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  #1  
Old 01-07-2006, 02:54 PM
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So, is the accounting field really that fragile?

I was talking to an individual who had worked as an accountant for aurthor anderson. This person was basically telling me that they thought that all accounting jobs would be out sourced out of the counrty. I still have a way's to go interms of school before I'm totally commited. I initially felt that the account profession would be great. I am getting a little worried as of late though. I have had professors who said that they were forced to quit with the firms that they were in, as they were asked to do illegal transactions. I'm really wondering if I'm making the wrong move.

I really wan't a secure well paying job. I'm maticulous with reguards to details, and I thought that I would make a decent accountant, but if the job's are disapearing or if I have to cross the law, I don't want to go there.

If I didn't go with accounting, I have always had an intrest in realestate, but I don't think I could simply make a career out of just being a realtor. There is already a great number of them. I really wan't to find a job where I can do something with my college degree. I don't like an usecure future, what are your opinions?

Thanks for reading, Nick

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  #2  
Old 01-07-2006, 04:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nh500sl
I really wan't a secure well paying job. I'm maticulous with reguards to details, and I thought that I would make a decent accountant, but if the job's are disapearing or if I have to cross the law, I don't want to go there.
Just for kicks, run your paragraph through a spell checker. Enjoy the irony. It might explain why our jobs are disappearing.
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  #3  
Old 01-07-2006, 04:24 PM
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Sounds like a job for "Vocational Guidance Counselor!"

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  #4  
Old 01-07-2006, 05:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nh500sl

I'm maticulous with reguards to details,
Classic
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  #5  
Old 01-07-2006, 06:08 PM
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In your post about shoes for a job interview, you implied that you were going on interviews for the job position of accountant.

Now you are saying that you have a while to go an are undecided about account (your word) as a stable solid profession because all the jobs are going to be outsourced. If you know so little about business that you accept that statement, then maybe you should find a major other than business.

We have a trillion dollar annual gross sale economy. A trillion. Do you seriously think that all those businesses are going to have their accounting done in India. I don't think so. My mfg. clients have exteme difficulty finding an accountant that has a clue about anything other than taxes. Have you opened your phone book lately and looked up Accountants? There a just a few of them!!

Stability. It will not be stable if you are so sloppy that you can't spell words correctly. That implies that you may not be attentive enough to ever master accounting in school, let alone when it really gets difficult out in the field.

I was an accountant, and a financial controller. Then I went on to sales and management. In my opinion, an understanding of Accounting, is the single most powerful tool for people moving up the chain of command. It was fairly boring actually. The other thing is that is, by it's very nature, largely historical rather than line in nature. There is a great need for people who desire stable and safe careers in accounting. However, most of the time the money is in line functions. The reason the money is there, is that many of those positions require you make it happen or you are outa there. Line positions are very satisfying if you like risk.

Anyway, learn to spell or those $300 dollar shoes I recommended won't make any difference.

Bluntly,

Steve
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  #6  
Old 01-07-2006, 08:53 PM
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Being proficient with Peachtree Accounting software, will fetch you more than $20 an hour. And that, is in Florida, where wages are generally below average.
Being proficient in more than one accounting software program, will earn you more earnings opportunities.

Getting a client to trust you, is priceless.
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  #7  
Old 01-07-2006, 08:54 PM
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So you're looking for a “... secure, well paying job” out of college? Good luck with that. Don't get me wrong, though. A BA in business, accounting, or whatever is a great start. Reach for that degree with pride. However, don't be upset when you end up having multiple “careers” over your working life. There is no longer such a thing as a secure, well paying, life long “job”. That's why those Andersen guys you're talking to are so bitter. You have awesome economic opportunity before you. You simply have to grab it.
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  #8  
Old 01-07-2006, 09:43 PM
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The deal is, at least it used to be, that those people who became CPA's and worked for significant firms worked their butts of for a number of years auditing major clients. Then, often , those CPA's got to know the client's business rather intimately. Next step? Quit the accounting firm and go to work as CFO etc for the client. In those days Accounting firms were partnerships. Become a partner and you had it made. Think they are now mostly public corporations.

