Is it okay to pursue accounting?

I "fell" into accounting and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me personally.

First, I find the work is well suited for my personality in that I rarely deal with the public. I work in a team of 7 and we communicate via IM mostly. For internal customers, we communicate via emails. I spend most of my days working in spreadsheets. I can go an entire day uttering just a few words (good morning, have a good night).

I dont have much in common with my colleagues (S types), but since I work in a big company, there are plenty of people from other departments that I can chew the fat with when I am bored.

Second, there is a lot of job security in accounting. While it will probably not pay in the six figures unless you have a CPA, it pays enough to live comfortably. Also, you can go anywhere in the country and will not have a problem finding a job. That kind of flexibility and financial security cannot be stressed enough.

While most people equate accountants with tax work, financial accountants or financial analysts is what I am referring to above. I dislike tax works, books are kept usually on a cash basis (versus accrual basis for corporations), and in general, I find the work not as challenging. I like the challenge of working with big data and finding the most efficient way to deliver relevant, timely information.

Plus, if working in tax, I would have to deal with people more regularly, and that can be draining for me. I have a difficult time mixing work with the charity of helping people. Some people can merge the two seamlessly--and kudos for them---I just can't. There is something about me receiving money for my work that detracts from my idea of what it means to selflessly give.

So yeah, if you have a fondness for numbers and analytical work, you might find the field mentally rewarding. Studying theory is one thing, in the real world, get familar with macros, pivot tables , various functions like index match, and you will have a leg up on your college peers. Google is my favorite source of continuing education.

Feel free to PM if you have additional questions.

/r/infj Thread