[Anonymous]

Can someone recommend a couple of large, mid-tier firms (non-Big4) that I can apply to when I pass the CPAs (and still have no experience), where GPA will probably not be brought up?
Planning on looking for work mid-September and I want to go into Tax.

[nadroj]

Once you have several years experience, most companies don't care about GPA. However, for fresh graduates, most companies will ask.

[MaLoTu]

^I agree with @nadroj, if you are applying for entry-level, associate positions (maybe up to senior) the application requires your GPA.

[Anonymous]

what's a “fresh” graduate? i graduated 12 months ago but did my accounting classes meanwhile

[Anonymous]

“Fresh” graduate means “no accounting work experience”.

When they can look at your resume and see your work experience to see how well you know accounting, they won't care how you did in school. But until they can look at work to see what you know, they'll want to look at school to see what you know.

IIRC, your undergrad degree was not in accounting and all your accounting courses were post-graduation. If that's correct, then especially if it's a better GPA, you might want to list somewhere and somehow your GPA from your accounting studies post-graduation as a separate figure from your GPA from your non-accounting degree.

Also, you need to apply to as many places as possible, not just a couple target firms. You'll have better odds of finding a firm that doesn't care about GPA applying to 50 small firms than applying to 2 mid-tier firms. Some small firms are sticklers about GPAs, but most mid-tier and big firms have strict recruitment standards (unless you have referral etc.), so even though you can find small firms that are far worse than mid- to big-firms, you're also more likely to find a non-standard small firm than a non-standard mid-size firm.

[hasy]

@This_Time, if only your firm was located in CA too…

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved - Helen Keller

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[Author]

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