Q:  What is the title of your profession?

A:  I am a Professional Chef and Author as well as business owner.

Q:  What do you do???

A:  I do many thing’s; I cook, I write-which takes several hours a day and doesn’t pay as good as you think…as well as own a few business, I own a hotel with a restaurant on the bottom which has a few rooms and I am a Chef Consultant as well, so I tell other restaurants how to improve their own.

Q:  Have you always worked in this field?

A:  Yes I was born into the field and basically, In my opinion, you need to be for an extended understanding of it’s business.

Q:  Why did you choose this profession?

A:  The reason that I have choose this profession was because I basically as born into it, and because it’s all I know.

Q:  How would you define your profession?

A:  This is a really hard profession mentally and physically, you need to work 15 hours a day, and put up with a lot of complaining from everyone around you all the time, haha.

Q: Did you go to college or a trade school for this profession?

A:  I am heavily educated, from trade schools to even the University of Washington.

Q:  How long did you go to school?  Where?  What was your degree in?

A:  High-school Diploma, Culinary Arts Diploma, Molecular Gastronomy Certificate, Ships Cook Certificate, Mixologist Certificate, Sommolier Certificate, Food Technologist Certificate, Pastry Arts Certificate, M.E.D (Full)

Q:  Do you use your degree in your job?  In what way?

A:  Do be honest, no not really, my job everyday is ever changing so no, to be honest school is kinda a waste of time and money I do it as a hobby.

Q:  Can your degree be used as a basis for any other professions?  What types?

A:  My job everyday is ever changing so no, to be honest school is kinda a waste of time and money I do it as a hobby as said and even at that its boring and done out of basically curiosity.

Q:  Does your job require continued education?  What type?   How much?

A:  No.

Q:  Does your job require a certification or board testing?

A:  No.

Q:  What is a day in the life of your job?  Does it change day to day?  Do you work with the public?

A:  The wait staff works with the public basically I cook, and tell cooks what to do, around 15 hours a day, and write and or do other art for 1 hour, and or interviews and or promotions, as well as cook basically around everything in the run of the day.

Q:   What do you think makes a person successful in this profession?

A:  As long as you make your work and personal life the same thing, your basically good to go…you need to live to work and work to live.

Q:  Does your profession require travel?  How much?

A:  It used to for training with different hotel and such.

Q:  What is the typical schedule/hours?

A:  It’s super hard to work the hours, cooking is not, but owning a bussiness thats open many hours is.

Q:  What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A:  The most rewarding part of my job would be people loving my food creations and getting excited about what I can do in the kitchen.

Q:  What do you dislike about your job?

A:  Nothing. Haha.

Q:  What advice would you give to a child/student that is considering this profession?

A:  Travel all over and work slow at training, and work fast in the kitchen work in France and Europe.

Q:  If you had to do it all over again, would you choose the same profession?

A:  I probably would seeing how I do not have any other talents which can make me this happy and or this much money.

Q:  Are you having fun?

A:  Always-when I am creating that is. A shame I need to sleep, Haha.

Q:  Do you receive a pension or have a company sponsored 401k?

A:  Ha!  You get nothing but a small check every two weeks you work your butt off for basically, unless you work for a university and or the government.

Q:  What is the title of your profession?

A:  I am a college admissions officer.

Q:  What do you do?

A:  Admissions officers are charged with finding students for the colleges where they work. It is very cyclical work, based on an academic year calendar. In September and October, admissions officers travel to different high schools to meet with students, parents, guidance counselors, and alumni, talking about the college they represent. This is to let students know if it would be a good place for them to go, and for counselors to have an idea where to suggest for their students. From November to February, admissions officers are reading applications from students, making notes, and evaluating whether they would succeed at the school. This is different, depending on the schools where you work; in some places, they are mostly looking at your high school grades or test scores; other colleges require teacher recommendations, essays, and lists of activities the student has participated in. In February and March, admissions officers meet in teams or committees to decide which students to admit. In April, it’s time to talk and email with admitted students to help them decide whether to attend your school. And also in April: high school juniors start looking at colleges, starting the summer work of meeting and speaking with members of the next class that will be applying.

Q:  Have you always worked in this field?

A:  For the most part, yes. (See below.)

Q:  If no, what was your prior profession and what made you change your profession?

