[Anonymous]

I graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in accounting along with 150-hours required to be a CPA. I worked part time at some non-accounting related jobs in college. In spring of 2013, I landed a job at the daughter company of the actual company I wish to end up at. And fast forward to present day, and basically I am just frustrated at life. Firstly, I am frustrated that I am not having success at the CPA exam. Secondly, I am frustrated at my current job. It’s not really accounting related, and the daughter company is mostly a contractor, so jobs come and go at big numbers depending on how the contracting goes. And the thing about applying for jobs at parent company (or anywhere for that matter) is that I have to compete against people who have 5, 10, 15 years of experience. How am I suppose to compete with people with so much experience being just a recent graduate? And the thing about applying outside the company is that I have to be careful of where I wish to go, cause it would be really silly if I were to move to somewhere and that place turns out to be worse than where I currently am.

TLDR: I hate my life, I feel trapped, and I don’t know if there is anything I can do to change it. Comments? Suggestions?

[Lindrobe]

Thanks, CMaxwell. Good luck with REG!

FAR 12/3/14, 87
AUD 2/3/14, 90
BEC 4/1/14, 88
REG 5/27/14, 94

Licensed CPA, Indiana

"Successful people do things that unsuccessful people don't want to do"

[G3]

I am in a similar boat: got Bachelor's in Accounting and MBA in 2008 and 2010 respectively while working as an accounting/business tutor at the University. Worked as a tutor and math professor during my long journey through the CPA exam; which I finally passed in February 🙂

I had to resign from my tutoring position this year, due to policy changes at the University, so I am currently working solely as a math professor (which I love but sadly doesn't advance my career) while searching EVERYWHERE for an accounting position without any relevant experience! 🙁

Unfortunately, Texas doesn't allow candidates to complete the ethics exam or course without first completing the necessary work experience and associated paperwork! 🙁

Keep your head up, just because it's a bad day (or week, or month), doesn't mean it's a bad life 🙂

3XBEC:75 * 4XREG:82 * 4XFAR:76 * 7XAUD:77

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” Theodore Roosevelt

[Anonymous]

@John Tucker

1. The jobs in college were just random jobs just so I can get some kind of experience. Combined, they are probably around one year. I currently am an auditor and I mostly review medicare cost reports. But I say it's not really related to accounting cause honestly, it's not. You just need to know a lot about medicare cost reports. I have been in that role for approximately a year and four months.

2. In 5 or 10 years, I see myself meeting all of the requirements to be a CPA. I would prefer to be in a more accounting or internal auditing role.

And in regards to the 15 years part, I guess that was just kind of exaggerating, not sure if that was accurate or not. But I was just trying to say that I am competing against a lot of people who are much older than myself.

@005, CPAMommyof3, CMaxwell

Thanks. I'm focusing on REG until I pass. Hopefully next time I take it will be my last.

@Skynet

You your posts always give me a good laugh. 🙂

And sorry if I left anyone's name out. Rest assured, I read everyone's posts. 🙂

[stoleway]

@Determined_To_Succeed

Great thing you pointed out what you do, I recently got a call from a public accounting firm to do the same thing you're doing right now (maybe not). The firm audits medicaid and medicare reimbursements, I talked to a friend about this opportunity and he said this role is not actually related to accounting and it gets boring. I haven't had any auditing job before so I thought this will be a good starting point for me, but I'm scared right now to accept an offer from this firm. Are you trying to leave your current role because its boring or what? Is you firm a public accounting firm? Do you think I should accept this offer auditing medicare and medicaid reimbursements? I would appreciate your views on this.

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[Anonymous]

@stoleway

The firm I work for is a government contractor, which is the foremost reason why I wish to make the switch to our parent company, which is not a government contractor. The job description and what your friend said sounds surprisingly similar to what I do, with the exception of it being boring. There are hundreds, if not thousands of healthcare facilities we deal with, and each one is different. So everytime you learn something new lol. You could be here for a long time and still come across a situation where you need to ask someone else for help. The only reason I am staying where I currently am is that if I leave for somewhere else, it may not necessarily be better than where I am. So I am just trying to pass all 4 sections of the CPA exam, and just keep my eyes and ears open if anything comes up that I might be interested in.

So to answer your question, if you currently don't have a job, I would recommend accepting it. But if you currently have a job and are looking for something better, then it really depends on if you like your current job or not, cause honestly, medicare auditing isn't that great. But on the other hand, if your goal is to work at a hospital, then this experience will come in handy.

[stoleway]

Ha..now I'm confused lol…is the parent company a public accounting firm? Why do you think your life will be better at the parent company?

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[Anonymous]

The parent company is in industry. And I am looking to be in a more of an internal role. My current role is akin to that of an external auditor. I would be content with staying at the daughter company if it weren't for the fact that it's a government contractor.

[John Tucker]

Determined,

I see, well, if you want to work in a direct Accounting role you need to find some sort of internship or a low level bookkeeper or clerk. That's the first part, I would work in this type of position at the same time while you are working the other position and completing the CPA Exam. You have to find a way to get into one of these positions at an actual firm and remain there for the next 2-3 years, from there you should seek to apply to perhaps medium sized firms or other firms of the equivalent size.

* State of MA CPA Exam Candidate
- BEC: Sunday, August 24th
- FAR: Saturday, November 29th
- AUD: TBA for February 2015
- REG: TBA for May 2015

[Sir Study Alot]

@ Lindrobe

Not a lot of people think about it to often, but tax is a great marriage with becoming a certified financial planner especially if you eventually transfer to the high net worth department at a large firm. You could use your CPA to get a job as an tax accountant and then after a few years become a CFP. A CFP could then be a stepping stone to a lot of finance type jobs. There's a good amount of firms that specialize in both tax and financial planning as well.

Passed all 4 exams in 2014!

[Sir Study Alot]

@ Determined_To_Succeed

Cheer up life will get better. Don't be too ambitious you have plenty of time.

Passed all 4 exams in 2014!

[Lindrobe]

Sir Study A lot, that is not something I have thought of but it sounds really interesting to me. Thanks for sharing!

FAR 12/3/14, 87
AUD 2/3/14, 90
BEC 4/1/14, 88
REG 5/27/14, 94

Licensed CPA, Indiana

"Successful people do things that unsuccessful people don't want to do"

[Skynet]

To the OP. Remember the old saying.

“When life gives you lemons. You make lemonade. Then you toss that lemomade into the face of the person that gave you those lemons until they give you the oranges you asked for in the first place.”

[Mamabear]

^^hilarious!

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[Anonymous]

All right, for now, I will just be focusing on REG, which is in 3 weeks.

[John Tucker]

…

* State of MA CPA Exam Candidate
- BEC: Sunday, August 24th
- FAR: Saturday, November 29th
- AUD: TBA for February 2015
- REG: TBA for May 2015

[Author]

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