[jpump]

Good News – I just passed my final part of the CPA exam

Bad News – It took me awhile to finally find some direction and decide that this was going to be my career path. That being said, I’m 30 yrs old now and considering what to do next.

I’ve been doing some corporate accounting for 4+ years and I report to a CPA, so they had no problem signing off on my work experience, which means I’ll be a CPA in a few weeks. But I feel like my experience is too narrow right now – I’ve only worked in the banking industry, and would like to diversify my base of exposure/body of knowledge. I thought a good option to consider was public accounting.

It’s not typical to finally go for the CPA at my age, so I assume that large firms don’t get many 30 year old applicants. Can anyone shed some light on my situation? Is it not as weird as I think? Will having earned the CPA make them realize I’m serious about this profession and maybe help get my foot in the door? Would I be considered for a more advanced position based on my experience and CPA?

Any sort of input would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

@ jpump: I'm glad you asked this question. I am also a career changer whom does not have a lots of accounting experience. I'm done with school and studying for the next round of CPA exams.

Do 30-40 somethings have a chance at big accounting firms like KPMG, Moss Adams or PWC?

[Lizzerz79]

It's not unheard of to start public accounting this late. I'm 32 & in my first year at a big 4 firm. There is another girl my age who's been there for between 1-2 years.

I was recruited through my campus so I'm not sure how you would get in outside of campus recruiting.

Also I work with 3 people who started at smaller firms & got hired as experienced hires. So if you can't get in big 4 you could try that way. FYI they don't consider industry experience. I had 5 years in industry & came in just like all the other campus hires. For experienced hire purposes only public counts.

AUD 4/1/12 98
FAR 5/30/12 96
BEC 7/1/12 92
REG 8/18/12 94

[jpump]

Lizzerz – how have you enjoyed your experience so far? Has it been worth it? Was your “unorthodox” path to public accounting a talking point during your interview? How has it been working with a bunch of youngsters?

[Anonymous]

You can do it! I started public accounting at age 30, and stayed for 4 years. I didn't go through the recruiting process though, was able to find the job with a local firm through my contacts. Not sure if I would have wanted to be at a Big 4 starting out at age 30 but it seems from the other posters they have done it!

It will be the most miserable time of your life, but really the best boost/experience you can give your career, do it!

[acamp]

Look into the Experienced Hire section, on the recruitment pages. You'll probably start at what's considered “2nd Year” as you likely have a strong accounting background, but not a lot of audit experience. I have someone working with me right now who did basically the exact thing you're considering.

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[jpump]

Thanks, everyone. I'm not too concerned about being considered “the old guy” or anything like that – I just want to make sure I'm not totally wasting my time if I decide to apply and start interviewing for PA roles. I'm having lunch with a friend next week who is a manager in public accounting to get some more feedback/advice. He went from E&Y to a smaller firm, so he should have a good grasp of the local public accounting scene.

[Mom2two]

I disagree with the OP's comment about not being typical for someone his age to go for the CPA. On the other comment I was 27 when I started with the Big 4 and had a family. I was recruited through campus recruiting and started as a new hire, staff 1 like the others. I think the range for most of my class was 23-24 so I was a tad older. The BIG difference was I had a family already. So it made it a little hard to participate in all the social functions, like I could not do the softball team. But I tried to make it out at least once a quarter and go to occassional happy hours to keep up with the socializing/networking aspect. A few things I picked up on; I got along better with senior managers/partners because I was older and had a family which some seniors/managers felt threatened by. So I had to downplay that in front of the senior/manager and almost act dumb to make them feel better (pathetic I know but hey…put a 24 year old in charge and this is what you get with some). The politics are tad annoying! Also some of the things the younger staff did I was over by that point in my life but I wanted to build relationships with people so I had to suck it up and go to some of those events. I think as long as you have that mentality going in that yes you are going to be older and don't act like you know more than them because you have life experience you should be fine. The work experience is good and the relationships you can build will be worth it.

B: 81 (3X) May 2012
A: 76 (1X) Nov 2011
R: 86 (2X) Feb 2012
F: 64, April 2011, retake 10.01.12 - 75!!!!!!!!!!

[Lizzerz79]

@jpump: I agree with some of what mom2two has said, pretty similar to my experience except I have not had to downplay anything. I'm in a really small big 4 office so the office politics are probably very different than they would be at a bigger office. Also a lot of the seniors and managers had just quit before I started so at this point it's mostly staff, the seniors and managers that did stay are really cool so no problems there. We'll see what happens after promotion day if any of the promoted staff have a change of attitude. I won't be promoted this year, I just started in January.

I have had to go to a lot of happy hours that I would prefer not to go just because I'm not really into drinking or hanging out at the bars anymore. I do get a little frustrated by all the events. I feel like we work together and spend enough time together that I would rather get some time off to go home and be with my family. But I suck it up and go to most of it because it would look bad if I didn't.

My prior experience was a good talking point during my interviews. The partner I interviewed with did straight up ask me if I thought I would be bothered by working with younger people, having my senior or manager be younger than me. I told him I wouldn't be and actually talked about the time I managed people older than me. I'm really not bothered by it. If they know what they are doing, that's all that matters. I forget sometimes that these people are so much younger than me…until we start talking about personal lives and they are all about dating & going out & I'm all about my family and staying home lol.

