Q： I am doing a master's degree in accounting and have completed my first semester. Now I'm thinking of shifting to actuarial studies， as I don't find accounting very exciting. In the current economy， should I pursue something I feel passionate about or go for a field with more job security？

　　A： Job security is extremely hard to come by these days， no matter what profession you choose. It isn't enough to pursue a field with perceived stability， say the experts. You'll want to find something you feel passionate about， can make a living doing and that involves using skills you can easily apply to other fields.

　　‘Passion is a necessary but not sufficient condition for success in the workplace，’says James Elsen， president and chief executive officer of SustainableCircles Corp.， publisher of sustainlane.com， a 'green living' guide that includes job listings. 'Pursuing what you love will give you access to creativity and energy that you would not otherwise be able to tap while slogging to a job you are indifferent about.'

　　Bear in mind that since you're only one semester in， it may be too early to rule out accounting. Give yourself some more time and become an expert in the field so you can make an educated decision about whether it's right for you， suggests Paul Herrerias， a managing director at executive-consulting firm Stanton Chase International. Talk to people working in the field and join networking groups on sites like LinkedIn.com， for example. 'You can't get excited about something you know nothing about，' he says.

　　Don't discount the virtues of a degree in a high-demand field such as accounting， especially in the current economy， adds Amy Nichols， founder and CEO of Dogtopia， a chain of upscale dog daycare and spa facilities. 'Having a broader degree is more valuable in times like these，' she says.

　　Ms. Nichols got her degree in psychology and worked in the telecom industry for years before pursuing a career that caters to her passion for dogs. In the five years she was with Verizon （then Bell Atlantic）， she held four different positions. By working for a large company， she says she received invaluable training and experience that she might never have obtained if she tried to strking out on her own right after college. And without the credibility and knowledge she gained， securing a business loan might have been an impossiblity， she says. '[Accounting] might not be that thrilling or exciting， but you need to have those skills to run a successful business，' she says.

　　In the mean time， nothing should stop you from pursuing your interests on the side while working a 9-to-5 job to pay the bills， says Ms. Nichols. Stow away some money for a future business or career change.

　　Whichever way you go， it seems you'll be choosing well， at least according to a recent study released from CareerCast.com ranking the best and worst occupations in the U.S. Both accounting and actuarial science made it into the top 10； actuary came in second place and accounting came in tenth.

　　問：我現在正在攻讀會計學碩士，目前已經修完第一學期的課程。現在，我正在考慮轉到精算系，因為我覺得會計很無聊。在目前的經濟環境下，我到底是應該從事我所感興趣的領域，還是追求穩定的職業呢？

　　答：在當前的經濟形勢下，無論你從事何種職業，就業穩定都很難找到穩定的就業機會。專家們表示，光是追求預計能夠帶來穩定就業的領域是不夠的。你希望追求的方向應該是你所熱愛的、能夠借以維持生計的職業，并且能夠運用到一些你可以輕松轉換到其它領域的技能。

　　SustainableCircles Corp.的總裁兼首席執行長詹姆斯·愛爾森（James Elsen）表示，要想取得事業上的成功，熱愛是必要條件，但并非充份條件。追求你所熱愛的職業能夠為你帶來創造力和活力，而這些都是從事某項你自己都感到無所謂的工作所無法得到的東西。SustainableCircles Corp.是sustainlane.com的出版商，這是一份“綠色生活”指南，同時也發布一些空缺職位。

　　職業經理人咨詢公司Stanton Chase International的董事總經理保羅（Paul Herrerias）表示，需要謹記的是，既然到目前為止你學習會計只有一個學期的時間，這個時候放棄會計可能還所言過早。不妨給你自己一些時間，讓自己成為這個領域的專家，這樣你也可以更好地了解到底哪個方向更適合自己，由此做出更加明智的決定。比如說，你可以和業內人士多加接觸，參加網絡社交群體如LinkedIn.com等等。他說，最忌諱的事情就是盲目追求某個你還毫無所知的領域。

　　高端寵物狗護理和美容設施連鎖店Dogtopia的創始人兼CEO艾米·尼克爾斯（Amy Nichols）則表示，不要低估會計等需求量很大領域的學位的含金量，尤其是在目前的經濟狀況下。她說，擁有一個求職面相對寬泛的學位在目前的形式下是很有價值的。

　　尼克爾斯女士過去主修心理學，在電信行業工作多年，由于她對狗的熱愛，最后她選擇了目前的事業。在Verizon（后來成為Bell Atlantic）供職的五年當中，她從事過四份不同的崗位。尼克爾斯女士說，在大公司工作的經歷，讓她獲得了寶貴的培訓機會和工作經驗；如果她當初選擇畢業后就立即自立門戶，她可能永遠也沒有機會獲得這些體驗。而如果沒有她通過在大公司工作所逐漸積累起來的信用和知識，她為自己的企業獲得商業貸款的機會可能也會微乎其微。尼克爾斯女士說，會計可能不是那么令人激動或興奮的職業，但是要想成功經營企業，你就必須要掌握相關的技能。

　　尼克爾斯女士表示，與此同時，上班族在朝九晚五之余，也不應該停止對自己所熱愛的事業的追求。試著積累一些資金，以便自己將來創業或者轉行。

　　無論你如何選擇，你的選擇都不會錯，至少從CareerCast.com最近發布的美國前景最好和最差的職業排名來看是這樣。會計和精算都名列前茅，精算名列第二，會計則排在第十。