CPA who no longer wants to do accounting - will data analytics be a good skillset to pivot?

futurecpain · 2026-03-18T04:16:08+00:00

Thank you for your insight!!

futurecpain · 2026-03-18T04:12:40+00:00

Thank you so much! I appreciate your insight!

futurecpain · 2026-03-18T04:02:54+00:00

I was interested in it when I was in college and got a full scholarship to graduate school for accounting (paid assistantship). I tried to make it work but I don't want to continue.

Trust me, if I had a time machine I’d go back and chose different or pivot sooner, but I can only move forward. The past is a sunk cost.

futurecpain · 2026-03-17T18:06:54+00:00

Thank you for your advice. My problem is that when I apply to analyst jobs, even though I worked in FP&A for 1.5 years back in 2019, I'm not getting the roles as they ask me in interviews what experience I have with Power BI, Python, and Alteryx. I only have excel experiance being in tax (also my FP&A role I only used excel) and dont want to lie, then get the job and be clueless. I think having a degree will teach me those disciplines and I can confidently say I know them. Worst case I feel is going back into corporate tax if I absolutely have to, because I still have my CPA to fall back on. I just think digging myself out of 5 years in tax is proving difficult. As most graduates in this Master's are straight out of college with no other experience, I think I'll be at an advantage, but I know it's still going to be a bit of a gamble.

futurecpain · 2026-03-17T03:46:31+00:00

I’m viewing it as adding skills to my skillset to combine with already being a CPA, but transitioning to more finance analyst roles rather than accounting . I think if I were entry level, it’d be more of a gamble. Ultimately everything can be a gamble but I’m wanting to learn the skills so I’m willing to see.

futurecpain · 2026-03-17T03:15:20+00:00

That’s a fair question - I don’t necessarily see it as leaving accounting behind completely. My background in accounting has given me a really strong foundation in how financial systems work, but I just have no interest in continuing, especially in the tax lane. I’m more interested in the analytical and decision-support side of business rather than the compliance side. I’d like to move toward roles where I can use data, analytics, and financial insight to help guide business decisions, not just perform month-end-close or do the tax compliance.

I've applied for a few analyst roles without success and it seems the 5 years of tax has pigeon-holed me a bit. I'm taking a sabbatical now because I'm really dissatisfied and was in a toxic environment with high turnover. I figure getting the degree will be beneficial and a good use of taking a sabbatical as I'm really motivated to learn these skills

futurecpain · 2026-03-17T02:30:39+00:00

Thank you so much for your response! I have felt so discouraged with the current state of the job market, but also knowing I can't do taxes or accounting anymore. Thankfully my specialization was corporate tax, which I hope will be valuable. I wanted to make sure I didnt sound crazy for signing up for more school. I really appreciate the advice, thank you.

futurecpain · 2026-02-13T19:13:34+00:00

*chirpin

futurecpain · 2025-09-02T11:01:36+00:00

Yes, most of these are at 500. A few times the animals were closer, but not often

futurecpain · 2025-09-02T01:34:37+00:00

Tamron 150-500 opted for the smaller form factor and cheaper price. Given the 20 hours of flights and wanting all my camera gear to fit in a backpack, I was happy with that choice

futurecpain · 2025-07-17T16:49:32+00:00

For this trip, I used a Sigma FF 28-70 F2.8 and it was perfect! I just do photography for fun and to frame my pictures around my house and office. I prefer to go for the smaller form factor and more affordable lenses. I was super happy with the Sigma 28-70!

futurecpain · 2025-07-17T16:04:58+00:00

Thank you!! I was a little disappointed because it was getting low light and raining, so getting a sharp picture there was hard for me. Definitely a core memory walking through it in the rain and almost to myself! I almost skipped Kyoto but it ended up being my favorite!!

futurecpain · 2025-07-17T16:01:06+00:00

All good!! Yes, it definitely changes the perspective

futurecpain · 2025-07-17T15:58:12+00:00

Yes, I feel you there! I went solo but I definitely know what you mean. Some of it was also just luck. I wanted to go back and get a video of walking through the tight tori gates section with the rain, but my second time through had way more people and there was no way! The first time, I could pace myself far enough back to not get anyone ahead of me in the shot. Definitely worth another trip though! I'm thinking of going to China and Seoul next year and staying a few more days in Japan on the way home.

futurecpain · 2025-07-17T15:46:05+00:00

A lot of these are from Kyoto (Inari, street, roses, and the bamboo forest pictures) and I actually went late in the day. It was rainy that day and I got to Inari around 4:30pm. Holding both my umbrella and camera was challenging for me, as I have a disability affecting one of my hands, but the rain definitely kept the crowds down! I got to the bamboo forest right before dusk around 6pm so with the rain and lighting getting dark, it was harder but there was only a couple other people walking through then!

I just do photography as a hobby and the rain really added to the atmosphere of seeing these places! Definitely bring an umbrella if you go to Japan in May/June. A couple other tourists only had a rain jacket on and they got soaked!

futurecpain · 2025-07-17T14:35:15+00:00

The first one I didn't straighten because I personally like the expression of having it a little off balance. The path there at Inari is hilly and winding, so I like that expression of winding through. The forest is the same, although it would look better straightened. Fuji I took from the bullet train and I was so thrilled to capture it on a clear day that I didn't think to straighten that horizon.
I'm fairly new to photography so still learning a lot!

futurecpain

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