As we have mentioned in previous articles, when it comes to figuring out what to do for a career, what you need to do before anything is figure out where the employment opportunities are, then figure out to best way pursue them.
To put it another way, look at it from a macro-micro approach. In the macro, the most fundamental reason for the start of a business is to find a need and then fill that need. Businesses themselves have needs, and that is why they have employees. They do jobs that fill needs for companies.
One such “need” that all companies (in all industries) big, small, and in between have, is accounting.
Are you good with numbers? Are you analytically-minded? Are you good with rules? If so, then you might be a good fit for the accounting profession.
First, the pros. There are clear advantages to a career in accounting, namely:
- It is a stable and growing field.
- There is a clear career path (go to school for accounting, you typically land a job in accounting).
- There is potential for professional growth.
- There is strong earning potential (accounting jobs typically pay well).
- There is entrepreneurial potential (accountants start their own firms frequently).
- You can live and work wherever you desire.
The last point especially merits elaboration. The accounting profession is not geographically bound. To clarify, if you want to work as, say, an engineer in the car business, chances are, you’ll work in Detroit or somewhere else in the Rustbelt. By contrast, wherever you want to live, accounting jobs are there. Whether you prefer the East Coast or the West Coast; the northern Midwest, the Deep South; the Northwest or the Southwest, the big city or the small town, opportunities for accounting are there. Moreover, all industries need accountants, which is a further reason why this sort of work is geographically boundless.
Now the cons. There are some disadvantages to the job, including some potential pitfalls for autists to anticipate and work to overcome.
The education is ongoing. Your college degree alone is not going to set you for life. For one, the accounting rules keep changing. Those of us “on the spectrum” thrive on rules. It can thus be potentially jarring/unsettling to find out that a rule to which one has grown accustomed has now changed. Flexibility to adapt to these new rules is a must. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, then consider another career.
Also: Depending on what sort of accounting you eventually decide to focus on, some additional credentialing shall be necessary. There is the CMA (Certified Management Accountant), the CFA (Chartered Financial Accountant), and of course, the coveted CPA (Certified Professional Accountant). The latter exam can be a difficult undertaking by many accounts, but usually well-worth it. Seeing things a different way, however, remember that learning is a life-long process, and therefore approach these requirements as further opportunities for growth.
Now, the people factor: neurotypicals’ usual reaction to accounting is that the work is dull because of the number-intensive aspects of the job. But to those of us “on the spectrum”, especially those who are non-visual thinkers, working with numbers is one of the best parts of the job (nay, the best part of the job!). The challenge for us comes in the form of working with other people (there is often a team-orientation to accounting). Speaking from experience, though, it is not difficult to buy into a team concept. All it takes is to buy into the team’s goals, and train your mind to think like that of a team player. I am living proof that it can be done.
There is a busy season. If you choose to specialize in income taxes, for example, you are going to put in lots of long hours from the start of January through mid-April. The rest of the time, things will slow down. Those of us “on the spectrum” who thrive on routines might not adjust well to this year to year. The key would be to put one’s mind to adjusting to different routines depending on the “busy” vs. “non-busy” seasons.
It can be stressful. Such is the nature of work where you are responsible (at least in part) for the company’s finances. Also keep in mind that the higher you work your way up the ladder and the more money you work with, the greater the pressure and the potential for stress. That said, most jobs involve some degree of stress. There are jobs out there that can be more stressful that pay less than most accounting jobs (try being an assistant manager at a high-volume convenience store during afternoon rush hour, for example). Most jobs involve some degree of stress, so don’t let this potentially negative aspect deter you. Doing so would let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
Here is the bottom line:
Can accounting be a viable career option for autists who are non-visual thinkers? It all comes down to the individual. Yes, the “pros” of the job are obvious selling points. Can you, the individual, overcome, look past, or otherwise compartmentalize the cons? If your answer is “yes,” then that’s also the answer to the overall “bottom line” question.
One more key thing:
If the answer to the above “bottom line” question is yes, great! Now for the next stage of decision. Experts on the matter of austism and related viable careers encourage those who do choose this line of work to find a specialization within the profession and get really good at it. This includes income taxes, auditing, cost accounting, and forensic accounting.
There are other aspects of the job when it comes to autism that merit further exploration, and we are resolved to do so in subsequent articles.
Accounting might not be for everyone, but it is a highly versatile, incredibly portable, and very marketable skill with far-reaching potential to make contributions toward all of us learning and growing together.
Sources and Further Reading:
https://www.topaccountingdegrees.org/top-5-accounting-jobs/
https://www.accounting.com/resources/top-skills-for-accountants/
https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/business/blog/must-know-pros-cons-accounting-career/
https://www.aatcomment.org.uk/career/the-benefits-of-autism-in-accountancy/