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Career Rating and Comparison
| Category | This Career | All Rated Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Career Satisfaction |    | |
Degrees and Schools
Colleges, universities and vocational schools offer two-year associate's degree programs that qualify graduates for bookkeeping and accounting clerk jobs. Although bachelor's degrees are not usually required for entry-level positions, a career path in accounting that begins as a bookkeeper or accounting clerk will at some point require a minimum of a bachelor's degree for advancement. Graduates from educational programs that are accredited by organizations such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) are often preferred by employers. Four-year accounting degrees include B.S., B.B.A. and M.B.A. Many graduates take an additional 30 hours of coursework to become a Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A.).
Some employers offer tuition reimbursement programs to their employees, or will pay for certification courses or tests.
Classes
Accounting tasks are for the most part managed with computer software, spreadsheets and databases, so competency in industry-standard technology is a core part of educational programs. Theory focuses on the larger role of accountant in an organization - the skills to analyze data, establish processes and procedures, create financial plans and report data accurately and clearly. Other coursework includes introductions to the various areas of accounting such as payroll and accounts receivable, budgeting and quality control / auditing.
Online Classes and Programs
Obtaining a degree or taking a certification course in accounting is well-suited for online education. Choosing accredited programs such as those certified by the AACSB can help narrow down choices from the many available programs. Keep in mind that although online programs may be convenient, they may not provide the job placement, financial aid and internship opportunities that brick-and-mortar schools offer. Employers frequently reimburse employees for courses relevant to their work.
Employment Requirements
A high school degree is a minimum requirement for most entry-level bookkeeping and accounting clerk jobs. Many employers, however, seek those who have some college or a two-year associate's degree in accounting or business from a vocational school or community college. Due to the detailed and structured accounting systems that are unique to each business, most companies provide extensive on-the-job training. They may also pay for classes to teach employees software skills specific to their job.
To promote their hireability, aspiring bookkeepers and accounting clerks may pursue a certification awarded by the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers. The Certified Bookkeeper (CB) designation requires at least two years experience in bookkeeping and a passing score on a four-part exam. Prep courses are available through colleges and online.
How to Evaluate Bookkeeping and Accounting Schools
Prospective bookkeepers or accounting clerks should consider the following questions when evaluating programs:
- Accreditation - Is the program accredited by a governing body in accounting? If an online program, is it accredited by direct-learning organizations?
- School and class size - What is the ratio of students to faculty within relevant courses? What additional amenities may larger schools offer?
- Practical experience - Does the program offer internship or practical experience opportunities for valuable hands-on learning?
- Tuition and financial assistance - Scholarships, loans, work study and other forms of financial assistance can help defray the cost of tuition. How much effort does the school dedicate to assisting students as they navigate through these options?
- Additional costs - Are students expected to purchase expensive software programs and manuals as well as textbooks and fees? For what other costs beside tuition should prospective students plan?
- Career assistance- Does the school offer a comprehensive job placement program? How many graduates are successfully placed each year?
Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerk Job Description
Businesses of all sizes and industries rely on bookkeepers and accounting clerks to keep records of their finances. More than 2.1 million bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks track money coming in and going out on a day to day basis in the U.S.
Bookkeepers work for small businesses, and typically track most or all cost and income transactions using a general ledger. Their duties include:
- calculating expenditures
- logging receipts
- tracking profit and loss
- accounts payable (paying invoices)
- accounts receivable (receiving payments)
- managing payroll
- preparing reports for management
- procurement (making and authorizing purchases)
- balancing bank accounts with internal records
- keeping detailed histories and records for audit purposes
Accounting clerks work for accounting departments in larger businesses, and usually occupy a role in an area of specialty, such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, procurement or payroll. Their duties may involve some of the tasks that bookkeepers do, as relevant to their role. Other accounting clerk functions may include:
- tracking details of transactions
- calculating interest charges
- reconciling received payments
- assigning codes to documents in accordance with company procedures
- monitoring accounts or loans to make sure they're up to date
- reimbursing receipts
- reviewing accounts for accuracy
- running and distributing reports for management
Bookkeepers and accounting clerks work in office environments, whether in a small building or corporate campus. The nature of their work allows them to work in any industry; however specific knowledge of an industry is considered an advantage by most employers. Some bookkeepers and accounting clerks are self employed and work freelance for businesses during tax season, busy retail seasons or at fiscal year end.
Career Profiles
To help career searchers evaluate their options, BrainTrack has asked hundreds of workers to profile their jobs with a review and ratings. See below for a summary of this career compared to all rated careers and for detailed reviews.
| Category | This Career | All Rated Careers |
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| Opportunity for Promotion | | |
| Career Flexibility | | |
| How Cool Is The Career | | |
| How Stressful | | |
| Social Orientation | | |
| Earnings Potential | | |
| Task Variety | | |
| Job Security | | |
Job Title: Financial Analyst
Attended: Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI
Studied Business - Accounting (completion in 1993)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"I am using my degree to do accounting, but I have also been able to expand my knowledge by doing a variety of financial analysis in areas outside of accounting in my organization as well."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I gained the necessary knowledge to perform my job well. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | We are a small company so opportunities for promotions are not plentiful. As in most companies, I seem to be getting more responsibilities but not more pay or elevated job titles to go with it. |
| Job Security | 8 | I have been with my company for 14 years and I continue to strive to make myself valuable in many areas of the company. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I am part of a single income family. My husband stays home with the kids, and I am making enough that we are able to provide for the needs of our family. There is unfortunately not a lot of room for growth on the pay scale without climbing a corporate ladder somewhere. |
| How Stressful | 5 | I tend to be a very low stress person, so while some people might think my job is stressful, I do not. The flexibility I have in my job also helps to not make it stressful. |
| Task Variety | 8 | Because I hold a variety of responsibilities within the organization, I have more variety than many accounting jobs might have. I have certain weeks that are very routine - journal entries, financials, etc. - but other weeks involve new analyses for management. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | It is probably not cool to most people, and even my husband's eyes sometimes gloss over when I talk about my job. However, I find it extremely exciting when I learn a new Excel trick or a shortcut to do something. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I work at home two days per week. The majority of the employees in our company are virtual around the US. I also have a flexible schedule to accommodate family needs. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | Most of my co-workers have been with our organization for a long time as well, so the interpersonal relationships in the office provide a lot of social interaction. I am a very social person as well. My job does not provide for a lot of social interaction outside of immediate co-workers. |
Job Title: Office Manager
Attended: Arkansas State University Beebe • Beebe, AR
Studied Business/Accounting (completion in 1999)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"While I do like what I am doing, I think that I would eventually like to go back to school and find something else. Bookkeeping is just a stepping stone to accountant anyway."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 3 | I learned more in high school about bookkeeping than I did at ASU Beebe. It was more like a high school atmosphere with professors/teachers that didn't really didn't want to be there. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | Without a degree, where do you go from bookkeeper? I guess you can move up within the title, but to be an auditor, etc., you'd have to have a degree. |
| Job Security | 7 | As long as there are companies that exchange services for money, there will always be a need for a bookkeeper. However, bookkeepers will have to stay technologically up-to-date. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | The job that I have pays well for what it is. However, it does not pay the average in my area. It is a give and take for other perks. With other employers, I have seen that the position pays well. |
| How Stressful | 3 | It's not a stressful job as long as you are organized. Keep up with your receivables, payables and bank accounts, you'll be fine. |
| Task Variety | 4 | It's pretty much the same thing everyday. Money in and money out. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Really? What is so cool about being the person who didn't stay with it and get the degree to become a full charge controller? |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | It depends on who you work for. Some employers look specifically for at home workers, while others do not want their financials out of their office. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | You are the person that people call to find their money. It seems like you are always on the phone as well as talking to the people you work with. |
Job Title: Accounting Analyst I
Attended: Robert Morris University • Moon, PA
Studied Taxation (completion in 2005)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"I work at a level below my qualifications. I need more of a challenge."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | RMU is known for business and has a wonderful reputation as well. The program was fast paced and challenging. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | I may get a promotion or two in the next few years. It would stop there unless I was willing to relocate. |
| Job Security | 10 | My company does not eliminate jobs frequently. This is one of the reasons I accepted the job offer. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | At this current time a large financial award is not in the near future. If I stay in the same field but change companies, my chances increase. |
| How Stressful | 7 | During close my job can be very stressful. After the books are closed for the month it is smooth sailing. |
| Task Variety | 4 | My day to day tasks pretty much stay the same. I make entries and reconcile accounts. Closing is the only time it becomes a little different. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | Since I am an accountant there is not much coolness involved unless you like balancing numbers. I do, however, get to travel once a year. That gives the job some cool points. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | My job is not real flexible, but they are working towards that goal. More work from home opportunities are being made available on a temporary basis. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I work alone most times at my locations. There are times I get to reach out to the field and socialize with people. My company does have get-to-know-you functions to mingle with people in the other departments. |
Job Title: Accountant
Attended: University Of South Florida • Tampa, FL
Studied (completion in 1990)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"It was not the right field for my personality. Bookkeeping is boring and being stuck in the office all day makes me crazy."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | USF has consistently ranked highly for turning out accountants. The program was strenuous and the professors knowledgeable. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | Without further experience or education, a bookkeeper/accountant is not going to rise above comptroller. A degree in finance is just about the only thing that provides for advancement beyond Comptroller. |
