Job Responsibilities
Accounting software design and maintenance - 25%
Manage monthly close process and generate financial statements -
50%.
Make credit decisions - 5%.
Supervise accounting staff - 20%.
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Job Requirements
A bachelor's degree in accounting is really not enough to gain an
advantage in the market place. I would advise those considering
a career in accounting to obtain a CPA and an MBA.
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Uppers
Insight into company profitability.
Interface with senior management.
Ability to influence strategic financial decisions.
Mentor staff.
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Downers
Long hours.
Many aspects of job are boring.
Heavy workload during month and year end.
Personality types in this field tend to be rigid.
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Lifestyle
Work hours in all accounting related fields tend to be long (consistently over
50 hours per week and over 60 during month end or year end). However, I have
been able to stay away from the office on the weekends.
Opportunity for business travel completely depends on the specific job - some
jobs offer extensive travel while others offer none.
It is expected that you will attend company social events.
Dress code is usually business casual but some companies require suits (law
firms generally) while others allow jeans (dot coms).
10 years ago there was a glass ceiling for women and minorities but that is no
longer the case.
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Compensation
Expect $35,000 - $50,000 starting out. $100,000 annual salary is
attainable once you reach management level if you are working for
a mid sized company. Bonuses (approximately 10% of salary) is
generally expected. The larger the company the higher the
salary.
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Advice to Jobseekers
I think the job outlook is very bright due to Sarbanes-Oxley and
renewed interest in corporate governance. If I were starting out
today I would seek to develop a broad range of accounting skills,
including exposure to ERP software, SEC reporting, Sarbanes-Oxley
compliance, advanced Excel skills, public accounting, and
experience in as many industries as possible. I would plan to
switch companies every 5 years or so to attain these skills.
After 15 or 20 years you will have a huge selection of
opportunities from which to choose, including consulting.
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