Finance interview

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW It is a form of an interview that is between an employed person or professional and a job seeker, whereby the job seeker is looking for career advice instead of employment (Lock, 2005). The following is the interview schedule that was used to guide the interview. Name of Interviewee: David Smith Occupation: Accountant Company: Barclays Bank Date: 4-12-2012 Location: Interviewees office at Barclays Bank Offices. 1. How did you end up being an accountant? 2. What made you choose to work with Barclays bank? 3. What kind of courses in college would be helpful to one seeking your career path? 4. What qualifications are needed for one to be an accountant like you? 5. What kind of duties and responsibilities does your job entail? 6. What is the salary scale of some working at your level in this company? 7. Are there any targets that you are supposed to make for this company? If so, which ones? 8. What kind of challenges are you likely or do you face in your profession? 9. What characteristics should one look for when seeking for a job like yours? 10. What changes or prospects do you see in the future in line with this career path? 11. Are there any concerns that I should know about regarding this career path? 12. What are your future plans with regards to your career? 13. Given the chance, what would you have done differently in the past in relation to your career? 14. Will you be available in the future for another interview in case I need more information about your career? 15. Do you have any other sources or people you would recommend for more insight in this career path? If so, may I use your name as the person who referred me? Deductions from the Interview According to the interviewee, accounting involves reporting, analyzing and recording of financial records of an organization. These are done in line with existing principles of accounting which provide a guideline of the accepted standards of accounting. This means that there is a laid out guideline for accounting. Many aspiring accountants are not always aware of this, according to the interviewee. These principles are often taught in colleges and universities and are put in practice in the work environment. There are some organizations, however, that provide training to their staff members in these accounting principles and other work ethics. It has not been an easy ride in this career. According to the interviewee, he encountered a number of challenges while still a rookie in this field. Among these challenges is work pressure. The work load is enormous and it nearly cost him his job, just a few months after he had joined it. There were so many targets to be met within very limited time. This means that every staff member had a goal to achieve, failure to which one may receive sanctions from their supervisors or managers. He, however, noted that these workloads vary from one organization to the other and his was a very busy organization that demanded a lot of pressure at work. There a number of things that has changed in the industry. During his early years of being an accountant, most of the work involved a lot of paper work. This has, however, changed since most of the work is being done using computers. Though learning information technology was stressful at the time, he has now gotten a good grip of its use and asserts that working has been made a lot easier. There has been various changed in the principles of accounting but he believes this has been updated in the university’s or college’s curriculum. From the interview, a lot can be learned from the interviewee’s life and career. Of paramount importance is hard work and commitment. For one to achieve his or her career dreams, they should be able to put enormous effort in their studies and focus their attention to their goals. According to the interviewee, nothing comes easy therefore one should be able to make a lot of sacrifices to achieve this dream. For instance, one may not be able have the much needed quality time to be with family since their career schedule would not allow them to do so. It is also important to settle for a dream career that best suits your talents and skills. This does not mean one has to work without rest. In order to function properly and be productive, one needs to take ample rest and engage in recreational activities such as hiking, playing and swimming. Among his best recreational activity, he claims, is jogging. He often does this every morning before he goes to work, and at least two per day during the weekends. According to the interviewee, his passion for accounting started way back when he was still a young child. His fascination with numbers and mathematics has played an important role in molding his career path. By taking note such talents and interest, one is able to easily excel in their careers. Those who don’t nature their talent, often find their careers frustrating and therefore end up leading a very frustrating life. For one to determine his strengths and talents, he claims, you need to explore different things and with time, one will be able to know where their talent lies. Before studying accounting, the interviewee had considered pursuing other career paths such as pharmacy. Though his grades were impressive, he was not all that comfortable with that career choice. His passion was in accounting and that is how he managed to follow that career path. What is striking about the interviewee is his commitment to his endeavors. From his childhood, he was able tell his talents and throughout his life, he has managed to nature it well so as to achieve his dreams and ambitions. His family and friends are also worth admiration since he recognizes that without their influences in his life, he wouldn’t be able to achieve his dreams and goals. He also prides himself to be God fearing and states that his strength and will to tackle life’s challenges are fueled by his religious beliefs. His ambitious nature to start up his own consultancy firm in the future is also very motivating and admirable of the interviewee. It helps broaden ones horizon and also creates challenge for young graduates pursuing their dream careers. Reference Lock, Robert D. Job Search. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2005. Print.