[DDylan]

Hello,

I have been working as a senior financial analyst in a F500 (tech/software) for about a year. I have to say the job is boring. It’s just being repetitive over and over again. I still want to go back to firms so I have a chance to get exposure to different engagements.

Here’s a little background about myself. Bachelor and master in Accounting. I am a CPA, passed CFA level 1, and ABV (accredited in business valuation). I started my career in a local firm doing assurance engagements for about 3 years, and then senior fund accountant in a large PE firm in Dallas for almost 2 years. My current job is Sr. financial analyst, mostly working on forecast and some deal/contract valuation, free cash flow predication, NPV calculation and etc. Total comp is about 95K.

TBH, my current company has been treating me very well–decent work life balance and decent pay. They even still keep my exact position after I come back from army boot camp, rather than put me into other miserable teams. But I just feel like this is not what I want to do in long term.

I am particularly interested in valuation or due diligence. I am just curious if there is anyway that I can go back to valuation/due diligence practice in a national/big 4 accounting firm?

If switching to firms is not feasible, what other exit opps for FP&A? I really do not know..

PS: I am still in the army reserve. I will take CFA level 2 next year and am currently learning VBA programming. Not sure if these will help.

[Cobalt60]

If valuation is your goal would getting your certified valuation analyst be an option? Divorce settlements and such can bring in good money.

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[DDylan]

@Cobalt60 Thank you. I already got my ABV (accredited in business valuation) which is a valuation certificate. This cert does bring me a couple of opps from mid size firm/regional firm but never big 4 or large national firm (BDO, GT and BKD). I am not really interested in divorce settlements valuation..I am more interested in business valuation.

[75]

Depending on the company and the Industry , FP&A roles coupled with a CPA can also be a very rewarding career and a clear path to becoming a CFO/VP/Director if that is what you want and do more interesting stuff like M&A, valuations, strategy, transformation management, international and manufacturing exposure, etc
In some other companies including F500, it is just updating Powerpoint all day long…

It all depends.

[Author]

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