A:  I took another job right out of college that was more computer-based and realized that personally, I need a job that has me out talking with people more than just on the computer.

Q:  Why did you choose this profession?

A:  I was not enjoying my computer job, and I read a book called “What Color Is Your Parachute?” On page 17, it said, “List all your favorite things you’ve ever done. Go on; we’ll wait until you are done.” And on page 18, it said, “Someone, somewhere, is paid to do every single one of the things you just listed. Go be one of them.” One of the things I had written down was my volunteer work with the admissions office at my college, and I realized: that would be a great place for me to start over!

Q:  How would you define your profession?

A:  I always like to say it’s a great job for nosy people, because you get to read about so many other people’s lives. Reading applications really felt like meeting 25 new people every day but without having to keep up my part of the conversation directly! My favorite part, though, is helping young adults on the verge of a big decision about the next part of their life. There are lots of good decisions to make; the key is helping them make it, and it was always interesting to have a role in that decision.

Q:  Did you go to college or a trade school for this profession?

A:  Not exactly. Most college admissions officers have been to college, because it is hard to speak about a college experience if you have not had one yourself! But at the undergraduate level, there is not anywhere that I know of to study admissions.

Q:  How long did you go to school?  Where?  What was your degree in?

A:  I went to school at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. I went for four years and received a Bachelor’s degree (BA) with a psychology major

Q:  Do you use your degree in your job?  In what way?

A:  I do, but not how people think! I don’t really psychoanalyze the applicants, but having an understanding of how adolescents think is really useful when working with them. Also, I had a much better understanding of how to interpret testing results, like the SAT and ACT, than colleagues without any exposure to theories of test creation and calibration.

Q:  Can your degree be used as a basis for any other professions?  What types?

A:  Yes, many. Lots of admissions officers go on to other positions in colleges and universities, as advisors or administrators who run other programs. Some go on to be guidance counselors (especially at private schools) or independent college counselors (people families hire to help their children as they apply to college). Others leave admissions but continue in recruitment and evaluation professions, such as recruiting, human resources, or “headhunting” firms. And others go in to admissions for a few years and then go on to another career entirely after graduate school.

Q:  Does your job require continued education?  What type?   How much?

A:  That is a very regional question in the United States. In general, to rise to the top and become a dean or director of admission, at least a Master’s degree is suggested. However, many people make a career in admissions who don’t have the goal of the very top spot with a BA alone. In some parts of the country, a Master’s is almost necessary for any position above entry level, however. (Virginia, in particular, tends to expect higher degrees within a few years of undergraduate. I’m not sure why.)

Q: Does your job require a certification or board testing?

A:  No.

Q:  What is a day in the life of your job?  Does it change day to day?  Do you work with the public?

A:  The changes aren’t day to day, but month to month. And working with the public changes month to month too! In summer, a typical day is in the office, planning fall travel, calling or emailing colleagues at high schools, and greeting visitors to campus and speaking with them individually or in large group information sessions. In fall, a typical day is spent visiting four to five high schools in a day, then hosting a program at night for families to attend to learn about the school and ask questions. (During my time, I did this in 35 different states, so there are lots of planes, trains, and automobiles involved too!) In winter, my days are a little more lonely, as I hunker down to read read read. And in spring, I spend more than 12 hours a day with my colleagues as we decide the class, so it’s not exactly “public” but it’s less isolated than reading season. Come April, the public part of the job begins again.

Q:  What do you think makes a person successful in this profession?

A:  Many kinds of people can be successful in admissions. Certain things make it a better fit: you should enjoy meeting other people, particularly young adults; you should enjoy knowing an immense amount of information about a college or university; being a fast reader helps; and being able to judge how well an application fits the needs and goals your college has set.

Q:   Does your profession require travel?  How much?

A:  Typically, yes, lots. Most admissions officers travel at least four weeks and up to eleven weeks in the fall, and some—ranging from a city or two to four weeks—in the spring. This can be a week or more at a time in one place, or can be a different city every day. But, again, it depends on the school. Some schools have a more regional focus and don’t require much travel at all.

Q:  What is the typical schedule/hours?

