Oh Doug,
You are getting smoked on this thread but I'd also like to see you get some assistance! I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are not a troll and that everything you are saying is true. My initial thought when I read your first post is that you are over qualified for these entry level positions you're applying for. Not in the sense that you have a ton of experience in tax, because you hardly have any, but your experience in other somewhat relate-able industries and coming in appearing to be “one step ahead of the competition” might actually be what is hurting you.
A lot of firms that hire for entry-level positions actually want their hires to have close to no experience, they want a clean slate dummy to train their way with no bad habits already in place. If you are telling the people hiring you that you are smarter than everyone and you do this and that, like you have on this thread, most are probably going to ask why would we hire this guy for an entry level position? He seems more like a senior or manager, but no experience or credentials to do either job. So you might be putting yourself in a sticky place for our industry, you need to think about what is desired at each position within a firm and see where you fit.
Unfortunately, a 4.0 on 50 units of your MACC and “working towards” your CPA license carries pretty much no value for you in landing a job. You can spend extra time tutoring kids until you are blue in the face, but that doesn't mean you are going to have the knowledge and skill set to get your job done and also fit in with the culture of the firm. The CPA license helps some, but EXPERIENCE is the only thing that is going to help you climb the ladder in this industry, its just the way this one works. When I got my CPA license, I didn't get that big of a raise and I was pissed about it, wondering why. The raise I wanted came when I took on a sh*t ton more work and started showing the partners how I am saving them money here and making them money there. A 4.0 GPA, tutoring kids, and being eligible to sit for the CPA exam has nothing to do with being valuable to a CPA firm.
As others on here have said on here, just show some humility and if you are applying for entry-level then present yourself as entry-level. If you are as great as you say you are, then you really should have job offers, because to be honest what firm wouldn't want you if you are everything you are saying on paper unless you really are coming off as a smug asshole to them?
My final piece of real advice – leave whatever work experience in other industries that you have over the past few years out of it as much as you can. Its OK to talk about it if it comes up, but don't use that experience in trying to boost your resume for a public accounting job – it is all useless. Focus on your accounting education and the little experience in public you do have, and that should land you right at an entry level job because that is about where you are at. All the other stuff is just a distraction that can lead employers to walk the other way. Good luck to you buddy!
FAR - 80
AUD - 82
BEC - 80
REG - 85
ETHICS - 90
EXPERIENCE - COMPLETE
Application for California license mailed 8/4/2016
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