[gg2929]

I am an accounting student looking at different options in the accounting field as far as career paths. I enjoy accounting, but really do not know which career path is best for me. I want to do something I enjoy and where I can make an impact. Possible career paths include:

Public accounting, working up to partner.

Industry, working up to CFO.

Government accounting, working up to executive or FBI.

I have no interest in being the CFO of a public company. That leaves other non-public and closely held companies as options. I am also not familiar with the workload of a partner in public accounting. That is something I would like to know. My concern with public accounting is that I will be stuck in say, auditing for example, and will not have an opportunity for other aspects of accounting. That is just a concern. It doesn’t mean I know it to be true.

I think I would enjoy industry, especially a cost accounting position where I am able to influence management’s decision making. However one of my concern’s with industry is the repetitiveness of the work. While it would be fun and fulfilling while new, my concern is that after getting to know the business the work would become repetitive and dull.

Government accounting seems like it provides an opportunity to make an impact, but with all the bureaucracy in government my concern is that I will be a part of a project that has the ability to positively affect taxpayers, but it never actually affects them the positive way its supposed to because well, the government tends to not do things as well as the private sector. Then my work would in essence be, not worth what I put into it. I don’t know how true this is or if it would be an issue.

Also, as far as moving up the ladder, it seems that with a lot of accounting positions, at least according to the information I have been exposed to thus far, it seems you do not make much more as you move up the ladder than when you start, at least in industry if you do not become a CFO/controller. Government accounting and public accounting seem to have higher payoffs as you move up the ladder.

If anyone can touch on this and any of these thoughts, it would be much appreciated. Thank you.