A:  The job descriptions will list normal working hours (9-5 or something close) “and evenings and weekends as required.” During some weeks, it’s required every weekend and evening. Others are much lighter. For example, if you are recruiting in one city for a week or more, you will probably be finished most of your official work day by 3pm as that is when most high schools let out. Of course there is paperwork and follow-up to be done, but that can be more at your leisure. But, you are also out of town, so it is still “company time” in some ways. On the other hand, during reading and committee, there is a huge amount of work and a short amount of time to do it, so typically I would work 12-16 hour days in winter.

Q:  What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A:  I love meeting the students, and finding the ones who would change and be changed by my school.

Q:  What do you dislike about your job?

A:  I worked at some very selective universities and hated saying “no” to many—most—of the very qualified candidates who applied. Rejecting the application of a student I have grown fond of never gets easier.

Q:  What advice would you give to a child/student that is considering this profession?

A:  If you enjoy travel, love teenagers, have the capacity to do a tremendous amount of work alone but are also very social—this could be a great field for you.

Q:  If you had to do it all over again, would you choose the same profession?  If no, why not?

A:  I’m not sure how to answer that. I do not regret an instant of my career. I miss it desperately. However, with our family circumstances, I cannot figure out a way to be in admissions and raise children (we don’t have the money for an au pair or nanny, and we don’t have family that can be there with our young children while I would travel and my husband works). So—I’m so glad to have had so many years in a profession I loved. But I am looking—hard—for a way back in that will still give me some balance with my family.

Q:  Are you having fun?

A:  Yes. Every day, I did something I loved. And the other people who go in to admissions tend to be a bright, thoughtful, fun, interesting group!

A:  Do you receive a pension or have a company sponsored 401k?

A:  Colleges and universities in general offer 503(b) plans instead of 401k plans, so there are often retirement monies but they are matching plans rather than pensions nowadays.

Q: What is the title of your profession? 

A:  Music Director and Piano Teacher

Q:  What do you do?

A:  I teach choral music to grades6-12 in an all girls’ private school.  This includes 6^th, 7th, 8^th grade music, music appreciation, upper school chorus, direct music for middle and upper school musicals, liturgical music ensemble provides music for school masses (Catholic school), lunch and study supervision, budget, lesson plans, curriculum.

Q:  Have you always worked in this field?

A:  No

Q: If no, what was your prior profession and what made you change your profession?

A:  I was a Church Liturgy and Music Director in Catholic Church.  I  made change to accommodate my daughter’s schedule as she got older. As a teacher, I was available in the evenings to take her to lessons and events.  As a church music director, I had too many evening commitments.  I continue to give piano lessons.

Q:  Why did you choose this profession? 

A:  I was drawn to music at an early age – especially piano.

Q: Did you go to college or a trade school for this profession? 

A:  I have a Bachelor’s in Piano and Music History and a Masters in Piano Performance.

Q:   How long did you go to school? 

A:  6 years at SUNY Fredonis.

Q:  Do you use your degree in your job?

A:  Yes.  One must have in depth musical knowledge and skill to be successful in this career.

Q:   Does your job require continued education?\

A:  Yes,  education classes and workshops   The more the better as there are many new innovations in music education.

Q:  Does your job require a certification or board testing? 

A:  Independent schools do not necessarily require certification but it is helpful.  It does require a music degree.

Q:  What is a day in the life of your job? 

A:  I am at school by 7:15 am, teach several classes, lesson planning/music selection, might have lunch duty or study supervision, division or grade level meeting or department meeting, might eat lunch at my computer or go to the lunch room and eat with other teachers/administration, answer too many emails, after school show rehearsal, go home 5:00-6:00 pm, occasional work at home after dinner

Q:  Does it change day to day? 

A:  Students are never the same from day to day but the general tasks are the same. Music selections vary as does the teaching content. 

Q:  Do you work with the public?

A:  Yes, I work with parents and students.

Q:   What do you think makes a person successful in this profession?

A:  Excellent training in both music and education, understanding of childhood developmental stages, good listener, dedicated to teaching – passion

Q: Does your profession require travel? 

A:  Some choir tours.  Once yearly

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

A:  Seeing young people develop a passion for the beauty and meaningful expression of music and providing them with an opportunity to learn the skills necessary to make their dreams a reality.

Q:   What do you dislike about your job?

A:  Administration

Q:  What advice would you give to a child/student that is considering this profession? 

