Career and colleges Choices

Well I have to admit that making a choice that suits my needs is one of the most challenging decisions I ever faced. Yet sooner rather than later, I have to make it. Between my heart and my head, I could not find anything in common. I believe that the ideal does not exist, so I have to create it myself. My ideal choice is the one that suits most of my priorities. I did the decision style window, and I found myself in the window 2, the sacrifice style (Dislike-Practical). It is unusual to have an option that satisfies you in every way. Since my choice might influence others’ lives, I decided to go by priority and do trade off.
I thought that Accounting major was the right choice that suits all my needs. However, when I had my mentor interview, I was shocked when my interviewee mentioned that Accounting diplomat or even CPA form the U.S.A has not credit back in my country. Since I’m planning to go back to my country, Morocco, this becomes a real problem. What should I do?
I had chose Accounting and Finance as majors and I chose Baruch College and New York University as my colleges choices. However, after I read the chapter six in our book “Turning Points” I found out that none of these choices is right for me for the following reasons.
First of all, Accounting major or career is fruitless. Since I’m planning to go back to my country, where only France and Canadian accounting standards are creditable, accounting diplomat form the U.S.A is going to be useless.
Second, Finance major is against my beliefs. When I read the chapter six from “Turning points” written by Ducat, her question, “Does your major fits your principles?” was a big hit for me. I do not know why I did not think about this point. Finance is based on interest, and my religion is against that.
I felt that my three years of research gathering information about these two majors was useless. Nevertheless, I’m really glad that I still have time to find something else that can suit my priorities.
For colleges, Baruch College was my first choice and New York University was my second one, yet when I talked to one of my classmates I found out that having a big name college in my resume can be a big plus. I chose Baruch because it is the best one among CUNY Colleges. However, after that chat I changed my mind.
I’m really glad that CEP121 was an opining eye for me. This class really helped me figure out that what I want is not necessary the right thing to do.
As a result, I started all over again, and I spent my last two weeks looking for new majors that I like and also can suit my needs. I took into my consideration International Business and Economics majors. After all, I feel that I get talents in Business, and I’m welling to improve them in a Business major and International Business and Economics are Business majors.
I still need to do more research about these to new majors, and I still looking for other opportunities and majors.
For colleges, I took in consideration my classmate point of view, especially when I got accepted by New York University, and I had an official letter from Columbia University inviting me for a special academic advising. Baruch College still in my list, but it is my third choice after NYU and Columbia University.
I still need to do a lot of research, and I still need to gather a lot of information, but I feel really comfortable about abandoning Accounting and Finance as majors. After all, I need to watch the ball, if I want to choose the right career because I do not want to waste my time or money redoing things again.

