[LPCE]

I didn’t intern during college because I was on a very fast track (BA & MS in four years, both in Accounting), though I did hold a job as the accountant for a small business during my Senior Year. During University recruiting I was in Beta Alpha Psi (and an officer), I did VITA, however I consistently fought the obstacle of not wanting to work in the local offices of any of the National Firms. My MS program ended a month ago and I’ve been home with the parents, cold-calling/emailing CPA firms in the Boston and Chicago areas (as well as any other larger city), as well as scouring LinkedIn on a daily basis.

Basically, is there any hope for me to get into Public Accounting in one of these areas (I really want to do tax, and am worried that if I start elsewhere, changing from Private to Public-Tax would be an even more daunting task that I’m in now)… or should I just give up and try to get some bookkeeping or corporate job to get my foot in there at one of the cities? Also, I’ve completed BEC & REG, and am retaking FAR (73) and Audit (Let’s not talk about it) as soon as 4th Quarter testing opens up. Any and all tips appreciated.

I’m a gay guy in very-rural Kentucky, so please don’t suggest staying local, as there are few jobs, and I’d rather maintain my sanity.

FAR1: 87
AUD1: 65
BEC1: 83
FAR1: 73

[MeaDebitum]

“I didn't intern during college”

“fought the obstacle of not wanting to work in the local offices of any of the National Firms”

For wanting to get into public so bad, you sure did make it as difficult as you could. You probably should have taken a job at a local office and then moved somewhere else when the opportunity presented itself. In my experience, public > public is much easier than nothing > public or private > public. I started after school doing internal audit and I now work in public, so there is still hope. IMO, your best bet would be to find out when your college has it's business/recruiting night, attend, and talk to as many people as possible. Its not about what you know, but who you know (most of the time).

[LPCE]

Thanks MeaDebitum,

They made it sound like you could go anywhere, and was told to apply to where I wanted to be by recruiters. Had I known I what I learned after the season was over, I would've gladly stuck it out nearby (or in Detroit where a few offices were desperate for people) for a while to transfer. I do plan to attend the upcoming recruiting rounds, but should I stick with my cities as it will be the same recruiters who all know that's what I really want, or should I apply regionally this time around?

FAR1: 87
AUD1: 65
BEC1: 83
FAR1: 73

[Whatdidyou]

Did you not get any second round interviews then? or did you not get any (many) first round interviews? What makes you think you wanting to be in a non-local office affected this? Being an officer in BAP isn't a huge accomplishment and doesn't guarantee anything at all, and are passed over all the time.

I know plenty of people who have been send out for a 2nd interview in a city on the other side of the country. If you are a good candidate, they regularly do this. Although perhaps if you're a bubble candidate, they will not. But I think it does make it harder, in that if you get a 2nd round at the local office you already have a partner/manager vouching for you – and if you get sent for a 2nd round to another office you're starting from scratch.

Whatever you do, don't be wishy washy, recruiters don't like that. Stick to one city where you really want to work, and have a good reason for it (family/friends – not i wanna get the hell outa kentuky lol).

Also, generally, I think audit positions are much more available than tax positions (especially if you missed intern recruiting). Do you have a Masters in Tax?

REG - Passed!!
BEC - Passed
FAR - Passed
AUD - Passed

Study Materials: Becker basic course

[LPCE]

No, I have a MS in Accounting, I actually got every first round interview I applied to, and three of those recruiters said they were going to send my application onward after the initial interview to the person in charge of campus recruiting in those regions. (Also, I never blatantly said “I want the hell out of Kentucky”, I reserved that bluntness for non-recruiting audiences, lol). As to thinking it played against me, though she doesn't work there anymore, one of the recruiters told me I likely would have had a position had I applied to the region she was responsible for, rather than her sending my things onward…. but it didn't do me much good at that point as it was in late spring after my last recruiting season.

I know I made a lot of mistakes in hindsight in my attempts to get through school fast, and to my goal city fast, I'm simply looking for tips as to how to salvage things from here.

FAR1: 87
AUD1: 65
BEC1: 83
FAR1: 73

[MeaDebitum]

I hear you, hindsight is 20/20.

[Author]

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