Kyle Keefer

Background

About Kyle Keefer

When anyone looks at my resume, they almost invariably ask,"How and why did you shift careers from academia to accounting?" My response is that the two fields are not as different as they might seem. To quote the title of a Richard Feynman book, both areas involve "the pleasure of finding things out." As a scholar, I've honed research skills-usually combing through ancient texts-to find answers to questions. As an accountant, I peruse spreadsheets and financial reports instead of manuscripts. Plus, accounting has allowed me to return to my life-long fascination with numbers and analysis. Another question my career path sometimes provokes is this:"How is a Ph.D. in the humanities useful to an accountant?" Here I would highlight the transferable skills of academics, starting with communication skills. Years in the classroom have helped mold me into a polished public speaker. Whether my audience has been 5 or 500, novices or experts, I know how to engage and inform my listeners. As a published author, I've written scholarly papers and a book for a popular audience. At the same time, I've also crafted policies and procedures, memos, and training materials. My choice to make accounting a second-phase career was daunting, but it has been extremely rewarding. Becoming an accountant has added vitality and adventure to my sense of vocation. As a result, I am getting to experience a new world of challenges and rewards in the workplace.