Blogger: Lauren Carr

Everyone has heard the old saying. It sounds simple enough, until we have to figure out what job we love.  I recently read a Forbes article that addresses this issue.

I agree with many of the points made in this article. Number 2 states, “Shop around.” It is extremely important to try different things. You will never know if you love (or hate) something if you never try it. Take classes that you think will be interesting. Try to get an internship in your area of interest or volunteer. While discovering what you love, you will also be building a great resume.

Number 5 says, “Burn your plans.” Number 9 says, “Give yourself permission to change your mind.”  I have type A personality (surprise!), so I love to have a plan and execute the plan. I believe it is good to have a plan to follow, but when things change and your current path isn’t going to make you happy, make a new plan. I started out as a biology major planning on going to medical school. During my second semester as a sophomore, I finally admitted to myself that I hated my classes. It was hard to switch majors after putting in so much work towards biology, but I am extremely happy with my decision now. When I finally abandoned the pre-med plan, I immediately started talking to professors and doing research to find a new career. Once I decided on majoring in accounting, I formed a new plan which has been successful.

One reason I am very excited to start my career as an auditor in public accounting is because it gives me so many options. I am young, and I have no idea if I want to stay in public accounting for the rest of my career or not. Public accounting firms give amazing training. If you choose to leave, you can get a great job in industry. You can also teach accounting at a university. If you choose to stay, you can have a very rewarding career. I am the type of person that gets extremely bored doing the same exact thing every day. I could not have a career where I had to do the same thing for 20 years. With audit, I will see different clients and learn many different things. As I work my way up in the firm, my job will change. There is always more to learn. Public accounting is also a great place for networking. I have met an amazing amount of people in such a short time.

I have no idea what the future holds for me or what opportunities will knock on my door, but starting my career with an outstanding public accounting firm is a great place to start.