To be honest, when I enrolled in English 201 I felt as though it would be the same English class that I always had to take. I did not feel that I would learn anything that I already did not know. Boy was I wrong. This class has developed me into a much greater writer, as well as a reader and a researcher. Throughout this portfolio you will see examples of my works, the before and the after. You will also see how much I have learned about analyzing readings and researching different topics. With the help of this course, I believe that the most improvement I have made was with researching. I have become a better researcher by improving my research skills, citation skills and learning how to find valid and appropriate sources.
In the beginning of this portfolio I have three pictures and a quote. They all mean so much to me. The Detroit Redwings Picture is of my favorite hockey team’s logo. They have always been my favorite hockey team ever since I can remember. I started watching hockey with my dad and he always loved the Redwings so naturally I fell in love with them too. The other pictures are flags. The flags represent me and my family. The first flag is the flag of the Former Soviet Union. The reason why I have this up here is because that is where I was born technically. I was born in 1989 in Kiev, Ukraine, which is why I have the Ukrainian flag up there. At that time it was still part of the Soviet Union. My father was a part of the military and as a result my family could not leave the Soviet Union. Another reason I have the Soviet Union flag up there is because in 1992 when it collapsed my family and I moved to the United States. It was the best move that my parents could have made.
If you cannot already tell my family means a lot to me. They are always there for me and are my inspiration for everything I do. That is why the epigraph that I chose is: You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. This motto is absolutely correct. I didn’t choose who my family was going to be but instead God gifted me an absolutely amazing family that has helped me out and inspired me to do everything that I want to. I have always been there for them and helped them out so I hope I am also a gift to them.
As I had said before, I believe that the most improvement I have made thus far in my writing career, thanks to my English 201 class, is with researching. My research skills have drastically got better. One way to show this is by looking at my research paper. The sources that I used all came from reliable websites that are not biased in any way. The reason I learned so much about researching was because we had one class solely devoted to teaching us all of the tools that the library offers. The man who came in was a representative from the library and he showed us personally how to use all of their resources. He gave us handouts with the best databases and how to get there. He also showed us on the big screen and had us follow along. After the class I started to research my topic about accounting. I went through some of the online databases and found an astonishing number of results. It was hard to pick only a few from the many that I had found. On top of getting all of those sources online I found two books that were located at different libraries. Robert Half’s Success Guide for Accountants, and The Future of the Accounting Profession: a Global Perspective were the two books that I needed for my research paper. I had to request them through the inter library loan system which took about 4 days to get here. One of the other things I learned that was really important had to do with Google. I had learned that information that you find through Google is not always reliable or valid. In my past I have always found information through Google because I thought it was all correct. While doing some research I found that items on Google actually give false facts. I found that on one Google website said that the CPA exam is a one time sitting just like the SAT’s. However on the government website that actually issues the exam it stated that it is done through multiple sittings. And that you do not have to register for all of them at once but can take them all throughout the time of 2 years. Dr. Poe informed me of Google Scholar which is just like Google but has all scholarly journals that were all published so you know that it has reliable and valid information. In the future if I ever need information I will use all of the resources that I have learned in this class.
Another main thing about researching that I have learned is about citations. Before this class I had no idea on how to properly cite anything in the actual papers. I knew how to make a works cited and an annotated bibliography but when it came to quotes and information from websites or books I had no idea how to properly cite it with the parenthesis. Thanks to this class I now have the knowledge and skill to properly do an inline citation. Here is an example of one inline citation that was taken out of my research paper. In the article “Recruiting the Best Accounting Students in a Tight Market: Some Guidance” by Sharon L. Kimmell, Pamela K. Keltyka and Emeka Ofobike the authors state that “…the demand for top accounting graduates currently exceeds the supply” (Kimmell, Keltyka, and Ofobike 68). This is the proper inline citation for a Journal.
With the help of Dr. Poe, and the information I learned from English 201, I am now able to say I am a good researcher and I know how to properly cite, properly look for sources that are reliable and valid, and conduct proper research.
