Franklin Said:

Information on Accounting Assistant?

We Answered:

Job Description:
Analyze financial information and prepare financial reports to determine or maintain record of assets, liabilities, profit and loss, tax liability, or other financial activities within an organization.

Desired Skills/Duties:
ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT - PRIMARY ROLE IS TO ASSIST THE ACCOUNTING MANAGER WITH SUPPORT OF A/R, A/P, BOOKKEEPING, & PAYROLL. *JOB DUTIES AND REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO* - ACCOUNT RECEIVEABLES - ACCOUNT PAYABLES - DATA ENTRY OF INVOICES AND PAYMENTS - VENDOR CONTRACTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS - FULL CYCLE, END OF MONTH AND END OF YEAR ACTIVITIES - PAYROLL PREPERATION MUST BE AUTHORIZED TO WORK IN U.S., 2-3 YRS EXP. IN ACCOUNTING OR FINANCE PREFERRED WITH DEGREE A PLUS, INTERNATIONAL AND MANUFACTURING EXP. A PLUS. KNOWLEDGE OF MICROSOFT OFFICE, PAYCHEX, QUICKBOOKS, AND PROPER A/R AND A/P PROCEDURES NECESSARY. EXCELLENT BENEFITS OFFERED.

Usually jobs require an AA or BA in the required field (accounting) but some smaller places just might be okay with certificates of certification in the payroll/accounts receiving/payables etc...

Every company needs an accountant, its not specific to one region or area

Pay is also different depending on experience and company... indeed.com is good for pay scales in various areas :)

Kent Said:

if i have a criminal record, will i have no chance of having a career related to accounting or info systems?

We Answered:

I think your doing a great job!! You've turned yourself around completely and you should be proud of that fact. Not many people do given the circumstances they are dealt, but you have. Dont dwell on your past, your future is very promising.

I wouldnt worry about it affecting you getting a job, unless it comes up or they conduct criminal history checks on you before they employ you, which for any accounting firm I would say they arent even going to bother doing that. Your grades will be the thing that scores you your dream job, so dont worry!

Ive worked in Law firms for 8 years and not anywhere ever have I heard of someone not getting employed because of their criminal record, some places like people to at least inform them of these things but I never hear of it affecting anyone's opportunities, especially with minor things like yours. Your hardly a criminal, you were a little wreckless but hardly a criminal :)

Your not going down a path of no where, sounds to me like your going down a path of everywhere and your doing a great job! You stick with it and hang in there, your lucky you've come so far, I'm proud of you and I dont even know you :)

Byron Said:

What would be a better career choice? Going for a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or Information Systems?

We Answered:

90% of ceo's come up through accounting.

Natalie Said:

Career change after 8 years of being an accounting clerk, tips anyone?

We Answered:

Honey, the only thing you can do that I know of is to go 115% in your job search. This means searching the usual monster.com and careerbuilder.com locations.

If I understand your question correctly, you want to become a call service representative (CSR). This is a position that does not require a college degree. If I were you, I would apply by e-mail to any CSR position that was advertised by a private corporation vs. an employment agency. The reason being, a private employer is going to save a lot of money by contacting prospective employees directly. Good luck, hon.

Wallace Said:

How to prepare for a career in Finance and Accounting?

We Answered:

Hands on experience is the best way to go. Here are some ideas:

*Try and get a part time job in the accounting department of a local business. This will help you build on your accounting knowledge.
*Join Beta Alpha Psi (accounting fraternity) or other accounting societies. It looks great on the resume and it is a good way to meet individuals that work in the Accounting Field because they usually come to the meetings and give presentations about their firms or different accounting topics
*Do an internship with a CPA firm. This is more of something to keep in mind in a year or two. But this is a great way to see if working in public accounting is what you want to do. Generally CPA firms hirer people to do internships the summer after their junior year.

I don't know what school you go to but most accounting departments will hold recruiting events, such as "meet the firms" where CPA firms come to the school to meet students. So this is a great way for you to meet people at the different firms and determine which one is the right fit for you. These are generally geared towards Juniors and Seniors but it is never to early to go and start meeting contacts.

Hope this helps!