<p>So I've decided that I'm going to be majoring in accounting. I'm in my second year at my community college and then I'll be transferring to UMass Amherst to get a masters in accounting and become CPA certified. However, I've always wanted to own my own computer business so I'm thinking about going back to school to pick up an associates in computer networking. What are the job prospects out there for a junior network technician? How is it compared to programming? I know that the IT field is drying out for computer technicians so I'm looking for something more profitable.</p>
<p>Why would you get a CPA and then take a step back to work as a junior network technician? If you are going the accounting route look into the accounting options at UMass for: accounting information systems, business information technology, or similar. A CPA who can consult/implement computer systems that apply information technology to business practices could eventually go into business for himself.</p>
<p>Well thats ultimately what I want to do by going into business myself, so I thought that the accounting experience and computer networking experience would help me do that. Ultimately Id like to have a consulting firm so having accounting experience would help with the business end and having experience with the hardware end would help. I didn’t want to do M.I.S. because I was not interested in programming. Information systems seems to be more on the software engineenering end which is something I don’t enjoy.</p>
<p>You don’t need a Masters in Accounting and CPA to help in running the business. Accounting and business software go together as a field for potential consulting. Accounting and hardware not so much. Accounting deals with information so it’s ideal with software. But, you don’t need to be a programmer. If you are not at all interested in management information systems then I’d suggest that you can learn enough to help run a business by obtaining a business minor. Include principles of accounting and one semester of intermediate accounting + marketing, micro economics and if possible business law.</p>
<p>Well I always thought that having a degree and having work experience under your belt would be the best way to start a business so that it would have a higher probability of success. What you’re saying seems to suggest otherwise. I also thought by getting a degree it would be a form of backup if my business idea never succeeded. I might have to reevaluate things but I like accounting enough to stay with it even though I’ve never really been much of a numbers guy.</p>
<p>I’m not suggesting that having a degree and work experience is not beneficial. The key is for the experience to be in the same line of work as the business that you hope to start. Obtaining a Masters in Accounting and working as a CPA isn’t going to help you much to start a business installing hardware/networking. In contrast, if you had the CPA, work experience, and knowledge of management information systems then you would be set to start your own company doing business software implementation.</p>
<p>If no one has any specific comments regarding networking you should be able to get feedback on business degrees from the business forum.</p>
<p>Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Well, here’s the deal. I want to start my own computer repair/networking consulatation firm. So, your logic makes sense that I should be majoring in CS or networking. However, my logic is this: if I get the business experience and then go back to school and get an associates in computer networking, I’ll have the accounting and business experience I need to run the business and I’ll still have the degree to arm me with the knowledge I need to actually do stuff for the business.</p>
<p>Maybe it would be better to get a B.S in computer networking and just minor in business but I still think that having a business degree is more beneficial and then all the other technical skills could be learned later. However, I do like your idea about picking up some information systems knowledge because I’m not totally opposed to software - I just don’t want to be stuck designing it.</p>
<p>Thanks for your suggestions! It’s given me some thought provoking questions to think about.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that I’m not the Oracle of truth/knowledge. I know people who have started successful businesses without having a business degree (although some business courses have helped). I know people with business degrees that have started businesses either in their area of expertise or simply where they saw business opportunities. There are many paths to where you want to go and each path has it’s own advantages and disadvantages.</p>