I help companies figure out how their business actions result in tax liability, and how different actions that could be taken could result in a different tax liability. More than math, I think an important skill in all accounting areas is the ability to think critically. Examples of this are "What would be the accounting results of this action?" or "If I want a specific accounting result, what do I need to chance?"
There are lots of introverts in accounting, and there are lots of extroverts in accounting too. I was extremely shy when I graduated from college, and had a lot of doubt in my ability to be successful, surrounded by people I thought were smarter, more outgoing, and more aggressive than me. I've been in this field for over 25 years now, and learned to get over my feelings of doubt and bring my best self to work. We all find ways to work together - in fact, the best teams have a variety of personalities, along with diversity from many angles.
Best of luck to you as you explore your options!
I agree with Shirley's answer that 'math' is not where we spend our time, but we do spend our time with 'numbers'. The field of accounting is very broad, with lots of directions you can take, but one thing that is common is that we spend a lot of time thinking about how the numbers translate into business actions, and vice versa. I got my degree in accounting, and now practice in the Tax field. I enjoy my career because I help companies figure out how their business actions result in tax liability, and how different actions that could be taken could result in a different tax liability. More than math, I think an important skill in all accounting areas is the ability to think critically. Examples of this are "What would be the accounting results of this action?" or "If I want a specific accounting result, what do I need to chance?"
There are lots of introverts in accounting, and there are lots of extroverts in accounting too. I was extremely shy when I graduated from college, and had a lot of doubt in my ability to be successful, surrounded by people I thought were smarter, more outgoing, and more aggressive than me. I've been in this field for over 25 years now, and learned to get over my feelings of doubt and bring my best self to work. We all find ways to work together - in fact, the best teams have a variety of personalities, along with diversity from many angles.
Best of luck to you as you explore your options!
Thank you for your answer Beth.It is such an inspiring one :D
Mary
Shirley L
Accountant
64
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Shirley’s Answer
Hi Mary,
Both Accounting and IT are great career options.
As an accountant, we work with numbers, but it's simple math everyone can do. For example, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. The most difficult math questions you may come across is simple algebra such as setting up an equation and solving for an unknown variable. Rest assured you won't have to find the area of a circle, or use the pythagorean theorem.
If you're indifferent about both fields, you can do both such as pursuing an IT audit career, which assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization's IT systems as well as compliance with regulatory standards.
Both Accounting and IT are great career options.
As an accountant, we work with numbers, but it's simple math everyone can do. For example, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. The most difficult math questions you may come across is simple algebra such as setting up an equation and solving for an unknown variable. Rest assured you won't have to find the area of a circle, or use the pythagorean theorem.
If you're indifferent about both fields, you can do both such as pursuing an IT audit career, which assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization's IT systems as well as compliance with regulatory standards.
Steven Weintraub
User Experience
5
Answers
Monroe Township, New Jersey
Updated
Steven’s Answer
It depends on what interests you and what your strengths are. I think both fields are equally rewarding and lucrative. Check with your career guidance office at school, and see if they can give you an aptitude/interests evaluation, along with recommendations. Also keep in mind that there's nothing preventing you from studying both topics in college, which will make a stronger candidate when you graduate. Information Technology and Accountancy can be very closely related in certain industries.
Rustin Nejad, CPA, CFE
Internal Auditor
3
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Rustin’s Answer
It's great you're considering these things so early! I don't think you can go wrong with either path, but I'd encourage you to challenge your assumptions about careers in these fields. As a CPA, I went the accounting route, and I'm very happy I did (just wish I did it sooner). But every accounting/audit role I've had involved working in teams, communicating with various people, and getting people to trust me. This career has made me a more effective communicator, but it's a great field if you like to broaden your technical and people skills.
Trisha Frederic
Senior Financial Analyst
1
Answer
Addis, Louisiana
Updated
Trisha’s Answer
Both roles are equally significant. I possess expertise in both fields because there's a demand for IT Accountants or Technical Accountants. Companies that are publicly traded must undergo SOC audits. These audits necessitate demonstrating how you safeguard information at a technical level and the methods employed to maintain information privacy. This is crucial for all companies, but it becomes even more vital when dealing with medical information.
When one mentions medical information, hospitals and doctor's offices are likely the first things that come to mind. However, the scope is far broader, encompassing insurance firms, workplaces that provide insurance benefits, educational institutions, and a range of other businesses.
Accounting is less about crunching numbers and more about comprehending how financial matters align with the business. While Excel can handle the calculations, it's your job to provide meaning to those figures.
When one mentions medical information, hospitals and doctor's offices are likely the first things that come to mind. However, the scope is far broader, encompassing insurance firms, workplaces that provide insurance benefits, educational institutions, and a range of other businesses.
Accounting is less about crunching numbers and more about comprehending how financial matters align with the business. While Excel can handle the calculations, it's your job to provide meaning to those figures.
Marc Grayson
Information Technology
1
Answer
New York, New York
Updated
Marc’s Answer
Mary,
A great way to test the waters with IT is to get a work/study job in a college computer lab (or if you high school has one you can ask to volunteer there as a support staff). This will give you a feel for what end users needs are, how to interact with users to provide IT support and how to start manage a fleet of computers.
I often run into IT professionals to have gotten there start this way. Its low pressure and if you don't like it you now have a different path to work towards.
A great way to test the waters with IT is to get a work/study job in a college computer lab (or if you high school has one you can ask to volunteer there as a support staff). This will give you a feel for what end users needs are, how to interact with users to provide IT support and how to start manage a fleet of computers.
I often run into IT professionals to have gotten there start this way. Its low pressure and if you don't like it you now have a different path to work towards.
Rustin Nejad, CPA, CFE
Internal Auditor
3
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Rustin’s Answer
It's great you're considering these things so early! I don't think you can go wrong with either path, but I'd encourage you to challenge your assumptions about careers in these fields. As a CPA, I went the accounting route, and I'm very happy I did (just wish I did it sooner). But every accounting/audit role I've had involved working in teams, communicating with various people, and getting people to trust me. This career has made me a more effective communicator, but it's a great field if you like to broaden your technical and people skills. Another assumption is that you need to be good at math. The math I do is mostly just 4 function calculator math (no calculus, trig, etc.) It's really more of a legal profession than a math-intensive profession. But I do wear a data analyst hat a lot, and I think IT skills you're considering are very relevant to the accounting profession.