[johnd]

Hey, I’m currently in a master’s program for my 150 credits. I have a great GPA and have passed the CPA. I applied to all the Big 4 for summer internships, but they aren’t even interviewing me! What is wrong?? It’s so disheartening to know that you worked so hard, and that people who are much less on in their CPA careers are getting the interviews instead of you. I thought taking and passing the CPA was a good initiative? Do they think I’m too good for them? I know of a couple of people in the same situation. It has nothing to do with interview skills, which I have, because they won’t even interview!

[wannabeCPA123]

i am only 2 months into a big 4 position, but I have participated in recruiting. I have already encountered people who are well qualified, but I just didn't like them. They came off as weird, stiff and socially awkward. Of courese I don't make hiring decisions, but I can get people into the Interview pile. In fact, every employee in the firm can do that, so how you treat everyone, even the staff, makes a difference.

A lot of them were asking the Robot/party-line questions. I actually watched all the recruiting videos on my company's website before I got hired, so i know all the “campaign slogans”. “I like so-and-so company because you guys are so diverse” or ‘I want to go into audit because I want to learn how fortune 500 companies operate”. blah.. i got tired of hearing the same thing over and over agian.

FAR 78
REG 87
BEC 78
AUD 78
Passed all exams on first try! Good luck to everyone!

[mla1169]

I believe for internships the ideal is someone finishing their 3rd year of undergrad. I could be mistaken but you're a bit further along than most undergrads.

While its nice to have a good GPA and finish the exams, it's not everything. I think you may be holding those facts on too high a pedestal. I can guarantee you that no Big 4 thinks you're too good for them, not even if you won the EWS and have a 4.0. And while diversity is important, you don't have any idea what the other candidates have in their resume or how far they actually got in the process. You actually asked here if public accounting stresses diversity over competency. That question alone is a huge red flag to me. Have you demonstrated competency in some way that you've not mentioned here? I have completed my masters with a great GPA, finished the exams also, but unlike you I don't believe that alone puts me in a better position than anybody else and I don't think that speaks to my competency-that's what a resume is for.

Nobody thinks you're a hot shot accounting nerd. However your credentials are fairly common in public accounting so they don't give you the edge you're assuming they should.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

I believe for internships the ideal is someone finishing their 3rd year of undergrad. I could be mistaken but you're a bit further along than most undergrads.

While its nice to have a good GPA and finish the exams, it's not everything. I think you may be holding those facts on too high a pedestal. I can guarantee you that no Big 4 thinks you're too good for them, not even if you won the EWS and have a 4.0. And while diversity is important, you don't have any idea what the other candidates have in their resume or how far they actually got in the process. You actually asked here if public accounting stresses diversity over competency. That question alone is a huge red flag to me. Have you demonstrated competency in some way that you've not mentioned here? I have completed my masters with a great GPA, finished the exams also, but unlike you I don't believe that alone puts me in a better position than anybody else and I don't think that speaks to my competency-that's what a resume is for.

Nobody thinks you're a hot shot accounting nerd. However your credentials are fairly common in public accounting so they don't give you the edge you're assuming they should.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

@johnd – I feel you on this Johnd. I am on the same boat as you. I have a decent GPA and passed my CPA exam. I don't have experience,and sometimes I ask if it's really worth it when you see people getting an offer that have less credentials than you.

In my opinion, the private sector can be very subjective. To me, I applied to many private sectors and government positions that I can. The funny thing is that I got denied from all private sectors, but given a chance for an interview by the government sector that I applied. The reason why I tried to get into the private sector because that's what a lot of people mostly talk about. I RARELY see people talking about getting into the government. After the interview, I sent my interviewer a thank you email. They didn't respond back so I'm thinking maybe they might not be interested in me. If I get denied, I'm still thankful knowing the government gave me a chance to be interviewed.

Don't give up. The private sector isn't your only choice.

[Anonymous]

@johnd – I feel you on this Johnd. I am on the same boat as you. I have a decent GPA and passed my CPA exam. I don't have experience,and sometimes I ask if it's really worth it when you see people getting an offer that have less credentials than you.

In my opinion, the private sector can be very subjective. To me, I applied to many private sectors and government positions that I can. The funny thing is that I got denied from all private sectors, but given a chance for an interview by the government sector that I applied. The reason why I tried to get into the private sector because that's what a lot of people mostly talk about. I RARELY see people talking about getting into the government. After the interview, I sent my interviewer a thank you email. They didn't respond back so I'm thinking maybe they might not be interested in me. If I get denied, I'm still thankful knowing the government gave me a chance to be interviewed.

