Art of Accounting: Passion or chore?

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Public accounting is a passion for me. I love and have loved every minute with some rare exceptions. Currently I teach accounting students at Baruch College and try to convey this passion. If they are anything like I was at their age, they tune me out. However, to prove my point, I present them with a “test” where they do not have to believe anything I say and can find out for themselves. The following is the test.

I ask them to speak to anyone they or their parents know who is over age 50 and is working as a CPA in either public or private accounting. The question they should ask is: “Do you recommend [public] [private] accounting as a career?”

Then they should listen to the response. I tell them that the people working in public accounting will speak about their careers with a passion. Those in private will speak as if it were a chore or something they did to make a living. They should be guided by the responses.

I know I am right, but I also know there are exceptions and not everyone will respond the way I suggest and feel. That’s OK. These students won’t bet the farm on this “test” but it will provide them some added information to include in the arsenal of their knowledge they will access when they need to decide.

I also suggest those reading this column decide how they would respond if they were asked this question. Anything less than passion means that perhaps you should rethink what you are doing.

Fair enough?

Do not hesitate to contact me at emendlowitz@withum.com with your practice management questions or about engagements you might not be able to perform.

Edward Mendlowitz, CPA, is partner at WithumSmith+Brown, PC, CPAs. He is on the Accounting Today Top 100 Influential People list. He is the author of 24 books, including “How to Review Tax Returns,” co-written with Andrew D. Mendlowitz, and “Managing Your Tax Season, Third Edition.” He also writes a twice-a-week blog addressing issues that clients have at www.partners-network.com along with the Pay-Less-Tax Man blog for Bottom Line. He is an adjunct professor in the MBA program at Fairleigh Dickinson University teaching end user applications of financial statements. Art of Accounting is a continuing series where he shares autobiographical experiences with tips that he hopes can be adopted by his colleagues. He welcomes practice management questions and can be reached at (732) 743-4582 or emendlowitz@withum.com.