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My mom and dad are disappointed that I never finished college. They often refer to my education level as a reason for me for not having a great paying job. I always tell them I'm not the only person without a degree. So I'm asking how many of you have degrees and what type of degree do you have.
That's not necessarily true, but I would say it holds true for the majority. I have an Associates Degree in Communications Applications Technology, and am 4 classes from my Bachelor's in Liberal Studies. But even without the degree, I have a job earning $60k in a town that has an average income of $35k.
But... as a caveat to that, I did nearly 21 years in the Navy, and add an additional $20k in my retirement pension to the amount I make above.
At 43, I'm very lucky to be where I'm at... but there were sacrifices in a career in the military, and this story doesn't go for every person.
I agree with the above poster, go thru a temp agency. That's how I got all my experience as a college student. Start off doing A/P or A/R. Get out of retail now. You would be surprised how well some temp agencies pay. Especially if you get a "temp to perm" job. Come to Dallas, there are PLENTY of entry level accounting jobs here!
BTW I am an accountant too (CFO)
I second this. I got my AS in a totally different field (Electronics Technology) and "found" my way into the accounting division of an insurance company about 1 year after I got assigned there as a temp. doing low-level office clerk stuff. Basically they hired me as a permanent employee after 2 months and I assisted several managers and when an opening in accounting opened up, I was given the opportunity. Now I was far from being the head of anything (I was basically a bookkeeper who also helped the controller generate monthly financial reports)...but it was great experience. Now I'm back in school taking accounting classes for the first time and it's like review! I have all "A's" in my accounting classes so far.
College co-op, career placement, and internship offices are ok; and it's great if they can line something up for you -- but many times you have to make you own opportunities. Entry-level accounting clerk/bookkeeper jobs are not too hard to get (mainly because 75% of business out there need someone to do their books!) and pay anywhere from $9-14/hour. Once you get in, often times they give you more responsibilities and you go from there.
To become a CPA, most states require 150 credits anyway (so graduate school would be in your plans most likely). Accounting is very diverse though; I would think if your goals are to get into one of the big accounting firms making 50K right off the bat...then yeah, the "right" internships and connections will help you. But you can make just as much money with your own public accounting business or even working in the accounting department of a retail store of something. There's definitely not a shortage of jobs if you expand your options.
My mom and dad are disappointed that I never finished college. They often refer to my education level as a reason for me for not having a great paying job. I always tell them I'm not the only person without a degree. So I'm asking how many of you have degrees and what type of degree do you have.
Honestly if I could go back I would have never bothered with a degree and uni, I got a degree in IT probably not the best area to get a degree but still when I graduated the only jobs I could get were the bottom of the ladder jobs that didnt require a degree such as IT support. So I could have really started at the bottom of the ladder without a degree and not have wasted 4yrs and £20000. To this day I have never used my degree and never will and just got by fine without it I still progressed quickly.
Actually there is a large demand for Accounting and Finance
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScranBarre
As some others have said with how abysmal our current economic climate is, sometimes even having a degree is not necessarily a guarantee of a lucrative career. I'll be graduating next year with my Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from an AACSB-accredited private four-year college. While the local job market seems to have a plethora of openings for controllers, chief financial officers, senior accountants, accounting managers, etc., as well as bookkeepers, a/r clerks, etc., there is a HUGE shortage of available positions for college internships and/or entry-level public accounting positions. As an example back in late-April after making it successfully through two prior "screenings" I was amongst fifteen finalists for just two available summer internships at a major regional public accounting firm. Needless to say when I was stacked up against others from prominent families, wealthier backgrounds, etc. after aggressive interviews I didn't stand a chance. I was (and still am) devastated because that was the ONLY public accounting internship available in my metropolitan region. Now I'm continuing to work full-time as a retail salesperson where I do make a decent base pay of $11/hr. before commissions, but I fear I will be looked upon unfavorably in the future for not moving away this summer to pursue an internship elsewhere.