Even though this course has made me a better writer, reader, and researcher I still feel as though I need improvement. I need improvement when it comes to writing. I can tell by looking back at my previous works that I have improved. Mainly I think it is because I learned how to ask for help and how to get help. Throughout this course I have went to the writing center to get my papers revised as well as asked my friends that are really good in writing papers to help. The part of my writing that I need help on is the claims and getting the evidence needed to support my claims. I have a lot of ideas when I write and I tend to just write them out plain and simple. I put all of my ideas together without any supporting details or evidence. Thanks to the resources of the library, the writing center, and my friends they have helped me in expanding my ideas and helping me come up with the claims and evidence needed to back it up. I plan to continue to go to the writing center and hopefully will begin to expand on my ideas as I come up with the ideas in the future.
My participation in the class is unique. In the first few classes I will be honest; I did not participate to the best of my ability. I believe that it had a lot to do with being stressed as well as being constantly sick in the beginning of the year. I feel as though I have changed half way through the semester into a much better student. I participated greatly and was not a distraction. I also did all of my work in class and for homework. I only missed one class and that was because I had to go to my cousins wedding in Las Vegas. I hope that we can look beyond the first half of the semester and focus on the second half. I truly believe I changed and will continue to change into a better person and much great participant.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Research Essay
The Expectations of Accounting Generations
In today’s society there are many different types of people. There are the people that expect great things from you, like employers. And there are people that expect even greater things from their future employers, like employees. Throughout this essay and with the use of well informed sources I will be elaborately discussing what Accounting Firms are expecting from their perspective employees and what the recent college graduates are expecting from their perspective firms. I know that what I expect from an accounting firm is a lot and all of my sources have the same idea, that students expect more from their prospective accounting firms than the firms have from students.
When I was looking to become an accountant, I did some research to find out a little more about it and what I would need to become one. I found out that when I graduate from college with a BBA/MBA in Public Accounting the firms that will be looking to higher me will be expecting a lot out of me. Both grade wise in college and experience. At least that is all I thought they would care about. After during some thorough research I found out that what I expected out of them and what they expect out of me was just the beginning.
In the accounting world, employers expect numerous different skills and qualifications from their employees. Even though in the article Recruiting the Best Accounting Students in a Tight Market: Some Guidance by Sharon L. Kimmell, Pamela K. Keltyka and Emeka Ofobike the authors state that “…the demand for top accounting graduates currently exceeds the supply” (CPA Journal, 68). You would figure that they might have lowered the standards for new employees. Instead they kept them the same so that even though they won’t have as many accountants, the ones that they do have will be well qualified and experienced so that they will be more efficient and effective with their work supply. The authors in the article also interviewed junior and senior accounting majors at a large urban university about their interviewing experiences. These students demonstrated the qualities and skills that most accounting firms would hire. They concluded in the survey that employers are very selective in who they bring in their company. The average GPA of the students was a 3.5. Fifty six percent of the students had prior work experience which the employers loved. The employers also liked the fact that a large number of the applicants aspire to rise to the upper ranks in their chosen field and 44% want to eventually become partners and 19% hope to become the chief financial officer of a major company. All of the students surveyed intend to sit for a certification exam. Upon graduation, 68% of the students are expected to have 150 credit hours or more (CPA Journal, 68-69). These students are among the best and brightest accounting majors and what most if not all accounting firms are looking for. The reason why they discuss the 150 credit hours or more is because those are one of the requirements to sit for the CPA Exam. Most employers expect that the accountants that they are looking to hire will eventually sit for the CPA exam and if they see that they already have the 150 credit hours complete then they will see that they are ambitious and looking to get far in their career. What I concluded after reading these articles is that employers are expecting accounting students to be ambitious and are trying to move along in their career. They are looking for them to be well educated, previous work experience and have the requirements to be certified completed.
