21st Century Skills

As a future accountant, it is crucial I have 21st century skills such as a proficiency in current technology, cultural awareness, and a postsecondary education.

I know I talk about cultural awareness in almost every blog I have written, but that is only because it is one of the best 21st century skills a person can have.  Every day, our economy is becoming more global.  Someone who can understand and appreciate other cultures would be an asset to the company and would have a greater chance for promotion.

Another important skill to have on your resume is that you have some postsecondary education.  In the year 2000, 59% of people employed had some type of postsecondary education.  In order to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), we are required to have 150 college credit hours, 30 of which must be in upper level accounting courses.  Without a college degree, there is no way people would trust me with their taxes!

Technology is always changing.  Accountants use technology all the time.  We spend the majority of our time in front of a computer plugging in numbers.  I have been applying for graduate assistantships lately.  Fortunately, I have had several departments express their interest in me because of my proficiency with Microsoft Excel.  I never truly realized how important that skill was until I began looking for jobs.

Lens Shifting

When I was 13, my family traveled to Niagara Falls.  Because we were there, we decided to travel over into Canada.  Back then, we only needed identification to cross the border.  That was the only time I have ever been in another country.  Until this year, I had never needed a passport.  As I was growing up, I was always told "America is the best country.  Why would you ever want to leave?"  My family has taken many vacations, but they have all been to destinations in the United States.  However, my parents decided that this spring break, we would all go to the Bahamas! I had to have my passport expedited so it would be here in time.  I'll admit though, I am nervous about traveling internationally.  Mostly, I just worry that I will do something to offend someone.
In one of my classes, we have been studying diversity and how it effects business strategies.  For example, if you eat dinner with a Japanese client, it is important to slurp your food.  That way, they know you are enjoying it.  If we did that during a business meeting in America, everyone would think we were rude!  Also, if you complement the furniture of some Arabs or Africans, they will feel awkwardly obliged to give it to you!  We might find these things silly, but it is important to do our research on the countries we are visiting, so we don't offend anyone or embarrass ourselves.

Although, I love The Office, I'm afraid Michael Scott would be really good at offending people of other cultures...  By the end of this semester, I hope to be a lot more open minded than he is!

Globalization

Throughout high school and college, globalization was drilled into my brain.  Especially as an student of the school of business, I feel that globalization is the future. It seems like our world is becoming more connected.  Currency has exchange rates and now we are able to travel thousands of miles away in a single day. One hundred years ago, the only way to communicate with anyone in Great Britain was by letter.  Now, I can send an email or even FaceTime with my cell phone. I once talked to someone in Thailand via FaceTime.  The time difference made talking to each other difficult, but at least it was possible to talk to each other on the same day. Technological innovations have become a gateway to connect people all over the world.

When I was in high school, my teachers told me that taking a foreign language class would make me more marketable. People who are able to speak and understand other languages have a huge advantage and are more likely to get hired for a job. I think globalization and cultural diversity go hand in hand.  In order to expand a business, we have to understand a culture's needs. For example, McDonald's makes alterations in their menu items depending on the country it is located in. The people of India do not eat cow meat, so McDonald's uses soy burgers instead.  The only way to be successful in the business world is to globalize by being culturally sensitive.

Cultural diversity is an important topic in this growing global economy.  Just because a culture is different doesn't necessarily mean it is bad.  The best way to prepare to enter the business world is to be sensitive to cultures.
The Iceberg Model of Culture shows us how cultures are viewed.  The part of the iceberg above water are representative of the visible aspects of cultural diversity, such as dress, food, music, and language.  The part of the iceberg underwater represents the part of diversity that is not visible.  Examples of this are body language, religions, attitudes toward age, and importance of time.  When I think about the Scottish, I think about men who wear kilts and eat strange meat.  The media has portrayed the Irish as redheaded Leprechauns who break out in song.
There are four levels of cultural awareness: My way is the only way, I know their way but my way is better, My way and their way, and Our Way.  In the first stage, people are only aware of their way and have no idea the effect they have on other cultures.  In the second stage, people understand other cultures but still believe their way is the best.  This is also known as Ethnocentrism.  The third stage is when people of different cultures are able to come together and choose the best option to create new solutions and alternatives.  In the last stage, cultures work together to create a culture of shared meanings.

The best way to deal with cultural diversity is to recognize that we don't know, suspend our judgement, be empathetic, become comfortable with ambiguity, and celebrate diversity.  After all, being different is what makes us unique.

About Me

Hi, my name is Kelsie Jefferson and I am a senior Accounting major at Henderson State University.  I was born in El Dorado Arkansas on June 16, 1992.  After living there for a year, my family moved to Cleveland, Tennessee.  Two years later, my sister, Lindsay was born! After seven years in Tennessee, we moved back to El Dorado where I graduated from Parker's Chapel High School in 2010.  About a year ago, my father took a rental property management job in Richmond, VA.  I spent last summer in Richmond doing an accounting internship.  Because my dad works so far away, it makes spending time with my family difficult.  My mom is constantly traveling between Virginia and Arkansas, while my sister just started her first year of college at University of Central Arkansas.  When I graduate with my bachelor's degree, I hope to spend another year getting a master's degree in business administration.  After I receive my master's degree, I would like to get hired as a tax accountant and begin studying for the CPA exam.  I've been playing the flute for 12 years and am currently on scholarship at Henderson.  Music has always been very important to me.  In high school, I competed and placed very well in every competition I entered.  I achieved a great goal when I placed first in my region on flute as a senior.  I had spent many hours practicing, and I was so excited that all my had work had finally paid off.  My other hobbies include reading, cooking, watching Disney movies, and spending time with my boyfriend, Preston.
This summer, I am taking a trip with the school to visit Ireland and Scotland. I'm very excited about the opportunity to study abroad!  Going to Ireland has always been on my bucket list, so this summer I can mark that off!  I'm interested to learn about the Edinburgh castle and see Loch Ness.  In addition, I am looking forward to observing the different cultures and tasting many unique foods.  Throughout my final semester at Henderson, I will be posting responses to questions posed in my Travel and Study class.  I hope that by the time I leave to go to Ireland and Scotland, this class will have taught me what I should anticipate upon arriving.