| Job Security | 8 | If a person is happy with this choice and can get along in office politics, a single accountant/bookkeeper is not expensive and thus the position is secure. It's a matter of being satisfied with stagnation, really. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Accountants don't produce sales or make a product. The position is always a begrudging conciliation. If an accountant takes on additional responsibilities, i.e. IT management or human resources, then they can justify additional money, but the rate of pay for amount of output quickly deteriorates. |
| How Stressful | 7 | A bookkeeper/managerial accountant is forever trying to please his or her boss. The system itself, however, makes it almost impossible to lose a debit or credit. Hide it here, it pops up there. And it's always your fault. |
| Task Variety | 1 | Accounting tasks are more predictable than the circadian rhythm of the human organism. Debits, credits, journal entries, bank deposit, payroll, reconciliation, month end, quarterly reports, year end. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | Even in a cool industry, the accountant is rarely seen. I have had an office literally in the center square of a building with no windows and a combination lock on the door. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | A managerial type accountant performs the exact same tasks for any number of companies. It is the essence of accounting. One can become proficient in cost accounting and be denied a job in a non-profit for lack of experience. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | Employees outside the administrative office believe that the accounting department works magic and are "ivory tower" elitists. Employees inside the administration office know that accounting departments are just peons. Accountants hanging out with accountants is depressing. |
Job Title: Accounts Payable Clerk
Attended: Houston Community College • Houston, TX
Studied Associate Of Arts (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"There is very little room for growth at my particular company. Bookkeeper positions are very limited and I would need additional degrees and/or certificates to advance."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | My community college was above average. There were excellent teachers and many resources for students. It loses points for its disorganized administration, but the instruction was excellent. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | There are no opportunities to advance at my current company. It is a small property management company with only one location, and positions are very fixed. A/P Clerks don't have growth opportunity without additional degrees. |
| Job Security | 5 | I rated this as average because of the current economic climate. Previously I would have felt much more secure in this type of position, but with many companies downsizing, I cannot be sure how secure my position is. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Raises are very hard to come by, and A/P Clerk positions don't expand and grow the way some other accounting positions do. I won't ever be able to make much more than I currently make. |
| How Stressful | 7 | There are a lot of deadlines that have to be met, and precision is very important. The smallest mistakes can lead to big problems, so it can be very stressful. |
| Task Variety | 8 | Although I have similar tasks every day, I speak to a variety of people and deal with a variety of issues and problems. My expectations are the same every day, but there is quite a bit of variation on a daily basis. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | I wouldn't classify my job as necessarily cool or uncool. It isn't a high-prestige job, but it isn't considered a bad profession, either. It is fairly neutral on this scale. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | There is no flexibility due to the nature of this company. All work is done on the premises, and there are no other locations to transfer to. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I have a lot of interaction with coworkers due to the small size of the office. I also interact frequently with vendors and property managers when dealing with accounts. |
Job Title: Bookkeeper
Attended: Saginaw Valley State University • University Center, MI
Studied Accounting (completion in 2004)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"I make decent money, but I dislike my job. I often second-guess my decision to go into this field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The courses at SVSU were challenging. Many of the professors were foreign, and hard to understand! There were many courses to choose from, which was nice. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | Eventually, I will have control of all financial responsibility at my present company. Right now some of it is still delegated to our CPA. Eventually, I will become Controller. My experience here could also make me attractive to other larger organizations. |
| Job Security | 9 | I have done a great job with my present employer. As bad as the economy is, there is always going to be a need for numbers guys! |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | Eventually I will transition to Controller. This will increase my earnings. Bookkeepers, accountants, controllers, and CFO's usually make a pretty decent salary regardless of the organization. |
| How Stressful | 9 | I am often very stressed out, especially at the end of each quarter. The end of each month is pretty bad too. I have lost countless hours of sleep due to the stress of my job. |
| Task Variety | 5 | My tasks vary each week, depending on the calendar. There is usually a mix of cutting checks, calling customers for payment, reconciling, banking, and exchanging phone calls and e-mails. The days are never exactly the same, but always consist of the same 6 or 7 tasks. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | Numbers are boring. I just so happen to be very good with them! |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I pretty much make my own schedule. I come and go as I please. I usually try to work from home one day each week. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | I mainly just sit at my desk each day. Social interaction is mainly limited to contact with my CEO, office manager, and secretary. There is also some phone contact with customers and suppliers. |
Job Title: Bookkeeper
Attended: Lehigh Carbon Community College • Schnecksville, PA
Studied Business Administration (completion in 2012)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"I really need a BA in accounting at the very least to get ahead in the field of accounting. I was a late starter, so most people my age are much more advanced."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | They offered a majority of the classes online. It is an extremely large school for a community college. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | Certain companies promote from within, but predominantly the higher educated get the promotions. I need to continue my education to advance. |
| Job Security | 7 | The economy is still in very bad shape, but there are still careers in bookkeeping apparently. At the very least, I am able to work at tax season. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | As mentioned before, if I continue my education, I would make considerably more money. As of now, I believe I have a decent salary compared to others with Associates degrees. |
| How Stressful | 5 | If you hate math and tedious work, this would be an extremely stressful job. I find the mundane appealing, I suppose. |
| Task Variety | 1 | It is practically the same daily. This isn't a career to look into if you need variety or spontaneity in your job life. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | I doubt anyone thinks accountants are cool. Bookkeepers, probably even less so. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | It's an average Monday through Friday, nine to five job. The traditional schedule works well for those with families and school aged children. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | There isn't much social interactions. Most of my work is extremely solo, except during tax season. |
Job Title: Accounting Intern
Attended: Bentley • Waltham, MA
Studied Corporate Finance And Accounting (completion in 2012)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"8, because I think I only enjoyed the work because of the pay I am able to obtain. It's stable and easy for me to do."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | Bentley is known to be great at job placement. All my friends were able to obtain a full time offer before graduation. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | Since there is always a need for accountants, there is a lot of opportunity to climb the ladder. The career paths at accounting firms are clear cut and jobs are attainable with hard work. |
| Job Security | 10 | There will always be a need for accountants, especially since it's the law that a public company's books must be checked by an independent accounting firm. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | Earnings potential is very good. Bonuses are offered all the time for good work, and there's overtime. Also, people are constantly moving up. |
| How Stressful | 8 | It depends on the season. It can be stressful, but there are other times where there is no work. |
| Task Variety | 8 | It really depends on the firm. Smaller firms may have more repetitive tasks. Bigger firms have more work variation. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | It is cool because it's a respected profession. It is somewhat uncool because people think accountants are boring. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Sometimes the schedule isn't flexible during tax season. There is a lot of overtime that has to be worked. Deadlines must be met, so work life balance is not always good. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | Bigger companies host a lot of events for employees. Also, there are clubs within the company employees can join to network. |
Job Title: Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper
Attended: Suffolk County Community College • Riverhead, NY
Studied General Liberal Arts With Emphasis On Science (completion in 1996)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I work in a private school making at least half of what I could make at a public school, but I have summers off (Public schools in my area now are 12 months)."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | It would be higher, but it is a community 2 year school. Just for that reason I wouldn't rate it a 10. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | There is only one position in this very small school, and I have it. It's myself, the principal, and the secretary. |
| Job Security | 8 | My job is secure in that my boss needs me because she cannot do what needs to be done on the computer and with the accounting. I would rate it higher, but enrollment in the school is a little low with the economy. |
| Earnings Potential | 1 | The fact that we are a non profit private school means that the salaries are lower. It is common knowledge that if you work for a Catholic school you make half of what you could make elsewhere (At least around this area). |
| How Stressful | 6 | It has it's moments of high stress, yet we can go weeks with smooth sailing. It depends on what is going on. Testing weeks and registration time can be a little more stressful. |
| Task Variety | 7 | I have my day to day tasks, and they can be monotonous. There are always new tasks that pop up, and even self made new procedures to make things move along at a smoother pace. The state makes so many changes to the education system. That in itself can keep me on my toes. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | It's not cool at all, but I gave it a 6 because my other "Mom" friends all wish they could get a job like mine because it fits the schedule while raising kids. It is hard to come by this type of situation. That in itself makes it a little bit cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I have 2 young children, and I am allowed to go to their school when they have special events, and I am able to be home with them if they are sick. I also can move my hours around in the summer to fit our schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | We deal with the parents on a daily basis, between social events, fundraising events, and daily functions. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk / Order Administrator
Attended: Central Connecticut State University • New Britain, CT
Studied Accounting (completion in 1991)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"My position had been downgraded several years ago due to outsourcing of A/R and A/P functions. I'm not happy that I'm doing more clerk work than general accounting, but it has allowed me to reduce my hours to part time to be with family."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | In 1991, not all the state schools offered a BS in Accounting. It was a very thorough program at CCSU and many peers did get public accounting jobs upon graduation. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | Only the controller is left doing accounting at my plant. There would be opportunities at different US and international locations of my company, but I don't plan on moving. |