The CPA exam is very complicated to understand. There are a lot of requirements to take the CPA and they vary from state to state. I researched what it was like to sit for the CPA exam in New York State. The qualifications to become a CPA in New York are that one must have a bachelor’s or higher degree and 150 credit hours completed in different areas. These hours split up approximately like this: 33 credit hours in accounting and the principles of accounting, 36 credit hours in general business electives, communication of a business, hours in ethics and professional responsibility and many hours in accounting research. You must also have at least two years of public accounting experience before you can even sit for the exam. These two years can include having an internship during college or after and also working with an accounting firm. When you register to take the exam you have to pay around 900 dollars in testing fees. The charges are split up like this: The application fee is $125, and then it gets split up to by the different sections that you have to sit for. The test overall is about fourteen hours long and is split up into four sections. Auditing and Attestation which in $226.28 and a total of 4.5 hours, then there is the Business Environment and Concepts which is $178.58 and 2.5 hours long. Then the Financial Accounting and Reporting section which is $214.35 and 4 hours long. The last part of the exam is about Regulation and is $190.50 and about 3 hours long. All of these tests do not need to be taken in one sitting. They actually recommend you to only register for the parts that you will be ready for within 6 months after you register and to take them one or two at a time. After completing all parts of the CPA exam you must wait at least seven weeks to see whether or not you passed it with at least a 75%. If you get below a 75% in any of the sections then you must retake that part that you did poorly on. After doing everything that is required you are able to receive a CPA license in New York State. The information that I stated above came from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
I conducted an Interview with Rema Reznik. She is an accountant at J.H.Cohen. She does all of the accounting for the small business department. When I asked her, what do you expect from college graduates that are looking to get a job with you? She stated “I am always expecting hard workers; I expect them to have a high GPA and preferably 150 credit hours. I also expect them to be motivated in moving up in the company so then I know they will work hard” (Reznik Interview). I really enjoyed hearing her say this because I feel that I am one of those individuals that when I graduate Pace with a BBA/MBA in public accounting I will get a well deserved and high paying job.
I just discussed what is expected of a college graduate from an employer’s perspective. Now let’s see how much more students expect from their future employers. As I stated before, the demand for accountants exceeds the supply. This gives the college graduates an advantage in what they expect from their future firms. They know that they need accountants and one of the big things they expect is a higher salary because of it. The average salary for entry level accountants in New York City, according to www.salary.com, ranges from 45K to 55K. According to Kimmell, 81% of the students surveyed had already decided what company they hope to work at. College graduates expect the firm to have a reputation; their preferred companies size whether it is larger or smaller, an emphasis on work life balance and genuine concern for employees, a friendly office atmosphere, and the opportunity for professional growth (CPA Journal, 69). What Kimmell, Keltyka, and Ofobike are trying to say is that the firm needs to get out more and fit the needs of recent college graduates. They need to make a presence in the schools so that their company gets recognition from students that are looking for jobs. Students also look for several types of programs that are possible and offered to underclassman. I know from personal experience, the company McGladrey & Pullen, has a sophomore training program where if you are a sophomore in college you can apply and that summer going into your junior year you work for them and you shadow one of their accountants. This teaches you the fundamentals of accounting and also it will show you everything that you will be doing when you graduate college. Accounting firms also need to show more support to charities and foundations because many college graduates are looking for a company that they will not only work for but can help other people too. I look for a lot in an accounting firm, being a sophomore accounting major, I look to see what kind of programs they offer, whether or not they have room to move up and chances for growth within the company. I look to see if there is some sort of rating system in the company where if you do a really good job on something then you get a bonus, raise or possibly a promotion. I also look to see how close the managers are with their employees. I do not want to work for a company that the work environment feels distant. I want to work in a place where I can feel comfortable in going into work every single day and be friendly with my manager or bosses. Another thing that I expect in a firm is that they keep in contact with me until the interview. I expect them to send me emails and phone calls every once in a while to see if I am still interested or not and to remind me of how great the firm is.
There was one more concern that the students that were interviewed faced. That was the interview. They expressed a lot of interest in the interview and how the interviewer interacted with them. Prospective employees expect a lot from the interview. They expect that by the end of it they will be able to tell whether or not they got the job or if they think they got the job. The students looked at how the interviewee expressed his interest (Kimmell, CPA Journal). If the interviewers expressed interest in what the student has to offer than the students felt that the company was better and more suitable for them. It was a big issue if the interviewer expressed very little interest to the interviewee because the students felt that the company was going to be distant and not suitable for them. Another issue about the interview that was brought up in the article was the communication. Students want to be a part of a firm that has great communication. We expect to be apprised of the status of the interview process in a timely manner (Kimmell). The best way to do this would be by sending the students a brief email letting them know what stage of the process they are on. One student’s comment, that was interviewed, summed up what is expected of firms. The student described his last interview by stating, “Kept in touch every step of the way. It made me feel wanted and important (Kimmell). In addition to timely communication, accurate communication, both oral and written, is also critical. When one student was asked about interviewing disasters he stated “I was told by one of the regional firm’s HR representatives that I would receive a second interview and then a week later I received an e-mail saying that the firm was not interested (Kimmell). If a student is told that they are going to be receiving a second interview or that they will hear from them in a week, then that is what is expected of the firm to do. Communication is one of the most vital expectations that students have of firms and if the firms cannot communicate accurately and in a timely matter than the students will look at the firm in a negative manner.
