[iamstrong]

Hello everyone
Well, I got into accounting later in life and passed the exam but I don’t have public accounting experience. All my experience is in industry and i feel i’m at a disadvantage because work moves so fast, no one wants to teach me anything when something interesting come up.

I’m 44 and wanted to ask- how do people who get their CPAs later in life get that invaluable CPA get public accounting experience without going to the Big 4? Would a mid-tier firm hire people like me? I work with a woman who has 15 years in accounting and 5 in public accounting. She does not have her CPA but she knows everything.

Does anyone have any advice for a later in life CPA to progress in their career?

BTW- to everyone studying, keep at it. I went through a horrible layoff years ago an it was hard to get work. That’s why I went into accounting. Stay with the exam, keep at it!!! You can do it!!!!!

Have a great day
Rachel

[Jimmy Dugan]

I followed the same path, albeit a little earlier than you when I decided to transition to accounting at 33. I also had no luck latching on with big 4 or even a mid-size firm. I did a couple of informational interviews with audit managers that I reached out to on Linkedin and had one basically tell me that they had a slew of 22-23 year-olds in masters programs at a couple of universities that were going to take all of their associate level roles. I was thankful for that honesty because it caused me to go in another direction. I latched on with a tiny firm and did tax returns and bookkeeping for 8 months before moving onto private and have never looked back. I honestly would have loved to get that big 4 experience, but such is life and I am thankful to make a good living and be on a upwards career path where I am. My advice is to seek out mentors that will invest some time in you, even if that's with another company. Also, you can learn a lot by investigating things you don't know about and figuring it out on your own. Look through all of the old workpapers for prior periods and see if you can reproduce the results someone else came up with. There is a lot of value in being an independent problem solver.

[alloverit]

@Jimmy Dugan: GREAT ADVICE

I had an audit manager tell me practically the same thing. They worry that a young (say24-25 yr old) senior auditor will be reluctant to correct the mistakes of a 40-something year-old CPA (even one with no experience in audit)….and that the solution is to simply not hire non-traditional applicants.

@lamstrong:

You may have to go with a smaller firm or go the industry route. Seems from the number of recruiters who still call me, cost accounting is in demand.

Personally, I got my degree at 40. I took a temporary position doing taxes, then landed a state job because a test was involved that I could pass. It was crummy pay, but I did it, and eventually got hired on full-time at the original firm that hired me to do taxes.

And I just want to reiterate Jimmy Dugan's advice. Look back through workpapers to learn. Managers at small firms may have even less time to train you so don't be afraid to review prior year files and never underestimate the value of bookkeepers who have work experience.

Best of luck to you.

[1rightanswer]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I think we even live in the same city (Houston). I'm 38, no accounting experience at all. Took my Accounting courses in 2011, but went back into the O&G industry. In October 2018, I left because I was working for some BAD two-faced companies. That old job was pretty much over, I could either quit or get laid off and I chose the first option.
I studied my ass off and passed a couple of weeks ago. Now the real test of finding actual employment begins. Can you guys advise what did y'all do to get that first Accounting job as a mid-life career-changer?

[iamstrong]

Thanks everyone.

Yes, I volunteer to take a stab at things when the opportunity presents itself.
I’ll get there.

[Adam]

Best way to break into public as a non traditional is to lie about experience..small firms dont check references, just be sure you know exactly what you are embellishing about on your resume..you are only gonna make 40-50k as a staff at a small firm..but the more you learn the faster you can progress..

Small firm work is pretty non complex and mostly just a sense of following last years stuff and making sure there are no typos and errors (easier said then done)

Gain experience to a senior level then larger firms start to open doors..in there defense why hire a newb older person when they have younger smart kids who are easily moldable and used to taking orders…is a 45 year old going to want to take shit from a 25 year old?? I'm 33 and sure as hell wouldnt..

Sometimes you need to just be content with where you are..public sucks..ive been at multiple places in 4 years..they all lie to you..and most of the people working at small firms are dumb and have no idea what they are doing..I work for someone who bought a small firm at working in private his entire life and does not understand M-1 reconcilations..or various other failry basic level tax accounting issues.

[Adam]

To explain further..I have worked at several places where people above me who hadn o accounting degrees nor were CPAS reviewed my work and changed correct information to incorrect information..and then lied to the partner about my work..getting me fired..have had folders thrown at me and screamed at for typos that were pro forma'd from prior years that I was not aware I needed to correct..its almost laughable at this point how these sociopaths work..

I may need to just be a treasurer at a church or something after the stress of dealing with the sociopaths at crappy firms.

[1rightanswer]

Wow, sounds rough. Making money ain't easy that's for sure.
At least there're still jobs in Accounting, that's a reason to be optimistic. Thanks.

[Author]

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