<p>Hi.. i was wondering if finance is considered a sales job? It seems like when i search for a lot of finance jobs they tend to be selling something to someone. I really don't want to go down that path if that's the case. I'm debating on whether i should major in Accounting or Finance and i keep going back and forth. I have to make a decision within a month. If i go with finance i have 3 semesters left, with accounting it would be about 4 semesters + probably a masters so i can sit for the CPA exam. I barely got a B in my intro accounting class that i took at my community college... after i transferred to a university i realized i shouldn't screw around and i currently have a 4.0. I'm really stressed out as of late.. i have no clue what path to go down. Any advice would be very helpful. Thank you.</p>
<p>finance takes a pretty sharp turn into sales, networking, and managing clients. if you’re not a people person i guess you could stay at lower level finance positions like analyst or associate for a while, but who knows how long you’d want to stay doing the grunt work. but then again, if you’re this stressed out trying to maintain a high GPA, maybe 60-80 hour work weeks aren’t for you…</p>
<p>i know nothing about accounting, but sounds like a lot more school time than finance in your case. idk how much you’re dishing out in tuition but there’s an up and a down side to everything i guess.</p>
<p>good luck with your decision, and no matter how far down one road you go, you can always turn around and start the long journey back.</p>
<p>It involves sales, but its not like a used car salesperson job either. Even i-bankers are glorified salesmen. Basically, most finance jobs are educated BS: you have to crunch numbers, etc. but the best people are those who can use those numbers + other intangibles to get people to buy into their ideas. For example, i-bankers will crunch numbers, put together pitch books through research, etc. to convince two companies to merge. Similarly, consultants will make decks, crunch the numbers, gather data, etc. and try and sell and implement those ideas to a company and corp finance people will crunch numbers and present to upper management about what to invest in, how to finance, etc. </p>
<p>If you’re not comfortable making presentations and selling your ideas, then don’t do finance (take your mouse and get back to making 60k a year as an accountant) but if you enjoy convincing people that your ideas are correct using quantitative analysis and research, then do finance and wear Ferragamo loafers and Hermes ties while your friends wear Kenneth Coles and rock 4 year old blackberries.</p>
<p>Go accounting. If you pass the CPA exam, it’s a pretty noticeable increase in your salary, and it’s a safe job imo. And no, accountants make more than 100k a year. The ones making 60k a year are probably bookkeepers etc…</p>
<p>If you go finance, you’ll be competing with highly selective colleges like Wharton/NYU.
For accounting, only the CPA matters… GL on your decision.</p>
<p>If you’re not at a top business school I would do accounting. One extra semester isn’t going to kill. It’s 3 months of your life versus the next 50 years of your career.</p>
<p>LOL to whoever said accountants make 100K a year. I know tons of accountants and their starting salary is around 50K. My friend is finishing his MAcc and has an offer with E&Y in audit. Starting salary, in NYC, 55K a year. Maybe after your CPA and 3,4,5 years you will be in the 70’s, but 100K is a long way off.</p>
<p>MSFHQ- Who said anything about starting in the 100s? Obviously accounting grads wont START at 100k, but 100k is certainly not unattainable after 5 or so years experience when you decide to go into the private sector/open up your own CPA office.</p>
<p>I still think 100K after 5 years is going to be a stretch. All of my friends work in Big 4 accounting, have been there for 3 and 4 years, all have CPA’s and some have MAcc’s and none make 100K a year. Your salary increases at 5% a year so it takes a while to hit that 100K mark. It can happen and would after a couple promotions and a little time, but you peak out unless you make partner. </p>
<p>Then again, 60-70-80K a year is a great salary and nothing to dismiss. You are doing a safe job with low risk. </p>
<p>Risk=Reward</p>
<p>The problem is you’re talking about public accounting alone. </p>
<p>“you peak out unless you make partner”</p>
<p>This statement is true, which is why MOST people leave after gaining the experience, going to the private sector for a better salary and work/life balance.</p>
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<p>My god, its **** like this that ****es me off. Look, if you’re afraid of competition, good luck being anything but below average at anything in life. If you want to be the best accountant, you’ll face competition as well and that goes for anything in life. Do whatever you enjoy, try for the best but realize that not everyone will get it and just be happy with your capabilities. Running away from competition isn’t going to get you anywhere in any field. You think Warren Buffett would have become who he is if he pussied out after he transferred out of Wharton? “Oh, I don’t go to Wharton anymore, brb, no longer doing finance since I’m not at a target”. No, he did his best and for him, it payed dividends (sorry, couldn’t resist).</p>
<p>What is this talk about leaving big 4 for better work/life balance and more money. Doing what? You get your CPA and you open a shop doing audit or taxes? There are a millions people doing that and the competition from TurboTax and HR Block is fierce. Tax time is hell regardless of bring in Big 4 or not. </p>
<p>You could exit accounting and go into Corp Finance. That is simply accounting with a different name. </p>
<p>Accounting is a fine career, but don’t expect to be rich or buying a Ferrari.</p>
<p>I’m not saying rich. 100k isnt rich.</p>
<p>MSFHQsite: You are ignorant my friend. Please for your own reputation sake do not talk about something you are not knowledgeable in.</p>
<p>Yeah I kinda have to agree with Dawgie on this one MSFHQ. Corporate accounting is a different game, depending on the company, than public accounting. Public Accounting is extremely dependent on GAAP and the work is mostly retrospective in nature. The closest division in corporate accounting is FP&A and while you do prepare financials in that area, there’s more leeway in preparing the reports for management and the work involves a lot of projecting cash flows, managing working capital, obtaining financing, etc. in order to help the company grow. Its definitely uses a lot of accounting, but its not just accounting with a different name.</p>
<p>PS: The CFOs that come up with their CPA + MBA combos do quite well I’m sure.</p>
<p>cream is right. I can vouch for this, I have been at Big 4 and F500 Corp Finance as well. Although, I am moving back to Big 4 Audit next month.</p>
<p>My reputation? Not only have I worked in finance for a good number of years, I know people who have graduated, worked big 4, left and went back to school, etc.</p>
<p>Maybe at a smaller, non public firm you will do all this. If you are at a public company things will be different. Regardless of your role, it will take a long time to make 100K or more a year. </p>
<p>Your experience might be unique, but my statement stands.</p>
<p>Do whichever you enjoy more. Don’t like selling things? Go with accounting, even if it’s harder. 2 years of your life now for 40 years afterward make up for the extra semester. </p>
<p>And if you’re worried about money, MBA accountants make quite a bit, more than finance undergrads, obviously.</p>
<p>On a side note, I’d recommend you go for an MBA rather than a straight masters in accounting, but both are still good options.</p>
<p>Anarchy, MBA doesn’t do much if you are in accounting.</p>
<p>The jobs you are seeing is probably jobs to sell life insurance or be a broker in wealth management when you type “finance” on some job sites. Those jobs are more financial sales and you are probably interested in a pure finance position like a financial analyst. For the most part, until you reach a much higher positions, you won’t need to pitch or bring in new business. As an analyst, all you need to know is excel and how to simplify reports. I think that is probably what’s confusing you. “Finance” can be a sales position but for the most part it isn’t.</p>