Career Goal - Case Study Example

My career goal is to become a professional in the field of study of business administration with a concentration in accounting and finance. I have always been good with numbers and paid close attention to business opportunities and projects. I have the privilege of being raised by a father who become an entrepreneur and had his own contracting business. I wish to complete undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate studies in business administration (accounting and finance).

In order for a person to study and develop professionally in the field of business administration, the subject must have certain traits, skills, and abilities that will allow them to succeed in the practical business world. A student learning business must have good analytical abilities, solid mathematical understanding, good communication skills, and the ability to identify problems and find solutions. Accounting is the discipline in business dedicated to identifying, tracking, recording, and analyzing economic activity. The information is tracked in an accounting information system. In order for a person to succeed in this type of work the individual must be good at following specific procedures and algorithms to perform their job duties.

The specialty I desired to study at the graduate level is international finance. Wall Street has always opened up my curiosity. To me, Wall Street is the place to be as a finance enthusiast, on the other side of the hemisphere the city of London is a place where high-level financial activity is taking place right now. The stock market in both these cities is a main driver of economic activity. The investors in these areas of the world now know exactly how the information involving reporting of financial information will look like since in Europe public must utilize international financial reporting standards while in the United States public entities must follow the generally accepted accounting principles.

According to Salary.com the median starting salary for an Accountant I in the United States is $40,532 (Salary, 2008).  An accountant is a person with an accounting degree working in the private or public sector with zero to two years of experience. The academic requirements for most jobs in finance and accounting are similar in both in the United States and Europe which have an undergraduate degree in business administration. People can work in lower-end jobs in the financial industry with as assistants and clerks with an associate degree. The career prospects for people who enter into these fields of study are endless. As an accountant, a person can work in virtually any existing business since all enterprises need as minimum tax services and bookkeeping compliance. Other jobs with accounting degrees include auditor, consultant, tax specialist, college professor, chief executive officer, and chief financial officer.

Many of the same types of jobs available to accounts people with an undergraduate degree in finance are qualified to do which also may include real estate, brokers, banking services, sales representatives, and financial planning. The demand for people with accounting and finance skills is on the rise. The amount of business worldwide has proliferated with the globalization movement and now in the 21st century with e-business opportunities. People with accounting and financial skills are in high demand and this trend should continue in the next few decades. The best way for people with financial backgrounds to capitalize on the many opportunities available is to license themselves in specialized fields within the finance or accounting profession. In finance, a very profitable license is a certified financial planner. A certified financial planner can easily earn upwards of $100,000 in London or in the United States.