Accounting Degree

Good post tovlo.

I'm giving up on accounting. I'm just going to fix computers and look for a job that pays somewhere. I can't wait the rest of my life for an entry position to open in my area. Honestly, I'm not in any way qualified for an accounting job. The bachelors degree is an introduction to accounting, at best.

This problem exists because businesses have no incentive to train new staff. If they do bother to train someone, that person will leave for better pay elsewhere. It's obvious why there's a shortage of good candidates, they're the baby-boomers retiring. They can't replace a work-force of seasoned employees overnight, by putting an ad or two out there when it's a systematic problem.

Totally agreed.

I wish you the very best as you head into your career. Accounting will always be a good thing to know something about, no matter what you decide to do.
 
Believe me, having a good accountant is as important as having a good doctor. So, good for you!

Getting a job. Start out with good materials. You should have a good cover letter and resum
 
You'll get in there when the economy booms again. That's when the nubs get in!
 
What about trying to do bookkeeping for people online? Does that ever work?
 
How I see it

Razare, I can relate. I am INFJ and a CPA who used to have a side business doing computer work.

Speaking from experience, your best bet is to link up with an Extravert (such as an ENTP) that you trust and get an external run-down of your perceived strengths. Then, get some ideas about where your strengths might prevail job-wise. Should you decide to work for someone else, choose a job where you have an interest in the product. For instance, back in day the I used to work at Blockbuster to get free movie rentals--the pay was crap, but hey free movies! I also like flying to new places, so I applied to airline companies so I could get travel for free whenever possible. Also, I want to go into space, so I'm waiting for Virgin Galactic to open up some accounting positions. ;-)

I agree with the posts describing actual accounting work to be more S-inclined, versus N, but deep down I think you knew that. Low-level accounting work is very information-based and detailed-oriented which is doable for us, but may be frustrating at times--hey, what job isn't? Your accounting peers may be the opposite of you personality wise (information and fact-oriented, instead of idea oriented), so it could seem like you're on your own with your unorthodox approaches. Typical accountants like the status quo, not radical changes. For this reason, you would probably want to have the most personalized work environment possible, such as working in a very small, agile company, or a small department.

Accounting jobs are plentiful where I live (Washington, DC area), so if you just want a job, there are plenty of options. Staffing companies can tell you what you're worth and can help you get a job quickly, which may or may not be in your best interest. Out of college, I worked for a Public Accounting firm (aka CPA firm) while I passed the CPA exam. In my CPA firm, I think INFJ's were better suited for leadership roles, but like someone mentioned here, how often does someone jump right into a leadership role? Almost never. You have to work your way up. That could be your impetus for sticking with accounting. Find a leader you admire and understand how he/she got there, then do the same thing.

In summary, I think your best bet is to aim for a small company (which you currently have), do what you enjoy (which you are), and work with an ambitious, entrepreneurial extravert to keep you motivated (have you tried merging companies with your competitor?). Now that you have a foundation in accounting, why not put that knowledge to good use and learn some bookkeeping software? And then do what (you might ask)? Well I'll leave that up to you to figure out. ;-)

- J, CPA
 
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