| Job Security | 7 | I work at a small office of a Fortune 500 company. The work in my plant is very specialized and I would have quite a bit of notice if they ever decided to move the work to a different plant. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I'm being paid well below what my earning potential would have been, but I am happy with the job. There is no chance of a big raise unless I went to different job in another location. For many years we didn't get a raise and when we do it doesn't cover cost of living increases. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Some times of year are more busy, but I never have more than a few days backlog of work. My boss is very nice. I don't go home thinking about work. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Most of the month passes the same. You have your month end routine and reports and then the regular daily work. Occasionally I get to do an Access database project. I love feeling my brain "think" again. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | It's an average job and I'm not learning any new technologies or programs lately. My company does have a good volunteer program that allows me to go into the community to work at events. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Several years ago I went from 40 hours to 30 hours to care for my family. They have asked if I could go back to 40 but never pushed for it. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | My company has an office portion and factory portion. Most have been there 10 to 20 years and we all get along well. But there are no real relationships outside of work. |
Job Title: Accounts Payable Specialist
Attended: Bryant & Stratton • Syracuse, NY
Studied Accounting (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"I am very meticulous and enjoy verifying and approving invoices as well as interacting with vendors. I look forward to expanding my level of responsibility to improve career satisfaction."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | My instructors at Bryant & Stratton did not just "teach from the book." All instructors have experience working in the field and brought invaluable real world experience to the classroom. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | As Accounts Payable Clerk, I have gained important experience that will enable me to expand my career. My current employer prefers to promote from within. |
| Job Security | 8 | My current employer is dedicated to promoting employees from within and helping them gain the skills needed to take on additional responsibilities. This career choice, coupled with the experience I am getting, makes me very marketable in this area. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I work for a not-for-profit and earning potential may be somewhat limited. If I chose to continue my education and expand my skills, the accounting field offers good earning potential. |
| How Stressful | 4 | This job can be slightly stressful when it is busy. But for the most part it is repetitive and I know what to expect on a day to day basis. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Much of what I do while reviewing invoices and paying them is routine. There is enough variation and interaction with others to keep it interesting! |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | My job lacks visibility and may be overlooked. I find that people are impressed that I have an Accounting degree, but they seem surprised that I have no desire to pursue a BA or CPA career. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | My current employer is very flexible and family friendly. The skills I have are easily translated to different industries and employers. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | I work in my office but interact with many coworkers on a regular basis. I also interact with vendors and contractors on a regular basis, both on the telephone and in person. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk
Attended: Riverside City College • Riverside, CA
Studied (completion in 2014)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"I am working as an accounting clerk while I am going to school to become a medical doctor. I am not very satisfied with this job because of the repetitive nature of it. Mostly I enter bills."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | I am currently going to a junior college with plans to transfer to a University. I don't believe this college even offers a CPA or bachelors in anything let alone accounting. And, I have not heard good or bad things regarding their AS in accounting, so I cannot really rate them adequately. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | To be promoted I would have to get my CPA or some other degree in accounting and I am working on getting my degree in biology, so it doesn't really apply. |
| Job Security | 6 | I feel pretty secure in my job. The controller doesn't have time to enter bills into quickbooks or do check runs or reconcile everything, so unless the company goes under, they need me, or at least my position. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | I don't think there's much of an earning potential in this position unless I would be willing to go back to school. It definitely has a decent wage, more than 2x minimum wage, but I don't consider that great earning potential. |
| How Stressful | 4 | I don't find it very stressful at all. I think that the controller, my boss, would disagree though. Her position is very stressful. |
| Task Variety | 3 | The days in one month can be very different, but each month is very similar. Example: once a week I have to do a check run, and towards the end of the month we start preparing for month end. It's pretty much like living the same month over and over again. This can be great though, because you know what to expect. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | I make a decent wage, higher than most people my age, I think but I don't think it's very cool. I'm pretty much a glorified calculator that also does data entry. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I think working as an accounting clerk is extremely flexible. The basic principles are the same for every type of business. I have worked at three different offices/companies as an accounting clerk and once you know what your doing it's quite simple. I think if I had to look for another job I could look in just about any city and state in the U.S. The flexibility I have regarding time off is also pretty good, although it has been suggested that if I get sick to do it before the last week of the month and definitely not during June or December. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | Because I work a lot on the travel and expense reports, I am constantly interacting with other employees. |
Job Title: Trade Analyst
Attended: Arizona State University • Tempe, AZ
Studied Business Accountancy (completion in 1999)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"I am very satisfied in my current position, but I always have an eye out for something better."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | It's my hometown school. My parents graduated from there and it gave me a great education. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | Not a lot of management jobs are available here. I will just bide my time. |
| Job Security | 10 | We have never laid off anyone. This company has made me comfortable and it's a place I could retire from. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | It pays well after a while. I have been here 14 years and the pay now is great. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Pretty stressful environment during the end of the year and at tax time. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Some things are different everyday, but I use the same overall skills to complete them. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | It's not very glamorous, but it is a good, challenging job that pays the bills. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | I have two girls and I get all of the time off that I need. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | Not a lot of chit chat here. We come in to work and complete the tasks. |
Job Title: Accounting Supervisor
Attended: Widener University • Chester, PA
Studied Accounting (completion in 2005)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"The politics of the office are discouraging. I at least enjoy teaching and training staff members to improve productivity."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | We're not that competitive at sports. Tuition is extremely high. Faculty is great and close knit with students. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | Many managers are in their early 40's to late 50's and have families. No signs of anyone retiring soon. There are many supervisors and few management positions. |
| Job Security | 4 | With a recent merger and job cuts every year, we're not sure how next year's job cuts will go. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Raises that are given are very low percentages. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Again, we are short staffed and meeting deadlines with NASDAQ is stressful. |
| Task Variety | 3 | Depends on what type of account the accountant has. Many days involve the same daily tasks, only with different problems. Problem solving skills must be used. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | There are time constrictions due to meeting deadlines with NASDAQ. We're short staffed which limits vacation time taken. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Must work together as a team and consistently communicate everyday. We have a shared goal to bring accounting accuracy to 100%. |
Job Title: Accounting Assistant
Attended: Auburn University • Auburn, AL
Studied Finance (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"Overall the job is very good. The hours can be long at times, but the work interests me. The pay is also quite good."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Auburn provides an extremely high quality education and puts a lot of effort into helping graduates in the job market. However, the Lowder College of Business lacks the connections of the more well known private schools. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | I'm in an entry level position now with a large company. My ambition and intelligence will propel me up. |
| Job Security | 9 | With the economy moving toward ever more complex dealings, financial experts will become more in demand. However, this is an industry where one mistake can haunt for a long time. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | With the right knowledge and ambition, the sky is the limit. I could become the CEO or I could work for myself. Either way, the pay is above average. |
| How Stressful | 10 | With multiple millions of dollars riding on your work, it can be tense. However, as long as you care about the quality your work, you will do ok. |
| Task Variety | 3 | This is the worst part - you're always crunching numbers. The bright side is the importance of your work ripples through the whole company. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Not every kid wants to be a stock broker or finance guy. At least it's better than some other jobs. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | Even if I'm not always working in a salaried position, I will make money. I'm an entrepreneur who makes his own luck. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | Can be limited, but I try to make a point to meet people. People seem to find me anyway. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk
Attended: Southeast Technical - Online • Red Wing, MN
Studied Bookkeeping Clerk (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"I currently work for a small accounting firm. The focus of the firm is mostly on tax accounting, so I do not get to do a lot of bookkeeping or payroll. In addition, this leads to times when work is overwhelmingly busy and other times when there is very little work to be done. Finally, my employer has his own ways of entering data that I find are less detailed and complete than I would like. There is very strong emphasis on working fast as opposed to working accurately."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | The online program was very comprehensive. I liked the online format as it meant that I could work and go to school at the same time. The certificate covered both payroll and bookkeeping. The program would be great for someone working in a more diverse firm. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | There are only four people in our office -- two clerks and two CPA's. However, my boss does regularly give me new and more complex assignments and increases my pay commensurate with these duties. |
| Job Security | 2 | Since the firm I work for is so limited in scope, I worry that it may not remain in business. We mostly do 1040 returns and with the dip in the economy more people are not having their returns professionally prepared. Plus, places like H&R Block can do the return cheaper. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | My boss is pretty generous when it comes to raises and salary questions. We bill by the hour and so during tax season I often get bonuses. |
