Certified Public Accountants (CPA’s) are like the S.W.A.T. team of the accounting world. They’re the people that virtually everyone with money needs or woes calls when the chips are down and the wolf’s knocking at the door. CPA’s are forensic accounting experts, and well versed in the use of all the financial weapons at their disposal.
Not to be confused with a lowly “accountant” who can find work in the accounting or finance wing of just about any old company, CPA’s are needed everywhere and well-renowned for their advanced education and experience in all matters relating to finances, taxes, and investing.
Keep reading to learn 5 really cool advantages you get automatically after passing your state’s Uniform CPA Examination, courtesy of CPA Exam Guy:
1. You get to be everyone’s super-hero!
How does that old saying go? Money makes the world go round…
Let’s face it: everyone loves and respects a person who is good at managing money matters. Nobody will ever say “Oh, he/she is just a dumb accountant,” no matter how they actually think they’d feel if they had to do your job.
There are a lot of myths surrounding the profession, and you’ll get the chance to bust every one of them during your career.
CPA’s get mad respect from their peers. Especially when a client walks through your door with Uncle Sam on their tail and you’re the only one who can fix what ails them!
2. Multiple wardrobe choices
Being a CPA doesn’t mean you need to wear a stuffy three-piece suit from Macy’s or the like. CPA’s can wear a suit one day, then switch it up the next and wear shorts and a t-shirt to work. While the stigma used to exist that suits and/or khakis and golf shirts were the standard fair for accountants and other “office professionals,” times have changed circa 2017.
Often, you can wear whatever you wish to work, within reason. Just don’t forget that skimpy short-shorts and a wife-beater or crop-top may not give off the impression you’re looking to make when a client meets you for the first time.
This benefit applies mostly to those of you who choose to go the freelance route. However, many companies (including government) who employ CPA’s offer a casual work environment where you can choose to wear whatever you wish, so long as it doesn’t break any decency laws in the state or province you work in!
3. Choose from multiple career paths (ie., You never get bored!)
There are so many careers to choose from once you dip your toes into the massive world of accounting and its related professions. Keep in mind that in order to keep your licensure up to date, you will be required to complete the obligatory 40 hours of CPE every year, if applicable, where you practice.
Internal/external auditing, tax preparer, revenue consulting, financial analyst, forensic accounting, compliance executive, wealth management, IRS agent, CFO, and many more positions including management roles of all kinds are all possible with a CPA designation.
4. Job security
Since money first came into existence, there’s been someone there to help people and corporations manage it. Quite simply, the need for qualified CPA’s isn’t going dwindle any time soon. In fact, most sources project a steady 11% growth rate well into the third decade of this century.
As long as your problem solving skills are sound, and you view data accuracy and security with extreme seriousness, you’ll never have to look hard for a job once you have some experience working as a Certified Public Accountant.
5. Better than average income
Salaries for a CPA in the United States range from $44,000 – $107,343 per year (source). This is far from the median personal income of just over $30,000 in that same country. Income level is often an indicator of one’s experience (trustworthiness) and workload, but CPA’s definitely have the power to write their own ticket if they work hard toward achieving their goals.
For the most part, CPA’s everywhere tend to earn as much or more than other professions requiring an advanced degree; with several of those other professions having a much lower income ceiling.
Interested in getting your CPA?
If you answer yes (I know you would!) then your next step would be preparing yourself for the challenging CPA exam. You may need to take classes for this purpose, but I strongly recommend for you to take a CPA course, which will essentially teach you to prepare for the exam at your own pace.
The main goal for the courses is for you to pass all four sections of the CPA exam – and do so as fast as possible. Unfortunately, not all courses are created equal. That said, it’s essential to compare CPA Review Courses and choose the one that suit your need the most.
Conclusion
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you just how awesome and rewarding it is to take your accounting career to the next level by becoming a CPA.
If you’re tired of low pay in exchange for long hours, and lack of job diversity and satisfaction that often come with being a bookkeeper or clerk, etc., a CPA designation will open up doors you never imagined possible in your career!