4 ms·

What is the appropriate answer, for the aspiring accountants among us?

princeb 11y ago
haha. "Let's take a hypothetical view and say, in 7 to 10 years, when I make partner, there might be an opportunity for me to work on an account - a company with an unusual structure, with a novel, ground-breaking business, and unorthodox cashflows arrangements and asset valuations, and as an accountant I am going to write the story to highlight the strengths of the business while being fully cognizant of the risks, and the investors, the stakeholders, business management will appreciate the effort and hard-thinking we put in to make the story relevant and whole. And I want that to happen in my life. but until that time, I know I have to put in the punishing work of auditing [or whatever dept you are applying to]. And I may not find it very enjoyable. Yet if I never take the first step, that end goal I just spoke about will never materialize." you can talk about whatever is cool at that time. nowadays accounting for tech companies is all the rage and the methods for accounting for manufacturing or retail companies are not very relevant. back when I was just wrapping up my degree the Kraft-Nestle merger was the talk of the town. Also don't take my suggestion too seriously - I am not an accountant.
patrickmclaren 11y ago
I wouldn't bother with a direct answer to that question.
tenismyanswer 11y ago
I love money
- tomw1808 11y ago
  and Panama.
  - tenismyanswer 11y ago
    And a man, a plan, a canal
nxzero 11y ago
Something like... "Accounting is the language of business. Accurate, precise, and timely financial information is vital to the success of any business."
- slmyers 11y ago
  Except that doesn't really describe one's motivations for becoming an accountant.
  - emilburzo 11y ago
    That and the fact that it sounds good, makes it perfect
  - bryanrasmussen 11y ago
    "all the best white collar criminals have a good knowledge of accounting!" Won't cut it either.
  - Trundle 11y ago
    There are many occasions where the appropriate answer to a question does not accurately answer it.
lgieron 11y ago
How about "it's a stable and respectable profession"? Sounds like a very reasonable motivation.
- emodendroket 11y ago
  It is, and yet I have a feeling that is not the answer they are looking for.
  - lgieron 11y ago
    That shows IMO that the values embodied by today's corporations (well at least by their HR departments) are out of whack. I'm hoping the companies will abandon their current bullshit "passion" view of employment, and will start valuing honest hard work. I'm affraid that's in conflict with the whole current American mythos though.
    - emodendroket 11y ago
      It makes a certain kind of sense. Given one guy who wants a steady paycheck and another guy who's wild about spreadsheets and would do corporate accounting for free (let's assume this guy exists) the latter is probably more likely to stick around longer. Anyway, having to give disingenuous answers in interviews isn't really the problem, IMO.
      - lgieron 11y ago
        > would do corporate accounting for free (let's assume this guy exists) The problem is that it's estabilished as the new norm. Instead of accepting that maybe 0.1% accountants are passionate about their job and thus getting hiring like that is just a super-lucky coincidence, they actively seek them, forcing people to pretend about their passion for the job. As a consequence, the companies lose candidates who would make excellent accountants, but are not able or not willing to lie during the interview. Another consequence is that people are generally unhappy to work in a place built on bullshit.

haha. "Let's take a hypothetical view and say, in 7 to 10 years, when I make partner, there might be an opportunity for me to work on an account - a company with an unusual structure, with a novel, ground-breaking business, and unorthodox cashflows arrangements and asset valuations, and as an accountant I am going to write the story to highlight the strengths of the business while being fully cognizant of the risks, and the investors, the stakeholders, business management will appreciate the effort and hard-thinking we put in to make the story relevant and whole. And I want that to happen in my life. but until that time, I know I have to put in the punishing work of auditing [or whatever dept you are applying to]. And I may not find it very enjoyable. Yet if I never take the first step, that end goal I just spoke about will never materialize." you can talk about whatever is cool at that time. nowadays accounting for tech companies is all the rage and the methods for accounting for manufacturing or retail companies are not very relevant. back when I was just wrapping up my degree the Kraft-Nestle merger was the talk of the town. Also don't take my suggestion too seriously - I am not an accountant.

patrickmclaren 11y ago

I wouldn't bother with a direct answer to that question.

tenismyanswer 11y ago

I love money

tomw1808 11y ago
and Panama.
- tenismyanswer 11y ago
  And a man, a plan, a canal

nxzero 11y ago

Something like... "Accounting is the language of business. Accurate, precise, and timely financial information is vital to the success of any business."

slmyers 11y ago
Except that doesn't really describe one's motivations for becoming an accountant.
- emilburzo 11y ago
  That and the fact that it sounds good, makes it perfect
- bryanrasmussen 11y ago
  "all the best white collar criminals have a good knowledge of accounting!" Won't cut it either.
- Trundle 11y ago
  There are many occasions where the appropriate answer to a question does not accurately answer it.

lgieron 11y ago

How about "it's a stable and respectable profession"? Sounds like a very reasonable motivation.

emodendroket 11y ago
It is, and yet I have a feeling that is not the answer they are looking for.
- lgieron 11y ago
  That shows IMO that the values embodied by today's corporations (well at least by their HR departments) are out of whack. I'm hoping the companies will abandon their current bullshit "passion" view of employment, and will start valuing honest hard work. I'm affraid that's in conflict with the whole current American mythos though.
  - emodendroket 11y ago
    It makes a certain kind of sense. Given one guy who wants a steady paycheck and another guy who's wild about spreadsheets and would do corporate accounting for free (let's assume this guy exists) the latter is probably more likely to stick around longer. Anyway, having to give disingenuous answers in interviews isn't really the problem, IMO.
    - lgieron 11y ago
      > would do corporate accounting for free (let's assume this guy exists) The problem is that it's estabilished as the new norm. Instead of accepting that maybe 0.1% accountants are passionate about their job and thus getting hiring like that is just a super-lucky coincidence, they actively seek them, forcing people to pretend about their passion for the job. As a consequence, the companies lose candidates who would make excellent accountants, but are not able or not willing to lie during the interview. Another consequence is that people are generally unhappy to work in a place built on bullshit.