Management position w/ accounting degree?

Question

I am looking to get into the restaurant business. I am graduating with a business administration degree with an accounting concentration. My question is would I be able to get a managerial position more specifically in a restaurant with this degree? What about stores like Toys r us, walmart, etc? Are they looking for something more. I have pretty good experience and an attractive resume but not as a manager or supervisor.

Answer 1

I have the same degree.  I worked 13 years in accounting, working my way up from an A/P - A/R clerk, to P/R to office manager, to Senior Accountant, and then finally to Comptroller.  I never got an MBA or a CPA; I live in Florida and getting a CPA means you pretty much have to have an MBA these days.  Starting out in the accounting field I was making more money than many of my colleagues with management or finance degrees, but after about 6-7 years they were up in management making more than I.  I got downsized a couple of years ago and have not been able to get a job as a comptroller since because I don't have a MBA/CPA.  Never mind my experience, too many HR professionals look for credentials these days.  So to get into management, I got into sales for a couple of years, and I stress that my degree is in Business more so than accounting.  I also stressed my supervisory experience as a comptroller over an accounting department.  Also, as a senior accountant, I was #2 to the comptroller, so I had some supervisory experience there.

Retail stores like Wal-Mart, Toys R US, etc, want you to work up, and some do have a fast track management program, but usually hire straight out of college.  They work you for nothing until you get to store manager. They also like young guys, between 25-30.

I now work as a supervisor for a health care facility treating people with brain injuries. Luckily for me, I finally got in front of an HR director who would actually listen to my background and not just what my degree was in.