[Last Chance CPA]

There are a few events sponsored by CalCPA each month – e.g., Attorneys, Bankers, CPA (ABC) night, Young/Emerging Professionals, New License night. Has anyone ever attended these events? Did you find them useful? Make any real connections? Job prospects?

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Last Chance CPA]

All the West Coasters are still sleeping 🙂

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[MaLoTu]

What exactly are you trying to accomplish with your networking? Are you trying to get a job or just build a professional network?

If you are a job seeker, I would recommend going to events that are geared towards new professionals. They have dinners where they give away scholarships and meet the firms events. At these types of events firms will be in attendance and you will have better access to getting information about employment.

The ABC nights and events for newly licensed members are better for just generally building your network. The people who attend these events usually have jobs already and are expanding their “social standing”, I guess you can say.

[Last Chance CPA]

Thanks MaLoTu – I am an outsider looking in right now, since I have no accounting background but have passed the CPA exams. I think you are right, the ABC event and new license nights are better for building a network or expanding one's social standing in the finance/accounting field. I have an IT background, so I have to network hard to get into this field, be it doing financial systems work or something else where I can combine IT and accounting. I have a long way to go…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Last Chance CPA]

And yes, the ultimate goal is to get a job in this field…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[MaLoTu]

Are you in the Bay Area?

[Last Chance CPA]

No, San Diego…with thoughts of moving up to LA or San Fran once my wife completes law school in a few months. There are better job prospects for both of us…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[MaLoTu]

Well, if you move up this way (SF), I can put you in touch with a couple of partners that I have met that both work within the realm of IT audits at public firms.

Do you have a LI?

[Last Chance CPA]

Yes – Please click on my moniker to get my linkedin. Thanks MaLoTu….IT Audit would be a logical step forward, in addition to financial systems implementations…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[csvirk]

@Last Chance CPA

I am not from CAL but once you are member of calCPA, You might have access to directory of the most of CPAs in your area along with their email and company information. Start sending out cold emails and ask for a coffee/lunch and develop your network through this route as well. There are chances you might get find great people who will open doors for you. Good Luck!!

FAR: 71, 77!
AUD: 69, 80
BEC: 72
REG: 84

[Last Chance CPA]

Thanks csvirk. I will try that. I didn't pay for CalCPA membership just yet, as I don't even have AICPA membership at the moment…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[csvirk]

Is it a requirement to be AICPA member? My state CPA chapter doesn't require me to be member of AICPA.

FAR: 71, 77!
AUD: 69, 80
BEC: 72
REG: 84

[hasy]

Hi Last Chance, I'm a fellow San Diegan too! The job prospects from what I remember in SD weren't that great, hence I went to OC. But I think since you passed your exams, I would start reaching out to smaller firms (google CPA firms in SD, there's a list of accounting firms in SD as well) in the area and tell them you're looking. Since it is a busy season, it would be pretty hard. But I'd shoot out some emails to show some interest for their firm and see what your chances are. But definitely start applying in April, since a manager once told me that you should start applying after busy since that's when people quit.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved - Helen Keller

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BEC 80 (10/23/15)
FAR 72 (4/2/15); 83 (7/11/16)
REG 52 (4/28/15)
AUD (9/9/16)

Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB

[Last Chance CPA]

@csvirk – I don't think one is required to join AICPA, but I may consider it in the future…

@hasy – I live in San Diego but am open to relocation. Once my wife completes law school, we will be looking into OC/LA/SF. I actually changed my LinkedIn location to OC since I travel for work, and can live anywhere. That way, I am hoping to get more hits from OC/LA. Feel free to click my name to connect on LinkedIn. I can't add you for some reason…

FAR - 76
AUD - 75
BEC - 75
REG - 76

Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

[Skynet]

These Speed Dating Events are always a disappointment to me. None of the girls wants to go home with me, and they keep asking me a bunch of annoying accounting questions : (

[Author]

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