Last Year’s File tells us all about the exciting world of Chartered Accountancy:

Aside from what it isn’t, be wary of people who seem too eager to describe a “typical” CA life.  I’m talking about the people who already know what they want out of the profession and the unfortunate subset of those, who’ve let other people decide for them.  These people can be tricky to deal with, only because they have bought into a single way of looking at things.  Their attitudes won’t necessarily be wrong.  They just may not be what you’re after.  And when you aren’t even sure what you want, buying into someone else’s “idea” of the way things are supposed to go can lead to problems down the road.  I know CA’s who want to leave the profession and do humanitarian work in South Africa; I wouldn’t consider that typical.  But there will always be people who want to make partner, have 2.5 kids and live in the suburbs.  It’s personal preference really.  Keep that in mind if you’re ever talking to someone who’s projecting their idea of a “CA life” on you.

The lesson? Your profession is only as good as the low expectations you go into it with.