Overall after looking at all of the information I had found on both, the expectations from the employers on what they expect from college graduates and what the college graduates are expecting from their future accounting firms are not quite the same. I found that the students expect far greater things from the firms than what the firms expect from the students. The employers are looking for students to be more active in their school work, community and in their work. They are also looking for students to have already completed the 150 credit hours needed to sit for the CPA exam and are planning on or expecting to take it after having two years of work experience. Firms are also expecting their future employees to want to grow in the company and help it succeed.
The expectations that college graduates have of their future employers are different than that of the employers. The college graduates expect that the firms or employers which they will work under have a good work environment. They want not to be afraid to go into work every day. They want to be friendly with their bosses. They also expect to have a lot of growth in the company and a lot of chances to move up. Some chances being a rating system where if you do something outstanding then you either get a raise, bonus or even a promotion. They also expect the company to be friendly and well respected in the accounting world. They want them to have a good reputation and to be of a size that is suitable for the student. I personally prefer a smaller firm because I enjoy knowing almost everyone and work will be more enjoyable as well. College graduates also expect that the interviewer shows some interest in the interviewee or that turns them away from the company.
Even though the expectations from both parties are different, I still see some of the same ones. For instance, the employers look to see if the employee is interested in the firm and wants to move up and grow in and with the company. The employee also looks for that in a company and sees if there is any room for growth in the company. Another thing both parties share is the expectation of being involved. Employees look to see if the firm is not only involved in accounting but involved in other aspects to like fund raising or charities. The employers expect the students to also be well involved and inspired to help other people.
After all the extensive research I performed on the area of accounting firms and college graduates looking to get hired by an accounting firm I found that the expectations that college graduates have of accounting firms is much more than what the firms have of their students. Overall I found the reason why the demand for accountants exceeds the supply is because the firms are looking for quality rather than quantity and the students are looking for the firm that will meet all of their expectations and if they will not find one then they will keep looking.
Works Cited
"Accountant 1 Salary." Salary.com. Nov. 2008. 10 Nov. 2008
.
"AICPA Media Center - Frequently Asked Questions." AICPA. The Institute of Certified Public
Accountants. 10 Nov. 2008.
Kimmell, Sharon L., Pamela K. Keltyka, and Emeka Ofobike. “Recruiting the Best Accounting
Students in a Tight Market: Some Guidance.” The CPA Journal 78 (2008): 68-71.
"UNIFORM CPA EXAMINATION INFORMATION FOR NEW YORK STATE INITIAL
CANDIDATES." NASBA. National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. 10 Nov. 2008.
Reznik, Rema. "Accounting Interview." Telephone interview. 7 Nov. 2008.
This source was from an Interview I conducted with Rema Reznik who is an accountant but not a CPA. I will use this when comparing a CPA to a non-CPA accountant and it should reveal the true facts about accounting. This is probably going to be my most useful source because all the questions that I asked were answered. The opinions expressed in this interview were that of a professional and her own experiences.
Krueger, Alan B. "Does the Financial Crisis Threaten Your Job?" The New York Times 29 Sept.
2008.
This article discusses how the financial crisis that we are in will affect jobs in the accounting fields. This will be very helpful and answer the question that I had if accounting would be affected by this financial crisis. This article came from the New York Times business section and was written by a professional in the field so it is reliable.
Most, Kenneth S. The Future of the Accounting Profession : A Global
Perspective. New York: Quorum Books, 1993.
This book is more recent than the other book. It talks about what is going to happen to accounting and accountants. It also discusses what will happen if the economy was to fall and how that will affect the accountants. Kenneth Most is a professional accountant and is very knowledgeable about the profession of accounting.
Murray, Alan. "Global Integration of Accounting Standards." The CPA Journal 78
(2008): 24-27.
