What school did you attend, and when did you graduate?
California State University Stanislaus, and graduated in June of 2008
What degree did you earn? And do you plan to pursue higher degrees? Why or why not?
BS Business, Concentration in Accounting. Yes I plan to pursue a higher degree for personal choices,
and to expand my career opportunities.
Where do you work?
Morning Star Merced
When did you decide to become an accountant?
I decided on pursuing a degree in accounting during my second year at a community college.
Why did you decide to become an accountant?
I decided to become an accountant because I felt I would be a great accountant, specializing in federal
taxes. I also wanted to serve my fellow Hmong community by being a go to person for financial and tax
issues.
If you had it to do all over again, would you still be an accountant? Why or why not?
Yes, and No. Yes, because I know I will be a great asset to any company, but especially to my community.
No, because I would have pursued a degree in a health field.
Do you have to be a math geek in order to be a good accountant? How much math did you have to take in school?
No, you do not have to be a math geek. The highest math course you will need to fulfill the bachelors in
business [degree] is Statistics and Finite.
Do you work by yourself, or are you part of a team?
I am in an office alone, but succeeding in any career means being part of a team.
Do you just have to crunch numbers? Or do you do other things as well?
Yes, I have to crunch numbers, but there are much more responsibilities including accounting for
inventory in storage, and handling customers concerns. Handling issues can take up my entire work day,
because they are so complex. One issue can be that the inventory stored in the warehouse does not
match what I have in my computer system.
Do you have to produce a lot of financial charts and reports for meetings? If so, how difficult and time consuming
were they?
At my current position, no. I do not have to produce financial reports, nor am I in meetings. Eventually in
the higher accounting positions, such as the actual head accountants, controllers, and CFOs, financial
reports are a must. You need to be able to produce one and be able to understand one. They are very
time consuming and requires a great deal of team work.
Please describe a typical day at work for you.
When I get in the office, the first thing I do is log in to my computer systems, check voice messages,
check emails, and check for new orders. Once I respond to all those inquires, then I can start my day. I
handle all new orders for our products by inputting new orders and invoicing shipped orders. I get many
phone calls throughout the day in regards to inventory and other concerns. I also have to schedule
appointments with trucks to pick up loads of our products. Also, I reconcile the products that were
labeled; I do a lot of filing for the company because I am the only office colleague within the entire
warehouse. I also take care of the accounts payable for our warehouse and do deposits for our
warehouse. Typical duties, but tomorrow is always a new day.
Do you have to spend a lot of time at home doing company work?
I try my best to not bring work home, but as an accountant it pretty much is impossible to leave work
and expect that your work is done. I don’t like to wait on anything or want any unfinished work lying on
my table unless it is pending; I am waiting for a response. So as soon as I get a new order, an invoice, or
anything really, I get it done. If not, I know the work will only pile up. Once that happens I will fall behind,
and when the month's end rolls around, I'll have to consider pulling an all-nighter like in college. So the
answer is, "No," but it is very possible.
Was your perception of an accountant’s job accurate? If not, what are the differences?
No, my perception of an accountant's job was not accurate. I always felt it was a 9 to 5 kind of job where
once it was 5 o’clock, I could go home. From past experiences, that is not the case. I’m sure you can, but
your work will not be done. Plus, with many other accountants I know, working overtime is a must. I also
wasn’t aware of all the possibilities or endless opportunities accountants have.
What information about being an accountant do you wish you had known before deciding on this career?
Before deciding on an accountant career, one should do a thorough research on the field. Also, ask
themselves what type of lifestyle they would like. For example, being a mother means you need to be
home and tend to your household. Working 10 hours every day of the week may have a significant
impact on raising a family. Being an accountant requires a lot of patience, because everything you do is
time consuming. Being a cent off, or debiting when you should be crediting will throw off a financial
report.
What advice do you have for students interested in becoming accountants?
Another important factor to consider is, as I’ve mentioned, I wasn’t aware of the endless possibilities.
One should consider what type of work environment and industry one wants to work in. Do you want to
work in the financial/accounting department within a hospital, in a manufacturing company, in a
construction company, for a nonprofit organization, for schools, for CPA firms, or for yourself? Do you
want to become an auditor? Work for the IRS? There are endless possibilities.
When one decides, then it is important to start building that experience. Even though one may hold a
degree, many times employers are looking for two or more years of experience in that industry to go
along with the degree, because a nonprofit organization has different funds versus a construction
company. So, accumulating that experience in the industry you want to make a career is as important
as earning your degree.
Is there anything else you would like students to know about being an accountant?
In today’s economy it is very important to gain the required experience. So, getting an internship is a
must.
