Transition from Public to Private accounting/bookkeeping?

I have a science (non-business) degree, and i have one year experience in one of the big4 accounting firm as an auditor. Since i'm tired of the long hours and the job nature of public accounting. I resigned and decided to switch to private accounting.
Looking at junior accountant, accounting clerk job descriptions on indeed, it seems most of them need quickbooks, simply accounting and experience that are quite different from public accounting. I wonder whehter my 1 year public accounting experience help to find a job in private sector or should I take some training in bookkeeping first before looking for private accounting job such as junior accountant?

While you are contemplating your career in private accounting, I would recommend that you join and Expert Network like Gerson Lehrman Group, BidaWhiz, or Cognolink. Expert networks connect experienced professional with people who are willing to pay for you advice on an hourly basis. The engagements pay well and will help you network with people who are interested in your expertise.

You will regret leaving the Big4! There's a huge difference in your future earnings and job prospect! There's a very good reason why those CPAs put up with the torturous hours, mundane tasks and low pay for ~3 long years; and then dashing out of the audit firms' doors to private accounting.

You mentioned Quickbooks requirement, I am pretty sure these are small companies as large ones all used either Oracle or SAP. I hardly see any jr accountant or accounting clerk openings these days because of automation. Companies, particularly the large ones ask for CPA for accountant roles.

You may want to do some good research and reconsider your career option, what you're looking for now will lead you to a grim future.

It probably would have been better had you been able to stick it out for another year, but I don't know what your circumstances were. One year of experience is not much better than none, but a lot depends on where you're located. Your area sounds like mine if you're seeing a lot of ads asking for Quickbooks.

These days going back to school can be risky, but since you have no accounting degree it might be a good idea depending on the cost. On the other hand, it's easy to become "overqualified" if you're in an area that does not have a lot of bigger companies, so I guess it depends on your ultimate goal.

"Since i'm tired of the long hours and the job nature of public accounting...". That's a bad reason for bailing out, really. Today, here in silicon valley, folks with CPA/MBA and experienced are competing in the job market, some for an accountant or financial analyst jobs which previously only ask for a business bachelor degree. His lack of ambition and fear of hard work at such a young age is sad.

Bookkeeping class? Seriously? Why aim so low? On going back to school, it's not that costly to attend community/state college for all the accounting courses -- Accounting 101 (community/junior college is cheap and looks better than some trade school on the resume), Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting, Advanced Accounting (4-yr college).

I agree that if school is affordable that may be the best bet.

In a lot of cases, it's not that people are aiming low but just taking whatever experience they can get. I'm making a similar transition after years of looking, and finally got a part time bookkeeping position after getting let go from the Big 4 a few years ago.

I'm 39 and think the bookkeeping route may be a better one for people my age who want to change careers into the accounting field. I'm hoping that if I move up into a staff accountant type position I could find some use for my CPA license at that point. Just glad to finally get a career "reboot."