Steve
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  #9  
Old 01-07-2006, 09:49 PM
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Arthur Anderson typically is engaged by very large clients, some of whom would be outsourcing their accounting work, and this would be scaring these Anderson guys who are giving you their tale of woe. However, smaller businesses don't have the quantity of work to outsource... in this sense it's a lot like what's happening with programming work, which is what my industry is. And with programming, while some of the work does get outsouced and offshored, there is still a lot of work onshore, especially with small- to medium-sized companies who can't offshore or who prefer closer communication between their business folks and their support staff (not to mention quick response, lack of a language barrier, and accountability, i.e. a face to ***** to over the water cooler in the morning when something is screwed up), and there is almost always work in any industry for people who are good, flexible, and establish good reputations and networks.

So, yeah, get your degree, learn to spell or spellcheck for crying out loud because communication skills are always key, and don't listen to the disgruntled working stiffs. Keep in mind it's to their advantage to discourage new entrants from going into their field, as that's less competition for them
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  #10  
Old 01-07-2006, 10:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Kerley
So you're looking for a “... secure, well paying job” out of college? Good luck with that. Don't get me wrong, though. A BA in business, accounting, or whatever is a great start. Reach for that degree with pride. However, don't be upset when you end up having multiple “careers” over your working life. There is no longer such a thing as a secure, well paying, life long “job”. That's why those Andersen guys you're talking too are so bitter. You have awesome economic opportunity before you. You simply have to grab it.
I think your premise is correct. However, I wonder what is the benefit of having a society that is this, well, unstable. My degree qualifies me best to be a teacher, but for a twofold reason, I am a mechanic. (1) I don't enjoy the classroom environment (2) it is ludicrous that a wrench makes more than a teacher, but nonetheless it is generally true where I am.

Your logic is good, but what, pray tell, is the point of any sort of professional training if you are to expect to have to jump from job to job your entire life, scratching to make ends meet? I wouldn't expect to work for the same accounting firm my whole career, but if I pass the CPA exam, I would EXPECT to be able to work as a Certified Public Accountant. Not as a plumber. Not as a claims adjuster. Not as a Realtor. We are headed for chaos if you're unrealistic in expecting to work in your chosen field at all. If we move toward hybrid-powered hovercars, I'll adapt to work on those, or maybe I will go into teaching. Or maybe real estate- I do have my license. If I can't make a living at any of these things, should I have to beat my head against the wall because I am not qualified to be a sewer inspector? I think not, but apparently that is what I am to expect in the future.

I guess for job security, nothing beats the corrections industry, at least until we just start executing all the criminals for any offense and don't bother with incarceration. Hi ho hi ho, it's off to work we go, as prison guards...
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  #11  
Old 01-08-2006, 02:13 PM
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You'll do fine as an accountant but you might want to pursue a dual-major in accounting and finance. If you major in accounting at my school, you need to take 7 more classes in finance and you will have two degrees. Most colleges have it set up like that because the two fields are basically a flip side of a coin. As far as outsourcing goes, you might have talked to the wrong people because two of my friends just graduated this semester and one started at 62,000 dollars, the other took an offer at 50,000. It might be your area though where there aren't that many jobs that require your degree. Since I live in Northern New Jersey which is 8 miles away from NYC, corporate jobs in finance and accounting are very very very abundant.

We also had the FBI recruit a couple of accountants due to all the corporate scandals going on.....the possibilities are endless.

One more thing, did you notice that most CEOs have a degree in accounting?
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  #12  
Old 01-08-2006, 10:38 PM
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Thanks for the advice. I'm sorry for the typos. I had just talked with this x accountant, and I was in a little shock at the time. Sounds like I took him too seriously.

As far as what I'm doing now, I still have another year of school left. I have chosen to buy some nice interivew clothes, as we often have events at school that bring in accounts from the community, that students "network with".

I was planning on double majoring, but haveing the second major in Econ. Is this a bad idea? Would finance really be better, or would the Econ make me more well rounded? Thanks again.
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  #13  
Old 01-08-2006, 10:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nh500sl
Thanks for the advice. I'm sorry for the typos. I had just talked with this x accountant, and I was in a little shock at the time. Sounds like I took him too seriously.

As far as what I'm doing now, I still have another year of school left. I have chosen to buy some nice interivew clothes, as we often have events at school that bring in accounts from the community, that students "network with".

I was planning on double majoring, but haveing the second major in Econ. Is this a bad idea? Would finance really be better, or would the Econ make me more well rounded? Thanks again.
My professors always said: "Accounting is one side of the coin and Finance is the other" ----think about it, it makes sense.
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  #14  
Old 01-09-2006, 07:59 AM
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Come on now! Pay attention.

"as we often have events at school that bring in accounts from the community" Accountants are accountants. They are not accounts!

Proof read what you write.


Steve

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