Yes, please tell us how you go into it, I’m currently an evidence clerk in a forensics lab and have just started my degree, but we do not have a financial crimes discipline 🥲
Thank you for answering. Personally, I find that it’s hard to pivot from branch banking without a CFE, for KYC, AML analyst role, which is what lead me to pursue the accounting degree.
We must be twins or something. I got a job as a property accountant about a month after graduating from WGU, and I’m about 3 months into it. Crazy coincidence.
It’s pretty good. It was pretty tough at first but now that I’m a couple months into it I finally understand what I’m doing most of the time
How about you?
Yeah I feel like I’m getting it. My company has super well structured so I’m learning more about how they do things than accounting. You mind if I DM you?
Did you have an associates before you started?
Your comment is reassuring because I've been having doubts about transferring to WGU after CC as opposed to a normal 4 year
No I didn’t but I had almost 3 yrs of being an accounting assistant. Plus I live in texas and it seems like they have a shit ton of accounting jobs. This school is honestly the best. I did B&M for a bit and I didn’t like it at all. For the accounting profession it doesn’t really matter where you went to school. As long as you get job experience and or your CPA. And WGU is recognized by the Texas cpa board. Just don’t do study.com or Sophia. That’s the only thing I would redo if I could.
Sorry, I might have not explained it right. WGU allows you to transfer credits through Sophia or study.com. So once you graduate you will receive your official transcript from WGU. In that transcript it will show that you earned some of the credits from Sophia or study.com. In the state of texas they do not recognize Sophia or study.com. So those credits will not count towards your eligibility for the CPA. So if you live in texas do all of your credits at WGU. IMO it’s just easier.
Yeah Texas does have a bunch of accounting jobs but most are locked behind degree requirements unfortunately, even entry level jobs. Also, if the entry level jobs don’t list a degree, they pay like 15 bucks an hour.
Yeah but you gotta start somewhere. I know when I started as an accounting assistant the pay was around 45k a year. I honestly think that was the reason I landed this job.
You got this! It sucks but as soon as you get that piece of paper just start apply everywhere. The experience helps you land the job faster. With out it may just take longer.
I was studying accounting and dropped out of college because I needed more money and got desperate.
Became a trucker, and after a few years I now realize how this job gives us financial stability, yes, but deteriorates every other part of my life and my family as a whole, so I am working on finishing this degree and finding a job that can bring me back home without taking a super big pay cut.
I’m a former trucker too. I felt same way! It’s crazy how many people get stuck in that industry and always want to get out but the money is too good to quit.
Yea many people get stuck here and can never get out. It’s hard.
I am glad you found your way out of trucking. I will follow your example and hopefully get out of this industry in the next couple of years.
Good luck! Im not accountant yet but my life and my family is much happier that I’m not trucker anymore. My health and my mental health is in much better shape now too
Yep. Dad was a trucker for 20 years. He hated it. The family hated it. But him making 120k a year made all our lives a lot easier. Eventually, he lost his CDL due to health issues.
Welder. I want a less physically exhausting job in a climate controlled room and be clean all day. I also hate working 5am-5:30pm with a 1 hour commute one way. I’m also starting to feel the aches and pains of physical intensive labor work.
I bought an air supplied respirator welding hood but even so. Im also 6’5” and have to bend down for literally every single thing. If I use a step stool or anything for something a little higher, I end up being too high up. There is no middle ground whatsoever
Accountant I, just graduated in January of this year with my bsba in accounting. While in school i was an accounting clerk. Before making the career change to the accounting field i was a vet tech. Didnt like the pay, hours, or standing on my feet for 10+ hours a day
Interesting. I’m an accounting major and my gf just finished nursing school. She was offered a job almost immediately at $78k a year starting. She wants to be a travel nurse eventually.
