I am 26 but I am essentially starting my accounting career as a campus recruit… four years later. I made the decision to get a social sciences degree in undergrad which landed me a lucrative and stable Federal job… but there is just so little fulfillment in the job I decided I needed to do something else. I landed on accounting because I am widely considered the financial guru of my workplace (co-workers in their 30s and 40s ask for my advice in TSP allocation and tax prep) and I have always had a love of numbers. I also wanted to develop a marketable skill, instead of getting a Master's in a simply more advanced social science as many of my colleagues have.
I needed 57 credits to graduate with a second Bachelor's in Accounting through an online program in my home state and I banged out all 57 in 5 semesters (Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring, Summer). My online program was pretty good but wasn't great in terms of campus recruiting, so I reached out to a partner and landed a Big 4 job as a “campus recruit.” I am taking a pay cut (initially) and will definitely see my hourly rate drop significantly, but before going back to school I could feel my brain losing some of its sharpness.
So that's my story.. I will be a 26 year old going to National training with 21 and 22 year old campus recruits in a few months. Obviously I am not “old”, but I am certainly older than other campus hires. I think the maturity and professionalism that working 4+ years FT bestowed on me was a huge part of me landing the job in the first place, though.
MD Candidate: 10/1/14
FAR - 87 (11/23/14)
REG - 87 (1/30/15)
BEC - 89 (4/19/15)
AUD - 98 (5/30/15)
Ethics - 100
Experience - In Progress!
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