Need advice; can INTPs be succesful Accountants?

[Trentham]

In my line of business, I come into contact with a lot of accountants. Nearly all of the happy, successful ones who enjoy their work are ISTJs.

 

[scattershot]

Hmm what other sort of work is there other than auditing and all the boring repetitive things?
I'm not sure what options I'd have.... once I get that degree, I am expected to find work with that.... and if I ever want to get into a psych program, I'll have to work and pay for it. Thanks for the info btw

Yeah, I didn't do a very good job of explaining that. Instead of getting your CPA and doing the same repetitive crap for your clients each year, you can work as a staff accountant or controller for a private company. Every business needs someone to handle their books, so there's plenty of demand for good accountants (the job description for a small company will probably be something like "full-charge bookkeeper" instead of accountant, but the pay is still good enough that your family should be satisfied).

There's still a lot of repetitive work you can never avoid, but you'll have new situations coming up all the time that require you to use your Ne and figure it out on the fly. It's even better if you work in the field you're interested in (like psych) because you'll be exposed to the terminology and some of the quirks of the business before you even get to grad school. Depending on your grad school and work schedule, you should be able to at least get most of the classes out of the way while you're still working. A lot of schools offer night classes for working students and you might be able to get some flexibility from your employer if you've been working there for awhile and they want to keep you when you're done with school. (FWIW, I worked the whole time I was in college, so I'm not just throwing out useless idealistic suggestions here...it is actually possible.)

Even school may not be as bad as you think. I'm not sure how they do it over there, but my accounting classes hardly ever graded on attendance or homework, so you were fine as long as you knew the material when it was time to take the test. This is where Ne can help you tremendously if you approach the class in the right way. The ISTJs get bogged down in the details and freak out when one thing is a little bit different on the test. Look at the big picture and try to understand why each type of account is handled the way it is and you'll be a lot better off.

As far as using Ne - not even close.

I actually don't agree with this statement at all. My Ne made me extremely good at the type of work I did because I could spot things that just "didn't look right" on the financials. More than once I found an error that had my boss shaking his head and asking "How did you even know to look for that?"

depends..... can said INTP smoke MJ while doing said accounting? If so then hellz yeah, we'd love it!

Ok, that one I do agree with.

 

[INTPness]

In my line of business, I come into contact with a lot of accountants. Nearly all of the happy, successful ones who enjoy their work are ISTJs.

 

[INTPness]

I actually don't agree with this statement at all. My Ne made me extremely good at the type of work I did because I could spot things that just "didn't look right" on the financials. More than once I found an error that had my boss shaking his head and asking "How did you even know to look for that?"

I guess we can find ways and instances to use Ne in whatever situation/career we find ourselves in, but my experience with accounting was that Ne was definitely not the normal mode of operation.

Ne is perceptive, so yeah, we can use that in accounting. But, I think of Ne as creative, outside the box, humorous, keeping things light, etc. Accounting is kind of the opposite of those things. But, to each his own. If you enjoy it, that's great.

 

[Fluffywolf]

I do accounting/administration stuff when I need too.

Accounting is pretty fun when you're working with cool constructions and you're saving lotsa money with them, but mostly it's just really really boring. I'm glad I don't have to do it -that- much. I can't do a deskjob working numbers for an entire day without feeling numb at the end of the day.

Can intp's do it? Ofcourse. Do intp's enjoy doing it? Mostly not. At times maybe yes, but mostly, you'll just want to scratch your eyes out.

Leave accounting to ISTJ's.

 

[mrcockburn]

I don't see why not. If anything, it seems like it'd be the perfect job for INTPs. Accounting is best suited to logical, introverted people who are good with numbers.

I'm one letter away from being an INTP, but personally speaking, that's enough to keep me far away from the field.

 

[Afkan]

Hi there, I'm currently in high school and am in a dilemma about what I'm going to be majoring in Uni. ...
I wanna keep my options open...
It's good to hear from other types too about what you think of an INTP as an accountant.

Thanks a lot .. I really need help here ... in about 6 months I'm going to be making this one big life decision and I don't wanna screw things up starting from the very beginning....