California State University Stanislaus, and graduated in June of 2008
What degree did you earn? And do you plan to pursue higher degrees? Why or why not?
BS Business, Concentration in Accounting. Yes I plan to pursue a higher degree for personal choices,
and to expand my career opportunities.
Where do you work?
Morning Star Merced
When did you decide to become an accountant?
I decided on pursuing a degree in accounting during my second year at a community college.
Why did you decide to become an accountant?
I decided to become an accountant because I felt I would be a great accountant, specializing in federal
taxes. I also wanted to serve my fellow Hmong community by being a go to person for financial and tax
issues.
If you had it to do all over again, would you still be an accountant? Why or why not?
Yes, and No. Yes, because I know I will be a great asset to any company, but especially to my community.
No, because I would have pursued a degree in a health field.
Do you have to be a math geek in order to be a good accountant? How much math did you have to take in school?
No, you do not have to be a math geek. The highest math course you will need to fulfill the bachelors in
business [degree] is Statistics and Finite.
Do you work by yourself, or are you part of a team?
I am in an office alone, but succeeding in any career means being part of a team.
Do you just have to crunch numbers? Or do you do other things as well?
Yes, I have to crunch numbers, but there are much more responsibilities including accounting for
inventory in storage, and handling customers concerns. Handling issues can take up my entire work day,
because they are so complex. One issue can be that the inventory stored in the warehouse does not
match what I have in my computer system.
Do you have to produce a lot of financial charts and reports for meetings? If so, how difficult and time consuming
were they?
At my current position, no. I do not have to produce financial reports, nor am I in meetings. Eventually in
the higher accounting positions, such as the actual head accountants, controllers, and CFOs, financial
reports are a must. You need to be able to produce one and be able to understand one. They are very
time consuming and requires a great deal of team work.
Please describe a typical day at work for you.
When I get in the office, the first thing I do is log in to my computer systems, check voice messages,
check emails, and check for new orders. Once I respond to all those inquires, then I can start my day. I
handle all new orders for our products by inputting new orders and invoicing shipped orders. I get many
phone calls throughout the day in regards to inventory and other concerns. I also have to schedule
appointments with trucks to pick up loads of our products. Also, I reconcile the products that were
labeled; I do a lot of filing for the company because I am the only office colleague within the entire
warehouse. I also take care of the accounts payable for our warehouse and do deposits for our
warehouse. Typical duties, but tomorrow is always a new day.
Do you have to spend a lot of time at home doing company work?
I try my best to not bring work home, but as an accountant it pretty much is impossible to leave work
and expect that your work is done. I don’t like to wait on anything or want any unfinished work lying on
my table unless it is pending; I am waiting for a response. So as soon as I get a new order, an invoice, or
anything really, I get it done. If not, I know the work will only pile up. Once that happens I will fall behind,
and when the month's end rolls around, I'll have to consider pulling an all-nighter like in college. So the
answer is, "No," but it is very possible.
Was your perception of an accountant’s job accurate? If not, what are the differences?
No, my perception of an accountant's job was not accurate. I always felt it was a 9 to 5 kind of job where
once it was 5 o’clock, I could go home. From past experiences, that is not the case. I’m sure you can, but
your work will not be done. Plus, with many other accountants I know, working overtime is a must. I also
wasn’t aware of all the possibilities or endless opportunities accountants have.
What information about being an accountant do you wish you had known before deciding on this career?
Before deciding on an accountant career, one should do a thorough research on the field. Also, ask
themselves what type of lifestyle they would like. For example, being a mother means you need to be
home and tend to your household. Working 10 hours every day of the week may have a significant
impact on raising a family. Being an accountant requires a lot of patience, because everything you do is
time consuming. Being a cent off, or debiting when you should be crediting will throw off a financial
report.
What advice do you have for students interested in becoming accountants?
Another important factor to consider is, as I’ve mentioned, I wasn’t aware of the endless possibilities.
One should consider what type of work environment and industry one wants to work in. Do you want to
work in the financial/accounting department within a hospital, in a manufacturing company, in a
construction company, for a nonprofit organization, for schools, for CPA firms, or for yourself? Do you
want to become an auditor? Work for the IRS? There are endless possibilities.
When one decides, then it is important to start building that experience. Even though one may hold a
degree, many times employers are looking for two or more years of experience in that industry to go
along with the degree, because a nonprofit organization has different funds versus a construction
company. So, accumulating that experience in the industry you want to make a career is as important
as earning your degree.
Is there anything else you would like students to know about being an accountant?
In today’s economy it is very important to gain the required experience. So, getting an internship is a
must.
| Accountant Interview |
| Mrs. Thao |
