[arc11ordo]

So far my only accounting experience is from a tax season internship in 2012. I went straight from undergrad to grad school to get my MBA and the 150 credit hours for NY. From there I started studying for the CPA exam full time – from 2014 to 2016 when I passed(thanks to Ninja MCQ).

I have friends in the Big 4 but they’ve not been able to bypass the campus hire system for entry-level hires. I’m nowhere near qualified for the “experienced” candidate listings so I started looking at other top firms in the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT). I’ve applied to 20 some of these with no luck.

I’d try private sector like banks or anything where I could reasonably expect to have a CPA supervisor who could sign off on my year’s work experience. I interviewed at New York Life for a tax position but I never heard back from them.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get my foot in the door somewhere or what industries I should be considering that might need accountants?

Finally Done!
AUD: 64(9/'12), 67(5/'13), 67(9/'13), 59(11/'14), 72(9/'15), 72(11/'15), 72(2/'16), 83(5/'16)
REG: 65(11/'12), 62(8/'13), 68(11/'13), 61(9/'14), 64(2/'15), 68(5/'15), 66(8/'15), 75(11/'15)
FAR: 57(5/'13), 68(11/'13), 67(5/'14), 71(8/'14), 74(12/'14), 68(3/'15), 77(6/'15)
BEC: 69(6/'13), 72(8/'13), 75(5/'14), 73(2/'16), 79(5/'16)

[.]

When I had no experience, I spammed my resume to craigslist ads that weren't asking for tons of experience. I got a few interviews and a job offer in a small company (not an accounting firm) after 6 or 7 weeks. I don't know if that is really the best way to find a place that can sign off for the experience though.

When did you finish grad school?

FAR - June 2016 - 88
REG - July 2016 - 89
AUD - Aug 2016 - review phase currently
BEC - Sep 2016 -

Wiley CPA Excel & Ninja MCQ

[arc11ordo]

I finished my Finance MBA in the winter/spring quarter of 2014; received my diploma in May 2014.

Finally Done!
AUD: 64(9/'12), 67(5/'13), 67(9/'13), 59(11/'14), 72(9/'15), 72(11/'15), 72(2/'16), 83(5/'16)
REG: 65(11/'12), 62(8/'13), 68(11/'13), 61(9/'14), 64(2/'15), 68(5/'15), 66(8/'15), 75(11/'15)
FAR: 57(5/'13), 68(11/'13), 67(5/'14), 71(8/'14), 74(12/'14), 68(3/'15), 77(6/'15)
BEC: 69(6/'13), 72(8/'13), 75(5/'14), 73(2/'16), 79(5/'16)

[Valar Dohaeris]

Have you tried non-Big 4 accounting firms? There has to be other national, regional, and local firms that would take a chance on an MBA who has passed their CPA exams. Google “accounting firms” in your area and go to the companies' websites for job opportunities. Look on indeed.com, too

BEC - 85
AUD - 81
REG - 84
FAR - 7/24/16

[nolan7120]

Don't try McDonald's as they're too busy firing domestic accountants and replacing them with foreign bookkeepers holding H1B1 visas.

FAR (6/9/16) - 81

[Anonymous]

Try small firms. You said you can't get B4 and (if I understood right) you can't get Top 20.

Hate to break it to you if you haven't realized this yet, but you're not a prime candidate. You have to realize that employment gaps make gaining employment challenging, and the CPA exams aren't a good enough excuse for 2 years off work, cause there's loads and loads of people who pass in half that time while working full-time (also loads of people who take much longer, but since there's many that pass, people aren't going to think “Oh, s/he passed exam May 2016, must have been studying full-time May 2014 – May 2016, and that's fully expected and normal”, cause there's decent odds the person reviewing your resume passed in a year while working or something like that).

Once you get a job and get into your career, then the CPA/MBA will propel you forward, so I'm not saying “you're screwed”. But I am saying that right now, for hunting a first job, you're not a prime candidate. You graduated 2 years ago and have 2 years unaccounted for except for something that the hiring manager may or may not view as a sufficient reason to be 2 years out of doing anything else.