This article is from The CPA Journal. The CPA Journal is one of the most well respected journals in the accounting field. All of the writers for it are accredited and have a lot of knowledge in the area of accounting. This is an interview with Tom Jones who has been an accountant for over 20 years.
In today’s society there are many different types of people. There are the people that expect great things from you, like employers. And there are people that expect even greater things from their future employers, like employees. Throughout this essay and with the use of well informed sources I will be elaborately discussing what Accounting Firms are expecting from their perspective employees and what the recent college graduates are expecting from their perspective firms. I know that what I expect from an accounting firm is a lot and all of my sources have the same idea, that students expect more from their prospective accounting firms than the firms have from students.
When I was looking to become an accountant, I did some research to find out a little more about it and what I would need to become one. I found out that when I graduate from college with a BBA/MBA in Public Accounting the firms that will be looking to higher me will be expecting a lot out of me. Both grade wise in college and experience. At least that is all I thought they would care about. After during some thorough research I found out that what I expected out of them and what they expect out of me was just the beginning.
In the accounting world, employers expect numerous different skills and qualifications from their employees. Even though in the article Recruiting the Best Accounting Students in a Tight Market: Some Guidance by Sharon L. Kimmell, Pamela K. Keltyka and Emeka Ofobike the authors state that “…the demand for top accounting graduates currently exceeds the supply” (CPA Journal, 68). You would figure that they might have lowered the standards for new employees. Instead they kept them the same so that even though they won’t have as many accountants, the ones that they do have will be well qualified and experienced so that they will be more efficient and effective with their work supply. The authors in the article also interviewed junior and senior accounting majors at a large urban university about their interviewing experiences. These students demonstrated the qualities and skills that most accounting firms would hire. They concluded in the survey that employers are very selective in who they bring in their company. The average GPA of the students was a 3.5. Fifty six percent of the students had prior work experience which the employers loved. The employers also liked the fact that a large number of the applicants aspire to rise to the upper ranks in their chosen field and 44% want to eventually become partners and 19% hope to become the chief financial officer of a major company. All of the students surveyed intend to sit for a certification exam. Upon graduation, 68% of the students are expected to have 150 credit hours or more (CPA Journal, 68-69). These students are among the best and brightest accounting majors and what most if not all accounting firms are looking for. The reason why they discuss the 150 credit hours or more is because those are one of the requirements to sit for the CPA Exam. Most employers expect that the accountants that they are looking to hire will eventually sit for the CPA exam and if they see that they already have the 150 credit hours complete then they will see that they are ambitious and looking to get far in their career. What I concluded after reading these articles is that employers are expecting accounting students to be ambitious and are trying to move along in their career. They are looking for them to be well educated, previous work experience and have the requirements to be certified completed.
The CPA exam is very complicated to understand. There are a lot of requirements to take the CPA and they vary from state to state. I researched what it was like to sit for the CPA exam in New York State. The qualifications to become a CPA in New York are that one must have a bachelor’s or higher degree and 150 credit hours completed in different areas. These hours split up approximately like this: 33 credit hours in accounting and the principles of accounting, 36 credit hours in general business electives, communication of a business, hours in ethics and professional responsibility and many hours in accounting research. You must also have at least two years of public accounting experience before you can even sit for the exam. These two years can include having an internship during college or after and also working with an accounting firm. When you register to take the exam you have to pay around 900 dollars in testing fees. The charges are split up like this: The application fee is $125, and then it gets split up to by the different sections that you have to sit for. The test overall is about fourteen hours long and is split up into four sections. Auditing and Attestation which in $226.28 and a total of 4.5 hours, then there is the Business Environment and Concepts which is $178.58 and 2.5 hours long. Then the Financial Accounting and Reporting section which is $214.35 and 4 hours long. The last part of the exam is about Regulation and is $190.50 and about 3 hours long. All of these tests do not need to be taken in one sitting. They actually recommend you to only register for the parts that you will be ready for within 6 months after you register and to take them one or two at a time. After completing all parts of the CPA exam you must wait at least seven weeks to see whether or not you passed it with at least a 75%. If you get below a 75% in any of the sections then you must retake that part that you did poorly on. After doing everything that is required you are able to receive a CPA license in New York State. The information that I stated above came from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
I conducted an Interview with Rema Reznik. She is an accountant at J.H.Cohen. She does all of the accounting for the small business department. When I asked her, what do you expect from college graduates that are looking to get a job with you? She stated “I am always expecting hard workers; I expect them to have a high GPA and preferably 150 credit hours. I also expect them to be motivated in moving up in the company so then I know they will work hard” (Reznik Interview). I really enjoyed hearing her say this because I feel that I am one of those individuals that when I graduate Pace with a BBA/MBA in public accounting I will get a well deserved and high paying job.
