Today at work one of the partners asked me to be part of a small team from the firm that will talk to college students about what it is like to work in public practice accounting. I felt so flattered that my input was worth something. Means something to me because my perspective on accounting has been informed by my life experience. This career and educational path has been long term for me and sometimes I have questioned it. Growing up as I did, I have often wondered if I could be of more service if I were to work in social work or psychology. Could I help more people? Could I prevent someone from feeling as helpless or low as I did? But I have come to a different conclusion - accounting is a service with immeasurable value. It is a client service profession. And that is how I view it. That is my favorite part of it. That is what motivates me. I talked to my counselor a few years ago about my concerns. He was fantastic and he told me that my career is not the only way that I can make an impact. I of course know that I can have an impact by the way that I raise my girls, this is never lost on me. But he was talking about even beyond that. He pointed out that I am young and that once I am finished school I can volunteer my time on boards, I can volunteer my time in the community; accounting is a reasonably lucrative career, and I could donate more than I do now once I am established. He was right. I didn't have to devote my career to something else to make the impact that I wanted. But I ruminated on it as I ruminate on everything...classic over-thinker. And I came to the conclusion that accounting is so much bigger than numbers on a spreadsheet and calculating taxes owed or refundable. We see people's lives. Taxes are a window to their world. I know this probably isn't a unique perspective, but it was revolutionary to me. We see the couple that spent year after year travelling and paying for fertility treatments get to add their baby as a dependent. We listen to the person who lost their job due to addiction and just came out of a rehab program. We see people lose their loved ones, get married, move to pursue their dream job. I get to see women being a household breadwinner, and dad's choosing to stay home. Those slips, those numbers, they are wins and losses - they are the human experience. And we get to take that information - that audit notice, that tax information - and make sense of something most people find stressful, and take that off their plate.. Off their mind. If that isn't an impact, I don't know what is. I hope that this week when I am talking to the college students, that I get to shine a light on the human side of the job and invite them to look a little closer at whatever career they choose. Because life is what you make it, and so is your career. If you can live your passion, I applaud you! If you can't. I hope you are finding the joy and the purpose in whatever you do.
-Amanda
