[ajurew1]

I was told by a recruiter that passing the CPA exam won’t help me find a job, and employers will not take it into consideration since I don’t have the kind of experience they are looking for.

I have been working as a lease/recovery accountant since I graduated college. I read tenant leases and bill the tenants based on the terms of their leases. I have been unable to get interviews for Staff Accounting type jobs. Do I have any way out of this position and into something that offers more career growth?

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[Study Monk]

My guess is that a CPA with little experience should be able to find a job fairly easily in public accounting, but jobs in private accounting may be more difficult. That being said there's bound to be hiring managers in private accounting who have their CPA and would love to hire a person who went through the same obstacles in life. I imagine that having a CPA is like being a member of a club.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[ajurew1]

@jlough Property Accounting would be the most logical next step for me. I've applied for Property Accounting positions at GGP and another local commercial real estate company, but I have not had any response.

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[ajurew1]

@jlough Property Accounting would be the most logical next step for me. I've applied for Property Accounting positions at GGP and another local commercial real estate company, but I have not had any response.

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[ajurew1]

Why is every recruiter who contacts me no older than 23 years old? How can they possibly understand the industry?

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[ajurew1]

Why is every recruiter who contacts me no older than 23 years old? How can they possibly understand the industry?

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[masa_inn]

ajurew1, I feel your pain!

Finished my MACC last fall with a very decent GPA. I've been working in sales and use tax for 3 years part-time; and have outstanding references from my supervisors, peers, and customers. However, I've never filed the actual returns; instead, I have been doing research to defend our position during the audits, analyzed customers' accounts, reconciled our payments with audit reports, read the contracts etc. I cannot move on to a more advanced position in sales/use due to lack of filing experience, so I decided to switch to general accounting.

I have a really hard time transitioning. “You have no GL experience, you have no month-end experience”. I can learn, I CAN LEARN! And yes, one of the recruiters told me that passing the exam will not really improve my chances.

Good luck with your search. One of my classmates is in property accounting – he is very happy with $$ and work-life balance.

FAR
AUD 02/10/14 passed
BEC
REG

Roger, WTB, Ninja materials

[masa_inn]

ajurew1, I feel your pain!

Finished my MACC last fall with a very decent GPA. I've been working in sales and use tax for 3 years part-time; and have outstanding references from my supervisors, peers, and customers. However, I've never filed the actual returns; instead, I have been doing research to defend our position during the audits, analyzed customers' accounts, reconciled our payments with audit reports, read the contracts etc. I cannot move on to a more advanced position in sales/use due to lack of filing experience, so I decided to switch to general accounting.

I have a really hard time transitioning. “You have no GL experience, you have no month-end experience”. I can learn, I CAN LEARN! And yes, one of the recruiters told me that passing the exam will not really improve my chances.

Good luck with your search. One of my classmates is in property accounting – he is very happy with $$ and work-life balance.

FAR
AUD 02/10/14 passed
BEC
REG

Roger, WTB, Ninja materials

[Anonymous]

@study monk–I think you are right about private versus public being very different, but I would never hire a bunch of CPAs to fill the staff accountant roles. I just don't think it's challenging enough to fulfill someone hungry enough to go after the CPA. It's a stepping stone to management for people that want to advance and the ones that don't wouldn't go after their CPA. This could all change in the future, when a CPA will be required for even the most basic accounting jobs, but for now I just don't see a lot of entry level with CPAs. Just my experience though.

[Anonymous]

@study monk–I think you are right about private versus public being very different, but I would never hire a bunch of CPAs to fill the staff accountant roles. I just don't think it's challenging enough to fulfill someone hungry enough to go after the CPA. It's a stepping stone to management for people that want to advance and the ones that don't wouldn't go after their CPA. This could all change in the future, when a CPA will be required for even the most basic accounting jobs, but for now I just don't see a lot of entry level with CPAs. Just my experience though.

[Shan]

Ha, I heard same thing from a agency also. He didn't directly say”not matters” but you can directly felt that he tried to tell me “no one cares”…he is around 30 and working in this agency about two years. I felt very upset and post my experience in A71. But mla1169 and other pal told me that what you think about yourself actually really matters! The agent just tried to make money on you, not really thinking for you and your future!

So don't care too much for his comment!

AUD-73, 73, 73, 79!!
BEC-77!
FAR-60, 83!
REG-66, 72, 75!

MA CPA license

[Shan]

Ha, I heard same thing from a agency also. He didn't directly say”not matters” but you can directly felt that he tried to tell me “no one cares”…he is around 30 and working in this agency about two years. I felt very upset and post my experience in A71. But mla1169 and other pal told me that what you think about yourself actually really matters! The agent just tried to make money on you, not really thinking for you and your future!

So don't care too much for his comment!

AUD-73, 73, 73, 79!!
BEC-77!
FAR-60, 83!
REG-66, 72, 75!

MA CPA license

[ajurew1]

masa where does your classmate work? Let me know if you have any luck finding a new job. It is very discouraging to be told that all this effort doesn't matter. At the very least doesn't passing the exam show that I am not lazy and I am willing to learn? Apparently nobody wants to train anyone.

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[ajurew1]

masa where does your classmate work? Let me know if you have any luck finding a new job. It is very discouraging to be told that all this effort doesn't matter. At the very least doesn't passing the exam show that I am not lazy and I am willing to learn? Apparently nobody wants to train anyone.

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[ajurew1]

CPAmommy I am not a CPA yet. Do you suggest that I don't mention the exam on my resume or in interviews?

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[ajurew1]

CPAmommy I am not a CPA yet. Do you suggest that I don't mention the exam on my resume or in interviews?

BEC - 84 (4/13/2013)
REG - 82 (10/17/2013)
AUD - 85 (12/5/2013)
FAR - 75 (10/11/2014)

[Author]

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