Yes, we're being told left and right that accountants are in "high demand," but that's truly NOT the case. All of those open positions require 3-5 years of experience in the field, but what about those of us who just wish to enter into the profession at a young age with a low salary and gain the experience that these employers seek? We bite the dust. At times I wonder if I wasn't better off just not going to college at all, especially since I work in retail amongst others who have Bachelor's Degrees and don't earn much more than I do. I am now considering graduate school to pursue my MBA with a concentration in accounting, but at this point I'm not even sure if having an MBA and CPA will make me any more marketable in the disastrous George Bush economy. To say I have become depressed and discouraged is an understatement. It's amazing how many well-educated people in Scranton are earning less than their counterparts who never went to college .
I am unsure what kind of jobs you are looking for, but have you considered any of the Big 4 or middle market firms? Almost all of the large accounting and professional services firms are handing out auditing and consulting positions like candy. I just graduated from Louisiana State University last month with my BS in Finance and I had absolutely no trouble finding a job. I even had to turn down several interviews and job offers. I am now moving to NYC to work for Ernst & Young.
It wasn't because I was a fantastic student either. I had a mediocre GPA (3.1) and lets face it LSU isn't exactly an Ivy League.
I suggest looking into auditing and consulting jobs as the demand is most definitely high.
My mom and dad are disappointed that I never finished college. They often refer to my education level as a reason for me for not having a great paying job. I always tell them I'm not the only person without a degree. So I'm asking how many of you have degrees and what type of degree do you have.
I have a Bachelor's degree in biology and my parents are on my back about my not having completed my master's work, saying that is the reason why I can't find a decent job.
I'll say many, not most, but it is quickly becoming "most" college grads these days are worthless. They get out of school and automatically think someone owes them something because they now have a little piece of paper. Most would not know how to wipe their ars with that paper. Mommy and Daddy paid for me to party and cheat my way through college for four years.
Colleges these days hand out degrees like hot cakes. Professors are afraid and almost never fail students. They pass everyone no matter what. I meet people everyday who proclaim their master's degree in this or that and when you sit down and hold a conversation with these people, you realize they are as dumb as a stump. No common sense and they have no idea how to apply their education in a practical manor in the real world.
I'm not God's gift to education, but I can keep up with any educated person in the multiple fields I work and do business in. I own my own business for the past decade, but when I did work for an employer, I was always hired over the educated. Why? Because I actually knew my profession, made it very obvious during the interview process and my references, were impeccable. That and I worked circles around my lazy co-workers.
My education level? Technically only a HS diploma. I have taken classes at college over the years, but have no interest in a college degree. What have a I accomplished in life? My net worth is over $5 million. I did it by old fashioned, innovative, creative, hard work and believing in the American dream of running a successful small business. I do not envy those who get themselves an education, but honestly I am so turned off by this generation, it has left me with very little respect for them. I can't stand lazy, unmotivated, stupid people and whenever I interview people from this generation, they almost all seem to be this way.
I have a Bachelor's degree in biology and my parents are on my back about my not having completed my master's work, saying that is the reason why I can't find a decent job.
My neighbor has a bachelors in chemistry and guess where she works? Lowes selling kitchen cabinets! Makes more doing that than using her degree... When I worked at Clorox years ago I made as much or more as a tech support person than the line chemists made.
An MS is entry level in the career I'm going into and because I am foreign to the US, a PhD (that I will complete this year) makes it a bit easier to become employed. That said I loved my research and that's why I did the extra degree, there's no need to do a PhD just because you want more money or a job, the payoff in general is not worth the time and stress.
On the other hand my older brother has been taking college courses part time over the last 10 years or so and has so far earned an associate's degree. During this time he worked his way up from teller, to loan officer and on through the ranks and is now an asst VP with his company. He makes my head hurt when he talks about programs he's developed and is thinking about patenting.
All that to say I've certainly got more pieces of paper and letters behind my name than my older brother does but he is many times smarter than I am and has been way more successful than I have been thus far. You can succeed without a degree for sure but you need to be driven, ambitious and creative as well.
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Actually there is a large demand for Accounting and Finance
