[Anonymous]

This is my goal after obtaining my cpa.

[takingnotes]

So the question is, Big 4 or Fed Gov?

Higher ceiling goes to Big 4 but everything else favors a career in the Federal Government. I always thought big 4 was the way to go but after tasting the government cheese, I'm not so sure anymore.

[mw798]

Frankly, all my friends who went to Fed Gov't are doing better off money wise and work/life balance wise than the ones that went the Big 4 to private route. If you live in an area with good Fed Gov't jobs, the Fed Gov't is the way to go. I know I wish I did, but if I wanted to do it now I would have to start at a low GS scale and move up through tenure. That is why it's important to start out in the Fed Gov't early in your career. In hindsight it's 20/20, I wish I had known when I first graduated college.

[ridiqls]

Uh government is lower on payscale at all ranges. You start at GS05 and it's barely 40k here with locality adjustment for Los Angeles. Every level that you get promoted, the private equivalent is always higher.

And it's not a staff accountant that makes $100k+. There are many government positions but if you look at the GS pay table, you need to be at least gs12 or gs13 to make over $80-90k. GS12, GS13+ positions are management positions, not staff accountants, which is why I said if you want to get promoted higher like gs 13 or up, you will need to be willing to relocate at times.

Also this is for a path of a government auditor. There aren't many staff accountant positions unless you go state and even at the fed level, it stops at gs7 or gs9 I believe which is around 50-60k starting.

[takingnotes]

In DC, there are plenty of GS-13s who are considered staff accountants. Our office actually has two non supervisory GS-15s!

[mw798]

My best friend's title is Accountant, he supervises no one, and his main duties include doing reconciliations and pretty low levels tasks. His 2013 base salary was $113,792 (I looked it up on a public database) and he's 29. You're not going to find a private equivalent close to that. And GS12 and GS13 are not management positions. Pretty much everyone is GS 12 after 6 to 7 years experience. I've had 5 friends who went to the Federal Gov't and all of them moved up from GS 6 to GS 12 or GS 13 within 8 years and all are within the accounting and auditing realm. And there are plenty of jobs in accounting and auditing in the GS 12 and GS 13 scale if you look at USAjobs.gov. The problem is most those jobs give extreme preference to current federal employees which is why you have to start out in the Fed Gov't.

[Anonymous]

My dad worked for FDIC for over 30 years. He's now retired with a six figure pension adjustable with inflation. I had a job offer with HUD a couple years ago that I turned down. If they still had sweet ass pensions I probably would have taken it. I think a government job would be great for me in about five years when I have kids and am looking for the work life balance. For now, I think I would get too bored. I work in consulting and enjoy the variety and I'm at a point in my life where long hours aren't a big deal. If I did go government, I would probably want to work somewhere that is not taxpayer funded (like FDIC) because their salary caps are not as low.

[mw798]

@ridiqls – I took a look at what GS level a management position in accounting/finance would be since no one I know is in a management position at the GS 12/13 level. Here is what I found:

Supervisory Accountant for the Smithsonian at the GS 15 level:

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/386698900

Base pay: $124,995.00 to $141,660.00 / Per Year

Supervisory Auditor at the GS 15 level:

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/387249300

Base pay: $124,995.00 to $157,100.00 / Per Year

Supervisory Financial Analyst at the GS 14 level:

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/387777700

Base Pay: $106,263.00 to $138,136.00 / Per Year

Just based on the above anecdotal, I would guess management is primarily in the GS 14 to GS 15 range. And above management, there is of course the Executive level salary scales after the GS scale.

[Anonymous]

when should you apply to the jobs posted on usajob.gov? can u apply ahead of time or do u apply closer to graduation?

[ridiqls]

Ah this is interesting I didn't know that. thanks for the input

[leglock]

for those hired by the fed gov't, do you recommend sending a cover letter for job submittals that do not require a cover letter?

Sending a cover letter is an optional submittal for one federal job I saw.

[MobyDick]

When I started with the DoD Inspector General's office, they recruited from my college. It's usually the bigger agencies that hire people right out of college. The smaller agencies wait until the larger agencies train them, then lure them over once they are a little more seasoned. It doesn't hurt to add a cover letter…but for new graduates, it usually comes down to education and the interview.

FAR--(5/27/14) 90
REG--(8/11/14) 90
AUD--(10/1/14) 88
BEC--(11/24/14) 89 Done!!
Virginia CPA License (12/24/14)

100% Becker CPA Self-Study

CISA (2010) CISSP (2012)

[Lion_of_the_Rock]

No cover letter…that's working too hard already and you're interested in the Federal Government, right?

Submit your resume via USA Jobs and make sure your resume hits all of the key words under the specific requirements for the job even if you have to BS it a little bit to fit some of those key words in there. Your biggest obstacle is getting through the HR screener that looks for the key words. No matching key words, no look by a human. You have to get past this initial phase before an actual person involved in the hiring process looks at your CV.

The hiring process for the Fed Govt makes very little sense, which in a way, kind of makes sense.

My source is the person I hear complain about her job on a daily basis in the Fed Govt who has been on several resume review committees and recommended people for hire off of campus recruiting. Basically she would have to sift through the masses after they made it through the key word round. And honestly, even after that, it is still about addressing those bullets in the job post.

A big plus if you want to succeed in auditing for an IG office is the ability to write, i.e. you have a command of the English language and you liked English a bit in high school and college. Also, can you talk to people without being extremely awkward? That helps.

BEC - 78
AUD - 75
REG - 74, 79
FAR - 75

You have to buy a ticket to win the raffle.

[Anonymous]

I'm really enjoying this title. Having working alongside many government employees, I can say that not many of them aspire for much.

Before I tick anyone off- there are many hardworking gov employees and there are plenty of lazy private ones.

[Valleygrl68]

I joined the government from private (federal contractor) last Fall as a GS12 (was able to negotiate to a Step 5). I was anxious to get in before the change in administration so I took the leap…but it was a pay cut from my private salary. All in all I’m happy about the decision, I have work/life balance for the first time in 15 years and my evenings weekends are MINE, I don’t have to forfeit my earned vacation to make utilization numbers, nor work on proposals to the wee hours of the morning, I’m in HEAVEN!

Yes there’s a lot of red tape on this side, takes longer to get things done but that doesn’t bother me. It’s still fast-paced otherwise and I get along well with my team, love the work and believe in the mission so I’m good. And I also have time to focus on completing the CGFM and CPA, win, win!

Benefits-wise I didn’t see much difference as I had low cost healthcare and transit benefits in private. The FERS pension is nice though… in private I’d have to save up whatever amount and hope it doesn’t run out, FERS is for life, that plus social security and whatever I sock away in TSP should make for a comfy retirement. Shoot, I wish I had made the change sooner, would have given me more years of service anyway!

[Excel14]

BEC (2/28/16) ----- 78
FAR (09/10/16)-----
AUD
REG

CIA, CGAP, CFE

[Author]

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