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| *Ostroff, Fair and Company>>>Financial Services |
Is 32 yrs. old too late for a career change to accounting/financial management? |
I have 5 yrs background in e-learning industry as a designer of industry and gov't training material. My degrees are BA linguistics and MEd in educational technology. For my master's degree, I did take courses in financial management and systems theory (applied to non-profit orgs such as schools, etc.) but basically I'd be starting from zero with basic accounting courses, and a 2nd masters degree (MBA, MAcy). Will I be out of a place (just call me "gramps":) as an entry-level accountant along with 22-30 year olds at a big 4 firm? Advice for breaking into this field for an until-now academic and soft-skills guy who is good at numbers and detailed analysis? I just came out the Big 4. They are so diverse that it is highly improbable that you will start out entry level. In the Big 4, you will probably need to get the CPA to move into mgnt. (I had no desire to move into mgnt, so I left). Plus, the Big 4 environment SUCKS! (I will change careers before I work in public accounting ever again, imo) Another certification route is the CMA (Certified Management Accountant). With that designation, you don't need the 150hr requirement, and you don't need a degree specifically in accounting! (you just need a bach. degree - in ANY field). But that exam is hard..really hard! (there are a lot more business topics on that exam than there is on the CPA). Go to www.imanet.org for more details. Combine the CMA w/ an MBA, and you'll be knocking down doors! I know too many accountants who work in this profession who don't have that "accounting" degree. Well, Gramps, No you are not too old to change a career. Matter of fact I am over 40 and changing mine as we speak. Employers like to see well educated, mature adults. Though, I will tell you this, Employers like to hire younger because they do not require a higher salary. Mature older adults usually have a family and need to support them. Hiring manager for a larger company! It's never too late to change careers. I'm on my sixth now. Take all your experience and apply it to the next. It is absolutely not too late to change careers, especially if you can offer an employer a ready, willing and able to learn employee. They like that you know! At your age, you are coming into a period called the I Know What I Want Now. The period should be followed by the Now I'm Going to Go For It! period. Alongside, this period is that wonderful time known as the Now, I'm Happy period. I can only imagine that you will be a wonderful employee in your field of choice as you will bring enthusiasm, To thineself be true. life and a career change at that about the same age. No way!! You are still incredibly young by many people's standards. I broke into the financial industry in my 30s. |
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