CAREER DILEMMA OF AN ACCOUNTING GRADUATE WITH PASSION FOR WRITING

Dear Maria

Your dilemma is not strange. Many people face similar dilemma. I will try and respond in an outline.

1, I agree with you that by the time you finish your NYSC, you would have had a clearer picture of what you want to do. So take your time to ponder well. Yet, I will try and give my best advice below based on experience.

2, Let me tell my own story: I love writing (although my genre of writing – political essays, articles etc – is different from yours – stories) , right from primary school. But I never for once thought of making a career in writing. I wanted to be an economist/banker, hence I went to study economics in the university. I loved economics because I could relate with most of what was being taught there in everyday activity. Right from secondary school, I hated accounting, which I found abstract. The dislike continued throughout university.

During NYSC, I decided to write ICAN exams, not because I wanted to become an accountant, but just not to be study-rusty during my service year. By the time I completed my NYSC, I had passed the first stage of ICAN and was expecting result for the second stage. I put it on my CV and threw my CV around.

Guess what? The first test I was invited for shortly after my NYSC was an accounting job (because they saw ICAN student-membership on my CV). I got the job. I had no option than to like accounting – contrary to my lifetime plan. I ended up as an accountant and I have almost a decade experience in accounting jobs now. I never got opportunity to use the economics I studied in school, and ended up using accounting that I never thought I would even ever know anything about.

Still, my passion for writing never waned. I continued writing and contributing to discourses, publishing articles in newspapers (on subjects far from my profession of accounting and academic background of economics). I made use of social media (Nairaland, Facebook, blogs etc) to express myself on this extra-professional interest. To God be the glory, this website is a product of that passion.

3, So given the above, I will say, start ICAN as planned. You never can tell when it’s going to be useful. You don’t like it now, you may like it later. I now like accounting. It may even define your career.

4, Yet, don’t ignore your passion for writing. Find every avenue to hone your writing skills. Whether you get accounting job or not, it does not stop you from using that writing skill. This website (and a startup built from it) doesn’t have anything to do with my day job of accounting. It is as a result of passion.

5, There is absolutely no harm in loving cooking. Nothing to judge you for, here. In fact, it’s a great skill. TY Bello studied economics in the university, but has passion for photography. Today, she’s a world class photographer that gets photography jobs in the highest places, including presidential events.

6, Don’t be scared of not being able to cope if you get accounting job. Don’t be surprised that even the smartest inexperienced graduates entertain this fear. The truth is, almost any average graduate can cope in any job. Your employer will not expect you to know everything about accounting as an entry level intake. With your smartness in composing this email, I assure you that you will cope. For most entry level jobs, you just need to be smart. Even a first class accounting grad and multiple award winning chartered accountant still needs training when he gets the job. As at the time I got my first job – an accounting role – I hated accounting and knew nothing in practice other than some theory I read in textbook. In fact, I used to mix debit and credit up in journals! So, sister, don’t be scared. No, just don’t be shy to ask questions when you get an accounting job. Trust me, these things are not as hard as you think. People that are not half as smart as you cope.

7, If you eventually decide to get accounting job, I will advise you look out for opportunities in companies that value training – KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young, Deloitte and other accounting firms.

8, On owning business, when you’re ready, get a good MBA. But beyond classroom study, start reading about businesses now. Regular read websites like entrepreneur.com, forbes, inc.com, wall street journal etc. Read good books, too.

9, No harm in exploring career opportunities in other climes too – Dubai in particular.

10, Generally, just take your time during NYSC to think through all these. Read well. Just pick the route that interests you most and pursue it. Career path isn’t always straightforward for anyone.