[FullTimeStudier]

I’m posting this in case anyone is experiencing a similar situation or can offer some guidance on how to proceed. Thank you in advance.

I recently passed the CPA exam (Late June 2015) and received my CPA license a week later. I have B.S. degrees in Finance & Accounting. I have been actively searching for a Public Accounting position since August and have discovered just how little I know about the Accounting job market.

I have 14 months of experience doing Internal Audit for a State Agency. This position qualified for the one-year work experience required for the CPA license. I left this position in order to focus on the CPA exam. I now have over 2 years of experience as a Full-Charge bookkeeper for a small business. This has been a part time job that I took on while I studied and passed the CPA exam over the course of 12 months.

I also have 4+ years of IT support/training experience working for a software company straight out of college. I left to go back to college to pursue Accounting, because that is where I felt my talents would be better suited.

For the past 4 months I have been actively searching for an Entry Level accounting position that will allow me to begin my new career. The positions I’ve been pursuing require a B.S. Degree in Accounting and prefer either a CPA License or the ability to sit for the CPA exam, and Excel skills. (pretty standard entry level requirements). Apparently though, because I didn’t do my 1 year of work experience in Public/Private Accounting, I don’t even qualify for a staff accountant position, because you need to have 1-3 years of experience in Public Accounting to be a staff accountant at most small/medium sized CPA firms and Private corporations.

With all this being said, I did receive a job offer to do…you guessed it… Internal IT Audit for a State Agency! I went to a couple of interviews and got the job within a week! I was excited and surprised at how easy I got the job, but after I thought about it for 3 days I turned the offer down. Even though the people and the pay were good, I didn’t feel it was going to help me get into Public Accounting and was just more of the same experience I already have.

My family and friends aren’t helping, because as they say, “you have a CPA license, anyone should want to hire you, you just aren’t trying.” I forgive them though, since they don’t know what CPA life is like.

Now, don’t take this like I’m trying to brag, just trying to paint a picture…I interview fairly well. Every job I’ve ever interviewed for I’ve gotten. Now, albeit that’s only 5 jobs since I was 18, but I’m 5 for 5. I only apply to jobs that I qualify for. I apply to jobs that don’t have 100+ resumes submitted, because the smaller the applicant pool, the better my chances are. This is what I’ve always done and it has worked out for me up to this point in time. Interviews are not my problem. Currently trying to get an Interview is.

If anyone can shed some light I’d appreciate it, because I’m confused as to how to get into public accounting. Do I need to go to a campus job fair and compete with the 22 yr olds?

FAR - 75 (Q3/2014)
AUD - 70 (Q4/2014), 73 (Q1/2015), 78 (Q2/2015)
REG - 75 (Q1/2015)
BEC - 77 (Q2/2015)

DONE!! 6/11/2015
CPA Licensed 6/19/2015 (FL)

[Anonymous]

Keep at it. I interviewed and was rejected for over a year before I got into public accounting. It's tough.

[Marc]

I thought i'd give you some advice about what I did in the past, this may or may not work for you.

Hit linkedin, click on advanced search, look for people that are “2nd” connections, (connections of your connections), that work in CPA firms you are interested in.
Get introduced, and get someone from the inside mention your name or send your resume to the recruiters at their firm.

Sending emails to recruiters may work as well, try harder, the harder you try the sooner you will succeed. 🙂

I would also apply for experienced positions, don't sell your self too short.
Good luck,

Passed And got my license too ..

[Missy]

It's not your qualification, it's exactly what you said about the competition being tough. Keep at it many people have tried for over a year to get in. If you can still access campus recruiting it's not a bad idea.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Vanessachy]

Just keep trying, it took me 7 months to find my current job. You will find one, it just takes time. Some of the hiring doesn't require public accounting work experience.

Far 10/26/2015, 64, 1/4/2016, 82
Reg 7/10/2015, 60, 2/27/2016, 86
Aud, 5/9/2016, 74 (ouch), 7/26/2016, I cannot wait to take this test again
Bec, 6/10/2016, 70,9/8 retake

[Vanessachy]

Also, networking and use linkedin. I mean I helped my friend to get a job, maybe one of your friends can help you.

Far 10/26/2015, 64, 1/4/2016, 82
Reg 7/10/2015, 60, 2/27/2016, 86
Aud, 5/9/2016, 74 (ouch), 7/26/2016, I cannot wait to take this test again
Bec, 6/10/2016, 70,9/8 retake

[Andyred04]

Take my advice or don't since I'm one of the 22 year olds that you speak of. “Small/medium sized CPA firms and Private corporations” are very difficult to get into since there are a limited number of positions and job responsibilities are much more inclusive than a larger accounting firm (I did an internship at a Top 10 National accounting firm and currently work as a staff accountant at a regional accounting firm so I've been on both ends). Therefore, these smaller CPA firms want experienced employees that they can trust since there aren't as many resources available if you don't know what you're doing (which comes with experience). I got my position with a regional accounting firm directly out of college due to my internship at the Top 10 National Firm (Small/medium sized CPA firms LOVE THAT) and because I interned with this firm during college (an internship that I obtained through knowing one of the managers there (reference to the networking isauditforme is talking about)). Both of these factors lead to confidence in the partners that they could “trust” me more than the average Joe they've never heard of.

