Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Bus 1010
Michael Russell
Fall 2015
With a family of small children, I am interested in a position that would allow me to have a
flexible schedule to be at home with them as much as possible. I love numbers, almost as
much as I love my family, and get a small, or not-so-small thrill, when they come out balanced
at the end of the accounting cycle.
A position within the educational system seems to lend itself naturally to letting me enjoy
both of these loves, without sacrificing either. This is why I decided to look further into a
specific position within the school district. I contacted a few people within the district and
lucked into getting the chance to really delve into the Granite School District Accounting
Coordinator position.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The school district accounting coordinator is a middle manager position over accounts
receivable. Typical job functions include:
Managing district invoices for building rentals, food invoices, postage invoices, etc.
Trains and assists financial secretaries in the current bookkeeping system,
Conducts policy implementation through customer services,
Balances several general ledger accounts and school lunch bank accounts,
Initiates letters for various supervisors and handles supervisory correspondence.
AVERAGE SALARY
Due to this being a government position, the salary is very structured and predictable. It is on
the lower end of typical accounting jobs, but offers great benefits and job stability. Starting
salary for the accounting coordinator is $47,560. Most other accounting positions at the
district level start at $45,523. Benefits include nearly a month of paid vacation, low-cost
health insurance and retirement options.
CAREER OUTLOOK
The field of accounting has a good outlook for the future. Every field needs, and always will
need, accountants. Within the educational field there are huge numbers of schools in every
area of the country. This means it is not a hard field to enter. Moving up in the field is not
difficult either. Positions within the field open up frequently, especially if you are willing to
take positions in different school districts.
or middle school levels. However, the most common career path to this position includes
starting in part-time positions. This means I could spend some years working at the
elementary and junior high levels while I still have young children and have the opportunity to
move up when my children are older. It seems like a perfect fit as a long-term career path.
As I spoke with Sherry about where I currently am professionally and my short-term plans,
she made me feel like I am on the right track. I have previous experience as an accounting
clerk, I currently manage federal, state and private grants for a non-profit, and in a year from
now I will have an Associates degree in accounting. My combined education and experience
give me a great advantage in looking for a job within the educational accounting field.
For me the biggest advantage with this career is the ability to grow with the position. It feels
like the plans I have for my personal and family life fit easily within the career path this
position lends itself to. I can see how I could grow, feel professional accomplishment and
enjoy my work, without sacrificing the values I have for myself as a wife and mother. To me
this is more important than the money or other benefits the career could offer.
In conclusion, this career path feels like a good fit for me long-term. The advantages greatly
outweigh the concerns, in fact, the concerns seems more like opportunities to grow than
reasons to rethink the career.