A:  Be prepared to give fully of your time every day and not have much time for yourself during the school year.  It is very rewarding and worth the commitment.  However, do try to find time to eat well, sleep well, exercise and stay healthy.

Q:  If you had to do it all over again, would you choose the same profession? 

A:  I think so but I might also consider doing music as an aside rather than my means of living.

Q:  Are you having fun? 

A:  Usually!

Q:  Do you receive a pension?

A:  No but many teachers in public and independent schools do.

Looking for a way to get your kids involved in the community?  Try baking some muffins with them and invite the rest of your town to join you!  My kids and I started a Muffin Drive to support our local soup kitchen.  We used social media, word of mouth and flyers to get the community involved.  We asked parents to bake some muffins with their kids and bring them to a central location (many thanks to Hannaford!) to drop them off.  We set up a drop off time and then drove the muffins over to the soup kitchen to be served the next morning during breakfast.  Our goal was 350 muffins and our community outdid themselves!  We delivered 782 muffins to our local soup kitchen!  My kids were so excited when they were adding them up!

Service projects during the summer are a good way to remind your children about the good they can do in their community… and it was a fun to get others involved!  Here is a sample of the note we sent out… we hope you will consider following in our footsteps!

“Please join me and my kids in our first annual “Muffin Drive” to support the Preble Street Soup Kitchen!

Our goal is to provide 350 fresh muffins made by kids and their families to be served with the breakfast that is provided by the Soup Kitchen!

The drop off date is Wednesday, July 13th from 3:00pm-5:00pm at the Hannaford, located at Hannaford Drive in Scarborough, ME. We will collect the muffins and deliver them to the Soup Kitchen that night to be served the next morning.

Please send your muffins in a disposable, covered container.

Thank you for your support and have fun baking for a great cause!

Sincerely,
Maria, Ryan and Nick Connolly

**** feel free to invite others!!!”

Q:  What is the title of your profession?

A:  I am the Director of Sales & Marketing Novozymes North America

Q:  What do you do?

A:  I manage a staff of Sales, Marketing, and Research professionals dedicated to identifying biological solutions to some of the world’s most challenging consumer problems.  Develop sales and marketing strategies for biological products that assist companies such as Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, and Nestle in the development of insulin for diabetes, environmentally friendly detergents, and trans-fat free foods, just to name a few.  Negotiate contractual agreements for these partnerships with the intent of developing new sales in a 2-3 year time horizon.  Develop new product launch, sales tools, promotional and PR materials. Have to understand our customer’s business as well as if not better than our own.  Coach and mentor fellow colleagues and employees on their own job performance and career advancement.  Consult regularly with internal government relations team and congressional groups in Washington DC on the benefits of biotech in modern society.  Company spokesperson locally and internationally.

Q:  Have you always worked in this field?

A:  For 12 of the last 20 years

Q: If no, what was your prior profession and what made you change your profession?

A:  Golf professional, Specialty Chemical Sales and Adjunct Marketing Professor.  I am always looking for a new challenge, building on past experiences with a desire to increase responsibility and income.

Q: Why did you choose this profession?

A:  Sincere interest in Science and the challenge of growing a business while helping others.

Q:  How would you define your profession?

A:  Very dynamic. The position and industry itself is highly attractive right now as society demands environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional chemistry. It requires a comprehensive skill set, excellent communication skills, desire to innovate and help others.

Q: Did you go to college or a trade school for this profession?

A:  I went to college.  4 yrs. Old Dominion University; BSBA.  4 yrs part time while working, Widener University; Masters in Business Administration and Environmental Science.

Q: Do you use your degree in your job?  In what way?

A:  Yes, primarily in terms of organizational, time management, and communication skills that are essential to success in the corporate world.  A Master’s degree prepared me as a better leader with the ability to find consensus amongst diverse teams.  That said, certain skills such as financial modeling, business plan development, and project management have also been critical.  As for the technical (science) aspect whatever I learned but forgot in school is typically refreshed on the job or with supplemental education.

Q: Can your degree be used as a basis for any other professions?  What types?

A:  Yes, too numerous to list.

Q: Does your job require continued education?  What type?   How much?

A:  Not required but I take frequent advantage of internal and external workshops around leadership, innovation, and public speaking.  Usually one to two short courses per year.

