I was the kid who could add up a series of three digit numbers in my head before you could say, “Math.” The fact that I grew up to be an accountant surprised no one since I was not only a mathematical whiz but detail oriented and quite adept at Excel.
My name is Ted Kirsch and I am a senior accountant at Bernicker, Eiger & Lang. And, here’s my story of how I started at BEL as a staff accountant in 2017 and advanced to a senior accountant.
When I got my job at BEL, I was ready–my academic background solid. I had a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Drew University and an MBA from Monmouth University. And, I had experience in the field from working part-time as an accountant at a small public accounting firm in Ocean County, N.J., while going to school. So, yes, I was qualified and tested.
But, I wanted to garner more knowledge. So, I sat for and passed the CPA exam, but I still needed a full year of public accounting experience in order to get my CPA certification. That’s when I joined BEL. And, lo and behold, in January 2020 I received my CPA license.
My work life as a CPA at BEL is everything I imagined it would be. I enjoy my day-to-day work–whether it’s meeting with a client to discuss their taxes; preparing and reviewing a company’s tax returns; or corresponding with the tax authorities–I’m in my glory.
Being a public accountant is everything I had hoped for and more. While I’m always learning from my BEL colleagues, now I’m often sharing my tax knowledge and experience with them and helping colleagues develop professionally.
Every day in public accounting and at BEL is different. But, the one thing that is the same is the ability for me and other BEL professionals to maintain a healthy work-life balance. I’m not sure what work-life balance looks like at other accounting firms but I know what it looks and feels like at BEL—terrific.
The work at BEL is challenging and rewarding, and every day I’m given the opportunity to grow and advance my career and professional development. If you think public accounting is the field for you, feel free to reach out to me or one of my BEL colleagues.