I'm sure you *could* be...no doubts that you could do it.
But would you enjoy it?
Would you feel fulfilled?
What about closing off your options by choosing a career, how well will you weather that?
What's more, how would you like closing off your options by choosing a career such as accounting?
Its a very specific career...very specialized, and I don't know there is a lot of variety in daily routine.

 

[Fecal McAngry]

Hi there, I'm currently in high school and am in a dilemma about what I'm going to be majoring in Uni.

I really do like Psychology but dismissed the idea after my family's disapproval (Thanks to manipulation etc.) ...

We don't always get to do what we're really passionate about ... I mean we don't always start out with an opportunity to do a job that we're passionate in. But I want to make that opportunity but to get that I'd have to be independent enough to make my own living... at the point where I don't have to account to anyone what I'm doing etc....
I won't have to hear shit about my "unfeminine" thinking (Yes I'm an INTP girl.) ,or how I should be a social butterfly etc.

and yes, not even telling me what religion i shoud be in! or telling me "how dumb I am for being Agnostic".
So yeah I want to be free from all of these, and have some dignity for shit's sake.


Sorry for the rant, I'm basically in a very nasty situation with relatives breathing down my neck to make a career decision ASAP.


My aunt has been shoving the idea of being an accountant down my head for as long as two years. I mean sure I did accounting for a year but that's different... What's taught in high school and what's taught in Uni are different right?

I went to do research on forums and the web of course, but so far I have been getting alot of negative feedback about the whole
INTP + Accounting = flinging yourself down a hellhole of doom.

So I did look up on alternatives like the typical INTP job - computer programmer... and am still looking up on that too.

I wanna keep my options open...

__
So I was wondering if any INTPs here are accountants (or once was..) and how was the experience like?

So my questions are,
1) Any INTP that majored in accounting ,how was the experience like?
(Did you find yourself barely managing to pass a class etc.. ?)


2) What other MBTI types would you say were most common in your college classes or work place?


3) I heard that the actual work is a lot different than what you learn?
(Like... is it hardcore repetitive work?)

4) Do you use much of your functions (primary and secondary; Ti, Ne) as an accountant?

5) Why do you enjoy accounting?


It's good to hear from other types too about what you think of an INTP as an accountant.

Thanks a lot .. I really need help here ... in about 6 months I'm going to be making this one big life decision and I don't wanna screw things up starting from the very beginning....

Do not become an accountant. You would be bored to tears. Sure, you could quite possibly ace a math test. But accounting is very, very ISTJ. It is dreadfully dreary stuff for an INTP to be adding up figures repeatedly for decades.

Why not become a psychologist or psychiatrist? Have you considered something like forensic psychiatry?

 

[highlander]

Do not become an accountant. You would be bored to tears. Sure, you could quite possibly ace a math test. But accounting is very, very ISTJ. It is dreadfully dreary stuff for an INTP to be adding up figures repeatedly for decades.

Why not become a psychologist or psychiatrist? Have you considered something like forensic psychiatry?

Right. I do know some pretty successful ESTJs in it though as well.

 

[FDG]

The thing is, like I have previously mentioned that it was a whole big set-up to get me here to study... I'm just a tool for my family to manipulate, they want me to get a PR here in Australia, for their own benefit. The thing is, they want me to get a PR ASAP, and they believe that accounting is the easy way there. But then again, it looks "Easy" to them, but what about me? I can't stand boring repetitive detail work....

Then again, I was thinking about Economics.. having a bachelors in Economics or a bachelors in accounting, either way.. I can still become an accountant. I did mention that to them but they didn't have any of that. They told me if I were to get into Economics, It won't cover accounting-related stuff and etc etc I won't be able to get a PR if I didn't get into Accounting instead. I found their explanation really flawed... because if jobs like accountants were lacking.. what has this got to do with what bachelors I got?

Is it really true that If I get a bachelors in economics, I would have low chances in becoming an accountant?
How does it actually work?

