Accounting Number Crunching or Creativity

Number Crunching or Creativity- What do Accountants Prefer

In our last blog, we discussed how accounting is a flourishing profession for many personality types. There’s no truth to the stereotype that all Accountants are introverted people who prefer to be alone with their calculators away from a socialized world; many accountants are actually extroverts who quite enjoy working with people while performing some mental gymnastics that comes with the package. If this is news to you, if you’re like “WHAT?! That makes NO sense!” please, read our last blog to see for yourself. It’s true.

Another myth out there is that all Accountants love to crunch numbers. According to research published by Robert Half Finance & Accounting, the world’s largest specialized financial recruitment firm, only 22% of accountants say that number crunching is their favorite part of their job. So what would they rather do? Isn’t that like saying chefs don’t really like cooking, or teachers don’t like talking?

No. Crazy, but it isn’t like that at all.

A whopping 41% of the accountants in this survey said that their favorite part of their job is problem solving.

What’s even more interesting is that good problem solving requires not only really strong analytical skills but also a LOT of creativity. Who would have thought that 41% of all accountants really like the creative part of their job? Destroying all stereotypes, am I right?! (Please note: creative accountants are very different to the concept of creative accounting. One is a successful career path, the other is a frowned upon, and illegal, form of misrepresentation.)

Turns out, there’s so much more to Accounting than sitting in a cubicle and working with numbers. 17% of the participants in this same study said their favorite part of their job was making strategic recommendations for the business. Greg Scileppi, CEO of Robert Half, said that “While maintaining accurate reporting and regulatory compliance remain core responsibilities, [Accountants] are perfectly positioned to connect the dots between budget, profits and strategy at every level of the organization.”

Good accountants should be able to crunch numbers, at least a little bit; they should be detailed, accurate, and ethical. But great accountants are able to see the big picture, improve current processes and ways of doing things, and be very creative in how they approach problems. So if you’re a part of the 22% that likes to crunch numbers, the 41% that likes to solve problems, or the 17% that loves strategic thinking, or anything in between, the best part about a career in Accounting is that you can incorporate all of the above in some way, big or small.

Does this sound like you? Talk to one of our admissions reps to see if Accounting might be a new career for you to pursue!