We all know that fun is relative, but it seems that for most accountants the more typical public and auditing work isn’t enjoyable for most. Here we will try to highlight some of the more interesting and enjoyable accounting jobs that might attract your interest.

Litigation support

Accountants working in litigation support are usually performing forensic accounting tasks. They review financial documentation and provide their findings to the lawyers to assist them with their cases. This can be enjoyable if you like project-based work, problem solving and analytic work. It also entails attention to detail and pouring through a great deal of documentation to find the relevant information. Some examples of the work they do includes assessing the financial and economic information pertinent to a business compared to what they revealed to investors, true net worth assessments for alimony cases, and so on.

Operations analyst

This is a high-level position whereby the analyst reviews the business’s financial documentation so as to provide advice to the business regarding resolving any internal problems or efficiently and economically implement the company’s goals. They are also responsible for implementing these strategies. This position is challenging and is often used as a steppingstone towards a managerial position.

Auditing

Many auditors will tell you that it is the entry level and lower-level position auditing that is boring and repetitive, and that it gets more interesting as you gain more senior positions. This is because it is normally for the easier tasks and grunt work to be allocated to the less experienced team-members. The tougher and more diverse work is then given to the higher-ranking auditors. Additionally, more senior auditors will also sometimes get to travel is they work for a major firm. If you enjoy visiting other cities and countries, then this would certainly improve your overall interest in the work. External auditors will have the advantage of going to work in different business for each audit, which means that they will be exposed to different processes and environments, which will also help to make the job a bit more interesting.

FBI Special Agent

This is a forensic accounting position that entails using your accounting degree to tackle white collar crime such as embezzlement and money laundering. Part of this also involves interviewing suspects and chasing paper trails. What really makes this position stand out is that you get an official badge and a gun. However, it is a very difficult position to land. It requires a completely clean background, including not having taken marijuana within the past 3 years and no other type of drugs within the 10 years prior to application, as well-as a multi-levelled screening and evaluation process before you will be approved for training.

Information Technology Accounting

Many accountants discover that a lot of their work involve coding. This is because Excel’s formulae utilize Microsoft’s LAMBA coding, and other coding languages Python and R are also useful in improving data processing and workflow. If you enjoy coding and problem solving, then you might want to look into IT accounting. IT accountants integrate accounting principles with software in order to streamline financial data processing and to store it in a centralized location where all of the accountants and managers can easily access it and extrapolate the data that they need from it.

Development Manager

This is a position that requires people skills, creativity and the ability to plan ahead and meet deadlines. Their primary task is to grow an improve the overall functioning of the business. This role includes managing the budget, balancing the financial documentation, and tracking marketing plans to ensure success. They also act as the intermediary between the other managers, suppliers, partners and customers.

If the development manager works for a non-profit, this could further improve their enjoyment of the job if it is focused on something that they believe in themselves. With nonprofits, they are generally in charge of developing the goals and strategies of the organization’s fundraising campaigns.

Industry-specific Financial Advisers

Any rich or famous person will need a private accountant or financial advisor. So, if you have a particular interest in an industry such as sports, film, fashion, or other form of entertainment, you may be able to work your way into finding your place in that niche. However, attracting that kind of clientele will take time, and you will most likely need to start out by working in a firm that specializes in that industry, or to try finding an assistant position for a team or venue.

Teaching

Working up to a position as a professor at a college or university can be very fulfilling, if you enjoy guiding and educating others. It is also a good way to maintain your knowledge and to keep up to date with new accounting principles.

Entrepreneur

Starting your own business and running all facets of it, at least while you are starting out, is something that could appeal to you if you have the drive. You will be able to create and promote a service that you believe in, have more control over your own time, and have complete control over your financial process implementations and record keeping. Being your own accountant, especially if you are a CPA will also save you the expense of hiring someone to do your books and taxes, as well.

Anything you find interesting

The truth is that what constitutes as ‘fun’ or ‘interesting’ will vary from person to person. Some people thrive on high-paced jobs with constant deadlines, while others prefer having a regular 40-hour week with consistent and uneventful work. There are even those who genuinely enjoy tax season and meeting auditing deadlines. So, the key is to do your research, speak to people in various accounting positions and try to figure out which type of accounting position appeals most to you.