Mentor Interview

I got a mentor interview after calling four companies. It was not easy, I had the same answer three times, “Sorry we are in high session right now, and most of our employees are busy right now.” However, “we are busy, but our manger will be happy to help a LaGuardia student.” Was finally what I was looking for. I meet Mrs. Boubssis Nabila who is the manager in LIC at Wayland, Inc. She is about 33 years old; she graduated from LaGuardia in 2006 major Accounting; also, she got her BBA in Accounting from Roosevelt University IL, Chicago.
Right now she is a CPA candidate, and she is seeking a PHD in Accounting as well. Since I choose accounting, I tried to have as much information as I could. Boubsis and I we had a lunch together, and we spent almost one hour talking about Accounting as a professional career for a mother like me and for women in general, and here is the summary of our interview
She believes that accounting is very good for someone who is seeking good money in a short time. Also, she believes that it’s not boring and not stressful career. Accounting is the number 10th in “The Best Job in 2009”. It’s one of the best jobs in North America in terms of stress level (low), compensation (high) and career placement after graduation (fast). It is easy for a new graduate to find good trainings. Boubsis said,” I found my first job one session before my graduation from Lagcc.” She had a full time training in her CEP 201 class, and the same company hired her after for a full time job.
Boubsis believes that Accounting is all about skills in addition to knowledge. It helps also to learn some skills. Accounting provides the means for organizing, summarizing and interpreting information about economic activities within companies and organizations; and I can tell from her Disk that she is very neat. Also, she said Accounting is not just all about data and numbers; Accountants play a critical and ever-changing role in processing by providing relevant information to decision-makers and by acting as advisors in its interpretation. Accountants engage in a wide variety of activities besides preparing financial statements and recording business transactions including computing costs and efficiency gains from new technologies, participating in strategies for mergers and acquisitions, quality management, developing and using information systems to track financial performance, tax strategy, and health care benefits management. Accountants are needed within business organizations to provide information to business managers and to control business operations.
In addition, she believes that there are so many job opportunities in Accounting major. Many persons with an Accounting background work in the public sector. Government accountants and auditors maintain and examine the records of government agencies and audit private businesses and individuals whose activities are subject to government regulations or taxation. Accountants can also work independently of businesses as public accountants providing management services, taxation advice and independent audit service, which lend credibility to financial and other information.
I asked her that I needed more information on the different types of accountants, needed schooling hours, and the salary range, and how I do not want to be going to school for a long time, and how my major can affect my responsibility since I have a family to care for. Which type would be the best for me? I'm interested in either, certified public accountant or a chartered accountant, is there any other type; also, I asked about the other side of accounting career- negative side-
She said that it depends on what type of accounting I go into. Typically accounting requires a 4 year college degree. If the person wishes to become a CPA that requires an additional 30 credit hours, so basically it requires a Masters degree that can usually be done in 1 year after receiving a bachelor.
Accountants for one of the Big 4 accounting firms usually make the most money. She thinks it's about 40-50K to start; it's possible to make $100K after 5-7 years. However, the hours are long and it can be very stressful especially around tax season.
If a person wishes to do accounting for the government/non profit a CPA is usually not required pay is usually less she thinks for the fed government he or she may start at about 35-40K depending on the location. However government jobs usually have better vacation/health benefits and you only work 40 hours a week.
Accounting is a safer career; it’s worth bearing in mind that accountants are in perennial short supply. Furthermore, Boubsis feels very sure that her chose to Accounting as a career is very wise decision; Accounting jobs are plentiful even in the current weak economy and the money for well trained accountants is good. Taxes, audits, bookkeeping will always need to be done. With the various financial scandals in recent years, the field has expanded.
Accounting is a very good career for people how likes numbers and cannot work under stress all time. It takes four years to have a BBA in Accounting. Accountants can make good money. However, I found out that CPA and Accounting in general do not have any credit back in my country. Morocco considers France and Canadian Accounting standards instead. Therefore, and because I want to go back to my country; or any place in North Africa, the Middle East, or Europe; any diplomat of Accounting will be fruitless.
After three years of research about accounting, I found out that BBA in Accounting or even CPA is not worth it for me, and I have to start over looking for a career that not only fit my needs but also it can be creditable back in my country.

Successful Person Interview Report

Well in life we meet people everyday; some of them might influence our lives in different ways and some just pass through like shadows.
In this successful job interview report, I have an example of a self-made person. I met this person accidentally four years ago in JFK airport, and we become the best friend ever after.
I have done this Interview last year in on of my Urban Study classes, and I’m using the same person because it is an example of how a person should be, and how believing in yourself can be a real motive to success .
Nabil Zahmoul is from Tunis the Capital of Tunisia. He has been in the U.S for more than Twelve years. NABIL is 39 years old. He is a well known and an important person in The Middle East Currency Market, a part of Europe and Canada. He is a graduate student from IHES (Number 1 Business school in Tunisia) in Business Administration; major Marketing. He worked as a Marketing Director in his country before he moved to New York. He studied the computer science at Pace University. He got the series 3 exam (an exam administered by NFA (the National Futures Association)) which is a very important exam in the forex market. He is currently preparing for CFA designation (chartered financial analyst), and he is MBA student in NYU. Nabil or McNabil is now the Head of Business development at CMS. He speaks French, Arabic, Italian, and English languages. I had an interview with Mr. Nabil in his office at CMS (Capital Market Services) which is located at 64th floor the Empire State Building.
Mr. Zahmoul explained to me how had it was for him to start all over again; however, it not impossible. As he used to say,” when there is a will there is a way.” When first I met him he said, “It is never too late to start over, and if you can not do something, change you way how you looking at it.” and I never forgot his saying.
From a Director in marketing Mr. Zahmoul found himself as a busboy in downtown Manhattan, and after spending more than eight years as a yellow taxi driver, he found a job as a real state agent, and then a retails sales person in CMS before he became the Head of Business development.
Nabil thought me a lot of things about living in New York. He was the one who influenced my life in a good way. When I got the blues sometimes, he was the one supporting me to start over again.
Mr. Nabil explained to me the Forex Market when I decided to trade currencies. The Forex market is the most liquid market in world; more than 4 trillion dollars are traded daily.
Mr. Nabil made it clear for me that education is a key for success in this country, and it is not a piece of cake. It is very challenging to leave everything you had before and come to another country and started all over again. However, it is the right way. It is a long one, but definitely it leads a person to a good ending. In lease the person has other talents, so he or she can use them to improve his or her living.
I was really glad to have Nabil as a friend. He was really helpful, and he was the one who convinces me that success after straggles is very tasty, and believing in yourself is a key to success.