Enough about me though, here's my advice for you. Attempt to get a job at a larger accounting firm (either Big 4 or other top tier company). If you aren't interested in joining a firm where you're one in a million or you aren't a fan of the big city (explains me to the T) just suck it up and do it for a year or two (like I said Small/medium sized CPA firms LOVE THAT). Once you have that large firm experience, you will be much more marketable to smaller firms. You're a CPA and that is something that you have over anyone who's not. I think it's rare for someone to find the job of their dreams right away, sometimes you have to make a sacrifice by working elsewhere until you get offered that dream job.

Like I said, take it or leave it, I'm a 22 year old who's only a year out of college and is preparing for my first section of the CPA exam. Those are just my 2-cents.

FAR: 80 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
REG: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
BEC: 87 (Gleim, Ninja Notes, Ninja MCQs)
AUD: 8/27/16

PA Candidate

[mystical guy]

As soon as I read half of your post the light bulb that came to my head was, “apply for IT Audit roles.” To my chagrin, you turned down an IT Audit job with the State? Why, especially in your hour of need? What I mean is, what was the job description? Do they use SAP, Oracle etc? Because if they use the same systems as Industry, your experience there would definitely not be a waste of time.

That said, the best way to get employed is through networking. Take your time to build relationships on LinkedIn. For instance, the recruiter who fought hard to get me to her company, I was chatting with that cutie for over a year before I decided to apply for a position at her company, and I was hired and since flourished (thanks be to God).

Whether it takes you 3 or 7 months to be employed, don't be concerned. Focus on attending Networking Events, emailing people on LinkedIn to learn about what they do, going to Career Events organized by Public Accounting firms, etc. Not only will you get a job, you will guarantee yourself opportunities for a very long time. The world will be your oyster.

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[Vanessachy]

I totally agree with Andy, smaller firms are harder to get in. I should have applied for big four, but my husband didn't want me to work that many hours, so I applied local or regional firms. They are unbelievable, I have 3.9 GPA and applied most of the regional firms, only got two interviews. And then the interviews didn't go well. Also, I am not native English speaker, of course my English isn't perfect and it probably affected my performance. Most of my immigrant friends got offers from big four and were rejected by smaller firm.

In the end, I was lucky that I found my current job, it is a small firm, but they didn't have internship program and I have already been through tones of interviews.

Far 10/26/2015, 64, 1/4/2016, 82
Reg 7/10/2015, 60, 2/27/2016, 86
Aud, 5/9/2016, 74 (ouch), 7/26/2016, I cannot wait to take this test again
Bec, 6/10/2016, 70,9/8 retake

[Track55]

I had a 3.8 accounting gpa and it took me a year to find a job. I had a few firm interviews before going private.

It's bad everywhere. Don't think it's just your part of the country.

AUD - 74, 99 !!
REG - 74, 92
BEC - 83
FAR - 73, 86

Studying for Ethics exam

California candidate
Business and Industry

[Anonymous]

well this was depressing to read.

[jasoncancio]

Depressing indeed.

[ruggercpa2b]

You should have taken the IT audit job because some experience is better than none. You are competing with people that have industry experience, public accounting experience, people that interned at those firms and new hires. I just started at a mid tier and 80% of the people in my office came from Big 4. Also you will probably work the same hours as Big 4 during busy season. You might want to rethink that since your husband is not too keen on you working the long hours.

It took me almost a year to get another job with 2.5 years of Big 4 experience. It's definitely going to take a lot of networking.

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[Anonymous]

Where r u located? We can't find people to hire at my firm. The accounting market is really hot right now especially with tax season looming.

[Anonymous]

You need to network. I got all my internships in corporate and public accounting through net work and people (partners/CAO).

[FullTimeStudier]

Thank you all for the advice. If nothing else, you have motivated me to continue my search. I knew I wasn't crazy when I realized how difficult it was going to be to find a job in public accounting. I just thought it was going to be slightly easier with CPA atop my resume.

@C9p9a9, I'm located in Florida (West Coast). I've been trying to relocate to the east coast of Florida, but the job market is very tough in that area right now. I'm willing to relocate outside of Florida.

It just depends on what part of the country you're in when job hunting. If you're applying for a job in NYC, but you live in Florida, most employers will look at local candidates first and if there are 100+ local applicants for 1 or 2 positions, then the out of towners get passed over.

@isauditforme has a good idea for better networking by searching the 2nd connections on linkedin and being introduced by your 1st connection. I'm going to give this a shot in the coming week.

FAR - 75 (Q3/2014)
AUD - 70 (Q4/2014), 73 (Q1/2015), 78 (Q2/2015)
REG - 75 (Q1/2015)
BEC - 77 (Q2/2015)

DONE!! 6/11/2015
CPA Licensed 6/19/2015 (FL)

[Author]

Replies