On Friday, Nov. 1, as part of the Counseling Department’s Career Spotlight Series, Mrs. Kristi Bonacci came to BPHS to talk to students who are interested in becoming an accountant.
Mrs. Bonacci is a Seton-La Salle graduate and also a Duquesne alum who majored in Accounting. She is an assistant tax manager for PNC Bank.
Mrs. Bonacci’s work environment is far from original. Mrs. Bonacci pounds out her work from her desk at a cubical. She works a compressed work week. When she is not crunching numbers away and meeting deadlines, Bonacci is mentoring trainees.
Inspiring accountants should have good Microsoft Excel and Access skills. They should also have the ability to work with others in order to succeed in this field.
The average starting salary for an entry level accountant is about $50,000. After five to ten years in the field, the average salary is about $70,000.
Bonacci strongly recommends getting your CPA if your are going into the public world of accounting. If you are heading into the corporate world, she recommends getting your MBA. With either one on your resume, it’s guaranteed that it will boost you over the competition while applying for a job.
Unlike most fields, job security is not a problem. “Everyone needs accountants,” Bonacci said.
If you enjoy plugging numbers away while having fun, accounting is the job for you.
