| Topic Name: |
Jump from Big 4: to Sr. Acct or Sr. Financial Analyst? |
| Message Name: |
Hope This Helps |
| Date Posted: |
02/04/2008 |
| In Reply To: |
I'm looking to leave public accounting. I'm a senior (in my 3rd year), a CPA, and have a Masters degree in accounting.
I've noticed that the Sr. Financial Analyst positions in my market (Seattle) seem to pay $5-15k more on average.
I'm familiar with the Sr. Accounting role, as I interact with these people daily -- I'm not so familiar with the FA role. Which has better career upside? Also, where does the Sr. FA role tend to lead you in, say, 5-10 years?
Thanks!
Whi |
| Message: |
No one will be able to completely answer either of your questions.
Which position (Sr. Accountant or Sr. Financial Analyst) would be best will depend upon your career goals and likes/dislikes. Where the two positions lead depends somewhat on the company.
Typically, the SFA role is a bit of a mixture of acctg/finance/operations. These roles can be classified in a company's treasury department (cash and debt mgmt), operations department (cost acctg and new product/service profit ananlysis), or acctg (budget analysis). Depending on which "group" the position is in, a SFA could climb the ranks to an Asst. Treasurer, Operations/General Mgr, or Controller.
Alternatively, the Sr. Accountant would be looking for a Controller position on down the line.
Both will require you to be able to deal with the numbers. The SFA position will require more time dealing with people and operations.
The ultimate goal of a Sr. Accountant is typically a CAO position. However, the SFA position could eventually lead to a CFO or President's position. It typically opens the door for more exposure to senior management (as you progress) and to the operations side of the business.
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