Yeah seriously, don't go into a job just for money or stability, you'll hate it.
My uncle is/was an accountant but now he's a VP for a large company and he loves his job.
My other uncle is a CA and has his own home accounting business, he barely works and makes good money. I think he likes it mainly because of it's flexibility though.
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Thread: Accounting or Engineering?
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01-12-2010, 08:01 PM #31
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01-12-2010, 08:01 PM #32
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01-12-2010, 08:07 PM #33
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Have you thought about what kind of engineering you'd enjoy the most? If not, look into materials science engineering. With the nanotechnology field booming it's a good investment.
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01-12-2010, 08:07 PM #34
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01-12-2010, 08:26 PM #35
I'm wrapping up mechanical engineering this term and my girlfriend is wrapping up accounting with a job at one of the big 4 accouting firms. Engineers start with a much higher salary, as accountants need a CA (in Canada anyway) before they get some good pay raises. Accountants have a higher top out on average, but it is a totally different lifestyle. Engineering is quite tough while in school, but out in the work force most engineers put in the 37.5 hours a week and go home. I would not describe a career in engineer as a stressful job (some exceptions). Accounting seems to only get more stressful as you go along. When accountants graduate, most work full time and then also go to CA school full time. They also put in mad hours of unpaid overtime, especially during tax season. I've never heard of uncompensated overtime in engineering.
An important thing to remember when considering different careers is lifestyle. Obviously, lawyers make a lot more than both of these careers, but most lawyers work way more than 37.5 hours a week. I'm sure many lawyers put in 50% more time a week than an engineer. But they can buy more things. However, time can be more valuable. How much of your life are you willing to sell to a company for something you don't fully enjoy? I will agree with you that you don't need to fully love every minute of your job, and you don't need to make your favorite hobby a full time job, but you still must enjoy a lot of it because it is your life.
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01-12-2010, 08:27 PM #36
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01-12-2010, 08:33 PM #37
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01-12-2010, 08:36 PM #38
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01-12-2010, 08:38 PM #39
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01-12-2010, 08:41 PM #40
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01-12-2010, 08:41 PM #41
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01-12-2010, 08:43 PM #42
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01-12-2010, 08:44 PM #43
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01-12-2010, 08:46 PM #44
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01-12-2010, 08:50 PM #45
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OP, how are you paying for going back to school?
but if someone wants to do engineering, dont they need the undergrad to do it?
wouldnt someone with a worse GPA in a harder field seem more respectable than a person with a high GPA in an easy major?The Pain of Discipline, or The Pain of Regret. Take Your Pick.
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01-12-2010, 09:13 PM #46
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01-12-2010, 09:19 PM #47
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01-12-2010, 09:22 PM #48
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01-12-2010, 09:23 PM #49
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01-12-2010, 09:30 PM #50
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01-12-2010, 09:33 PM #51
Accounting imo.
I'm an Accounting major, 4th year, and I can tell you accounting is the way to go. I think Engineering is a profession with a high risk of being outsourced. I was considering software engineering myself as a major until I talked to my cousin who has his P Eng and he recommended against it. Same with one of my friends who works as an Electrical Engineer and actually came from India. People from India and China are coming over and taking so many jobs in the engineering field. It pays the most out of uni for sure, but in the long run I'd be a bit cautious of job stability and opportunities.
Accounting is very useful, and with globalization happening at such a fast pace, having business knowledge will be very helpful. Not necessarily the technical aspect of it, such as preparing a tax return, but management and leadership exp you gain from working in a public practice firm for example. I myself plan to go into management after graduation. Low risk of being outsourced, and there will be a huge demand for skilled managers in the future imo.
Anyways this is just my opinion, I'm not bashing engineering. Engineering is a very tough degree to obtain and I respect that. I was going through the Accounting vs Engineering dilemma myself and the above explanation is why I chose accounting.
Hope this helps. PM me if you need anymore info regarding Accounting.
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01-13-2010, 05:47 AM #52
Dislike my current job and don't like the path I'm on which is why I'm looking into new stuff.
It was kinda ajoke. I have doctors in my family, I know better than to go down that path lol.
You don't do much math as an accountant.
Agreed.
Too volatile I think?
Interesting. I hated financial accounting. Maybe that's a sign?
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01-13-2010, 06:21 AM #53
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As an accountant I can tell you, you will be bored to tears. You'll have potential to make bank but only if you want to be further bored. Study for CPA (year of your life), work at an accounting firm putting in 70+ hours doing boring work, then get promoted and continue to do boring stuff with about the same hours.
If you go the Governmental route the hours are better (pay obviously is less), but it's still boring as hell. I don't know that I would recommend accounting to anyone unless they are absolutely focused on working tons and hating their life.
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01-13-2010, 10:05 AM #54
I haven't even thought about it. Sounds very interesting though.
A good lifestyle has become much more important to me. It used to be money when I was an idiot. I'd much rather be able to work 40 hours a week, be able to reach 100k+ one day, while still living an active, healthy lifestyle.
No but they can help.
Ill most likely have to take out loans and work alongside classes, which is why accounting seems more reasonable. I can definitely work while studying that and less years = less money. I can probably get some money for local Masters in Accounting programs.
There are some programs that you can go right into a masters in engineering.
Good post. But when it comes to outsourcing I'm not sure I'm that worried. I think both fields have a risk of outsourcing. This also brings up the point that I you excel in any field you'll be valuable. I think I could perform well as an accountant just because I've seen some real idiots do well, become CPAs, etc. I've also seen some very smart kids shine in accounting. If I were to go into engineering I imagine I wouldn't be stellar because I don't view myself as a vet smart person. I am personable though,which I think could be a great skill to have in engineering, since so many kids in engineering are so introverted.
That sounds awful. Making big bucks is always a plus though.Last edited by jp8811; 01-13-2010 at 03:29 PM.
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01-13-2010, 03:30 PM #55
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01-13-2010, 03:34 PM #56
Engineering for sure. Business and accounting are the majors that all the engineering student dropouts go into, eventually that market will be flooded and it will become very hard to get a job. I garuntee the job market for chemical and electrical engineering will never be over saturated. Bioengineering already is, civil is getting pretty close. Not sure about mechanical, there are always tons and tons of students in there, at the university I attended there were like 150 mechE grads compared to 30 chemE grads.
Awesome thing about engineering right now, is that in the next 10-15 years there is going to be a huge shortage because all of the baby boomers will be retiring. This will force employers to promote the engineers of our generation to management positions, so we'll all be making hella bank in our early 30's.Last edited by mriches; 01-13-2010 at 03:36 PM.
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01-13-2010, 03:39 PM #57
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01-13-2010, 03:40 PM #58
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01-13-2010, 03:42 PM #59
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01-13-2010, 03:43 PM #60
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