# Need some real career advice **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2015, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984 "2015-01-27T05:21:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![blackbolt\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@blackbolt\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackbolt_1987)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/21 "2015-01-28T18:30:52Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I graduated with a 2.5 GPA in a less useful field. I went to law school and it worked out for me, but most of my classmates are still unemployed. So don’t do that. I gave up on the idea of being a lawyer a very long time ago one reason being the unemployment rate in it. ---
**Author:** ![blackbolt\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@blackbolt\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackbolt_1987)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/22 "2015-01-28T18:32:51Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Accounting is a pretty broad skills set that should open a lot of doors in business in general. That is the same thing they were telling us at the college I graduated from. They said that you can do a lot of things with an accounting degree not just accounting but I’m sorry based on my experience so far I think that is nothing but a lie. I have also applied outside of accounting jobs and nothing there. ---
**Author:** ![blackbolt\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@blackbolt\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackbolt_1987)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/23 "2015-01-28T18:34:01Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > I found a great job but I moved halfway across the country to do it. You don’t have to go THAT far, but you might have to look outside your hometown. I and the rest of my family would love to move out of NY for a variety of reasons but right now at the moment I and none of them have the ability to do so, financial being one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/24 "2015-01-28T18:34:25Z")
They tell you “you can do lots of jobs with our degree” in pretty much every field, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![blackbolt\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@blackbolt\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackbolt_1987)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/25 "2015-01-28T18:38:18Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > They tell you “you can do lots of jobs with our degree” in pretty much every field, unfortunately. I was foolish enough to believe them ☹ ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/26 "2015-01-28T19:03:09Z")
> [@blackbolt\_1987](#): > > Yes I have literally sent out hundreds if not way over a thousand resumes and only a few interviews come from it. > > I have had my resume looked at over and over by different people and for the most part they say it’s fine with a few minor alterations. Who exactly was looking at your resume, and were you adjusting your resume for each job you applied to? A resume for one place is often very different from a resume targeted at another place - sounds like you were using the same resume everywhere. And if by “different people”, you mean “different family members with no experience in that field”, their advice was probably worthless. You need someone that actually hires in that field to look at it and tell you why you aren’t getting interviews. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/27 "2015-01-28T19:15:41Z")
If you don’t want to be an accountant, dont. You will suck at it. Seriously. Certain people gravitate towards accounting. I’ve hired a lot of accountants. I find it hard to believe you cant get any work in the field with a degree though. The lowest level of accounting work, an AP clerk or something, really just takes the right attitude and showing up. The interview process is like 20 minutes, with the decision made in the first 2. It sounds like you have no relative job experience, do you? If not, why would any employer hire you as a temp? They may as well get a guy off the street from Craigslist and avoid paying the agency fee. Your comments can be summarized as accounting being something you don’t like, you are not good at, and you are not willing to do the work it takes to be good at or acquire the skills necessary to do so, and you’re not willing to move outside your area to places with more opportunities. All of these are self inflicted. You want advice? Stop being lazy and get your shit together and find something you like enough that you’re willing to put in the effort it takes to get there. ---
**Author:** ![blackbolt\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@blackbolt\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackbolt_1987)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/28 "2015-01-28T19:27:00Z")
> [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > Who exactly was looking at your resume, and were you adjusting your resume for each job you applied to? A resume for one place is often very different from a resume targeted at another place - sounds like you were using the same resume everywhere. > > And if by “different people”, you mean “different family members with no experience in that field”, their advice was probably worthless. You need someone that actually hires in that field to look at it and tell you why you aren’t getting interviews. . Yes I tailor it to each different job and its not my family it has been by actual people in the industry. ---
**Author:** ![blackbolt\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@blackbolt\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackbolt_1987)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/29 "2015-01-28T19:30:16Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > If you don’t want to be an accountant, dont. You will suck at it. Seriously. Certain people gravitate towards accounting. I’ve hired a lot of accountants. > > I find it hard to believe you cant get any work in the field with a degree though. The lowest level of accounting work, an AP clerk or something, really just takes the right attitude and showing up. The interview process is like 20 minutes, with the decision made in the first 2. It sounds like you have no relative job experience, do you? If not, why would any employer hire you as a temp? They may as well get a guy off the street from Craigslist and avoid paying the agency fee. > > Your comments can be summarized as accounting being something you don’t like, you are not good at, and you are not willing to do the work it takes to be good at or acquire the skills necessary to do so, and you’re not willing to move outside your area to places with more opportunities. All of these are self inflicted. You want advice? Stop being lazy and get your shit together and find something you like enough that you’re willing to put in the effort it takes to get there. . I have done everything I can to try to get better at this crap so don’t accuse me of being lazy. I don’t have any money to move or go back to school but I suppose you think that’s no big deal right? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/30 "2015-01-28T20:31:08Z")
Have you considered a military career? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/31 "2015-01-28T22:21:40Z")
