Accounting
By, Stanton Smith
Financial Advisor
• It’s an exciting time to be a financial advisor, since several decades
ago, the position didn’t really exist. You were either a stockbroker or a
community banker or even in insurance sales, according to James
Kinney, a certified financial planner and founder of the New Jerseybased Financial Pathways. Now, however, financial advisors perform
all these roles, from small independent practices to big investment
firms.
Actuary
• But after a serendipitous course of events, she ended up back in her
small hometown looking for a job. She saw a job ad that stated, “We’ll
hire math majors,” so she answered it. And it turns out the job was in
the actuary field.
Bill Collector
• Some unexpected phone calls are pleasant; for instance, when a
florist rings you and asks the best time to drop off a surprise bouquet.
But other calls might not be so enjoyable to receive, such as when the
caller asks you to pay off past due credit card debt or medical bills. In
the latter scenario, a bill collector is the person on the other end of
the line.
Cashier
• Cashiers ring up items at your local grocery store, convenience store
and other establishments using electronic scanners and cash
registers. There were 3.3 million cashiers in the U.S. in 2012, making
this occupation the country’s second-largest behind retail
salespeople. But the pay is low, averaging just $9.82 an hour, or
$20,420 per year.
Bookkeeping, Accounting and Audit Clerk
• Bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks wear many hats.
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, bookkeeping clerks
handle a company’s accounts, complete financial statements and
check reports for accuracy, among other responsibilities. But as David
Bybee, president of the National Bookkeepers Association, notes,
bookkeepers can only handle financial statements and reports if they
have a QuickBooks certification.