Don't Waste Your College Tuition: Jerome Harper on a Future in Finance Part III.
In Part III our interview with Jerome Harper we will cover major advice for current Finance & Accounting students: knowing and forecasting your industry as well as finding strategic mentorship.
By Norrell Edwards — August 31, 2023
Tags: Accounting, Career Building, Career Mentorship, Career Readiness, Career Resources, Career Trajectories, Careers in Finance, College to Career, community building, Corporate America, Corporate Culture, From the Professor, Industry Exposure, Job Qualifications, Networking, Nonprofit Work, Resume Building
We are picking up where we left off in our interview with Jerome Harper, Senior Accounting Consultant and co-author of the book Don't Waste Your College Tuition. In Part III our interview will cover major advice for current Finance & Accounting students: knowing and forecasting your industry as well as finding strategic mentorship. Please remember this interview is a reflection of solely Jerome Harper's opinions and insights; this interview does not reflect the thoughts, feelings, opinions of any past, present or future client, employer or any other entity affiliated with Jerome Harper.
Know and Forecast your Industry
Dr. Norrell:
What advice would you give to young, aspiring Finance and Accounting majors now? What would you say to them about looking for jobs and getting into the field?Jerome:
You need to know the market you're getting into. Try to project the next 10 years. Do research. Is this industry going to stay around for the next 10-20 years? That could relate to a number of different things like growth in certain geographic locations to trends with tools.J:
You have to think about location. Even though Covid has changed the nature of work, relocation can still be important. While there are more remote jobs, since we're talking fresh out of college with little experience and no advanced degree—being in the right location can still help with opportunities.J:
Especially now—I have been looking to see how I can incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the Accounting & Finance I'm doing for clients. There's one called Bot Keeper that does administrative bookkeeping for people. Clients won't need people; they'll have the software. You could use the software to better do your job. Understand how technology affects your industry and the job you're looking to go for.J:
You should always be a student even as you move up the ladder. There are so many changes in an industry. These shifts with AI make me feel older; it's like I could get lost here.N:
I certainly have no idea what's happening in Finance, Business or Accounting departments at college and universities, but colleges typically tend to be a bit behind when it comes to whatever is cutting edge. So whatever is happening out in the industry world—you're probably NOT going to get in your classes. You have to be ready to cover that gap on your own.Strategic Networking and Mentorship
J:
Mentorship can also help cover that gap between what you learn in school and the trial and error of finding out for yourself. You should find someone who is where you'd like to be in 5 or 10 years. Say you want to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), find a CPA who already has their firm. Ask them, "can I do some basic bookkeeping for you?"J:
There were certain roles I thought I really wanted, but when I actually got the chance, I realized, "OK, this was just a learning experience." Just a few years before I would have done anything to be in that role, with that company or be in that industry just because it was my idea of it, from the outside looking in.J:
NETWORKING in college is incredibly important and I don't just mean joining a frat or club. A lot of opportunities come across your professor's desk—those students who come to office hours and make an imprint—they're the first ones to be contacted about those opportunities.J:
At Morgan State I was part of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA). Between that and the honors society—there were always opportunities for those students. Companies like IBM would visit, and they would speak to only select students affiliated with that organization or club. Again, start with your department and the professors there.N:
It's funny, I find students loath to go to the office horse in-person. It's a weird by-product of the pandemic.J:
Man, I would sometimes go to office hours and ask questions I already knew the answers to. I was just trying to build that rapport.N:
It's true in-person interaction is still the best way to connect. You're just not going to build that same rapport with a professor from emails back and forth and the time you spend amongst 20 or more peers in class.J:
It's a shame. My wife and I Leah wrote Don't Waste Your Tuition together, and one of the things we always say is that "college is a hub of resources you're paying for. Maximize it." I remember a professor once asked me if I had been to a tutoring session. I was like huh, tutoring? I had NO idea the school offered tutoring; it was in some building had I never been to.Major Takeaways
Understanding and researching your industry is incredibly important for success. With AI's impending integration into all sectors, you have to ask: how replaceable is your position over the next few decades? If it is, how can you build skills to ensure you're always valuable? There can be a big gap between what you learn in school and the shifting industry so make sure you find strategic mentorship. Always utilize your professors as well.
Norrell Edwards
Norrell Edwards is a scholar, educator, and communications consultant for non-profit organizations. Her employment experience and research interests place her work at the nexus of global Black identity, cultural memory, and social justice. Norrell graduated with a BA in English Literature from Hunter’s College followed by a PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park in 20th and 21st Century Black Diaspora Literature.
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