Anyone here a financial analyst or personal financial advisor?

[OREOSpeedwagon]

I'm having a lot of difficulty deciding what to do with my life and I think this job may be for me. I would like some opinions from people that are in this field to make sure it's not something I would seriously want to steer clear of though. Also what kind of major is best for these? I'm looking at the 04-05 Occupational Outlook website and it says "business administration, accounting, statistics, or finance." I'm assuming a finance major would be the best, but honestly I don't know a whole lot about it which is why I'm asking here 🙂 Any help would be appreciated.

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

anyone? c'mon there has to be at least one here 😛

 

[PoPPeR]

well obviously being a finance major makes sense. From what i've been told, accounting majors learn a lot of what finance majors learn, and not vice versa, so if you are pretty undecided then accounting may be of interest to you. Again, from what I've been told, it's pretty hard to get a position in any sort of financial firm if you aren't an accounting/finance major or empahsis these days. I could be wrong, but i'm applying for transfer into undergrad business schools right now and this is just the advice i've been given.

 

[PoPPeR]

and why exactly do you think being a financial analyst or personal financial advisor is the right type of job for you? Just wondering, because I have a lot of business major friends and sometimes I really wonder why the hell they chose what they did.

As for me, I'm a (prospective) accounting major. I inherited the workaholic gene from my dad, and have spoken with many CPA's about their work lives and lifestyles and it just fits who I am. Not to mention the money is good as well.

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
well obviously being a finance major makes sense. From what i've been told, accounting majors learn a lot of what finance majors learn, and not vice versa, so if you are pretty undecided then accounting may be of interest to you. Again, from what I've been told, it's pretty hard to get a position in any sort of financial firm if you aren't an accounting/finance major or empahsis these days. I could be wrong, but i'm applying for transfer into undergrad business schools right now and this is just the advice i've been given.

If I understand this right, it sounds like an accounting major would make more sense. if I can't get a job as a financial analyst/PFA then the option of a CPA would still be open (which I would get if I decided to go into accounting), right?

edit: Honestly, I've looked around at all kinds of careers and this just feels right to me. I've thought about going into accounting but kind of put it in my group of ones I might look more into later.

 

[DaWhim]

make sure you like what you do and not just for the money.

this is a site you should check out. Certified Financial Analyst

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Originally posted by: DaWhim
make sure you like what you do and not just for the money.

this is a site you should check out. Certified Financial Analyst

Thanks, I will certainly check that site out. I'm just looking for an interesting job that I would enjoy (well, at least part of the time) and this seems like something I could see myself doing.

 

[PoPPeR]

Well states requirements to become CPA's are different. IIRC though, most if not all states require a substancial amount of "real" experience before you are allowed to take the exam. The exam is also so difficult that they allow you to pass it in parts. I think Arizona State's website said national passing rate last year was %16.

Also from what I've been told, is that you don't want to go into accounting unless you are sure you want to be an accountant, because it takes a specific type of person to be one and if you're not that person, then you're life is going to be miserable times 10. If CPA is lurking around, I'm sure he has some sort of input into the whole situation. And I KNOW we have some finance/accounting majors around OT that have some more experienced advice for you.

 

[Jumpem]

What about accounting major with finance minor, or the reverse.

 

[DaWhim]

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
and why exactly do you think being a financial analyst or personal financial advisor is the right type of job for you? Just wondering, because I have a lot of business major friends and sometimes I really wonder why the hell they chose what they did.

As for me, I'm a (prospective) accounting major. I inherited the workaholic gene from my dad, and have spoken with many CPA's about their work lives and lifestyles and it just fits who I am. Not to mention the money is good as well.

I have some business major friends and something I really wonder why the hell they chose what they did, too.

if you really think accounting is what fits you, wait till when you work. for me, I totally hated it when I interned in the GAAP division of the 2nd largest brokerage firm in us.

 

[PoPPeR]

Originally posted by: DaWhim

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
and why exactly do you think being a financial analyst or personal financial advisor is the right type of job for you? Just wondering, because I have a lot of business major friends and sometimes I really wonder why the hell they chose what they did.

As for me, I'm a (prospective) accounting major. I inherited the workaholic gene from my dad, and have spoken with many CPA's about their work lives and lifestyles and it just fits who I am. Not to mention the money is good as well.

I have some business major friends and something I really wonder why the hell they chose what they did, too.

if you really think accounting is what fits you, wait till when you work. for me, I totally hated it when I interned in the GAAP division of the 2nd largest brokerage firm in us.

yeah, well of course no one really knows if they'll end up liking what they do, but I'm as sure as I can be that at this point in my life, accounting is the most logical and desireable career for me. That may change the second I start my upper division classes, and if so... then that sucks for me (and my tuition paying parents).

 

[DaWhim]

Originally posted by: PoPPeR

Originally posted by: DaWhim

Originally posted by: PoPPeR
and why exactly do you think being a financial analyst or personal financial advisor is the right type of job for you? Just wondering, because I have a lot of business major friends and sometimes I really wonder why the hell they chose what they did.

As for me, I'm a (prospective) accounting major. I inherited the workaholic gene from my dad, and have spoken with many CPA's about their work lives and lifestyles and it just fits who I am. Not to mention the money is good as well.

I have some business major friends and something I really wonder why the hell they chose what they did, too.

if you really think accounting is what fits you, wait till when you work. for me, I totally hated it when I interned in the GAAP division of the 2nd largest brokerage firm in us.

yeah, well of course no one really knows if they'll end up liking what they do, but I'm as sure as I can be that at this point in my life, accounting is the most logical and desireable career for me. That may change the second I start my upper division classes, and if so... then that sucks for me (and my tuition paying parents).

actually, take some classes like intro to philosophy and normative ethics. you may open up your eyes to see the world broader.