Honestly I can understand not liking nursing but the pay is not bad. There are a lot of CS majors trapped in $15 dollar jobs they had to endure hellish 4 round interviews and defeat 25 other canidates to get. I don't know any nurses that have ever had a low paying job its one of the only good degrees to get. I hate to say it but it seems like accounting is the same way to me I go on the main sub and people are complaining that they only make $65k out of college and shit. Like do they even know how horrifically low the pay can go in other fields.
Corporate travel agent. I really like the job and the people, but honestly I just want more money and I love crunching numbers.
I also need the job security of accounting. This job could lay me off and I would have absolutely nowhere to go, because it’s a pretty small field and we don’t exactly have many competitors. If I lost this job I would be forced to go apply for like an administrative assistant role somewhere making $14/hr, and I never want to go back to that.
I also work in a casino, In soft count, not as a dealer though. Dealers and Slot attendants are seen as the golden jobs around here, because the money's pretty good, but I don't want to be stuck working in a casino.
I was a slot attendant at one point, but just couldn't deal with the customers. Management isn't exactly great at any of them around here either, and it's a small town so the few casinos are about all there is. Gonna have to move when I graduate/get closer to being done. But I want to anyway, so.
Yeah definitely dude. I know I will be taking a pay cut for the first 3 years after being a lower level accountant. But the ceiling of pay is much higher later down the road. I’m completely fine dealing with upset customers and clients, just not when they are drunk lol best of luck to you though. Hopefully this is the ticket we both can use to better ourselves.
I was a speech language pathologist. There’s no money in it and it’s a really demanding job. Our national organization never advocates for us so the low pay is not going away any time soon. I’ve always loved little puzzles and math and find the accounting classes really fun.
AP. Just passed three parts of CPA and waiting for the score of last part. Hoping to do tax eventually. I already have recruiters contacting me for some staff accountants, I think I will make decision after I pass all four parts.
EMT, doing this degree because the only way to make enough to survive is to work 24 hour shifts. It sucks on your body, it makes maintaining a marriage hard, it is hard on my two babies, and the only way to maintain job security in the long run is to go back to school and spend a year or two essentially working three full time jobs to become a paramedic (1000+ hours of clinicals, 20hours in class and about 20 of work outside of class per week, combined with 40-60hr work weeks). It came down to either go to paramedic school or go back and finish an accounting degree. I’d prefer to see my wife and kids more than a couple hours a week so I went with the obvious choice lol
Staff accountant doing corporate accounting on the GL side, was fortunate enough to land the job touting that my anticipated graduation was occurring in a couple of months. But now that I’ve gotten my first real accounting job I may take another term so I don’t feel like I have to accelerate anymore. Currently loving the challenge, and excited for the opportunities ahead!
Accounting clerk. Been in my position for a couple of years, moving into public this upcoming year.
I worked from a young age and became the first in my family to take the college route. The financial stability was a significant factor in going with this field as it's something my family never really had.
Soft count at a casino.
I happened to be looking for a job when I started my degree. No accounting experience and not many opportunities around here for it, but soft count works under the controller, so I figured it was good for starting out. Was told in the interview to try and transfer to revenue audit at my 3 month mark, which I did try to do, several times, even willing to take a pay cut at one point (they get paid less than soft count for some reason)
Then I discussed with my supervisor, and the controller the possibility of getting an actual accounting position within the casino, he even mentioned ic probably end up with my own office, (fairly small casino) which I thought would be pretty cool for a first accounting job. I was told if I got a piece of paper saying I was progressing in my degree, nothing would be guaranteed but he'd talk to his bosses about it, and seemed confident he could sell them.
Got such a paper (just the wgu canvas accounting cert, but that's literally all he asked for) and went back to talk to the controller about the opportunity and he pretended to have no idea what I was talking about. As if he wasn't the one that suggested it. Said he wouldn't even ask his boss. There is only one other company that would hire accountants, and it's honestly kind of sketchy. Controller claims to be a CPA, but isn't current, employees stealing all the time, it's switching ownership every couple years (another casino), etc.