Q: Does your job require a certification or board testing?

A:  No

Q: What is a day in the life of your job?  Does it change day to day?  Do you work with the public?

A:  25% consulting with customers and project teams via conference call, video, or in person,  30% internal meetings with employees, strategy groups, and executive management, 30% travel domestically and internationally, 15% interfacing with local universities, government agencies, attending trade shows and conferences.  Every day is different.

Q: What do you think makes a person successful in this profession?

A:  You must be well versed in a lot of technical but also societal matters with a passion for science, strong work ethic, leading others, excellent communication skills (verbal and written), visionary, self-aware, and results oriented.

Q: Does your profession require travel?  How much?

A:  Yes, 75 days travel in US, about 4 weeks internationally to Europe and South America.

Q: What is the typical schedule/hours?

A:  50-80 hrs/week depending upon time of year and priorities not counting travel or entertainment.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A:  The opportunity to work with some of the world’s most esteemed business professionals and scientists.  I have visited 26 countries and met with people ranging from President Bush to Bill Gates through my job.  Every day is different and requires a lot of diverse skills.  Trying to explain to my kids what I actually do.

Q: What do you dislike about your job?

A:  Occasionally too much travel, time away from the family.  The stress of managing a large business unit when sales aren’t going so well.  Internal politics and bureaucracy. Having to dismiss a poor performing employee.

Q: What advice would you give to a child/student that is considering this profession?

A: First, study whatever subject you have a passion for be it English, Chemistry, Art, Nuclear science, etc, the money will come later if you’re creative and work hard.

The career advice I typically give others is a function of three things:

1)    Everyone has their own unique skills and competencies.  Know and leverage them by connecting even the most minor ones with the job you wish to pursue.

2) Keep a robust network of contacts alive (easy in the internet age).

3) Demonstrate more enthusiasm than anyone else for whatever you endeavor to do.

*If you want to pursue a business career even with a specialization in Marketing you’re better off with an MBA on top of any of the aforementioned skills rather than pursuing a BSBA as an undergraduate – just my opinion.

Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you choose the same profession?  If no, why not?

A:  Yes, but life’s a windy road.  I was fortunate to make some good decisions along the way combined with a little luck.  Now that I’m in the midst of four different careers I’ve probably held 11 or 12 actual job titles.  The hard part continues to be making decisions about what path to take in the future; i.e take an overseas assignment or a lateral position when you feel a promotion might be around the corner.  The key is to be flexible but keep building upon your experience and welcome change.

Q: Are you having fun?

A:  Absolutely, but I’m 42 and still not sure what I want to do when I grow up.  If you’re not having fun, don’t waste time whining about it, those are precious minutes you could be spending on the next great idea.

Q: Do you receive a pension or have a company sponsored 401k?

A:  Yes

Chi Omegas Flourish

Website Inspires Kids to Find Career Paths

Maria Livecchi Connolly has created a website where kids and teens can research career paths by reading about jobs from the perspectives of those who hold them. Content is extracted from interviews with Maria’s friends, friends of friends, family members, and Chi Omega Sisters.

Although many occupations are well-represented, such as nurses, teachers, and dental hygienists, there are some surprises. “There are interviews with an air traffic controller, a NASA aerospace engineer, and a clothing designer,” Maria said. The site already has interviews with more than 100 people.

“I try to post a different career every day,” said this initiate of Psi Theta/Old Dominion U. “I am also always searching for content,” says Maria.” Visit the site at www.mychildspath.com, where you may contact Maria, too.

Maria’s site has been featured in several publications in the Southern Maine area where she lives, including the parenting magazine Raising Maine, and, in addition, she has been interviewed on the radio.

Once again I have taken an experience and turned it into an interview!  Some friends and I chartered “The Lucky Catch” this morning out of Portland, ME to take our kids out on a lobster boat and help haul in the catch.  We also got to see seals, eels, fish and more!  Did you know that a lobster has to thrown back unless it is 3 1/4 inches long from it’s eye sockets to it’s tail?  If it is over 5 inches long, it also needs to be thrown back in!  We got to measure a few, put the bands on the claws, bait the traps and throw the traps in.

I asked Captain Tom questions while we were out so I could give my readers some insight into being a Lobster Fisherman.  I would have loved to have sat down and spoke to him for longer, but I will share what I have got!