| How Stressful | 7 | During tax season my job is very stressful. We work long hours, everyone is crabby, and the work never seems to slow down. However, in the off season we are all pretty laid back. |
| Task Variety | 8 | No two people have the same tax situation. I prepare taxes for many different kinds of people and each situation is different. There are so many laws that impact the tax return that no two returns are ever exactly the same. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | I work in an office setting. I do not work for a prestigious firm or in a fancy office. We are in a converted house and use very few of the technological advances available. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | During tax season, there is no flexibility. Everyone in the office works about 12 hours a day. However, in the off season it is possible to work part time and to adjust my schedule to fit my needs. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | Clients are constantly in and out during tax season. Since there are only four of us in the office and we have no receptionist, whoever has time meets with the client. |
Job Title: Accounts Payable Clerk
Attended: Chatham University • Pittsburgh, PA
Studied Music (completion in 2003)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I am very satisfied with this career choice. The work is fairly easy and it offers a lot of time to work independently."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The music program at my school was small. However, the faculty were highly trained and very professional. I was challenged every step of the way. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | Promotions are fairly attainable within this profession. If you are fast, accurate and dependable, you can usually be promoted within a short period of time depending on company needs. |
| Job Security | 8 | Although companies are either outsourcing or automating their AP departments, there is still a high demand for AP clerks. There is a human aspect to AP (accounts payable) that computers still have not been able to replace. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | This career can offer a pretty high salary. Starting wage is usually about $13- $15 hourly, which is not too bad. The best paying position, of course, would be in a managerial role. |
| How Stressful | 8 | The stress level depends on and varies from company to company. In some of my Accounts Payable jobs, things can go pretty smoothly. However, when accounts fall behind in payment or there are banking issues, etc., things can get very stressful. |
| Task Variety | 3 | There is sometimes very little variation in my position. I work in cyclical Accounts payable which means I pretty much follow the same steps daily, weekly, and monthly. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | I'm not sure how 'cool' accounts payable is. It can be rather boring and repetitive. However, I do enjoy getting to use my “paid and received” stamp. That brings out the kid in me! |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Sometimes you are able to work from home via the remote access to the company's network. There is usually work available for overtime or you can leave early if you have finished everything. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | In accounts payable you can be as social or anti social as you like. I do know that I have to have good negotiating skills to work with vendors when reconciling or settling accounts. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk
Attended: Walsh University • North Canton, OH
Studied Accounting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I enjoy working with the people I work with. I enjoy working in the accounting department."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The program could have been better. I felt like we should have done a required internship. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | I am on a track to move into management. I am currently being evaluated. |
| Job Security | 8 | My company hasn't downsized in a few years. I have a strong relationship with them. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | I have opportunities to grow within the organization. I am on a track to be promoted as I mentioned. |
| How Stressful | 7 | It is very stressful at the end of the financial quarter. Other than that, it is laid back. |
| Task Variety | 4 | My days do not change much unless we are in a bind. I have a pretty regular work schedule, except for the end of a financial quarter. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | It is not an exciting profession. Office work isn't cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | I have some flexibility when it comes to hours. I do not have flexibility during tax season, though. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I get ample time throughout the day to interact with others. However, I wish I had more time. |
Job Title: Accounts Payable/HR Specialist
Attended: Community College Of Aurora • Aurora, CO
Studied Sciences (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"I love my job. Everything just fits together."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | It is an average school. Most community colleges are. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | I work for a non-profit. There are not a lot of places to go within my company. |
| Job Security | 8 | An AP job can be absorbed by other accounting positions. However, with the payroll and HR aspect of my job, I'm pretty secure. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I work in a non-profit. The earnings are not outstanding, but they are not terrible either. |
| How Stressful | 7 | End of the month is pretty stressful. Pay dates also can be stressful. The rest of the job is easy going. |
| Task Variety | 5 | While each day within a month can vary based on what tasks need to be completed, the pattern each month is the same. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | It's accounting. Can't really classify it as cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | The hours are flexible. The days I have to work are not flexible, though. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I have fluxes of times when I interact with both vendors and employees. Some days are just quiet. |
Job Title: Bookkeeper
Attended: International Correspondence Schools • Scranton, PA
Studied Animal Science (completion in 1995)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"Due to the economy, my hours have been reduced. I have also taken a cut in pay."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | Staff was not very knowledgeable. It was not an accredited college. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | A bookkeeper at a small business does not have the opportunity for promotions. I can move to different areas, but not in the accounting field. |
| Job Security | 5 | With the number of businesses closing their doors, there is no job security at this point. I can only hope things will change or I may have to think about changing careers. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Average earning potential. I would think there is a market for accountants and bookkeepers to keep businesses afloat, but maybe not? |
| How Stressful | 7 | Can be more stressful at certain times, like year end, than others. Only stressful when the payables outweigh the receivables. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Each day is pretty standard. I start with the receivables and the bank deposit and work on the G/L and payables toward the end of the day. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Someone has to do the books. It is a very tiresome job and can be stressful at times. There is nothing "cool" about it. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I have no children or other ties that require me to have a flexible schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I get paid to do a job. I don't get paid to socialize. |
Job Title: Accounts Receivable Clerk
Attended: California State University, Northridge • Northridge, CA
Studied Accountancy (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"Happy to have a job, but my ideal job is in a field outside of accounting."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | I feel I was sufficiently prepared by my program for my job. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | Working in accounting, it can be difficult to move up unless someone leaves or is promoted above me. |
| Job Security | 7 | I am confident in my accounting abilities to not get fired, but I also know anyone is replaceable. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | The potential to earn more is high assuming I dedicate myself to the position and growth. Additionally, getting certified in accounting also helps with earnings potential. |
| How Stressful | 3 | Accounting is pretty simple so there is not stress due to the difficulty of the work. There is some stress in working with incompetent people. |
| Task Variety | 3 | Accounting is the same thing every month. Occasionally there are ad hoc reports that need to be created for management. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Accounting is not a very cool industry. I would have rated it 1, but there is some "coolness" in at least having a job. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | I rated this a 7 because it is not extremely flexible. I am required to work a certain number of hours during normal business hours. However, I am able to take time off of work with proper planning. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I typically interact with customers via email or phone. Also, I interact with my co-workers throughout the day. |
Job Title: Bookkeeping Clerk
Attended: University Of Colorado • Boulder, CO
Studied Business Management/Accounting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"The pay and flexibility (e.g. working from home) is nice, but it can be tedious at times, like during the tax season. Bookkeeping skills are usually highly regarded by others since it's not something everyone can do."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | The business school there is regarded as one of the easiest majors. Didn't prepare me for the real-world demands of a bookkeeping firm. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 9 | If you are competent and thorough in your work, it's easy to ask for and handle more responsibility. If a firm you are part of grows, then you can also take on some of your own clients. |
| Job Security | 10 | Nearly every business needs a system of bookkeeping. There are also a lot of opportunities to move up from entry-level positions. |
| Earnings Potential | 9 | Entry level and mid-level pay is higher than in other fields. Earning a lot of money may be difficult though, unless one becomes a partner and gets the necessary certifications/education. |
| How Stressful | 5 | If you are careful and thorough in your work and don't make mistakes, it's not too stressful. If you manage to miss something, then it can be very stressful to try and find your mistake. There is also the stress of losing the client a lot of money if you make a mistake. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Some tasks only need to be done once a year, like at tax time. It's mostly a matter of how much you are willing to take on. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Working with numbers all day isn't very cool, but not a lot of people can do it, so it is "elite" in a way. There is not a lot of excitement, but there can be long hours occasionally. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | It depends on the management, but it can be easy to work remotely or to take work home. Jobs are available in a variety of areas, since nearly every firm needs a bookkeeper. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | More interaction at certain times of the year than others, like increased contact with clients during tax season. Co-workers generally keep to themselves, though, which makes keeping focused easier. |
Job Title: Accountant
Attended: Monroe County Community College • Monroe, MI
Studied Accounting (completion in 2004)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"The monotony of my position leads me to wish I'd chosen a field that would allow me to showcase my personality. Sitting at a desk, in a tiny cubicle, is not how I envisioned my life."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | My school is a community college. They did the best they could, but they cannot compete with a major university. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | I have reached the highest point possible in my current company. If I choose to have other duties, I could probably be promoted, but I have no interest in doing so at this time. |
| Job Security | 5 | In our country's current economy, I don't think there is a thing as 100% job security. Since Michigan has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, it's even more difficult to feel secure. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Obviously, we would all like to make more money. My salary is competitive with others in my field. |
