Before you get into the
Real World of Accounting
If you are a junior or
senior accounting student, you are almost certainly contemplating your work
options after graduation. Before interviewing with prospective employers, ask
yourself the following questions:
(1) Do I want to work with a small, local firm or a
large national firm? And more specifically, do I want a clear, fast path to
advancement, or am I willing to wait awhile, until a path opens up?
(2) Do I prefer a regular, nine-to-five workday, or
am I willing to work additional overtime and weekends on a normal basis?
(3) Do I prefer to do more mundane yet essential
tasks, or do I want diverse and complicated assignments?
(4) Do I prefer an "easygoing" office
environment or would I be able to handle an "intense" one?
(5) Do I prefer to work at the same office location
all the time or am I willing to travel regularly?
Be honest with yourself
when answering these questions. For instance, it's easy to say, "I'll do
anything for the right amount of money," but it's very different to be
paid well but to be unhappy with your job. Often you can't know how much you
will enjoy your job until you are well into it. But you can certainly ask your
interviewer specific questions about the firm they are representing and the
position for which you are applying. Also, researching the company, visiting
the job site and talking to current employees can provide valuable insights
into what to expect if you were to choose that particular place to spend most
of your waking hours.
So, what can you expect
when you walk through the doors for your first day of work? For one thing,
before you go directly to work, you will need information – and it doesn't just
come from a book! You will have to access the computer, acquire source
documents, run reports, and do research in books, periodicals, journals, and
other secondary sources. Beyond that, you will need to interview the people you
work with: managers, co-workers, clients, and others with valuable information.
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