Captain Tom has been lobstering since he was 14 years old!  He started out doing it as a summer job… his next door neighbor got him interested in the career.  He went to college for a semester and decided that the sea was calling his name and he has been doing this for a living ever since.  Twelve years ago he decided to make tours a part of his business and does this during the busy, tourist filled summer months.  He does commercial lobster fishing in the fall, winter and spring.

There are regulations that dictate how many traps he can put out and each Lobster Man has his own color coded buoys.  January, February and March can be slow months.  When I asked him if there was anything he didn’t like about his profession, he advised that he loves it, but it can be a lot of hard work.  There is the upkeep on the boat, long hours and during the cold winter days, it can be hard to get up and go out to sea!  His favorite part is that he loves being out on the water.

The typical hours for this Lobster Fisherman is from 5am-4:00pm.  There is also a license requirement.  If you are interested in this profession, find a boat to work on for a season and see if it is something you like!

The Lucky Catch runs out of Portland, Maine and I recommend it for a great time and learning experience for all ages!

http://www.luckycatch.com/

So…. Ryan broke her arm playing soccer a few weeks ago.  It was a clean hit and she went flying backwards and landed on her wrists.  She fractured her radius and ulna on her right arm (she is a lefty!) and had to see an orthopedic doctor to be casted.  I was once again surprised by the fact that I had found a position to interview that I had never really thought about… the casting specialist putting the cast on her arm!  So while she was having a hot pink cast put on, I asked the technician as many questions as I could about what she does and how she got there.

An Orthopedic Technician has many roles in the practice.  There is casting, making custom braces, custom splints, suture removal and pin removal.  The technician that I spoke to said one of the things she likes the most about her job is that it is very artistic!  She loves to create the casts and splints.  When I asked her if there was anything she didn’t like, she said nothing.  She really loves her job.

She has been doing this job for many years and she learned by on the job training.  She advised that there is a one year school program that you can go to, to get your license and they had an intern at the practice that was part of the program.  Many of the people that worked in the department had come from a medical background of some sort.  There are nurses, x-ray technicians and medical assistants that had all moved into the orthopedic technician role.

She also advised that there is a certification that you must obtain to practice and there is continuing education involved.

I was really impressed with the position, the people at the practice and the work they did for my daughter.  If this is something that interests you, I encourage you to get more information about it!

Q:  What is the title of your profession?

A:  I am a Tax Accountant

Q:  What do you do?

A:  I prepare federal, state and local income tax returns for businesses and individuals.  This entails collecting information from the client such as their balance sheet and income statement, 1099’s, W-2’s, etc then making any necessary adjustments to their figures and completing the appropriate tax forms

Q:  Have you always worked in this field?

A:  No, I was the controller of a software company before this.

Q: If no, what was your prior profession and what made you change your profession?

A:  I changed because my old company was sold to a bigger company and I was worried that I would not have a job after the two companies were joined.

Q:  Why did you choose this profession?

A:  I have always been organized, good with numbers, and work well helping people figure out how to fix a messy situation.

Q: How would you define your profession?

A:  Taking financial data, applying governmental rules and regulations to the data, and producing a tax return in a standardized format that is compliant with the tax code.

Q:  Did you go to college or a trade school for this profession?

A:  Yes, four year degree in Accounting from New York University’s Stern School of business

Q:  Do you use your degree in your job?  In what way?

A:  Absolutely, it was the foundation upon which my experience in the industry is built.

Q: Can your degree be used as a basis for any other professions?  What types?

A:  In the public sector you could be an accountant, and auditor, a comptroller or a chief finance officer.  On the private sector there are a variety of finance related positions, from bookkeeper to accounting manager, to CFO, to finance director.

Q:  Does your job require continued education?  What type?   How much?

A:  Yes, there are strict rules, but basically it is about 40 hours per year, some in ethics, some must be live and some can be taken online.

Q:  Does your job require a certification or board testing?

A:  To be a certified public accountant you must have 150 credit hours of coursework (equivalent to an undergraduate degree and a masters), then you have to pass all four parts of the CPA exam, each part takes about a day to take, and then you have to have a certain number of hours in a couple different accounting disciplines for experience.  Then you can apply to the state board of accountants to be certified.  Most people take about 5 years or so after their four year degree to achieve their CPA, but it can take longer.