Knowing Quickbooks is pretty much a pre-requisite for entry level accounting work as many clients will be sending you financial data as Quickbooks files. It’s like needing to know MS Word if you want to be an office temp. That (1) you did not know this and (2) have made no effort to gain this critical skill gives me the impression you are utterly disengaged from the ground level nuts and bolts of what’s involved in being an entry level accountant. This is especially important as you need to get the first few jobs. After a year or two of work no one will be asking about your GPA only your work history. I have to ask have you gone to any private accountants, not for a job just to chat, maybe take them to lunch, and ask them about what you need to be coming to the table with in terms of skillsets? I would suggest you do this. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/32 "2015-01-28T23:09:56Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > He has a poor GPA. I thought very few employers cared about GPA. It definitely doesn’t belong on a resume except under very unusual circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/33 "2015-01-28T23:13:54Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > The civil service route seems like a good match if you can get hired on. . IRS agent only requires a degree in accounting, so many units. They could care less about your GPA. In fact many entry level Professional level Fed jobs require simple a BA degree. I understand the OP is not fond of accounting, but in actuality you use little of it in most IRS jobs. I have two other suggestions for the OP: 1. Hire a Pro to re-do your resume. 2. Work LinkedIn like a mofo. Get as many contacts and recs as you can. Then looks for jobs there where you are connected in some way. Easy “in”. ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/34 "2015-01-29T02:14:29Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Have you considered a military career? I agree. All the services have Finance officers, budget officers, pay officers whatever. An accounting degree is helpful. The services don’t care about GPA. There’s also auditing. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/35 "2015-01-29T04:06:28Z")
> [@blackbolt\_1987](#): > > . I have done everything I can to try to get better at this crap so don’t accuse me of being lazy. I don’t have any money to move or go back to school but I suppose you think that’s no big deal right? No - you haven’t. You don’t know Quickbooks. You can go to the library and read/learn it. You can study for the exam and pass it, or at least bill yourself as a CPA candidate. Do you know Excel like a master? If not, why not? You can learn it for free. Why haven’t you done these things? Seriously, just being a pro at Excel opens a lot of doors and surprisingly a high number of people going for these positions aren’t power users. I’ve probably hired 30-50 accountants thus far. You can see who likes it, and who doesn’t pretty easily. As an entry level person, a good attitude, presentation/polish, and a demonstration they can learn and have taken the steps to do so goes a long way. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/36 "2015-01-29T04:58:07Z")
> [@blackbolt\_1987](#): > > I have had my resume looked at over and over by different people and for the most part they say it’s fine with a few minor alterations. Who has looked at it? People that make hiring decisions? Also, resumes change over time. When I took career counseling for my master’s one of our assignments was to write our resume. According to the professor, my resume was brilliant (my mom was an office manger and taught me how to write one in high school) and he remarked that I must have learned how to write resumes in the mid 1980s (scarily accurate). So your resume may be 5 or even 10 years out of date stylistically. I learned that in most fields - especially ones where HR acts as a gatekeeper, you should be restyling your resume ever 3-5 years. A couple years ago (so even this might be out of date), there was a return to skills-based resumes which might work will for you except you seem unsure that you could pass the CPA exam. Also, resumes should have hard numbers. You didn’t work for a large company, you worked for a company that generated $1.5 million in profits annually. You didn’t handle several accounts, you were in charge of 12 accounts for outside clients. Also, bullets work well as long as you start with an active verb. And check your social media. Does your Facebook have that picture of groping the drunk girl’s boob at Mardi Gras? Did you tweet out “10 reasons Obama is the worst president EVER”? HR department know to look for that stuff and they WILL find it and you will not get interviewed. ---
**Author:** ![blackbolt\_1987](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@blackbolt\_1987](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackbolt_1987)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/37 "2015-01-29T17:00:50Z")
I don’t post anything controversial online. Look I’m not going to get into an argument here because it’s futile. Fine accounting isn’t for me and I now accept that, I don’t want to waste another minute of my life with this horseshit any longer and don’t have the drive to study it anymore. Now with that said because I sadly can’t un-degree myself how do I get myself out of this hole because as said earlier having this lovely degree is really keeping me from going into another line of work and as said before myself and my family are broke so going back to school isn’t an option at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/38 "2015-01-29T17:28:10Z")
> [@blackbolt\_1987](#): > > …myself and my family are broke so going back to school isn’t an option at the moment. Then why don’t you (and perhaps your family) work on getting un-broke? Get two or three jobs and start socking away money for a while. And then start taking evening classes while holding a daytime job. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/39 "2015-01-29T17:28:24Z")
> [@blackbolt\_1987](#): > > Look I’m not going to get into an argument here because it’s futile. Fine accounting isn’t for me and I now accept that, I don’t want to waste another minute of my life with this horseshit any longer and don’t have the drive to study it anymore. > > Now with that said because I sadly can’t un-degree myself how do I get myself out of this hole because as said earlier having this lovely degree is really keeping me from going into another line of work and as said before myself and my family are broke so going back to school isn’t an option at the moment. OK first of all, I don’t know anyone who is arguing with you. Half of us have tried to help you out by looking at alternatives and the other half are trying to figure out why you’re not getting interview to correct that problem. My 2¢ is that you went into accountacy for a guarantied job. That is NEVER a successful strategy because as others have pointed out - how much passion are you putting into the job hunt? Even if you get a job, how long do you think before you quit. Add to that that you don’t feel you will get a CPA or MBA and I’d have to question what your prospects 5-10-15 years down the road are. So what to do RIGHT NOW. Tax season is coming up so put out a shingle and do peoples taxes (not everyone uses Turbo Tax) and get some money coming in. Check into getting a business teaching credential or even a math credential (if you have enough math credits) in your state. Hmmmm… did you take economics in college for your degree? What about a poly sci class? Maybe you can get a social studies credential. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984/40 "2015-01-29T17:45:46Z")
> [@blackbolt\_1987](#): > > I don’t post anything controversial online. > > Look I’m not going to get into an argument here because it’s futile. Again: IRS agent only requires a degree in accounting, so many units. They could care less about your GPA. In fact many entry level Professional level Fed jobs require simply a BA degree. I understand the OP is not fond of accounting, but in actuality you use little of it in most IRS jobs. I have two other suggestions for the OP: 1. Hire a Pro to re-do your resume. 2. Work LinkedIn like a mofo. Get as many contacts and recs as you can. Then looks for jobs there where you are connected in some way. Easy “in”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-real-career-advice/710984.md?page=3)