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The typical day for an accountant is rarely anything but typical. It’s easy to think that by becoming an accountant, one would find themselves in a three-sided cubicle, staring at a computer screen all day, and crunching an insane amount of numbers. While this is true for some in accounting clerk roles, that opportunity can also find itself in diverse territory. For the professional accountant the day is often far from drab and ordinary. Let us introduce you to somebody we’re going to call, Bruce.
Let’s Meet Bruce
Bruce is 32 years old and works for a major casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally from South Carolina, where he also earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, he moved to Las Vegas because it seems like a fun city to live. If there’s ever a place where accountants are needed, it’s a city like Las Vegas where millions of dollars trade hands annually. He became a Certified Professional Accountant where he worked for a handful of construction companies while obtaining his Master’s Degree in Business Administration.
Where Bruce Works
While working as a private practice CPA, Bruce had the opportunity to work for several personal clients that would eventually become his friends. One of those clients was a casino executive who happened to have an opening as a comptroller for their food and beverage department. He has his own office which is decorated nicely with his certificates on the walls and pictures of his wife on his large mahogany desk. While all employees receive a complimentary meal from the cafeteria, Bruce has a hefty “comp account” that allows him to write off just about any meal or drink purchases from one of the many casino bars and restaurants. He is often seen roaming the casino floor and greeting some of the many people that walk through and work there.
What Bruce Does
It’s not all fun and games working as a comptroller for a large casino. Bruce almost always has time to meet with the some 30 accounting clerks and auditors that work for him. He cares about his people and often offers bonuses in the form of comp meals or tickets to casino attractions or shows for those that go above and beyond their every day duties. But today, Bruce has a meeting with the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The Gaming Board is the regulatory authority that ensures that the money that is processed through a casino remains legitimate. Meetings with these officials are frequent but often stressful, as Gaming Control Board are the ones to find a few pennies off in any one account and it’s up to Bruce to explain why the account is off. Bruce is well prepared for this meeting and has all his paperwork in order to explain any possible discrepancies.
The End of a Not So Typical Day for an Accountant
After nearly 11 hours of supervising, meetings, and evaluating, Bruce’s day is done. Working as a salaried employee for a 24/7 operation is a huge change from when he was a private CPA. In those days, he set his own hours and was responsible for himself only. Today, he’s personally responsible for many people and held accountable for things that are often out of his control. He is no longer just a bookkeeper but also a finance manager on a scale thousands of times larger than he’d ever known before. It can be daunting but Bruce enjoys his work and remembers that his life is far from the typical day for an accountant.