Q:   What is a day in the life of your job?  Does it change day to day?  Do you work with the public?

A:  During tax season (mid January to mid April) we work about 65-80 hours per week.  Many people work more including weekends.  We spend a lot of time in front of a computer doing tax research and using tax preparation or trial balance software to compile and analyze client’s data.  There are some client meetings and emails and phone calls too.  The other times of the year we do consulting with clients to help them plan and operate their businesses well and to help them avoid paying too much in taxes.  We are trusted advisors to our clients and must build a relationship of trust with them and their financial information.

Q:  What do you think makes a person successful in this profession?

A:  Must be fairly smart, competent with computers and software, be patient and thorough, be very discreet, and be willing to work long hours when needed.

Q:   Does your profession require travel?  How much?

A:  Not so much on the tax side, some auditors travel a lot though, and you do have to do some of that.

Q:   What is the typical schedule/hours?

A:  Tax season 6-7 days per week 10-14 hours per day.  Off season, 8-5, 5 days per week, but in the summer months we only work ½ day on Fridays, which is good!

Q:   What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A:  Being able to help clients meaningfully in operating their businesses and making good decisions that will make them more successful.

Q: What do you dislike about your job?

A:  Tax season is tough, and takes a toll on family time and winter recreation.

Q:  What advice would you give to a child/student that is considering this profession?

A:  Do your time in public accounting, finish your masters and get the firm to pay for it, study and pass the CPA exam and get 5-10 years experience and then try to get a less demanding job in the private sector.  You will get paid as well or better there and have much better hours.

Q:   If you had to do it all over again, would you choose the same profession?

A:  Probably, but I would have followed my own advice above better!

Q:  Are you having fun?

A:  Sometimes, but it can be fairly dry and somewhat repetitive.

Q:   Do you receive a pension?

A:  Yes and the firm matches up to 3% of my annual salary if I contribute enough to receive the match.

I was so excited to get my copy of the Old Dominion University Alumni Magazine, The Monarch the other day.  I quickly turned the pages until I found the feature about My Child’s Path.  It is so fantastic to be recognized by your alma mater and I wouldn’t have traded my years at Old Dominion for anything!

A L U M N I P R O F I L E
‘My Child’s Path’
Researching Career Options is
Kid’s Work, According to
Maria Livecchi Connolly
Ever wonder what your kids will do when
they grow up? Or what you might do for a
second (or third) career? “My Child’s Path,”
the website of Maria Livecchi Connolly BA
’92, may lead you – and them – down the
right path. Connolly started the website to
inspire children and teenagers to research as
many career paths as possible, starting when
they’re young and curious. She makes the
information personal and approachable by
interviewing people about their careers and
posting the interviews as easy-to-read
Q&As. She describes more than 120 careers
online and is continually tracking down
new ones as people request them.
“I hope it leads to kids researching career
options before they make those important
life choices,” she says.
The idea for the website came to
Connolly during a long drive. She began
daydreaming about what her young son and daughter might do when they
grow up. Soon she was interviewing her family and friends and blogging about their careers. All interviews
on her site are from people who actually work in those fields, and she tries to get varied perspectives.
Teaching has been a constant in her life since she worked as a camp counselor in her youth. Her career
path took several turns, but always with a touch of teaching: preschool teacher, day care director,
insurance company employee (whose duties included training) and, now, career adviser. “In a roundabout
way, I am teaching kids about all of the career opportunities out there,” she says.
Connolly says the skills she learned at ODU, where she majored in secondary education and minored
in marketing and English, come in handy in marketing her new venture and in writing blog
posts. Other life lessons from college also help her run her business. “I am originally from Michigan,
and going away to school was a big learning experience,” she says. “Not only did I have to be successful
in my schooling, I had to mature into a responsible adult without the comfort of having my family
right around the corner. College taught me responsibility, communication and gave me drive.”
That drive has helped her build and market “My Child’s Path” (www.mychildspath.com). What’s
next? Maybe a book, a radio show or even a segment on TV geared toward teens. “I would love to be
known as ‘The Career Mom!’” she says.
–Marcia Cronin

You can read the entire magazine at …..

http://www.odu.edu/ao/monarchmag/