Honestly, the most frustrating thing about this has been the hours. I knew it would be going in. Right now is a pretty miserable time for me because I'm working overtime there (summer is not the end of busy season for me) and studying for the cpa exam so I have almost no free time and very little family time. I'm hoping that I will be happier when I'm finished with this exam, at least then when I get off at 7 or 8 I won't have to go home and study for 2-3 more hours.

So I'm on the fence as to whether I'll stay long term. I'm definitely staying as long as it takes to make this be worth it. The whole point was to learn a lot and get qualifications and credentials to move to the next level. I am not taking another staff position when I leave here. But I go back and forth between wanting to get out as soon as I possibly can (because of the hours) and wanting to stay because I truly do like the work environment and the people I'm with. Coming from industry I did used to get bored at work a lot. I have never been bored here so I like that. I don't know. Not really a decision I have to make right now.

Is it worth it? I really hope so. I guess I won't really know until I've been here longer and I see how things will pan out as far as exit opportunities or the opportunities with the firm if I end up staying.

AUD 4/1/12 98
FAR 5/30/12 96
BEC 7/1/12 92
REG 8/18/12 94

[Mom2two]

@Lizzerz79….WOW….what a great AUD score! I totally agree with what you said about not realizing the age difference until the other staff start talking. It did kind of hit me like wow I really am that much older even though at the time it was like 5 years.

B: 81 (3X) May 2012
A: 76 (1X) Nov 2011
R: 86 (2X) Feb 2012
F: 64, April 2011, retake 10.01.12 - 75!!!!!!!!!!

[katiekanton]

There was a whole thread about this a while back. I posted that I was told that 32 is about the cutoff. I was told that they have had problems with “older” people having an issue with having a twenty-something as their boss, so they generally avoid it. Of course that's bunk, and highly case-specific, but it gives you some idea of the attitudes out there.

I have to say I sort of fell back into corporate accounting, “settling” if you will, and I got on at a Fortune 50 company. There are so many incredible advantages (far above the fantastic dirt-cheap cafeteria and the dry cleaners on site) that I haven't felt disadvantaged at all. Not only is the pay fantastic, I will have lots of opportunities to do whatever I want within the company, AND since it's a truly global corporation, I can eventually move wherever I want in the world. I'm so glad I “settled”.

AUD - 88
FAR - 90
REG - 85
BEC - 88

[Anonymous]

I started at a Big 4 when I was 38 and I am having the time of my life. Been here nearly 3 years and things are going great. The caliber of people you work with on a daily basis and the client experiences are well worth it. I would definitely go for it.

[Anonymous]

@ethompson, is there any advice you have in terms of obtaining a job at a big 4 or regional pubic accounting firm when having been out of school for several years? I would like to get some public accounting experience; I currently have a job, but I am going to work on transition from industry to public…

[Anonymous]

I am 32 years old and I start with PwC on Monday. I have been on the real estate/property management field for the last 7 seven years and they sought me out once my recruiter new I was looking for auditing hours. I was hired as an “experienced hire” for their real estate / asset management group. I am very excited but I will have to say I had to take a pay cut for the move. I have a family but in my mind the experience, training and resume recognition will be well worth in it in my mind. I had to get my 800 auditing hours somewhere so why not the Big 4. Plus it really like a (1) year contract in my mind I will be a CPA and if I decide its not for me I got back to private with a edge on most candidates and what should be a decent pay raise. Knowing myself I will stay and rock that place to I become a partner 🙂

[Anonymous]

I was an auditor for almost 3 years at a midsized firm based in Sf. Worked through the economy crunch so as I got more experience they sent me out on solo audits and I never got the auditor based CPA sign off since I didn't have enough review hours. On my large engagements 5-7 people shrank to 2-3 man teams do to serious cost cutting efforts. With those small teams managers did all review of entry level or staff below me. Personally i think public accounting firms are run by very gready people. Especially when i see how much they bill clients for my labor and then give us more work and cry broke so they cuttback on staffing and cost of living increases. To put in perspective i worked on average of 2450 work hours per year and got paid for 2080. I suggest if u need the liscense requirement do but I know I am looking for accounting supervisor/assistant controller jobs instead. the poster above me how can u get the fieldwork, reporting, planning and supervision hours in 1 year?? Oh well I got the sign off I need for the liscense anyway, not planning on being a partner or doing anymore audits anyway so no use for it. I got out of public accounting to pass the CPA exam (2 parts left, hopefully 1 as audit score pending) since I worked 65 hours a week I kept failing the test. I am older the the op by a few years and I tell u not going back to public accounting once I get my lisence. Pay is much better for CPA in private industry unless u shoot for partner and choose to give up family life.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what your asking me, I already have the 2400 hours signed off on for my experience under a CPA in industry. Now I just need 800 hours of attestation experience to meet the 3200 hour requirement for my CPA. I assume it will take about 5 months at PwC. However, since I would never leave a company after just 5 months I use a full year as my first date to self reflect on if I would want to stay or go back to private.

[Author]

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