So, I wouldn't target Big 4 or Top 20 or Top __ or anything like that in your spot; I'd target everyone. Target a small firm that rarely gets entry-level applicants who have passed exams, so would be happy to take the “risk” related to the employment history* cause it's rare they get the reward of an experience-pending CPA candidate. I'd suggest sending a stellar resume and cover letter to *every* CPA/accounting firm within the area that you'd be willing to work (driving distance assuming you don't want to move, or within the entire geographical area that you're willing to move to). I know of CPA firms here that the only CPAs are the partners. I'm in an area with a very low education level, but these are also very small firms. So, somewhere like that, if you came in with your exams passed and they knew you would be a CPA once you got a year of experience, you'd be something they'd never had in the time I've known the firm. Big 4/Top 20 regional, qualifications like yours are a dime a dozen, but in some small firms someone with a Master's and CPA exams passed would be a rare find that they'd be happy to take a risk for.

Personally a micro-firm is what jump-started my career. Pay was terrible (seriously), but this 1 owner & 1 full-time employee (me!) firm is where I was able to get a foot in the door (by dropping off – in person – resume and cover letter at every accounting firm within driving distance), then move to private accounting, and now 4 years later I'm the established Controller at a small private college. Small firms can get you started going to great places, whatever those places are you want to go (people also can go from small firms to bigger firms if big-firm accounting is your long-range goal).

——

* It's not popular to say so, but it's a risk to hire someone with employment history concerns – currently unemployed for one reason or another. Some people who don't get a job for 2 years out of school are lazy and will be terrible workers; some are over-achievers who studied for the CPA exams in such a way that they will still know 99% of what they learned in 10 years. First one is bad; second one is good. Some are people who took a couple years to get the “kid” out of their system (travel freely etc.) or to have kids etc. and are new mature adults ready to settle down and dedicate themselves to a job; some have been unable to get a job cause everyone else saw something that you're missing that in 6 months you'll wish you'd seen. There's rare gems in the currently-unemployed-and-seeking market, but there's a lot of crap in that market, too. So, it's a risk when someone hires someone out of that market.

[Ryan – Just Another Dollar]

^ This. I would agree that at this point you're being too picky. Your credentials (MBA/CPA) only prove your academic ability. What you really need is relevant experience to prove your value in the marketplace. I graduated from a small state college and took a lower-end full cycle accounting job in industry with a CPA who could sign off on my experience and passed my exams. Now I'm a fully licensed CPA with 2 years experience in industry; I've been job hunting for 3 weeks in a new city and I've got 5 interviews booked. Even at this stage I'm applying to small firms, tiny firms, large top 10 firms, and a few industry roles that sounded interesting. Maybe consider working with a recruiter like Robert Half or others; I've had good experience going that route in the past to get in front of companies. Either way, good luck!! Stay positive.

B - 88 (2/16)
A - 84 (4/16)
R - 73 (6/16), 82(7/16)
F - 67 (1/16), 84(4/16)

Ethics - 93

Roger course & Ninja MCQ - HiYa!

[arc11ordo]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Yeah I'm looking for smaller firms now.

Finally Done!
AUD: 64(9/'12), 67(5/'13), 67(9/'13), 59(11/'14), 72(9/'15), 72(11/'15), 72(2/'16), 83(5/'16)
REG: 65(11/'12), 62(8/'13), 68(11/'13), 61(9/'14), 64(2/'15), 68(5/'15), 66(8/'15), 75(11/'15)
FAR: 57(5/'13), 68(11/'13), 67(5/'14), 71(8/'14), 74(12/'14), 68(3/'15), 77(6/'15)
BEC: 69(6/'13), 72(8/'13), 75(5/'14), 73(2/'16), 79(5/'16)

[Adam]

One piece of advice I have is to consider signing up with a recruiter (or more than one). Some businesses will not use a recruiter no matter what (assuming b/c of the cost; usually the fee is ~20% of your starting salary), however other companies view it as simply a cost of hiring good folks.

Recruiters typically have a network of solid companies – sometimes ones that I never would have found myself. If you have the right recruiting service, they will know both CPA firms and industry companies. I signed up with a recruiter while getting my master's degree because I didn't have the time to go out and look for a position. Landed me about 5 SOLID interviews within a couple months, and got me the job that I have now, which is exactly what I would have wanted.

Just my two cents.

[abranaugh]

I wouldn't exclude the experience positions, if you want Big 4, I saw have your friends refer you. Big 4 love referrals, so they might still higher you. I had a friend who worked for EY, who referred me in and I had no experience in Audit, but they hired me on as a experienced associate.

[Kaylee]

If you graduated two years ago and still have no accounting work experience it's long overdue to include local firms, recruiters and temp agencies in your job search. There's no harm in continuing to try to get a B4 job through your friends but don't turn down a real job offer for that dream. You can always quit a temp job after EY gives you a written offer.

[Author]

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