I want to take some accounting classes and was wondering where the best place to start is. Any advice?
Any bean counters here?
by TweetieBird 3 Replies latest jw friends
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Jade
I think it depends on whether you are wanting an accounting degree or just a better understanding. If your goal is an accounting degree, then start with principles of accounting classes. If you just want a better understanding most colleges have accounting managment classes for the non-accountant.
Good luck with your classes!
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devinsmom
I just got done with 2 accounting classes that are required for my business degreee and boy were they hard! I hope you like to be challenged because these two classes were the hardest Ive ever had in college. Good luck!
-April
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Rod P
TweetieBird,
You have not indicated what country you are residing in. This is relevant in order to advise you what possible pathways you can pursue.
If you want to apply these skills in a job or career, here are a few guidelines.
If you wish to work more at the Secretarial level for small businesses, then one or two basic courses in bookkeeping should suffice. Girl Friday type positions usually involve duties as Secretary-Receptionist, where you handle correspondence, filing, telephone answering, and simple bookkeeping like maintaining the owner's cheque book, writing cheques, making deposits, billing customers (invoices) on sales/revenue and paying bills (payables). This position, however, can also be a small business with an Office Manager (usually an accountant type), and you would work under him/her.
Also, some job opportunities do exist with larger organizations that would be able to use bookkeeping skills. These are ones where you would maintain and accounts payable system, or an accounts receivable system, which would be under the supervision of an Accountant or Comptroller.
On the other hand, if you wanted a more challenging career, you will need to have a more in-depth background and training. You will need to understand banking, payables, receivables, inventory systems, payroll, taxation, preparing journal entries and period/year-ending journal entries, closing a set of books, budgeting, cash flows, financial statements, cost accounting, management accounting, financial accounting, accounting systems and accounting & auditing principles and standards. In addition you will have to understand business english, business law, statistics, economics, taxation, and even take a course in public speaking. Also, there are a number of computerized accounting systems out there designed for small businesses, for which you will have to complete certain courses. Obviously, to go this route, you will be pursuing a professional career path which can be quite rewarding, but which for others, becomes quite frustrating and challenging.
Some programs can be done by home study, allowing you to work at your own pace while still being able to work for a living. This will also allow you to decide along the way if this is really what you want to do with your life. Others involve taking the first couple of years in a College, and then later transferring to a University to earn a degree. The sky is the limit, but you must determine what it is that you want to pursue.
Rod P.