A major network is launching a reality program called The Accountant.?
A major network is launching a reality program called The Accountant. A group of recent accounting graduates will be competing for a spot in a national accounting firm. What would make someone a good candidate for The Accountant? Describe three challenges the candidates should complete on the program, using as much detail as you can.
The challenges should test contestants’ skill in challenges related to topics covered in this course. Be creative. Describe how the challenge will test the contestant’s accounting skill(s) and knowledge as well as the skills the contestant should have to complete each challenge successfully.
Remembering my days in a (UK) major accountant I would offer the following challenges:
- Photocopying – Can you photocopy what should only be left to an overnight printer in half an hour? Extra points for changing toner cartridges and paper. The loser gets buried alive under five tons of paper.
- Filing – Accuracy of files that will never be looked at again is vital, especially in these days of endless computer storage space when it could all be kept on computer any way. So get a Senior Manager to give every aspirant an undifferentiated list of paper, and get them filing. Make sure that at least 20% of the files are on random desks. Then get the "Risk" team down (not the board game, sadly) to go through the files. Publicly burn the loser.
- Exam Cramming. Watch them crumble as you prepare them for one exam and then give them one on a completely different subject. Kill the loser’s mother.
- Auditing hot tricks. Go around a large industrial plant ticking off that all the machinery is still there. Forget about the pension fund (after all that is what they are doing at the moment). Feed the loser to the lions – excellent TV footage.
- Live ammunition duel. This has a tenuous to non-existent connection to accountancy, but it makes fantastic TV
Accountancy has always complained that it is too dull, and this will scotch that misunderstanding once and for all. And the competition will be fierce. After all the Apprentice is about one lousy job, this is about whether you live to next week.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Remembering my days in a (UK) major accountant I would offer the following challenges:
- Photocopying – Can you photocopy what should only be left to an overnight printer in half an hour? Extra points for changing toner cartridges and paper. The loser gets buried alive under five tons of paper.
- Filing – Accuracy of files that will never be looked at again is vital, especially in these days of endless computer storage space when it could all be kept on computer any way. So get a Senior Manager to give every aspirant an undifferentiated list of paper, and get them filing. Make sure that at least 20% of the files are on random desks. Then get the "Risk" team down (not the board game, sadly) to go through the files. Publicly burn the loser.
- Exam Cramming. Watch them crumble as you prepare them for one exam and then give them one on a completely different subject. Kill the loser’s mother.
- Auditing hot tricks. Go around a large industrial plant ticking off that all the machinery is still there. Forget about the pension fund (after all that is what they are doing at the moment). Feed the loser to the lions – excellent TV footage.
- Live ammunition duel. This has a tenuous to non-existent connection to accountancy, but it makes fantastic TV
Accountancy has always complained that it is too dull, and this will scotch that misunderstanding once and for all. And the competition will be fierce. After all the Apprentice is about one lousy job, this is about whether you live to next week.
References :
http://www.accountancyage.com
http://www.accountancyage.co.uk