Don't give up. The private sector isn't your only choice.

[W_HAMILTON]

I don't recall many of my fellow master's students applying for an internship during their master's program; most were seeking full-time job opportunities. How does the timing even work with that situation? Are you going to intern with them, start your master's program in the Fall, finish the following summer, and potentially start full-time with them the following Fall?

I've heard that internships were harder to come by than full-time job opportunities. I would think internships would be more geared towards college juniors and maybe seniors, not so much master's students. Did you have the opportunity to apply for a full-time position and instead chose to apply for an internship? I know that at my master's program, you could only apply for one position at each firm, so if you only applied for internships, that might have limited you.

Aside from that, my only other guess would be that your resume isn't up to snuff. Maybe have someone read through it or take it to a career counselor at your school and have them go over it to see where you can improve. To not even get an interview usually means that you aren't a suitable candidate, either due to a poor GPA, poor extracurriculars, poor resume in general, or don't make sense for the position (e.g., applying for a position in a city that is available when the recruiter knows you would prefer to work in another city, applying for an internship when you would be better suited for a full-time position, etc.).

REG - 93 (7/30/13)
BEC - 90 (8/19/13)
AUD - 98 (8/31/13)
FAR - 84 (10/19/13)

[W_HAMILTON]

I don't recall many of my fellow master's students applying for an internship during their master's program; most were seeking full-time job opportunities. How does the timing even work with that situation? Are you going to intern with them, start your master's program in the Fall, finish the following summer, and potentially start full-time with them the following Fall?

I've heard that internships were harder to come by than full-time job opportunities. I would think internships would be more geared towards college juniors and maybe seniors, not so much master's students. Did you have the opportunity to apply for a full-time position and instead chose to apply for an internship? I know that at my master's program, you could only apply for one position at each firm, so if you only applied for internships, that might have limited you.

Aside from that, my only other guess would be that your resume isn't up to snuff. Maybe have someone read through it or take it to a career counselor at your school and have them go over it to see where you can improve. To not even get an interview usually means that you aren't a suitable candidate, either due to a poor GPA, poor extracurriculars, poor resume in general, or don't make sense for the position (e.g., applying for a position in a city that is available when the recruiter knows you would prefer to work in another city, applying for an internship when you would be better suited for a full-time position, etc.).

REG - 93 (7/30/13)
BEC - 90 (8/19/13)
AUD - 98 (8/31/13)
FAR - 84 (10/19/13)

[johnd]

Thanks for all your comments. It might be that I applied for internships instead of full-time, because I will still be in school next fall. I guess that if I want Big 4, I'll have to wait until next year or at some other opportunity to apply for full-time.

[johnd]

Thanks for all your comments. It might be that I applied for internships instead of full-time, because I will still be in school next fall. I guess that if I want Big 4, I'll have to wait until next year or at some other opportunity to apply for full-time.

[Guti]

I have three lady friends that are very attractive and workout every single day. Two of them finished College with a 3.10 GPA and the other one with a 2.96. They have failed the CPA exam multiple times,so they just went to the job fair to try their luck with the big 4. Two of them are working for KPMG and the other one with PWC. Attractive women sell even in the Accounting world based of what I have seen lately.

FAR-84
AUD-
REG-
BEC-

[Guti]

I have three lady friends that are very attractive and workout every single day. Two of them finished College with a 3.10 GPA and the other one with a 2.96. They have failed the CPA exam multiple times,so they just went to the job fair to try their luck with the big 4. Two of them are working for KPMG and the other one with PWC. Attractive women sell even in the Accounting world based of what I have seen lately.

FAR-84
AUD-
REG-
BEC-

[johnd]

Did you watch the last episode of Shark Tank. 2 hot women who work for Ernst & Young were trying to get an investment, They didn't seem too bright, but they're like managers and recruiters for EY!

[johnd]

Did you watch the last episode of Shark Tank. 2 hot women who work for Ernst & Young were trying to get an investment, They didn't seem too bright, but they're like managers and recruiters for EY!

[Anonymous]

@johnd according to this

it says they do not work for EY

[Anonymous]

@johnd according to this

it says they do not work for EY

[Author]

Replies