Hello everybody.
I’m a career IT type person who’s become fed up with both his job (network admin) and the overall industry. I have a better-than-good grasp on math and am quite skilled with documentation/technical writing. I’ve been called "anal retentive" "over zealous" and "obsessive" when it comes to details. I don’t like loose ends. I don’t leave work half finished and I’m not shy about staying up past the wee (and some times not so wee) hours to make things right. But, more often I’m being treated as an expense, rather than an asset by (ironically) accountant and HR types. And, well…I’m not feeling too secure about my employment. But, that’s another story.
I’ve had it… I’m not going back, and I want something better.
Fortunately, I do have the free time and money that will enable me to return to school. At the moment, I have a technologist’s diploma, but plan to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration (accounting) and will take full advantage of any internships/co-op/summer work that I can get.
As far as the future goes…I’m not really set on private or public work. I’ll take the work where I can get it. I know it’s going to be competitive. I’m prepared to sell myself. But, I have some specific concerns and would appreciate any feedback.
- As a newly minted CA (chartered accountant) what kind of job prospects can I hope for?
- I will be 34-36 years old by the time I’m through with the education, accreditation. Will this hurt me? Is there any kind of age bias I should be aware of?
- I understand that a background in accounting is looked upon favorably when a person is trying to cross fields. I’ve always been interested in financial research and analysis, but am wary of taking the "finance" route for my degree. There seems to be about a billion primadonna, wall street wannabe finance grads out there with eyes on the same job.
I dunno, guys. There are a lot of options out there and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. I want to have a new skill set that’s practical, marketable and appreciated. Something that will get me in the door to more than just one specific role. I want a little more respect, and a little more mobility in my work. I’ve always been that guy in the back room with the desk piled high with….whatever. I can handle the workload. It just has to be….different.
So? What do you guys think? Am I viable in this job? Do my demands sound reasonable?