| How Stressful | 10 | Money is tight. We all know that. It's tight on the company level as well as the personal level. No one wants to hear my voice on the other end of the phone. Regardless, I must make calls and try to collect money. The fact that I am yelled at and cursed at makes my job INCREDIBLY stressful. |
| Task Variety | 1 | Every day, I do the same tasks. There is no variation. At times, I want to gouge out my own eyeballs because I'm tired of staring at the same spreadsheets, day in and day out. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | I am responsible for collecting delinquent balances on customer accounts. There is ZERO glamor in this. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | I'm able to work from home, but choose not to so that they don't try to tether me to my position while I'm at home with my children. I have the flexibility to arrive at work any time between 7:30am and 9am, which is wonderful. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | I'm able to interact with coworkers. There is no external interaction. |
Job Title: Customer Retention & Bookkeeping Specialist
Attended: Walden University • Online,
Studied Management & Leadership (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"I have been working for this company for nearly a year and have been promoted and given more responsibility. However, it is not rewarding and is tiresome."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I enjoyed my program at school and thought the classes and teachers were knowledgeable. There was not much help with career placement or job support and therefore I am not completely satisfied. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | At this point I have reached my maximum growth within this office and would have to move to a corporate position to continue to grow. There is not much room for that, however, so I am not too happy with my potential growth. |
| Job Security | 10 | It is clear that my job here is needed and there is no one else within this office that could do my job. I do not think that I should question my job security. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | I make very little money for the amount of responsibility I have in the office. It may be because I work for a small business, but there is very little earning potential. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Constant bookkeeping and customer service is very stressful. Helping to make sure everything is "where it needs to be" organizational wise and numbers wise can be very tiring. |
| Task Variety | 1 | I do the same exact thing every single day. There is no variation to what my responsibilities or tasks are. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | There is literally no "coolness" in my position. There is nothing exciting about my daily tasks! |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I work nearly full-time, but there is an opportunity to work full-time if I needed to. I work for a small business so it is only one office, however I was able to be flexible in my role here and expand it over time. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I have about the same amount of interaction with my computer as I do with customers. I spend my days doing spreadsheets and number games and the rest helping customers. |
Job Title: Accountant 1
Attended: Florida State University • Tallahassee, FL
Studied Accounting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I don't like the stress of monthly closings. I end up working really long hours for problems I didn't cause. However, I like being able to work with numbers and also to help people, especially our salespeople who need their expenses paid on time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I got a good grounding in all kinds of accounting. I do not, however, feel that I got enough hands-on, real world experience. Additionally, professors were very pushy about channeling students to Big 4 firms, which I wasn't interested in. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | I've already been given special projects. This can be a high-profile job and I get the chance to interact with executives. There are many opportunities in accounting and even Treasury or audit and I feel this was a good long-term career choice. |
| Job Security | 6 | Accounts Payable people specifically and accountants in general will always be needed. Because I'm at a fairly low level, though, I'm not yet seen as integral to the company and could be dismissed on a whim if, for example, a new boss brought in her own people. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | This job provides the opportunity to move all the way up into the executive ranks. Accounting skills are very transferable so I could move to a bigger company or another location with no problems. |
| How Stressful | 7 | Monthly closing is very high-pressure. In addition, much of my job depends on other people doing what they should do: turning in bills, passing along mail timely, filling out the proper forms, and so on. It gets very frustrating to have people complain when the fault is theirs, but most people are great. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Many tasks are repetitive, but there is always a twist of some sort: invoice variances, customer queries, or something of the sort. There is also a big difference between the daily grind and closing week, when we are all working together to pull together financial statements. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Accounting isn't sexy, but it pays the bills. It is a great way to know what's going on in the company, however. I see where the executives go when they're looking at acquisitions and how much they pay for goods and services. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | Because my company is young they are very open to flexible schedules and they are highly automated. People scan receipts and we have electronic invoicing with some vendors. If I plan carefully, I can work at home as needed. As I move into higher positions and away from transaction-based work, that opportunity will grow. I could progress up to CFO within Accounting or move out to audit, Treasury, cost analysis for another department such as IT, or many other positions. Accountants will always be needed and while the function could be outsourced, it isn't yet cost effective or efficient. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | Everyone in the company passes my desk at some point, either to get bills or expenses paid or to get financial information. Even though I'm fairly new, people ask for my help and respect my opinion. |
Job Title: Bookkeeper
Attended: Bacone College • Muskogee, OK
Studied Recreation Management (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I love the people I work with and the upper level management make the place I work in worth the rating I gave. The work is also great most of the time. We handle a few "rowdy" customers from time to time, and that can be expected when handling people's money. I like numbers though, and being able to balance teller sheets and accounts works well with what I like doing."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | My degree program wasn't exactly geared toward my current position, so I can't really give them a bad or good rating for training in that respect. I will say it was a very good school. It had small class sizes and a very interested and invested staff. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | I feel as though I am next in line for my immediate supervisor's position should she choose to leave. I was told upon my hiring that I was to be her "backup" and have learned numerous responsibilities to take on in the event of her leaving. I also handle the bulk of her job duties when she is not here. |
| Job Security | 7 | I come to work on time and do my job. It is not strenuous and as long as I do what I am asked, I will not have a problem keeping it! |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I get a raise every year. It is a set percentage, so the longer I stay here, the higher my earning potential! |
| How Stressful | 1 | As stated before, come to work on time, do what is asked (no more - no less) and you will do great. The most stressful portion is dealing with an unhappy customer. Explain things in a calm way, and there is generally an easy solution. |
| Task Variety | 6 | While my tasks do differ from time to time, they are generally the same every day. I do know how to do other things such as send foreign items and savings bonds into the federal reserve bank from time to time, but for the most part, everything is pretty much the same on a daily basis. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | This isn't a "glam" job. It is a good position where everyone knows me and I get the benefits of working in the best place in Pauls Valley! It really is. Attend any hometown sporting event, ask around, and they will tell you the same! |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | I am currently pregnant and this is the very best place to be for that. They give paid maternity leave and are extremely flexible with attending children's functions. We can not work from home, as a large part of my job consists of answering the phone. I could drop to part time if I chose. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | I talk on the phone about accounts all day long. I also wait on customers who come into the bank needing help balancing their accounts and balancing their books back to the first of the year. (It gets really bad around tax time!) |
Job Title: Billing Clerk
Attended: National American University • Sioux Falls, SD
Studied Paralegal Studies (completion in 1997)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I was able to set up and run the billing department I am managing. I didn't major in accounting though I did take accounting elective courses as I got my paralegal degree."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The school I attended was very small. I was able to get a lot of one on one time with my instructors. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | There will always be a need for a person to check the numbers and confirm billing information with customers. I feel this can never be completely automated. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | I make good money now. I am a needed part of the team so I am reviewed and given raises regularly. |
| How Stressful | 6 | As long as I continue my organizational skills and maintain a good storage system, this isn't stressful at all. I always have my past billing at my fingertips and stay in good communication with the customer service reps that book the loads. |
| Task Variety | 1 | My job is pretty routine. There isn't much variation because the business only handles one product. That product is brokering freight. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Being the billing clerk, I am always needed. It's not very glamourous but I am the one getting the money. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | This isn't a career that needs to be on site all the time. I feel it won't ever be completely offsite either, though. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | Because my work is well organized and at everybody's fingertips, they often forget I'm there. When they have questions, I am the first person they come to, but my work pretty much explains itself. |
Job Title: Office Clerk/Bookkeeper
Attended: Central Piedmont Community College • Charlotte, NC
Studied Quickbooks (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"I am satisfied that I have a job that is steady and secure. In this economy, that is saying a lot."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | My instructors were active accountants and were very careful to explain things on our level. The hands-on learning was wonderful. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | I have already been promoted. The owners have assured me that I will be promoted again when I am ready to take on more responsibilities. |
| Job Security | 8 | I work for a small, family-run business. The owners treat me like a daughter, and have assured me that my job is quite secure. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I'm not sure how far I can go in terms of salary, but I've gotten two raises in 3 years. I'm pretty proud of that. |
| How Stressful | 6 | It can be stressful at times. When the accounts don't line up - that's stressful. Getting ready to hand the books over to the accountant - that's stressful. Most of the time, though, the stress isn't too bad. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Bookkeeping is a lot of doing the same thing, but it varies day-to-day. Month-to-month it's the same, though. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | I just don't think bookkeeping is cool. It's steady and reliable, which is far more important than cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | WIthin the tasks of the job (payroll, invoicing, etc), my job is very flexible. As long as everything is done by my deadlines, I am able to make my own schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | I talk to a lot of people - account managers, vendors, accounts, and of course, the owners. Most of it isn't personal, but I do enjoy the interaction. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk
Attended: Professional Career Development Institute • Online, NV