Well, I don't know what is a "PR", so I can't reply to that point. However, I'm pretty sure (around 99%) that you can become an accountant with a degree in economics, provided you have taken some courses in accounting (3 courses are usually enough to understand the founding notions, anything else can be studied indipendently, when you have to take the certification). The two subjects deal mostly with the same type of quantities (even if economics tries to build theorethical models, thus you will see the accounting part only as a starting setup, while accounting studies the details of balance sheet, etc.), notions, etc.
Really, I'm telling you this because I know a good number of people with PURE economics degrees (not even accounting minors) that now deal with that type of stuff as their main job. Of course, they have chosen to do it, because economics has the benefit of giving a wider range of available occupations.

 

[highlander]

Yeah true, you do make a point.

Then again, I was thinking about Economics.. having a bachelors in Economics or a bachelors in accounting, either way.. I can still become an accountant. I did mention that to them but they didn't have any of that. They told me if I were to get into Economics, It won't cover accounting-related stuff and etc etc I won't be able to get a PR if I didn't get into Accounting instead. I found their explanation really flawed... because if jobs like accountants were lacking.. what has this got to do with what bachelors I got?

Is it really true that If I get a bachelors in economics, I would have low chances in becoming an accountant?
How does it actually work?

(If I EVER have no way out and have to be in accounting, I would wish that the next 5 years of my life to not be so dreadful.. at the very least i would be able to enjoy school for a bit.)

Yeah... accounting doesn't really sound appealing to me. Although among all of them, financial analyst seems alright..

Nah... I doubt I'll be getting into law. Even though I don't give two hoots about defending a fiend or I lack empathy (So they say..) .... I don't think I could live with people harassing me about breaking up their family etc etc and all that lame drama. Though of course I do know there are more fields in Law, but then again.. I don't really have an interest in law.
I don't want to be an accountant... Yeah that's what my aunt told me too.
Tax acc. and $$$$$. Which she does make a point, but then again.. would I actually enjoy it? I have to slave my ass off for 5 years or even more so in boring repetitive work, working with people who will probably never get me or appreciate me (when do people ever?) ... and finally the inevitable - i would just one day quit.

I can't speak for other countries, but in the US, if you want to be an accountant, the best way to go is to get a degree in accounting, which involves a number of very rigorous courses, then you take the certified public accountant exam and hopefully pass it (very tough exam), and you go to work for a big 4 firm. You quit after five to ten years and get a controller or other senior accounting position at a corporation or you stay at the big 4 firm and and progress to partner - doing audit work or tax work. Contrary to the opinions of others, auditing does not have to be boring, but you do need to like it.

I don't think you want to do this though.

You'll probably enjoy economics or finance more. Again, I can only speak for the US, but to get an economics degree and expect to get into accounting - unlikely unless you pursue it in a masters program. There is a lot of stuff to know in order to get certified and it requires a great deal of studying. Once you start working, this is hard to do.

There are a number of different types of lawyers. I would suggest that you investigate it a little more. Most of them are not in court trying cases. I recall reading a book a number of years ago - "so you want to be a lawyer" or something like that. It explains all the different types and what they do.

 

[FDG]

You'll probably enjoy economics or finance more. Again, I can only speak for the US, but to get an economics degree and expect to get into accounting - unlikely unless you pursue it in a masters program. There is a lot of stuff to know in order to get certified and it requires a great deal of studying. Once you start working, this is hard to do.

Accounting is so simple that you can easily study by yourself. It's a huge quantity of material, yes, but technically very simple.

 

[ObliviousExistence]

You can still do an economics degree and then do a professional accounting qualification and go into an accounting field. There are people who do degrees in physics, biology, art etc. then go on to do a acc. professional qualification and land themselves lucrative jobs afterward.

 

[highlander]

Accounting is so simple that you can easily study by yourself. It's a huge quantity of material, yes, but technically very simple.

I guess simple is all relative. I personally did not find the exam to be simple and when I took it, most people did not pass. If you don't pass it, it significantly impacts your career prospects.

Have you studied this? That is, are you speaking from experience?

 

[FDG]

I guess simple is all relative. I personally did not find the exam to be simple and when I took it, most people did not pass. If you don't pass it, it significantly impacts your career prospects.