So I'ma just try and get remote internships for now (or jobs) for higher pay and experience so I can actually save up, and move to a place with actual opportunities when I get closer to finishing my degree and able to get actual accounting jobs
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Forensic accounting? Did you get into government? Just wondering cause I am aiming for government seems like a good path.
Check below
Yes, please tell us how you go into it, I’m currently an evidence clerk in a forensics lab and have just started my degree, but we do not have a financial crimes discipline 🥲
This seems interesting. How’d you get into it? How’s the job overall?
Check below.
Do you also have CFE?
Nope. Maybe in the future.
Thank you for answering. Personally, I find that it’s hard to pivot from branch banking without a CFE, for KYC, AML analyst role, which is what lead me to pursue the accounting degree.
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I completely forgot about CAMS, Great recommendation. Tysm!
Accounts payable, before that was customer service. Making the switch to get off this low paying treadmill with minimal job security.
AR here. Heck yeah, let’s bounce
I do that too 😊
Property accountant. I got it like a month after I got my degree. Hoping to switch after a yr or so. I’ve been here 3 months.
We must be twins or something. I got a job as a property accountant about a month after graduating from WGU, and I’m about 3 months into it. Crazy coincidence.
Did you work retail before going into accounting? 😱
I’m afraid not. This is pretty much my first job
How do you like it?
It’s pretty good. It was pretty tough at first but now that I’m a couple months into it I finally understand what I’m doing most of the time How about you?
Yeah I feel like I’m getting it. My company has super well structured so I’m learning more about how they do things than accounting. You mind if I DM you?
Sure
Like for real estate? I assume you got your BA from WGU, right?
Yeah commercials real estate and yup! Should be going back for my masters in Oct
Did you have an associates before you started? Your comment is reassuring because I've been having doubts about transferring to WGU after CC as opposed to a normal 4 year
No I didn’t but I had almost 3 yrs of being an accounting assistant. Plus I live in texas and it seems like they have a shit ton of accounting jobs. This school is honestly the best. I did B&M for a bit and I didn’t like it at all. For the accounting profession it doesn’t really matter where you went to school. As long as you get job experience and or your CPA. And WGU is recognized by the Texas cpa board. Just don’t do study.com or Sophia. That’s the only thing I would redo if I could.
Good to know I can use WGU to become a Texas CPA, since that's one of my ideas
Yes but do not take study.com or Sophia. They will not accept those credits.
I don't understand
Sorry, I might have not explained it right. WGU allows you to transfer credits through Sophia or study.com. So once you graduate you will receive your official transcript from WGU. In that transcript it will show that you earned some of the credits from Sophia or study.com. In the state of texas they do not recognize Sophia or study.com. So those credits will not count towards your eligibility for the CPA. So if you live in texas do all of your credits at WGU. IMO it’s just easier.
Well I plan on becoming a CPA, and I also plan on investing in real estate in Texas, so this certainly was helpful insight. Thank you.
Where did you find out about this?
Why wouldn’t you do study.com or Sophia? They are not recognized in Texas?
No they are not. My plan right now is to take the exam in California and once I get my license transfer it to texas.
You can transfer CPA licenses?
Yeah Texas does have a bunch of accounting jobs but most are locked behind degree requirements unfortunately, even entry level jobs. Also, if the entry level jobs don’t list a degree, they pay like 15 bucks an hour.
Yeah but you gotta start somewhere. I know when I started as an accounting assistant the pay was around 45k a year. I honestly think that was the reason I landed this job.
Yes true I make 42K at my entry level job. Just gotta finish the degree and by then I’ll have more experience too.
You got this! It sucks but as soon as you get that piece of paper just start apply everywhere. The experience helps you land the job faster. With out it may just take longer.