Studied Accounting (completion in 2002)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I make good money. I love working with numbers."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | It was a basic course. It taught me what I needed to know to get an entry level job. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | It is a small office. The only way to get promoted would be for the person above me to leave. |
| Job Security | 10 | It is a very small office with little turnover. I do a good job and the boss likes me. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | I get regular raises. If I stay, my salary will go up all the time. |
| How Stressful | 5 | It is stressful at the end of the year when we must get the financial statements and year end reports ready in a hurry. Most days it is not stressful at all. |
| Task Variety | 7 | We have certain tasks we have to do every day. Sometimes the boss gives me a special project that gives me a break from the usual. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | I work for a company that owns several local bars, so that would make it cool. I make good money and am known around town because of my job. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | Not flexible at all. I am required to be at work in the office 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I do answer the phones and take messages for the managers. Most of the people I talk to are employees of the company or vendors. |
Job Title: Bookkeeper
Attended: Central Maine Community College • Bangor, ME
Studied Accounting (completion in 2005)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"The beginning of my career slowed down due to the Maine economy. I'm now furthering my education to advance my career."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | They have excellent resources for a college their size. The resources in Maine are not exceptional. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | Accountants can be anything from simple bookkeepers to high officiating FBI forensic accountants. |
| Job Security | 8 | Accountants are invaluable. Careers in accounting are numerous but the economy can slow business and even shut companies down. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | Wages can start in the low to middle range. With experience, education, and professional reputation, earnings can be middle to high. |
| How Stressful | 7 | Accounting can cause serious fatigue of the eyes and 'brain frying' due to the constant visual and mental stimuli. Deadline pressures can also add drastically to the stress level. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Accounts and human interaction change, as do projects. The basic project approach and procedure does not change much, though. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | The world looks at accountants as nerdy, but many benefits are available with a higher education in accounting. Salaries can be especially cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Many companies provide the opportunity to work from home. Many are more strict in terms of hours and location and many others require extended trips. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | Day to day activities do not require constant social interaction. There are many opportunities to travel and meet new people. |
Job Title: Order Entry/Billing Specialist
Attended: University Of Wisconsin Whitewater • Whitewater, WI
Studied Business Management (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"I really like the company I am working for, but I don't really want to be doing clerical work. It is a good entry level job. I'm hoping to move up there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | Whitewater has one of the best business schools in the country. I had a great experience there. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | I hope to get promoted someday, but the opportunities are limited because we are a small company. A promotion would mean a big jump and might require more schooling. |
| Job Security | 9 | I feel that I do a good job at work and my boss likes me. Also, I don't feel like my position is one that is going away anytime soon. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Order entry does not show much promise for earning a lot of money. I will be looking to move on from it in a few years. |
| How Stressful | 2 | Very low stress. We are a small company that treats its employees well. I don't have to make any tough decisions. |
| Task Variety | 2 | My day is very monogamous. I do the same tasks almost everyday. That is the life of an accounting clerk, though. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | Order entry is not a very glamorous career. As I stated above though, it's a great entry level job. |
| Career Flexibility | 3 | My job requires lots of daily tasks that have to be done at certain times. This makes it hard to leave early or have the opportunity to work part time or from home. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | We are able to talk freely with each other at work. I also have multiple conversations with my boss during the day. |
Job Title: Accounting Assistant
Attended: California State University, Fullerton • Fullerton, CA
Studied Accounting (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I am very satisfied with my career as I am earning a steady income. I feel that I was well prepared for my current position from my undergraduate studies."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | The accounting program at my school was exceptional because it gave students hands on experience with case studies and allowed us to use quickbooks. I enjoyed my program because the class sizes were very small with only 20 to 30 students. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | Once my boss retires I have a great chance of assuming his role. I am likely to be promoted if our company continues to grow. |
| Job Security | 7 | I work in the public sector and no one has been laid off at my firm in over 2 years. In addition, my company has been doing very well within the past fiscal year. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | I have been told by my managers that I am eligible for a raise every 2 years at this firm. As I gain experience in my role I will have the opportunity to be promoted to higher paying jobs. |
| How Stressful | 5 | I am very good at what I do, so the stress level is always minimal. The only time I get stressed is during January through April because that is when it is busy season. |
| Task Variety | 4 | My work can sometimes be very monotonous, having to crunch numbers and analyze tax returns. The only time my tasks change is during different months of the fiscal year. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | To be honest, my profession is pretty dry being an 8 to 5 job. I do enjoy going to business meetings at other companies sometimes which require my associates, and I to dress very professionally. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | My position has great flexibility, allowing me to sometimes take Fridays off to work from home. There are many opportunities in my field in my current city. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | There is not a whole lot of communication in my profession because I mostly operate from a cubicle. I do attend meetings once a week during which I have to talk to my associates for hours at a time. |
Job Title: Manager
Attended: Texas A&M Commerce • Commerce, TX
Studied Industrial Technology (completion in 1980)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"I enjoy all aspects of my position, but I especially enjoy the accounting aspect. There is something soothing to me to track income and expenses, and the occasional auditing I need to do to correct an error appeals to my love of puzzles."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | My degree plan included mandatory requirements in accounting and business. I ended up using the accounting and business portion of my education more than the industrial technology portion. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | I work for a small business. Once you reach manager, there really is no further potential for upward movement. |
| Job Security | 7 | I feel I am somewhat secure in this economy because many folks are clueless and intimidated by accounting. However, I am not totally sure in this economy that nobody is immune from losing a job. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | I did not get my CPA, which in hindsight would have been a better choice than pursuing a career from my degree plan. However, if I had gotten that CPA, I would have more opportunity to get a position in a larger firm with more upward movement and higher earnings. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Most of the time bookkeeping isn't stressful. However, occasionally it can be very stressful when dealing with computer systems that go down when a government deadline is approaching for completing a tax return. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Don't get me wrong, there are lots of daily, repetitive tasks. However, there is always something new to be learned in regards to the tax codes and what is and is not deductible. There are also end of month, end of quarter, and annual duties that are definitely not daily tasks. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | No one thinks of bookkeeper or accounting as a glamorous job. Or at least in the sense that the majority of bookkeeping done is for small businesses. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | Doing accounting does not require one to be present at the business, which gives this position a lot of flexibility. Also, in a small business, there isn't always enough accounting to do to fill a full time job, so this is often a part time position. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | I spend too much time working in front of a computer and not enough time being social. However, my position does allow me the flexibility to spend my free time away from work. That is a huge bonus to me. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk
Attended: Dallas County Community College • Dallas, TX
Studied Psychology (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I work part time in this field, and have worked in this field full time in the past. I would like to work more hours, and that is why I gave the rating I did."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | I didn't go to school for this position, so I can't rate it fairly for this position. | |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | Since I work for a small independent business, there is not room for advancement. It would be nice to be able to move up, but not at this time. |
| Job Security | 3 | This job is part time, and I feel that full time would provide better security. If I worked for a larger organization, it would also provide better security. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | A lot of earning potential in the field, but my specific job does not have much. In the past, I earned much more in this field. |
| How Stressful | 1 | This is not a very stressful job since I do not work much. If I had more hours, I could get stressed, but that depends on the company. |
| Task Variety | 2 | Same tasks from day to day. A little variety would be nice, but I like the work enough to be happy with the lack of variety. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | This is a cool job because I get to work from home and set my own hours. I think it is somewhat uncool because I don't get much work to do. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | Since I work from home, I am able to set my own hours. This gives me much flexibility to make my own schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | The only social interaction is with my family as I work from home. There is some social interaction over the phone, but very little. |
Job Title: US Operations Manager
Attended: Musicians Institute • Hollywood, CA
Studied Audio Engineering (completion in 2003)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I don't enjoy bookkeeping. In fact, it's almost my last day!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | I didn't go to school for bookkeeping - not everyone gets a degree for the work they do. | |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | It's a small company. There isn't really anywhere to go, but they do give raises. |
| Job Security | 10 | My bosses love me, but I am relocating and leaving. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | I make $65,000 a year - well, I won't be making anything in a few days, but I earned a lot while I was here. |
| How Stressful | 10 | I handle all operations, not just bookkeeping - it is stressful. I'm also not provided with the proper tools to do my job, like a reliable network system or American software. |
| Task Variety | 7 | It's about the same each day, give or take. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | Since I work for a Designer and part of my position involves also running their flagship store, my job is cool - but the accounting and bookkeeping is a drag. |
| Career Flexibility | 2 | I am married to my desk. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I'm always talking with my staff and clients. |
Job Title: Office Manager
Attended: Johnston Community College • Smithfield, NC
Studied Accounting (completion in 2004)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/31/2012
