Did you ever talk with a career advisor???

amother

Khaki

Tue, May 19 2015, 1:53 pm

So many people give advice to talk to a career advisor… have you ever done it?

I’m at a really bad place in my career. I’m a CPA, but professionally boxed into a niche that I don’t like and in a job I hate. I seriously hate my job, it causes me so much grief and I dread coming into work each day. I’ve tried to make some changes, to work with different managers, but this is a company culture and I haven’t seen any improvement. What I don’t like- super stressful, cutthroat, try to pass blame whenever things go wrong, things like that. And I know not all places are like this because I’ve worked at other jobs before I came here and none of those were like this.

My big problem is that this specific type of accounting is really limited and I wouldn’t be able to find an equivalent job in this field. I’m totally ready to move on, but since I only have experience in this particular area, I would need to go back to a beginner’s level to do any other type of accounting work. Besides the fact that that would mean a huge cut in salary, my experience itself would be a liability in me getting a new job, because who hires someone with 5 years of experience for a starting job?

This is so depressing  I’ve put so many years into my degree and my work and the only out I see now is to quit my job and stay home with the kids, which of course I can’t afford.

So back to my original question- have you ever spoken with a career advisor? Were they helpful or a waste of money? Most important, how do I find someone who’s good and has experience in my field? I’ve been talking with some recruiters and most of them never even heard of the work I do. I need some serious help…

kollel wife

Thu, May 21 2015, 12:25 pm

Can you take on even a small amount of part time work elsewhere which would help you build up your skills, even for no pay if necessary.

Or try to slowly do some learning on your own on-line or with books. Even if you can't accomplish so much it will help you feel you are working towards a goal of improving your situation.

What is your current work, commute schedule etc?

Rubber Ducky

Thu, May 21 2015, 12:32 pm

No advice from me re career counselors, but I'm married to a CPA who has worked in more than one type of accounting and more than one industry...

Is a lateral move possible within the company?

Could you find a similar position in a different company with a more supportive corporate culture?

Could you take CPE classes in a different specialty to broaden your appeal to potential employers?

Could you reduce your hours... and get an MBA or take classes or volunteer to get experience in a different specialty?