Any accounting/financial Professionals?

I'm not a business user (yet) but I figured this might be the best forum to find users of different professions.

Anyway does anyone here work as an accountant, CPA, financial planner, etc?? I'm currently in college and this is what I want to get my degree in. How did you break into the field, how were your grades in undergrad? Also do you work for a small company or large corporation and how do you like the work day to day?

All my accounting classes are so interesting, I love the material, and the idea of accounting for finances. Oh yes, did you internship and if so what kinds? I work at a bank and everyone says this gives be great experience but honestly I don't see the connection. I'm just a teller lol.

Any insight at all would be great and much appreciated.

KEEP CRACKING!!!

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I started out as a Bank Teller but my first job was a p/t bookkeeper at a supermarket.

I love Accounting!!! And loved my classes too. The only classes that held my interest! I worked a few years as a bookkeper before I went to school for my accounting degree. I had about a 3.89 GPA but my accounting classes all A's. I am currentlly working on my MBA and hopefully one day go for the CPA.

Also, I work for a small company and the work load is fairly easy, has its ups and downs for crazy days but manageable.

I think you're on a GREAT track in a GREAT field =]

lol I am the same way. I can hardly bear to go the college algebra class but accounting principles seems to fly by. Did your employer look closely at your grades or just at the fact that you had your Bachelor's. I excel at english and my accounting class but math kills my gpa : (

thanks so much for the advice!

If they did review my grades they havent said anything. Ive heard grades matter but i've been working for small companies.

I'm finishing up my bachelor's in accounting and will be taking the CPA exam after the first of next year. That being said I've found that (at least in my area) that your experience speaks much louder than my grades. All my employers seem to have cared is that I'm not flunking or anything, and I've been through the gamut of starting as a bookkeeper, moving up to public accounting and then getting out into private accounting as a tax accountant

so you've been a bookkeeper? how was it?

I really didn't like it. Part of that may of been the circumstances, but I just hated the work. It was very mechanical and routine. I much prefer doing the more analytical project oriented work I do know. I am more than happy to talk about it in more detail if you'd like.

I am a Finance Director for a municipality here in CT. I graduated from Central CT State University many, many moon ago (actually 1987) with a 3.90 GPA.

While a lot of folks find Accounting as a concept boring, I like it a lot. And working for a Town affords me the opportunity to work on a lot of varied projects, be it bonding for a new infrastructure, the school budget, revaluation, pension issues, fund investment, etc. My days are rarely boring.

Stay with it. It sounds like you have found your niche, and that young lady is half (but the most important half) of the battle.

I work as an assistant controller for a midsized construction company. I actually have no accounting education and honestly stumbled into the job as a temp who never left! Just a fast learner and quick problem solver. Before I got this job I would have thought I'd hate it, but actually it's a blast. I'm able to avoid most of the boring daily tasks and focus on bigger projects

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lol i love mechanical and routine things! right now im very early in the material. im learning about FOB shipping point vs FOB destination, acid-test ratio or whatever, internal controls, and preparing financial statements with adjustments, but already its all very interesting.

i've changed schools quite a bit and hopefully will only have to switch once more. im about a semester, or maybe two from getting my associates. can i switch jobs and be a bookkeeper with my Associates? i figure this would give me the experience i need so that when i get my bachelors it will be easier to find a job.

i've talked to my career conselour (sp?) but they always seem in a rush (another reason why im switching schools).

I've switched schools a couple times myself, mostly for cost savings. I didn't take the time to get my Associates, I've been just plowing through toward by Bachelor degree, so when I had the bookkeeping job I had only completed the introductory accounting classes and I think I took one of the two intermediate accounting classes while I had the job. I think you're right on the money about getting into the field now, such as through a bookkeeping position. I felt that my job experience helped me understand my classroom instruction better as I knew how it applied to my job which made it more real. I've avoided the career conselors also, I've never felt they've been able to help beyond criticing my resume.

wow amazingly thats a high GPA. mine sits around 2.4 or 2.5 right now (freshman yr + dorm life + parties= many missed morning classes unfortunately).

yes i really want break into the field. this way by the time i graduate i will have experience. however, i work for a large well known bank (won't say which one but its in the top 5, probably top 3) so that probably looks good on a resume and the benefits are great and the pay is good for my age so im reluctant to leave but again being a teller isn't giving me the experience that working in AR or AP would : (

Don't worry about your GPA in the first year, we all did the partying thing.

As to your comment about working for a well know company, you are sort of right. My first job was for the second largest law firm in CT. Not only did it look good on my resume the contacts I acquired were invaluable.

Being a teller is more important than you may realize. It shows you are trustworthy, can deal with people even when they are not their best, have some degree of a organization and accuracy, and understand the concept of best practices and internal controls. My assistant is a former head teller.

thanx so much! yes i get a lot of those "not at their best" customers!

Im a CPA in Florida . write me anytime or text me
my pin is 23cff4ed . ild love to chat .
im in Miami Beach by the way...



jeff

[QUOTE=jeffh1040;277695]Im a CPA in Florida . write me anytime or text me
my pin is 23cff4ed . ild love to chat .
im in Miami Beach by the way...


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