[Jack_J]

Hi CA CPA residents I have been approve by the CBA to write the CPA which I have target 2014 as my completion date I intend moving to CA permanently to practice the CPA .I am currently based in MD and want to start seeking for jobs in CA so that once I complete CPA I just do one/two year practice to satisfy the licensing requirement since I really have not worked under a CPA supervision .My quick question is how do I approach my job search (any suggested websites,agencies) and what is the employment situation like in CA. I really love the state great weather except the standard of living I am told is a bit high but once i get an accounting/auditing job I believe I should be fine. How easy is to get a job in CA applying from an out of state?

[tough_kitty]

NeverGiveUpCPA: Oh, so you left the state for private?? Are you happy about this decision? It's my current dilemma… I want a career! But I'm also limited by location, at least until I meet Mr. House 😉

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

NeverGiveUpCPA: Oh, so you left the state for private?? Are you happy about this decision? It's my current dilemma… I want a career! But I'm also limited by location, at least until I meet Mr. House 😉

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Study Monk]

I grew up in Southern California and found LA to hot with temperatures in the 80s and 90s in the summer. A lot of the urban areas in LA are ugly. There is also a macho and even gang culture for young males(even in their 20's) in the LA area. San Diego hands down has the nicest weather in California and the culture is more relaxed. Traffic is bad in all of the metropolitan areas but being an auditor in LA is a nightmare if your clients are in the downtown area.

For me the Bay Area is the most interesting place to live in California. The city is easy to get to know and the hiking is nicer than LA and San Diego with nice forests and cliff hikes with ocean views. The beaches are more wild in Northern California, so if your looking for that lay on the sand kind of beach Southern California is the place to be. The Bay Area is very liberal so this could either be a good thing or bad thing depending on your views. Having wine country and Tahoe near by is a great perk of Northern California. Being closer to Vegas and Mexico while living in LA and San Diego is kind of cool.

The best time to come out here to start looking at public accounting jobs is going to be after August with the best hiring months being September and October. I do see random public accounting jobs posted every couple of weeks. Your best bet to get a public accounting job is to enroll in a masters program in May and June and pay for one class and go to their job fair hopefully with a CPA license. No need to continue with the masters program after being hired;)

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"

[Study Monk]

I grew up in Southern California and found LA to hot with temperatures in the 80s and 90s in the summer. A lot of the urban areas in LA are ugly. There is also a macho and even gang culture for young males(even in their 20's) in the LA area. San Diego hands down has the nicest weather in California and the culture is more relaxed. Traffic is bad in all of the metropolitan areas but being an auditor in LA is a nightmare if your clients are in the downtown area.

For me the Bay Area is the most interesting place to live in California. The city is easy to get to know and the hiking is nicer than LA and San Diego with nice forests and cliff hikes with ocean views. The beaches are more wild in Northern California, so if your looking for that lay on the sand kind of beach Southern California is the place to be. The Bay Area is very liberal so this could either be a good thing or bad thing depending on your views. Having wine country and Tahoe near by is a great perk of Northern California. Being closer to Vegas and Mexico while living in LA and San Diego is kind of cool.

The best time to come out here to start looking at public accounting jobs is going to be after August with the best hiring months being September and October. I do see random public accounting jobs posted every couple of weeks. Your best bet to get a public accounting job is to enroll in a masters program in May and June and pay for one class and go to their job fair hopefully with a CPA license. No need to continue with the masters program after being hired;)

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"

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@kitty…haha…nooooo you wouldn't find that here. Some of my co-workers in Sacto had beautiful new houses, and I was so jealous, but I had to keep reminding myself I chose to live here because of other reasons. I find peaceful serenity living down here…I don't think I could ever leave.

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@kitty…haha…nooooo you wouldn't find that here. Some of my co-workers in Sacto had beautiful new houses, and I was so jealous, but I had to keep reminding myself I chose to live here because of other reasons. I find peaceful serenity living down here…I don't think I could ever leave.

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@Study Monk…I think you summed it all up perfectly!

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@Study Monk…I think you summed it all up perfectly!

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@Kitty…going from state to federal was the best thing I ever did!! You can make a lot more money outside of government, obviously, but federal is way better than state, in my opinion.

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@Kitty…going from state to federal was the best thing I ever did!! You can make a lot more money outside of government, obviously, but federal is way better than state, in my opinion.

[tough_kitty]

I see…but federal is still government….and it would mean relocating for me…. but definitely something to consider! Thank you. Just gotta find $700 for the US citizenship first…

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

I see…but federal is still government….and it would mean relocating for me…. but definitely something to consider! Thank you. Just gotta find $700 for the US citizenship first…

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@Kitty…oh yes…that would be one difference between state and federal. One of my ex co-workers cannot come over to this side because she is an Australian citizen, which you can be in the state. Federal jobs are all over though, and if you are interested in travel (I am not)…it's a great place for those kind of opportunities. Yeah, it's still government, but the pay scale is better than CA state.

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@Kitty…oh yes…that would be one difference between state and federal. One of my ex co-workers cannot come over to this side because she is an Australian citizen, which you can be in the state. Federal jobs are all over though, and if you are interested in travel (I am not)…it's a great place for those kind of opportunities. Yeah, it's still government, but the pay scale is better than CA state.

[NeverGiveUpCPA]

@Kitty…and by the way, I am NOT one of the state bashers. I LOVED my job with the state…worked there 10 years, but I have more opportunities in federal government.

[Author]

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