Accounting Careers: Speaking the Language of Business

Name: Toni Miller
Job Title: Accounting Manager
Where: Kent, WA - USA
Years of Experience: 15
Education: High school and some college
Annual Salary: Interested in accounting careers or an auditing career? See PayScale's Research Center to learn more about careers in accounting and accounting salaries.
 

Accounting involves more than just crunching numbers. Businesses use accounting methods to translate their day-to-day activities into financial variables, and then analyze issues such as efficiency and productivity. The idea of analyzing financial information may cause some people to yawn, but accounting careers can be both challenging and rewarding. In this Salary Story, you'll meet Toni Miller, an accounting manager who plays an important role in her company. Actually, her job involves several roles and numerous responsibilities, as Toni describes in the following interview.

Toni offers advice on how to prepare for an accounting career and what to expect from an accounting manager position. She gives an insider's look at what accounting careers are really like and discusses the top challenges she faces on the job. If you're a problem-solving whiz looking for a career in finance or business, don't miss this interview!

Job description of an Accounting Manager:

I work for a small, family owned wholesaler. There are four individuals in my department. I oversee the day-to-day accounting operations. I manage accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, bank accounts, payroll, financial statements and other duties as assigned. I've worked myself into the position as the "go to" person, due to my willingness to help and my longevity with the company.

Some of my daily tasks include: reconciling bank accounts and managing cash flow for inventory purchases, reviewing accounts receivable to make sure we are billing our customers correctly, and reviewing accounts payable to verify we are expensing payments into the correct general ledger account. There are many opportunities to help the bottom line in the reviews I do. I also end up doing some human resource work. The accountants in small companies usually end up with the HR functions. And I compile the financial statements each month.

PayScale: What motivated you to pursue an accounting career?
I started my career in accounting by accident. Originally, I wanted an active job. I joined the Coast Guard and thought I'd be a rescue swimmer or something exciting. Due to physical limitations, I ended up behind a desk. Accounting was one of the few choices available. But it's turned out to be a good thing. I ended up starting in the accounting field and learning as I went along. What has motivated me to continue is the wide range of work that accounting careers permit. With accounting careers, people can work at an entry-level position, be a CFO, or work anywhere in between. All businesses need accountants. So, there's a lot of variety to choose from in accounting careers.

Web Designer Salary - Consultant

Name: Wayne
Job Title: Web Designer/Consultant
Where: Vancouver, BC - Canada
Current Employers: Goldrea  Resources Inc. Molycor Gold Corp., Rocher Deboule Minerals Corp., Adanac  Molybdenum Corp.
Years of Experience: 5
Education: Computer programming degree,  multimedia design certificate, and master's degree.
Other Relevant Experience: 15 years data processing.
Annual Salary: What is the yearly salary for a web designer? See PayScale's Research Center for the starting salary for a web designer and to research more web designer career opportunities.

At one moment or another, everyone has dreamed of becoming their own boss. While it is certainly possible, some professions are more suitable than others when it comes to working from home.  If you're a police officer, chances are you won't be setting up shop from a home office any time soon. However, if you're involved in creative design or consulting, becoming your own boss may be more feasible.

This salary story tells the career biography of a web site designer who provides web consultancy services to multiple businesses. As his own boss, Wayne only has one complaint - he has to boss himself around. But it's not all that bad considering that he not only sets his own hours, but also earns a decent web designer salary.

Job description of an Web Designer Consultant:

As a web designer, I’ve designed four websites, and handled all aspects from concept to graphics, animation, coding and scripting. I am also responsible for providing ongoing website support. I perform changes and updates to reflect the evolving nature of companies. I also manage and monitor the web presence of companies, with special attention to web 2.0 strategies through blogs, forums, etc. Then, I also help develop web branding, through logo and image design, as well as digital advertising.

PayScale: What motivated you to become a web designer consultant?
I had two primary motivations leading me to become a web designer consultant. My first motivation was to use as many of my talents as possible. I’m naturally inclined toward design and enjoy creating things. I also like to communicate, articulate, and coordinate. Being a web designer consultant allows me to use all of my natural inclinations, to provide solutions and serve.

My second motivation to become a web designer consultant was that I wanted to work for myself. I traded the benefits package for being my own boss (to some degree). I get to work from home and choose my hours, which is only tempered by being on-call at all times.

Environmental Lawyer Salaries

Name: Stu Flashman
Job Title: Environmental Lawyer
Where: Oakland, CA - USA
Current Employer: Self-Employed
Years of Experience: 18
Education: Brown University - B.A. and Sc.M. in Biology; Harvard University - Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; New College of California - J.D.
Other Relevant Experience: Ten years as a Research Biologist (it helps with the science in Environmental Law).
Annual Salary: See PayScale's Research Center to find lawyer starting salaries, and compare lawyer salaries by city.

Things don’t always work out according to plans. Stu Flashman studied biology at Brown University, earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Harvard and then went to work as a biotech researcher. Then, when he was laid off after ten years in the field, Stu came to the realization that he’d embarked on the wrong career path. In a case like this, what can you do, other than alter your course and make the best of it? That’s exactly what Stu did. He went to law school, passed the bar, and used his biotech research background to launch a career in environmental law.

Although it took Stu several years to get himself established as a solo environmental lawyer, he now experiences numerous rewards from his work. He gets to select his own clients, take cases he cares about, and see his work positively affect the community. Now, with 18 years of experience as an environmental lawyer, Stu's salary reaches far beyond the original $15,000 he made in his first year of legal practice.

Job description of an Environmental Lawyer:

I'm a solo practitioner, specializing primarily in land use and environmental law. I do everything: client intake, interviewing, and screening; case analysis; representation during administrative processes; litigation (trial court & appellate); legal research, drafting, oral argument, settlement negotiations, etc.; clerical work (e.g., answering phone, typing, filing, billing, etc.)

PayScale: How did you get started as an environmental lawyer?
I spent ten years as a Biotech Researcher, first in academia, then in industry. Then I got laid off and realized that my particular sub-specialty had become somewhat of a dead-end. After spending a year or so as a consultant, I decided to make a career change.

I'd gotten involved politically in my city of residence, ending up serving a short term on the city council. After that, my continuing involvement led me to learn some municipal law and then some environmental law as I followed what the city was doing. At one point, I decided the city was violating state environmental laws, and spoke up in front of the city council. One council member looked down at me from the dais and said, "What do you know? You're not an attorney." After I was laid off, those words got me thinking maybe I should become an attorney. So, I took the LSAT, scored well, applied to a local law school, got my degree, and passed the bar.

I had thought that after earning my law degree, I'd go to work for a public interest environmental group. However, when I finally got out, I found there were no jobs, so I decided to just "hang out my shingle." The first couple of years were tough, and I was lucky that my wife had a decent job. (My first year, I made about $15K.) A lot of my work initially was contract employment -- working for other attorneys. As time went on, some of those attorneys' clients became mine, and eventually my practice got established, mostly by word-of-mouth.