HR OR ACCOUNTING?

Hello Jarus,
It’s really overwhelming to be able to get career advice for free courtesy of your blog. May God increase you in health, wealth, fame, wisdom and worship.

My name is Tola and I’m a 2.1 graduate of Management and Accounting.

I landed in the commercial line because my Dad wanted me to go into sciences which I knew I couldn’t cope with and because I wanted to avoid the general belief that Art students are lazy and dull.

Accounting and Economics are the top courses in that line so I opted for Accounting because it’s more professional. I happened to pass O.A.U pre-degree and I landed in accounting.

But I must confess it is only Allah’s blessing that has made me eventually graduate with a 2.1 in accounting as I usually struggled with the financial courses and was better off in the managerial courses. I developed a flair for human resource in my 4th year and I enrolled for a training in Human Resource Business Professional(HRBP). I haven’t written the exam yet though because it’s not really recognized. I have since then killed every feeling of writing ICAN, part of it is because I dread it and part of it is because I hate ICAN because of the way my friends fail after giving in so much.

I’m in a huge fix here now because my Dad wants me to write that ICAN by all means and he feels that it’s the prerequisite to me landing a very big and attractive job. We’ve fought over it as I have always constantly said I want to venture into HR. He has also called uncles and aunts who have advised me to write ICAN considering the economy of Nigeria and the fact that HR is something almost anybody with good interpersonal relations can venture into without any certification.
I have finally agreed to write ICAN and put in my best if not for my self then for my father. And also because I read in your most marketable courses post that a degree in  Accounting without professional exams does not make much sense.

My father is not very buoyant financially but he has promised to raise the ICAN money, I’m scared now.
1. What if I just keep compounding references.
2. What if my father pays for exemption and tutorials and can’t make up with exam fees and I have to cover the rest myself as I am currently serving and expected to have some savings.
3. I want to make the best of my service year as I am not sure my father can at the moment raise the ICAN money and I don’t want to start something I can’t finish.

4. Can I get a big job in a big company as my father wants without ICAN as an accountant?

5. What other recognized and reasonable professional exams especially in management and HR can I write as I’ve got 10 months to go and I don’t want to waste my service year and I’ve had experiences in clubs and associations back in my undergraduate days.

6. What top notch companies in Nigeria pay attention to human resource?
Thanks so much for patiently reading my lengthy and troubled post.

I look forward to your response.
*****

Dear Tola,

Thanks for your prayers.

Let me go straight to your questions:

1, Mindset matters in any endeavor, not least exams. If you made a 2.1 in Accounting, you should not have serious problem with ICAN. People who had 2.2 did and passed it. Having reference is not the end of the world. People who do and pass it don’t have two heads. Eschew such negative mindset. Face it. Trust me, it’s not as difficult as you think.

2, ICAN is a bigger investment than allawi saving. Use your allawi to pay for exams.

3, Starting ICAN exams is one of the best ways you can make the best of your service year. I also started during my service year. Your monthly allawi is about N19,500 I understand, three or four months allawi should be enough to cover registration, exemption and exam fees. If it has to involve drinking garri, please do.

4, Yes, PwC, KPMG, and other top professional firms as well as consulting firms like Accenture, are big companies that recruit fresh graduates with 2.1 and within their age limit, irrespective of whether you have ICAN or not.

5, Experience in association leadership is good for your CV; but I will advise you face ICAN for now and leave other professional exams. Start with ICAN. ICAN is the stepping stone for many people.

6, Every company pays attention to HR, and of course the size of the company determines the staff strength in HR department. Some companies have as few as one person in HR if they have at all, while others, like Shell, could have as much as 20 employees in HR department. But the truth, like you have been told, is HR is not as specialized as Accounting. Graduate of almost any course can be recruited for HR role.

That said, while I will advise you to develop interest in Accounting and start writing ICAN, there is no harm in trying HR opportunities as well. Don’t let your interest there wane. You never can tell which opportunity will come first.

I wish you all the best.

Jarus

FOR BEST CAREER TIPS & ADVICE, SUBSCRIBE TO JARUSHUB

[subscribe2]