[Anonymous]

Got a call from a recruitor about a non-profit career and the pay is good. At the same time I wonder working for non-profit will be stereotyped by other industries if I want to apply to other for-profit organizations later on in life? Any career advice?

[Anonymous]

If you move on, I think you'll have a advantage if you're applying to more non-public work or public accounting relating to tax exempt organizations.

If you were applying for a public accounting job working with personal and business taxes, I probably would pick someone else that has current job experience more related to the position.

I think if you're still young, you can take “risk” and try out different industries and still can move around and explore. If you're older, you may want to think about your future and start settling in.

[Anonymous]

As long as it's not religion-related, then it's cool. I work at a Catholic University and everyone is lazy and think they're the chosen ones. I'm so tired of that place and all their stupid b.s. Good luck!! sorry had to vent…lol

[Minimorty]

@cpham – You know your scores on the exams are not percentages, right?

[whatkey]

what kind of work will you be doing? if you are doing basic accounting under a CFO then the experience probably won't help (too much) if you want to move into for-profit stuff. On the other hand, if you are looking at a CFO position then it may be a wise choice for now. It also depends on the size of the NFP as well..

I technically work for a NFP, however my job is exclusively external auditing of the telecom industry.

Using Becker, Ninja Notes, and CpaReviewForFree

FAR - 87 (2/17)
REG - 89 (4/21)
AUD - 89 (5/31)
BEC - 89 (7/11)

[Anonymous]

@whatkey

I will be a senior accountant in the health care industry and do a lot of monthly reconciliations and monthly/year end closing. If I do take the job, I hope the experience will help me to move back to the private/public industry one day. The economy is not good still. Feels like I might have to take it for now.

[Anonymous]

I think the experience may help you get a job in the healthcare industry at a for-profit company in the future, but working for a NFP company may count against you when you try to work for a for-profit company in an industry other than healthcare. NFP accounting is different than for-profit accounting. The measurement focus is different, the disclosures are different, etc. On the flip side, if you want to change jobs and work for another, maybe larger, NFP company, then the experience is going to be a huge advantage because they will want someone with NFP accounting experience.

But why are you already planning on switching back into a for-profit company later? You can certainly make a career working for a NFP, and in healthcare. I've seen lots of job postings for CFOs or senior managers of very large, NFP hospitals. And all those job postings specifically required experience working in healthcare and/or NFP accounting. And NFP doesnt mean that these CFOs arent still making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, so there is definately opportunity there.

[Anonymous]

@CalCPASoon,

Thank you for your insight input. You really made a good point. My friend who doesn't have an accounting degree and with zero accounting experience was making much more $$ when she first started compare when I got my audit job with one of well known accounting firm out there. Her life has been much more stable while I was laid-off twice. It is a good question to myself whether I want to have stability or more challenge to myself. It seems pretty hard to get accounting jobs for financial service industry which I have true passion.

[jelly]

Yup, I second CalCPASoon's reply. Within healthcare, once you understand the industry players, jargon, metrics, standards, regulations and reporting, you can jump over to the for-profit parts of healthcare as well, including pharmaceuticals, consumer and commercial health products and machinery, health services, insurance, etc.

After I graduated with my accounting degree, I did some low-key bookkeeping work for a small performing arts NFP, which I've kept on the side since. I basically use that gig, and a few other similar NFP ones, to make some extra consulting and bookkeeping money in my (very slim) spare time. While it's different from my day job (in public accounting with for-profit clients), the basic accounting principles are relatively the same. I would say that I also have more operating experience from working at these small places as well, dealing with liability and health insurance coverages, worker classification and state unemployment issues, and researching tax issues and credits.

And don't worry, I've had a pretty bumpy job history since I graduated as well, with my longest gig lasting 2 years, and maybe 4 gigs in the last 5.5 years. Sometimes it just takes a while to land some place that works for you and the place. Congrats on passing though – at least that's off your plate!

Couldn't pass again!

[Author]

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