Have you studied this? That is, are you speaking from experience?

Yeah...I studied accounting in high school for 5 years, I have a bachelor in eco - had to take 5 accounting classes - and im getting a masters in math finance. I think accounting is by far the easiest thing among all the economics-related stuff. Of course remembering all the details can be difficult, but it's a matter of brute-force memorization rather than understanding of complex concepts

 

[highlander]

Yeah...I studied accounting in high school for 5 years, I have a bachelor in eco - had to take 5 accounting classes - and im getting a masters in math finance. I think accounting is by far the easiest thing among all the economics-related stuff. Of course remembering all the details can be difficult, but it's a matter of brute-force memorization rather than understanding of complex concepts

Interesting. You can't take accounting for five years in high school in the US -they don't have that much of a selection. Most of it at that level is like learning book keeping. In college, I thought economics and finance were much easier than accounting - but then I only took a few of those classes. The college I went to had one of the best accounting programs in the country, so perhaps they were more rigorous than the econ or finance classes at that particular school.

 

[avolkiteshvara]

It gets better with the more experience you get, more complicated stuff.

I routinely turn my brain off and go into robot mode just to be caught sleeping. You deal with alot of dumbasses also.

You can find niches within accounting that might be interesting. I studied finance in college, might be a good alternative.

 

[equanimity]

Oh well.... thanks for all the replies anyway guys.
I think I'll just be keeping my options open for now.. economics or accounting... my plan now is to continue studying hard and get a scholarship for economics.. maybe then will my family ever take me seriously, if I show them - with the results of course, that I really am serious about my life.

If I don't succeed and have to get into accounting, oh well I'll give it a try. Maybe avolkiteshavara's right, I might find my niche in accounting.

If not?

At the very least if I end up miserable.. I can just go FUCK THIS!!! =D and probably end up smoking weed and doing all the other badass things badass kids my age do. Nah. I'll just go back to school.. after working my ass off.
Even though success is my top priority... I don't always succeed.. but I like to think I try.

 

[Shaunward]

I'm taking time off to take accounting and get my accounting designation, at the advice of my career coach (i-bank partner).

Right now, I have my degree in economics, but I did so without taking a single accounting class and I suppose I regret it. Instead of accounting, I studied more logic and mathematics and science. I started with a biochem major and so many of my credits transferred from the science program when I switched to econ.

Accounting is a good field that often has easy 40 hour workweeks (half that in i-banking). The province for which I live, the average salary is 186,000 a year, so it's decent pay. Accounting also has a lot of great opportunities for ambitious people. Most i-bankers I personally know started out as accountants. Most CFOs and even many CEOs start out as accountants. It's a good, solid field to break into. A lot of exit opportunities if you have pie-in-the-sky dreams and the right stuff.

 

[FDG]

I'm taking time off to take accounting and get my accounting designation, at the advice of my career coach (i-bank partner).

Right now, I have my degree in economics, but I did so without taking a single accounting class and I suppose I regret it. Instead of accounting, I studied more logic and mathematics and science. I started with a biochem major and so many of my credits transferred from the science program when I switched to econ.

Accounting is a good field that often has easy 40 hour workweeks (half that in i-banking). The province for which I live, the average salary is 186,000 a year, so it's decent pay. Accounting also has a lot of great opportunities for ambitious people. Most i-bankers I personally know started out as accountants. Most CFOs and even many CEOs start out as accountants. It's a good, solid field to break into. A lot of exit opportunities if you have pie-in-the-sky dreams and the right stuff.

I'll tell you something: on standardized entrance-tests, accounting majors are those that score the lowest on average (physics majors being those that score the highest). I think accounting is a potentially profitable venue and that learning accounting is truly useful, however I think that college should be dedicated to truly learn something complex and potentially long-lasting, with wide applications (so, math & logic & science), rather than such a detail-oriented and (in my opinion) mind-killer subject.

Somewhat hypocritically tho, I actually have taken a lot of accounting classes and I know quite a lot about it. That's why I hate it so much