What do you do that you earn six figures?

[u/fidgit86]

It seems like a lot of people make a lot of money and it seems like I’m missing out on something. So those of you that do, whats your occupation that pays so well?

[u/jdmackes]

How long did it take before you hit 6 figures? I'm about two years into being an accountant, and while I'm not expecting to make that much (I work for my county and haven't gotten my CPA yet), I didn't know if it was something that would be realistic without working for one of the big four or owning my own firm

Edit: I just want to say thank you to everyone that answered, I've got a much better idea of what to do/expect over the next decade. I'm finishing up my Masters degree in Accounting Information Systems and then going to start sitting for the CPA exams and will hopefully build my worth from there

[u/tdpdcpa → u/jdmackes]

Also an accountant. It took me 5.5 years from my first day to the day I made 6 figures. I went Big 4 (3 years) to large, private chemical company in technical accounting and reporting.

In the 1.5 years since then, I increased my salary another 90% by switching into Accounting Advisory Services and getting headhunted by a client.

[u/jdmackes → u/tdpdcpa]

Damn, that's nuts. Do you have any certifications? What's your work/life balance like?

[u/tdpdcpa → u/jdmackes]

Just a CPA license. Work can be busy, but nothing like work in the Big 4. I’ve probably worked one 70 hour week since I started here a year ago, 50-60 hours a week in the month after quarter end, and 40-50 all other times.

[u/golden_tree_frog → u/tdpdcpa]

Making that jump from public to industry and realising there were companies prepared to pay me more money to work fewer hours was... a revelation.

That said, worth waiting and being selective when making that move. Most of my intake jumped ship the week our training contract finished, and of them, most had changed jobs again within a year or two. I waited a year and a half post-qualification before I moved to industry, after six months of interviews where I had quite strict criteria. But it paid off, been with the same company five years now (though I'm moving next month).

[u/TheNotoriousMIT → u/golden_tree_frog]

The jump terrifies me. Is there an expectation that i will know everything or am i going to be trained to do that job?

Especially at more managerial levels, how am i suppose to transition to a new field of internal accounting and know all the specific minor things needed to be a good manager when ive been doing auditing related work for x years?

[u/golden_tree_frog → u/TheNotoriousMIT]

I can only speak for my own experience (mid-large size tech company in the UK) but my hiring manager knew what he was getting when he hired someone straight from practice: mainly a good all-round technical awareness.

And not "already knowing everything", more being aware and able to do independent reading up as needed and have an intelligent conversation about it with external advisors.

[u/mxo130330 → u/tdpdcpa]

That is terrible.

[u/mxo130330 → u/[deleted]]

Agreed. That is why I got out of accounting. I couldn’t believe the hours people work. It really takes the shine off the pay.

[u/Kckc321 → u/mxo130330]

Def depends on the company. One of the CPA firms I worked at was a bit smaller, most I did was 50 hours in tax season. Then you work 35 hours/week the other 3/4 of the year.

[u/SocialSuspense → u/mxo130330]

Currently studying to become an auditor just to appease my parents….can’t fucking wait to save up money and go back to get a degree in Astrophysics (probably not much better but that’s what I’m more interested in)

[u/mxo130330 → u/SocialSuspense]

Do IT audit. The pay is a lot bette.

[u/mxo130330 → u/[deleted]]

Agreed. The benefits are also terrible.