5 Jobs to Pursue With an Accounting Degree (That Aren't Accounting!)
Remember when your mom nagged you to take a typing class in high school? "If you learn to type now, it will help you in college and any job you ever have. . ." Well, getting a degree in accounting is pretty similar. A strong accounting foundation sets you up for success in myriad ways.
In your personal life, accounting could help you to get your own financial affairs in order, provide a deeper understanding of tax laws, and set you up to plan for the retirement of your dreams. In your professional life, an accounting degree is like a big green flag on your resume, telling prospective employers that you have a good head for numbers, know how to be organized and are also good with money - all assets to any company or corporation, regardless of your position.
You Don't Have to Be An Accountant - Try Your Hand At (Fill-in-the-Blank)
Having an accounting degree doesn't mean you have to get a job as an accountant or bookkeeper. There are all kinds of jobs available to you, many of which prefer that applicants have some type of accounting background.
Here are five jobs that would appear to have nothing in common with accounting, and yet an accounting degree might make a tremendous difference when it's time to get to work:
- A business Owner: Have you always wanted to start your own business? Then sign-up for an accounting degree STAT. According to the business data gurus at CB Insights - several of the Top 20 Reasons Start-Ups Fail have to do with cash-flow issues. This isn't a surprise since many of the creative minds that start companies don't have the business acumen to support their ideas - a recipe for business failure. Even an associate degree in accounting could give you instrumental capital and financial insights that could keep your startup business afloat when others are sinking around you.
- Private Investigator: A successful private investigator must have powerful observation and critical thinking skills. Seeing patterns - or deviations from patterns - is another skill set. The ability to analyze and interpret data is yet another bonus. All of these qualities can be developed in an accounting program. Plus, many companies and corporations looking for corporate investigators require an individual who is adept at following the money trail. Your accounting degree could be a desirable asset.
- Management in Company X: Would you like to rise to the management or administration level? Your accounting degree could help you get there. Most management positions require someone with a penchant for budgeting, estimating, and/or reviewing bids and estimates from outside sources. You may have to assist with bookkeeping or payroll from time to time as well. Your accounting degree could be a major bonus.
- Sales Representatives: As a sales representative, odds are one of your jobs may be to negotiate deals with buyers or clients. In order to do that, and still ensure your company makes a profit, you need to have a clear understanding of the bottom line. An error in either direction could cost you a client or cost your company money. You may also find that you have a gift for balancing both the charismatic and business-like attributes that make for a successful sales professional. A natural ability to organize sales invoices and accounting worksheets are traits appreciated by managers and bookkeepers alike.
- Healthcare Administrator: Most healthcare administrators have their roots in the healthcare system to begin with, as nurses or therapists who move up through the ranks. However, professionals like these are often required to go back to the educational drawing board and round-out their educational acumen with courses they missed while pursuing their original degree programs such as accounting and business courses. By having a foundational background in accounting, you'll be that much more prepared for the budgeting and financial aspects of a healthcare administrator's duties, and may even be closer to obtaining a healthcare administration degree if it's required of you by your employer.
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An Accounting Degree Could Be a Smart Start!
Are you interested in learning more about how you could augment your professional experience with an accounting degree? Contact the admissions office at ECPI University, where you could earn your Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting in as little as 2.5 years. What are you waiting for? It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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