Is a job as a billing associate a viable way into an accounting job?

I graduated with an Associate degree in Accounting last year but I've had problems finding employment in the Accounting field. I've tried some temp agencies, but aside from a short term placement in accounts payable nothing they've found for me has lasted very long and nothing (aside from the A/P job) has been industry related.



I recently found a full time job on my own as a billing associate at a transportation company. My job duties involve looking at a bill of lading and transferring the data into what they call a delivery receipt that the consignee (the person receiving the shipment ) signs thus stating they have received the goods and promising to pay for them. I haven't worked in accounts receivable but the jobs do sound like they have something in common. The delivery receipt sounds like an invoice to me.



My question; is a billing associate a viable way into an accounting job? By accounting job I mean possibly something that would actually have accounting in the title like Accounting Clerk, Accounting Assistant. Something along those lines and possibly with better pay :) . Or would a potential employer look at that as the white collar equivalent of working at McDonalds?



I've looked on Monster and tried to use their career mapping tool and I'm not sure if I'm using the right job title or not. They don't have a billing associate per se but a billing clerk and billing analyst. And those careers lead off completely away from accounting.



While I'm happy to have a job, I'm trying to think ahead with a career in mind. If employers would be like what did you waste all that time for with something so unrelated, I don't see much point in staying there very long. My plan right now is to stay there for 6 months and see how I feel then. But probably not stay for longer than a year at any rate.Is a job as a billing associate a viable way into an accounting job?
Your plan sounds like a good one - it's somewhat relevant, and certainly better than continuing to be unemployed. Just remember to stick to your original plan and get out of there within a year or so - lots of people start off ambitious and then settle into a rut.