I just discussed what is expected of a college graduate from an employer’s perspective. Now let’s see how much more students expect from their future employers. As I stated before, the demand for accountants exceeds the supply. This gives the college graduates an advantage in what they expect from their future firms. They know that they need accountants and one of the big things they expect is a higher salary because of it. The average salary for entry level accountants in New York City, according to www.salary.com, ranges from 45K to 55K. According to Kimmell, 81% of the students surveyed had already decided what company they hope to work at. College graduates expect the firm to have a reputation; their preferred companies size whether it is larger or smaller, an emphasis on work life balance and genuine concern for employees, a friendly office atmosphere, and the opportunity for professional growth (CPA Journal, 69). What Kimmell, Keltyka, and Ofobike are trying to say is that the firm needs to get out more and fit the needs of recent college graduates. They need to make a presence in the schools so that their company gets recognition from students that are looking for jobs. Students also look for several types of programs that are possible and offered to underclassman. I know from personal experience, the company McGladrey & Pullen, has a sophomore training program where if you are a sophomore in college you can apply and that summer going into your junior year you work for them and you shadow one of their accountants. This teaches you the fundamentals of accounting and also it will show you everything that you will be doing when you graduate college. Accounting firms also need to show more support to charities and foundations because many college graduates are looking for a company that they will not only work for but can help other people too. I look for a lot in an accounting firm, being a sophomore accounting major, I look to see what kind of programs they offer, whether or not they have room to move up and chances for growth within the company. I look to see if there is some sort of rating system in the company where if you do a really good job on something then you get a bonus, raise or possibly a promotion. I also look to see how close the managers are with their employees. I do not want to work for a company that the work environment feels distant. I want to work in a place where I can feel comfortable in going into work every single day and be friendly with my manager or bosses. Another thing that I expect in a firm is that they keep in contact with me until the interview. I expect them to send me emails and phone calls every once in a while to see if I am still interested or not and to remind me of how great the firm is.
There was one more concern that the students that were interviewed faced. That was the interview. They expressed a lot of interest in the interview and how the interviewer interacted with them. Prospective employees expect a lot from the interview. They expect that by the end of it they will be able to tell whether or not they got the job or if they think they got the job. The students looked at how the interviewee expressed his interest (Kimmell, CPA Journal). If the interviewers expressed interest in what the student has to offer than the students felt that the company was better and more suitable for them. It was a big issue if the interviewer expressed very little interest to the interviewee because the students felt that the company was going to be distant and not suitable for them. Another issue about the interview that was brought up in the article was the communication. Students want to be a part of a firm that has great communication. We expect to be apprised of the status of the interview process in a timely manner (Kimmell). The best way to do this would be by sending the students a brief email letting them know what stage of the process they are on. One student’s comment, that was interviewed, summed up what is expected of firms. The student described his last interview by stating, “Kept in touch every step of the way. It made me feel wanted and important (Kimmell). In addition to timely communication, accurate communication, both oral and written, is also critical. When one student was asked about interviewing disasters he stated “I was told by one of the regional firm’s HR representatives that I would receive a second interview and then a week later I received an e-mail saying that the firm was not interested (Kimmell). If a student is told that they are going to be receiving a second interview or that they will hear from them in a week, then that is what is expected of the firm to do. Communication is one of the most vital expectations that students have of firms and if the firms cannot communicate accurately and in a timely matter than the students will look at the firm in a negative manner.
Overall after looking at all of the information I had found on both, the expectations from the employers on what they expect from college graduates and what the college graduates are expecting from their future accounting firms are not quite the same. I found that the students expect far greater things from the firms than what the firms expect from the students. The employers are looking for students to be more active in their school work, community and in their work. They are also looking for students to have already completed the 150 credit hours needed to sit for the CPA exam and are planning on or expecting to take it after having two years of work experience. Firms are also expecting their future employees to want to grow in the company and help it succeed.
