I graduated from the University at Albany in 1992 with a BS (I thought those two letters were always quite telling) in Accounting. Degree in hand, and job offers on the table, I set off into corporate America to start my life as a professional auditor.
Right after I left SUNYA, the rules for certification as a CPA changed. The old rules were that you had to have a Bachelor degree and three years experience (in addition to passing the CPA exam) in order to become certified. After the rule change, you needed what amounted to a Masters degree, and only one year of professional experience.
The change made no sense to me. Book learnin’ is no match for real experience. Thinking about solving problems is no match for actually solving them. The changes were just dumb.
In fact, I’d go so far as to say that many professions should stop requiring higher degrees and switch to apprenticeship programs. Or rather, they should switch back to them – because that is the way things used to be. You wanted to be an accountant? You didn’t go to college, you went to work for an accounting firm.
I’ve been saying this for years. Apparently, I’m not the only one that thinks actions speak louder than pieces of paper on a wall…
Seth Godin posted an interesting proposition on Squidoo today. The crib notes version: If you want to work with one of the greatest marketing minds of our time in a dynamic and challenging team environment, Seth is offering to mentor you.
The catch? Other than having to move to New York? Well, while the program doesn’t cost anything, it also doesn’t pay anything either.
But… so what? The knowledge and experience participants will accrue far surpass, in my opinion, any financial compensation.
This is an opportunity for the hungry. It’s a chance for you to learn and learn quick. Forget about grad school and classrooms and student loans. If you have the ‘intestinal fortitude’ to gamble for greatness, this could be a life-changing experience for you.
Tags: mentors, opportunity, seth godin