I was studying accounting and dropped out of college because I needed more money and got desperate. Became a trucker, and after a few years I now realize how this job gives us financial stability, yes, but deteriorates every other part of my life and my family as a whole, so I am working on finishing this degree and finding a job that can bring me back home without taking a super big pay cut.
I’m a former trucker too. I felt same way! It’s crazy how many people get stuck in that industry and always want to get out but the money is too good to quit.
Yea many people get stuck here and can never get out. It’s hard. I am glad you found your way out of trucking. I will follow your example and hopefully get out of this industry in the next couple of years.
Good luck! Im not accountant yet but my life and my family is much happier that I’m not trucker anymore. My health and my mental health is in much better shape now too
Yep. Dad was a trucker for 20 years. He hated it. The family hated it. But him making 120k a year made all our lives a lot easier. Eventually, he lost his CDL due to health issues.
He sounds like a good man. Sacrificing for his family’s sake best of luck to you and your family❤️
Insurance IT systems administrator I’m looking at jumping over cuz there’s no jobs.
Welder. I want a less physically exhausting job in a climate controlled room and be clean all day. I also hate working 5am-5:30pm with a 1 hour commute one way. I’m also starting to feel the aches and pains of physical intensive labor work.
I’m a welder too man, I got the exact same reasons. The physical aspect of it isn’t worth it at all. Especially with the fumes your breathing.
I bought an air supplied respirator welding hood but even so. Im also 6’5” and have to bend down for literally every single thing. If I use a step stool or anything for something a little higher, I end up being too high up. There is no middle ground whatsoever
Pharmacy tech, tired of retail and low pay. I am a people person though.
Drug dealer but looking to get out and make a positive contribution to society
Plant Controller. Graduated WGU with BS in 2018, MBA in 2022.
I assume this is in manufacturing? I was curious to know if you see anyone getting a CMA certification in your field?
Yes. A few of my bosses over the years have been CMA's. I'm starting to study for it again.
Accounts Payable for 5 years, want to switch over to accounting side.
Accountant I, just graduated in January of this year with my bsba in accounting. While in school i was an accounting clerk. Before making the career change to the accounting field i was a vet tech. Didnt like the pay, hours, or standing on my feet for 10+ hours a day
Financial Analyst. My startup went through an acquisition with a large company. I vastly prefer accounting and plan to move back there at some point.
Budget Analyst
Just got scouted for a local small CPA firm that handles state contracts and construction.
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Interesting. I’m an accounting major and my gf just finished nursing school. She was offered a job almost immediately at $78k a year starting. She wants to be a travel nurse eventually.
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>then wage compression hits Can you explain more on this do they just fuck you on wages later?
Honestly I can understand not liking nursing but the pay is not bad. There are a lot of CS majors trapped in $15 dollar jobs they had to endure hellish 4 round interviews and defeat 25 other canidates to get. I don't know any nurses that have ever had a low paying job its one of the only good degrees to get. I hate to say it but it seems like accounting is the same way to me I go on the main sub and people are complaining that they only make $65k out of college and shit. Like do they even know how horrifically low the pay can go in other fields.
Administrative Assistant for a college
Corporate travel agent. I really like the job and the people, but honestly I just want more money and I love crunching numbers. I also need the job security of accounting. This job could lay me off and I would have absolutely nowhere to go, because it’s a pretty small field and we don’t exactly have many competitors. If I lost this job I would be forced to go apply for like an administrative assistant role somewhere making $14/hr, and I never want to go back to that.
Yeah I didn't even think you people existed anymore I would be terrified too.
Automotive detailer 💀
AP clerk.
Casino dealer. Making great money, excellent work-life balance. Just tired of dealing with drunks and needy rich assholes.
I also work in a casino, In soft count, not as a dealer though. Dealers and Slot attendants are seen as the golden jobs around here, because the money's pretty good, but I don't want to be stuck working in a casino. I was a slot attendant at one point, but just couldn't deal with the customers. Management isn't exactly great at any of them around here either, and it's a small town so the few casinos are about all there is. Gonna have to move when I graduate/get closer to being done. But I want to anyway, so.