The expectations that college graduates have of their future employers are different than that of the employers. The college graduates expect that the firms or employers which they will work under have a good work environment. They want not to be afraid to go into work every day. They want to be friendly with their bosses. They also expect to have a lot of growth in the company and a lot of chances to move up. Some chances being a rating system where if you do something outstanding then you either get a raise, bonus or even a promotion. They also expect the company to be friendly and well respected in the accounting world. They want them to have a good reputation and to be of a size that is suitable for the student. I personally prefer a smaller firm because I enjoy knowing almost everyone and work will be more enjoyable as well. College graduates also expect that the interviewer shows some interest in the interviewee or that turns them away from the company.
Even though the expectations from both parties are different, I still see some of the same ones. For instance, the employers look to see if the employee is interested in the firm and wants to move up and grow in and with the company. The employee also looks for that in a company and sees if there is any room for growth in the company. Another thing both parties share is the expectation of being involved. Employees look to see if the firm is not only involved in accounting but involved in other aspects to like fund raising or charities. The employers expect the students to also be well involved and inspired to help other people.
After all the extensive research I performed on the area of accounting firms and college graduates looking to get hired by an accounting firm I found that the expectations that college graduates have of accounting firms is much more than what the firms have of their students. Overall I found the reason why the demand for accountants exceeds the supply is because the firms are looking for quality rather than quantity and the students are looking for the firm that will meet all of their expectations and if they will not find one then they will keep looking.
Works Cited
"Accountant 1 Salary." Salary.com. Nov. 2008. 10 Nov. 2008
"AICPA Media Center - Frequently Asked Questions." AICPA. The Institute of Certified Public
Accountants. 10 Nov. 2008
Kimmell, Sharon L., Pamela K. Keltyka, and Emeka Ofobike. “Recruiting the Best Accounting
Students in a Tight Market: Some Guidance.” The CPA Journal 78 (2008): 68-71.
"UNIFORM CPA EXAMINATION INFORMATION FOR NEW YORK STATE INITIAL
CANDIDATES." NASBA. National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. 10 Nov. 2008
Reznik, Rema. "Accounting Interview." Telephone interview. 7 Nov. 2008.
This source was from an Interview I conducted with Rema Reznik who is an accountant but not a CPA. I will use this when comparing a CPA to a non-CPA accountant and it should reveal the true facts about accounting. This is probably going to be my most useful source because all the questions that I asked were answered. The opinions expressed in this interview were that of a professional and her own experiences.
Krueger, Alan B. "Does the Financial Crisis Threaten Your Job?" The New York Times 29 Sept.
2008.
This article discusses how the financial crisis that we are in will affect jobs in the accounting fields. This will be very helpful and answer the question that I had if accounting would be affected by this financial crisis. This article came from the New York Times business section and was written by a professional in the field so it is reliable.
Most, Kenneth S. The Future of the Accounting Profession : A Global
Perspective. New York: Quorum Books, 1993.
This book is more recent than the other book. It talks about what is going to happen to accounting and accountants. It also discusses what will happen if the economy was to fall and how that will affect the accountants. Kenneth Most is a professional accountant and is very knowledgeable about the profession of accounting.
Murray, Alan. "Global Integration of Accounting Standards." The CPA Journal 78
(2008): 24-27.
This article is from The CPA Journal. The CPA Journal is one of the most well respected journals in the accounting field. All of the writers for it are accredited and have a lot of knowledge in the area of accounting. This is an interview with Tom Jones who has been an accountant for over 20 years.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Information of Sources
The three sources that I picked are from three different types of sources. One is from a magazine and two are from an online scholar source. They provided me with most of the information that I will need to write about what you can do with an accounting degree. In my research paper I plan on discussing what you can do with an accounting degree compared to what you can do with a CPA. I plan on using some of the information that I found in the sources and developing my own ideas and further researching the topic. I think that the sources that I found already are decent but will not provide me with enough information so I will need to try and come up and research more sources and maybe even use real people as my sources. For example I am going to try to interview someone who just has an accounting degree and then I am also going to interview someone who has a CPA and see what the differences are and where they stand in life. In the future I how to graduate with an accounting degree and then get some work experience and then after that I plan on taking the CPA exam. I hope that this way if I get enough information about the differences of both of them then maybe I will just stick with the accounting degree and not worry about the CPA exam. In conclusion, my information all came from reliable sources and I feel that with this I can go on and further my research and then write my paper.