"I am stuck in an office all day. It becomes very monotonous."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | Great, interactive professors. Comprehensive program. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | No room for further advancement. I am at the highest level. |
| Job Security | 9 | I work at a very stable company. I have great employers who are appreciative of hard work. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | The potential for another, higher paying job is there. But I work so close to home, which is fabulous. |
| How Stressful | 5 | My workload is consistent and only increases with year end issues. The deadlines are not unreasonable. |
| Task Variety | 1 | Every day is exactly the same, just the numbers change. Nothing exciting EVER happens at my office. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | I am still stuck in the office all day. I have been called a bean counter. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | I have old school, rigid employers. I work 8-5 plus any needed OT. I am also rewarded occasionally with gift certificates to show their appreciation. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I am also the Office Manager, so I interact with the public. I am provided no new social opportunities, though. |
Job Title: Accounts Receivable Clerk
Attended: College Of Marin • Kentfield, CA
Studied English (completion in 1998)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/29/2012
"Processing Accounts Receivable can be very redundant. The system I am currently working with is not user friendly."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | Did not attend school solely for Accounts Receivable. However, the accounting classes I took in High School and College were helpful. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | I could be promoted to accounting manager/controller. However, the person in that role is not going anywhere anytime soon, so I have no current opportunities for advancement. |
| Job Security | 7 | I work for a small corporation that is financially secure. I am the only A/R Clerk in the company, so I am comfortable. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I am currently at what I think is the top pay range for this position. It is not the highest paying job, but it pays well for what the job is. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Day to day work is not super stressful. However, when on a deadline to get all collections in, it can be a bit stressful. |
| Task Variety | 1 | My job is in Accounts Receivable. I basically do the same thing on a monthly basis - get bills out, collect and process payments and make collection calls. There is little to no variety. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | Accounts Receivable is not a very 'cool' job field. However, my co-workers are fun and the company is a little 'cool.' |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Small local company with only one office. However, they do provide a lot of flexibility in terms of working from home and maintaining the work/life/family balance. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I have plenty of social interaction in the workplace. The only interaction I have with people out of the office is our client base when they either call with questions about their bills or I call them to collect outstanding payments. |
Job Title: Division Accounts Payable Clerk
Attended: California University Of Pennsylvania • California, PA
Studied Business - Concentration In Accounting (completion in 2012)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/27/2012
"I find that the work is fairly straightforward and the field is becoming more sophisticated. I am not pleased, however, with the relative lack of career opportunities."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The school I attended is worth as much as you are willing to put into it. Its professors are not all particularly adept, and the expectations of the teachers tended to sink to the level of the students. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | My opportunities for promotion are relatively strong due to the company's tendency to promote from within. However, most positions are available within the corporate office and would require me to move in order to accept them. |
| Job Security | 6 | My job is secure in that I am the only person in my office who holds my position. However, I work for a company that is transient in nature and likely to change locations in the next five years. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Earnings potential seems to be capped at a mid-level range for the career accounting clerk - around 50,000 to 60,000 dollars a year in salary. This promotion is limited to a few managerial positions, and these are located in the corporate office. |
| How Stressful | 3 | My job is not stressful for the most part - save for the occasional moment when I'm feeling overwhelmed. Its steadiness and cyclical nature - as well as its reliance on following strict procedures - was a large reason for my choosing it. |
| Task Variety | 2 | Tasks within my job are relegated to three main categories - assigning, receiving, and creating payment vouchers for purchases. These tasks will be done every day, and all various other tasks revolve around these tasks in some way. This could be tracking down an invoice, researching relevant accounts, or procuring necessary authorizations for payment. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | Accounting clerks are the antithesis of cool professionals. They help to develop skills - organization, adeptness, ability to discern and solve problems - that enable one to raise through the ranks into more stereo-typically "cool" professions. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | My work schedule is flexible because the regional offices are small and relatively relaxed. Career wide, my company has many positions available that provide flexibility, including internal auditor positions that require much travel and a variety of tasks. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | My job entails few instances of direct social interaction with vendors, and very few moments of necessary interaction with co-workers. Most interaction takes place over the phone or via e-mail. But the average number of contacts with people outside of my company would be less than 10. |
Job Title: Office Administrator
Attended: McIntosh College • Dover, NH
Studied Accounting (completion in 2005)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/27/2012
"I love learning about accounting and business management, and my schooling helped me out tremendously with my current position."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | The professors were very professional and taught in a way I could understand. The work we did was up to date and consisted of real world scenarios. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | Nowadays companies are able to hire someone to do data entry into a bookkeeping program, and they do not need specialized people to do that. In order to be promoted you really have to be able to multi task nowadays. |
| Job Security | 5 | The bookkeeping and accounting is now going online and there are a lot of new programs out there. With online programs, companies are able to share one entry clerk instead of each having an old fashion bookkeeper. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | The longer you are with a company, the higher the earnings can be. Additionally, the more programs you know how to use, the more you are marketable. |
| How Stressful | 4 | With the new online programs, a lot of the stress to be accurate is gone. As long as the numbers you put in are correct, the program does all the work for you. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Most of my daily tasks are the same. The only time they deviate is when a new employee comes aboard or there is a meeting they need charts and numbers for. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | There is not much coolness or excitement in numbers. Usually you are sitting at a desk away from everyone, so there is not much social interaction. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | Bookkeepers do have the opportunity to work from home now because of the online programs. There is a lot of part time work available, so working for more than one company is an option. |
| Social Orientation | 4 | I do not have much social interaction as my office is in the back of the building. I am not into the office goings on as I am only there to pay my bills. |
Job Title: Tax Accountant
Attended: Globe University • Woodbury, MN
Studied Finance (completion in 2014)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/27/2012
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | This is a community university well-known for its networking capabilities with its urban neighbors as well as its foreign ones. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | A bachelors degree is now what is needed (at minimum) in order to move ahead. My current manager is more focused on the morality of the employees who want to move ahead and will do everything possible to ensure that it is done. |
| Job Security | 6 | The Accounting field has been under pressure since the Enron affair and the competition has become fierce. A liberal arts degree is now replacing what would have been a technical degree. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | My earnings have yet to match the cost of living. |
| How Stressful | 8 | I am currently in the tax side of accounting, which demands a lot of research skills. |
| Task Variety | 4 | As mentioned earlier, a lot of research is involved when it comes to tax and its regulations. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | It is mundane to be sitting in front of a computer every day. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I interact with a person regardless of where I am at. This is because I tend to make small talk if I feel a person is nervous or down. |
Job Title: Junior Accountant
Attended: SUNY New Paltz • New Paltz, NY
Studied Accounting (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/30/2012
"I did accounting because I was good at math, but it was not my passion. I enjoy helping and interacting with people, but being an accountant you do not get to do much of that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The program was ok. They did not do a lot of hands on work in accounting software, so we did not have training on programs such as Great Plains, Quicken, etc. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | The likelihood of me getting promoted is low. My boss or the staff accountant would have to leave. |
| Job Security | 6 | I work for a medical school's foundation. I'm not sure how secure my job is since my job depends on how many donations we get. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | For my career, as I go farther in it and the longer I work, the more I will make. The earnings potential increases faster if an accountant gets his or her CPA. |
| How Stressful | 6 | It depends on what time of the year it is. The end of the school year and the beginning of the school year are the busiest times for our business. |
| Task Variety | 2 | Daily responsibilities are pretty much the same. At the end of the month, I have the same responsibilities every month. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | There is nothing cool or flashy about the job. It is very slow paced and boring. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | My position is inflexible and consistent. I have a set schedule and it is only on a full time basis. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | I have one friend at my job. I rarely interact with any of the other people in the office. |
Job Title: Patient Account Representative
Attended: Everest • Marietta, GA
Studied Medical Billing (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/30/2012
"This is a very "safe" field, however pay varies greatly. In order to earn more money, you have to commute further."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | It only prepared me for the basic job requirements. Once employed I encountered a lot of things that I was never taught about. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | In most practices the billing/collections department is the highest you can go without a college diploma. All positions coming open for management now require a bachelors in a business related field. |
| Job Security | 9 | The medical field continues to be one of the safest fields to work in right now. I feel like as long as I complete my job accurately and with good results I should not have to worry about being unemployed. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Without further certifications or a college degree, I will never receive a substantial raise. Currently, I receive a 3-4% raise yearly based upon review of my job performance. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Highly stressed due to workload and expectations. Phones are constantly ringing, and I deal with numerous irate patients due to bills and current insurance policies. |