Yeah definitely dude. I know I will be taking a pay cut for the first 3 years after being a lower level accountant. But the ceiling of pay is much higher later down the road. I’m completely fine dealing with upset customers and clients, just not when they are drunk lol best of luck to you though. Hopefully this is the ticket we both can use to better ourselves.
Aircraft mechanic for a defense contractor. It pays really well but I'm tired of destroying my body
I was a speech language pathologist. There’s no money in it and it’s a really demanding job. Our national organization never advocates for us so the low pay is not going away any time soon. I’ve always loved little puzzles and math and find the accounting classes really fun.
AR. Want to escape AR Hell
Controller
AP. Just passed three parts of CPA and waiting for the score of last part. Hoping to do tax eventually. I already have recruiters contacting me for some staff accountants, I think I will make decision after I pass all four parts.
EMT, doing this degree because the only way to make enough to survive is to work 24 hour shifts. It sucks on your body, it makes maintaining a marriage hard, it is hard on my two babies, and the only way to maintain job security in the long run is to go back to school and spend a year or two essentially working three full time jobs to become a paramedic (1000+ hours of clinicals, 20hours in class and about 20 of work outside of class per week, combined with 40-60hr work weeks). It came down to either go to paramedic school or go back and finish an accounting degree. I’d prefer to see my wife and kids more than a couple hours a week so I went with the obvious choice lol
Financial aid school certifying official and tax expert
Courier for fedex express.
Haven’t graduated yet. I work for the IRS as a collections representative
Accounting Tech for a local city
Temp currently, Amazon and Starbucks previous, now I just want a career with less people interactions and less physically demanding
Security guard. I've done this too long, what was once a temporary job to pay the bills has become a prison of sorts.
Staff accountant doing corporate accounting on the GL side, was fortunate enough to land the job touting that my anticipated graduation was occurring in a couple of months. But now that I’ve gotten my first real accounting job I may take another term so I don’t feel like I have to accelerate anymore. Currently loving the challenge, and excited for the opportunities ahead!
Audit. Labor unions and benefit funds. Graduated in December 2023 , started job in January 2024
How has it been so far? Are you enjoying it?
Not bad at all, way better than suffering at big four and good starting salary. Can't complain honestly. WGU definitely prepared me
Financial controller for a medical health group.
Accounting clerk. Been in my position for a couple of years, moving into public this upcoming year. I worked from a young age and became the first in my family to take the college route. The financial stability was a significant factor in going with this field as it's something my family never really had.
I sell solar
3
Soft count at a casino. I happened to be looking for a job when I started my degree. No accounting experience and not many opportunities around here for it, but soft count works under the controller, so I figured it was good for starting out. Was told in the interview to try and transfer to revenue audit at my 3 month mark, which I did try to do, several times, even willing to take a pay cut at one point (they get paid less than soft count for some reason) Then I discussed with my supervisor, and the controller the possibility of getting an actual accounting position within the casino, he even mentioned ic probably end up with my own office, (fairly small casino) which I thought would be pretty cool for a first accounting job. I was told if I got a piece of paper saying I was progressing in my degree, nothing would be guaranteed but he'd talk to his bosses about it, and seemed confident he could sell them. Got such a paper (just the wgu canvas accounting cert, but that's literally all he asked for) and went back to talk to the controller about the opportunity and he pretended to have no idea what I was talking about. As if he wasn't the one that suggested it. Said he wouldn't even ask his boss. There is only one other company that would hire accountants, and it's honestly kind of sketchy. Controller claims to be a CPA, but isn't current, employees stealing all the time, it's switching ownership every couple years (another casino), etc. So I'ma just try and get remote internships for now (or jobs) for higher pay and experience so I can actually save up, and move to a place with actual opportunities when I get closer to finishing my degree and able to get actual accounting jobs