Works Cited
1. Chris Edwards (2003, February). Corporate accounting: Still evolving after all these years. Ideas on Liberty, 53(2), 41-43. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from Research Library database.
2. Anita Dennis (1998). A good hire is hard to find. Journal of Accountancy, 186(4), 89-96. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from Research Library database.
3. Forbes, Steve. "Two Biggest Things Still To Do." Forbes 13 Oct. 2008: 19-19.
The three sources that I picked are from three different types of sources. One is from a magazine and two are from an online scholar source. They provided me with most of the information that I will need to write about what you can do with an accounting degree. In my research paper I plan on discussing what you can do with an accounting degree compared to what you can do with a CPA. I plan on using some of the information that I found in the sources and developing my own ideas and further researching the topic. I think that the sources that I found already are decent but will not provide me with enough information so I will need to try and come up and research more sources and maybe even use real people as my sources. For example I am going to try to interview someone who just has an accounting degree and then I am also going to interview someone who has a CPA and see what the differences are and where they stand in life. In the future I how to graduate with an accounting degree and then get some work experience and then after that I plan on taking the CPA exam. I hope that this way if I get enough information about the differences of both of them then maybe I will just stick with the accounting degree and not worry about the CPA exam. In conclusion, my information all came from reliable sources and I feel that with this I can go on and further my research and then write my paper.
Works Cited
1. Chris Edwards (2003, February). Corporate accounting: Still evolving after all these years. Ideas on Liberty, 53(2), 41-43. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from Research Library database.
2. Anita Dennis (1998). A good hire is hard to find. Journal of Accountancy, 186(4), 89-96. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from Research Library database.
3. Forbes, Steve. "Two Biggest Things Still To Do." Forbes 13 Oct. 2008: 19-19.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Response To the Quote from Mountains Beyond Mountains
The Quote that I am choosing is from Mountains Beyond Mountains. It was said by Howard Hiatt in Chapter 20, first paragraph, page 181. Howard Hiatt was talking to Tracy Kidder about a drug-resistant TB and said it was no small matter. He said, "At least two million people a year die of TB. And when those people who die include large numbers of people with drug-resistant strains, as will happen unless a very big and good program gets established, it's not going to be two million. That number could be increased dramatically." I picked this quote because Howard Hiatt is so passionate and really wants to change the way things are with TB. I could tell because of the way he is so passionate and worried in his Quote. He says that if things continue the way they are then the death rates will increase dramatically and it will not be a couple million that die but will soon be much much more. He suggests that they need to establish a program that will do research that will help people with a Drug Resistant Tuberculosis.I believe that drug resistant TB is very dangerous just because of the fact that it cannot be treated. If it spreads we would have a worldwide epidemic and there would be nothing we can do about it. When I read this quote for the first time I did not think much of it. When I re-read the chapter that quote shocked me because of how powerful it is. You can tell how passionate he is about finding a cure for the drug resistant TB. He is almost as passionate about helping people as Paul Farmer is about the Haitian people and curing them for any diseases that they might carry or any type of TB that they have. Most people do not understand how serious of an issue this is because most people are not concerned with this topic until it hits them or hits someone who is close to them. Hopefully in most cases the type of TB that hits them or one of their close friends or possibly family member is not drug resistant and hopefully is curable or treatable. And not the type that drugs will not help and the people will most likely get extremely sick and possibly pass away.I wish that people were more like Howard Hiatt and Paul Farmer in the way that they are so passionate and will do whatever it takes to help their cause. If people were more like them then there would be so many more issues that could have been solved or at least helped! I only wish that I can one day be as devoted and passionate about my Job as they are about theirs.In conclusion, I chose this quote said by Howard Hiatt because of how passionate he sounded about finding a cure and developing a program to help treat and prevent a special strand of TB that is Drug Resistant. I believe that he really does not care about it and will do all in his power to try and help establish one of those programs!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Response to Blog
This blog is about the World Trade Organization and how it changed. It discusses how it became nicer compared to how it was ten years ago.
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