| Task Variety | 2 | My daily tasks are always the same. I have the same schedule every day which is rarely impacted by any factors. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | It could always be worse, but my idea of cool does not include sitting in a "cube all day". I would like a more exciting job. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | I have very set hours. I have to be here when patients and doctors are here. They offer no job share or work from home options. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | I have very little time for social interactions. My job does not require any interaction with other employees, therefore I have no reason to ever have to leave my desk except during breaks. |
Job Title: Bookkeeper
Attended: Boise State Univ. • Boise, ID
Studied Business Accounting (completion in 2001)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/27/2012
"There is always employment, but it can be stressful depending on the company. There is also not a great deal of room for salary growth."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | BSU is a good university, but I did not major in the field I currently work in. Also, job experience is more helpful that the univ. courses. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | Again, once you have a position, there is limited career growth. There is not any dramatic salary increase available. |
| Job Security | 8 | I have always been able to find an open position, even in a difficult economy. I live in a small town, and I have never had an issue when others have. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | If you are an honest and conscientious bookkeeper you will always have steady work, but you aren't going to get rich. Certainly your options may improve if you own your own firm. |
| How Stressful | 5 | This is dependent upon your employer. If the business is well run, there is minimal stress. If the business isn't, there is a lot of stress trying to juggle! |
| Task Variety | 1 | This is a very routine job, with very set schedules. Daily tasks are the same, as are monthly tasks. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | This is not a glamorous career at all! Lots of repetition, filing, Excel spreadsheets. It's like the TV show The Office, sans great humor. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I think that the lack of growth is balanced out by availability of jobs. Essentially, anywhere you would like to move will likely have an open position. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | It is definitely an office environment, but I have frequent contact with colleagues. There is also a lot of contact with vendors, etc. |
Job Title: Staff Accountant
Attended: Bentley University • Waltham, MA
Studied Accounting (completion in 2014)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/29/2012
"I am very happy in my current career because it provides a challenge and allows me to look forward to work each day. I would be more satisfied if the earnings potential was greater."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | My school was top rated in the region for accountancy. The support and faculty were fantastic. I am currently transferring out for financial reasons. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | Our senior staff is entrenched within the organization. I am not qualified for higher-level work and regardless, none is available in the near future. |
| Job Security | 10 | I am an efficient and hard worker and have been recognized as such by management. Our workload is quite full right now and every staff member, myself included, are vital to the operation. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Earnings are low for the track I am on, which is within a small business. Like many professions, joining an international firm and getting on the partner track will result in a fantastic salary. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Work is a little stressful year round, but gets very stressful during tax season. Seven day work weeks are very stressful. |
| Task Variety | 8 | Each project is different and can last for as little as an hour to as long as a month. One day I might be preparing a tax return, while another day I will be preparing an IRS audit defense letter pertaining to nitty gritty details of the lifestyle of a client. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | My career is not considered to be cool because it attracts smart people who are looked at as "uncool" by people who still have their heads in high school. People who judge careers like this would likely consider accountancy to be boring and therefore uncool. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | I can work from home very easily and complete all of my work on days that I am home sick or snowed in. I also have the ability to take time off with little or no notice. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | While we are able to talk quite openly and freely about our personal lives during the day, there is no social interaction among the staff outside of work. During mundane tasks such as data entry we are quite chatty, but more advanced tasks require us to remain quiet. |
Job Title: Auditing Clerk
Attended: University Of Georgia • Athens, GA
Studied Business/Accounting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 2/1/2012
"I like the ability to earn good money doing something I find easy. I feel I have put my degree, and therefore the time I spent in school, to very good use. It can be a very tedious job at times, but the reason for the mid-level rating is I hate the hours. I am not a morning person."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | The Terry College of Business is one of the best in the country. The dean, in particular, was incredible. Dr. Sumichrast is one of the nicest, most intelligent people I have ever had the opportunity of meeting. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | Right now I work as an accounting/auditing clerk. There are two men and one woman with seniority, and then the department manager. The woman is currently trying to get pregnant, and I don't want children. I'm hoping I can get promoted when she takes maternity leave. |
| Job Security | 5 | I was torn between rating it lower or higher because, while I currently don't feel threatened, there are so many buyouts taking place, larger corporations purchasing smaller companies and rolling them under corporate managers. I do worry, but I don't feel the immediate need to keep my options open. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | I make a decent amount, especially for an entry level position. I've seen the stats on wage increases through similar careers and think if I budget wisely, I'll do well for myself. |
| How Stressful | 5 | Rated average because the work itself comes easy, but the thought of what might happen if I make a mistake is frightening. I don't want to be the person who screws up. |
| Task Variety | 4 | It's very much the same old, same old. I knew that going in. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | It's considered a "math nerd" job. I know it. I don't care. I love mathematics, and I am very organized. I like working with concrete answers and fact-checking. I find it calming. |
| Career Flexibility | 3 | The hours, frankly, are horrible. This is not a 9-5 job. It is an 8-6 job. There are people who leave earlier or take work home, but not in accounting. The manager stays until six, and the owner stays until six. I feel it would look irresponsible to leave earlier. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | We smile when we see each other, but I don't have anything in common with any of my co-workers. They're all parents or obsessed with becoming parents. I want to spend my free time enjoying myself. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk
Attended: Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI
Studied Accounting (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/28/2012
"One of the downsides is the limited upward potential without obtaining a CPA. Also the work can be somewhat repetitive."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | Decent program, but it focused more on tax and audit than management accounting and bookkeeping. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | There is limited room for promotion as an accounting associate. With only one manager for the department, it is tough to make it any higher. |
| Job Security | 5 | The position is in a relatively secure industry, but there is always concerns about outsourcing the function. Also, we worry that after a few years they will replace us with less experienced and thus cheaper accountants. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | It is unlikely to exceed 55k without making manager. It is very easy to peak early in this field. |
| How Stressful | 6 | Sometimes deadlines can seem unrealistic. There also seems to be a perception that since we keep the books we are responsible for coming in under budget, which is the operations manager's responsibility. |
| Task Variety | 2 | The work is pretty repetitive. On occasion we will receive special assignments, but it is rare. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | The work is not very exciting. This is not a career for people that like a constant changes in their assignments. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | I can telecommute on occasion, which is nice. The downside is that the work schedule can make it tough to take a vacation. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | There is some interaction within the department. Very little interaction with other departments. |
Job Title: Accounting Clerk
Attended: University Of The District Of Columbia • Washington, DC
Studied Accounting (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/29/2012
"I would like to have progressed further in my career at this stage. However due to the economy as well as other factors, overall, I would say “somewhat satisfied” is a proper judgement."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | UDC provided me with the academic background to go out and be competitive in this market. The school both administratively as well as professionally prepared me well for the industry I'm currently in. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | I'm currently an accounting clerk. there is great room for growth in the company that I'm currently working for. |
| Job Security | 9 | There will always be a need for accountants. I feel very comfortable in knowing that despite what the outside market is going through at that time, I will be able to find employment. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | Accounting has excellent earnings potential. That was my main rationale for becoming an accountant. |
| How Stressful | 2 | I know my work inside and out. I feel very comfortable and solid in my performance and am regularly recognized by my company for my work. I am not stressed at all. |
| Task Variety | 3 | My day to day mainly consists of the same tasks, just in differing amounts. Some days I may get very little work, while on other days I may be swamped. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | there is no aspect of being an accountant that could be considered "cool," unfortunately. I work with mainly numbers, in a cubicle, and wear khakis. None of that is cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | As an accountant, I feel that as time goes on, I will be afforded more flexibility to have a 'flex' schedule. That is a very important factor for me. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I work for a relatively large company, so I get ample opportunities to socialize at work, if I so chose. There is also a vibrant nightlife nearby, so happy hours and the like are on the schedule. |
Job Title: Accounting Generalist
Attended: Rio Salado College • Tempe, AZ
Studied Accounting (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 2/1/2012
"I work in a food manufacturing firm. I feel completely mind numbed by the work, and cannot find satisfaction in crunching numbers for a food production company."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Excellent online program. Great teachers and class selection. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | I am in my current position because the person that was in it retired from the company after working there since 1977. In my current area, there are no opportunities unless I wanted to move to the corporate office in Tulsa. |
| Job Security | 9 | I work for an employee owned convenience store. We're currently expanding to 2 different markets and are continually building new stores. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I have minimal expectations for the amount of money that I'm going to get when our raises come in May. Our raise structure was changed completely last fiscal year. |
| How Stressful | 9 | |
| Task Variety | 2 | Operational tasks may change, but our day to day functions are all the same. We see changes because of new product or system upgrades. Otherwise, there is no variation. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | This is not something I want to do for the rest of my life. However, my schedule affords me the ability to enroll in other classes to further my education and find something that I'd like to do. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | While my schedule isn't bad, 4 tens, Wed-Sat, there is no ability to be flexible on that. At this point, working from home wouldn't be feasible for my position, because of new system implementation. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I work in an office of about 4 people. I only regularly interact with 1 of the people because I'm sick of the other 3. |
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