Asking A Lot Of Questions Is Key When Just Starting Out
Steven M. Packer is a CPA and a senior manager with over 30 years of experience in accounting, auditing, human capital management and more. He concentrates on tax and accounting compliance and review, business development activities, and litigation consulting at Duane Morris LLP.
What kind of degree is needed to secure a job in your field?
"In order to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and, by definition, valued and skilled business manager, a degree in accounting is most appropriate since accounting is the language of business. In order to become eligible to sit for the National Uniform CPA Examination, candidates must be a college graduate with a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Candidates must have completed at least 24-semester credits in accounting subjects, including accounting and auditing, business law, finance, or tax subjects sanctioned by the PA State Board of Accountancy. Candidates can sit for the CPA Exam with less than 150 overall credit hours, however, they will be required to complete all 150 (essentially a master's degree) before they are eligible to apply for CPA licensure in Pennsylvania. Then, candidates have 18 months to pass all four parts of the exam, beginning when the first section is passed. You don't have to be a CPA to be an effective business manager, but the designation adds a level of credibility and knowledge to your skill set."
What's the most challenging aspects of your job?
"Being a trusted business advisor and business manager for your clients is challenging, as multiple skill sets are required. You must understand all aspects of your client's business, what makes them 'tick,' what motivates them, and the idiosyncrasies of their particular business, which can be quite varied across different industries. Most importantly, one must learn and develop top-notch listening skills. One of the things our clients expect from us is to be their trusted business advisor, providing advice and solutions in many different areas, from accounting to tax and general business operations and management."
After graduation, how hard was it to transition into the working world?
"For me, it was rather easy as I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in a variety of different businesses while in school, before internships were common practice so, upon graduation, I was already in tune with how business functioned and was ready to apply my skills learned in the classroom to the real world. I studied for and passed the CPA exam relatively quickly after graduation so that I was able to supplement classroom knowledge with advanced business concepts so that I could comprehensively apply what I learned in school and during exam preparation to the real world."
What advice would you give someone who is pursuing a career as a business manager?
"My advice to people starting out today would be to secure as much experience as you can while in school in a variety of different business settings, as this will make the transition much easier, asking a lot of questions and absorbing as much information as you can along the way. Also, while in school, develop and practice effective listening, writing and communication skills, as these will serve you well. Also, take some classes in unrelated fields to provide you with a comprehensive view of the world. Be sure to learn and understand the software and technology needs applicable to your field, because in order to be an effective and successful business manager and trusted business advisor, you need an understanding of how the business runs from a technology perspective, what happens in the back room, and how you can improve internal processes."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/
