Can a finance major do accounting work without an accounting degree?
Frosty asked:
Can a finance major that graduated college get into accounting if he or she starts at an entry level accounting job and steadily works up through training??
Can a finance major that graduated college get into accounting if he or she starts at an entry level accounting job and steadily works up through training??
Tags: Accounting Degree, Accounting Finance, Entry Level Accounting Job
December 13th, 2009 at 7:17 am
I don’t think so, you have to be a CPA to do that kind of stuff.
I could be wrong though.
Good luck
December 15th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Depends what amount of accounting coursework you’ve taken. That’s really what’s going to be the linchpin of whether you qualify for accounting jobs, even entry level ones. Employers will want you to have taken, at minimum, an intermediate financial accounting sequence, intermediate cost accounting, taxation sequence, and an auditing course. Finance does not cover these things. And yes, they WILL ask for your transcripts to ensure you aren’t lying. So if you want to do accounting, ensure you take these courses. If you haven’t and already graduated, you may be able to go back and take the courses piecemeal, or some schools offer an accelerated certificate program in accounting for grads who have a bachelors degree in anything.
Edit: People here are confusing other positions with that of true accounting. Working with payroll, or an accounts receivables clerk does not constitute accounting; you can get these jobs with just a HS diploma. This is like saying a custodian is a chemist because they work and mix cleaning solutions together. Clearly not the case. Just as a chemist needs the academic background, so does one who works in accounting.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:08 am
Yes, you can. But you should have at least some knowledge in accounting to do it. You don’t have to have a CPA to work in accounting, but it’s definitely preferred by any employer.
December 18th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Yes… Yes… and YESSSS!!!! I came out of college with a BBA in Economics. I currently work as a Staff Accountant at a small high tech company in Atlanta that is made up of about 100 employees. The pay isn’t bad given the fact that I have been out of school for less than 2 years ($42K). I would like to emphasize that you must tell your prospective employer that you are willing to learn, and that you have the ability to learn quickly. I also emphasized my analytical background and how economics is very similar to accounting. That was definitely one major key to me selling them on hiring me, the unconventional candidate…. Great profession…… I must say that I would hate to be in some shaky profession like sales….. Good Luck!!!!!
December 21st, 2009 at 5:02 pm
In this job market employers have their choice of candidates. If it’s a true accounting position the employer will likely look for a candidate with an accounting rather than a finance degree.
Some jobs are really not accounting positions but involve things like preparing spreadsheets and analysis of data, maybe some light financial statement preparation. These are the kinds of positions where a finance major may fit. But a true accountant, especially one in a public accounting firm, should have the academic training in accounting.