[Anonymous]

Hi Ninjas,

Here’s the situation:

– recently passed exams

– no accounting experience

– GPA < 3.0

– current salary in sales = $65k to $80k

I’m assuming entry-level staff accountants in my area are starting off around $45k to $55k. What are your thoughts on taking a $10k+ pay cut to gain the experience needed to get licensed?

[ItsStudyTime]

So you paid to take the exam and put in the time to study and pass, and you're not sure you want to meet the experience requirement? If you care that little, I'd say stay in sales. Taking a cut in pay sucks, and you don't sound like that's what you want.

BEC - 10/01/2013 - 80 - Wiley books and test bank
AUD - 10/21/2013 - 78 - Wiley books and test bank
REG - 11/27/2013 - 78 - Wiley books and test bank
FAR - 01/13/2014 - 79 - Wiley books and test bank, Ninja Blitz

License Issued 03/17/2014

[ItsStudyTime]

So you paid to take the exam and put in the time to study and pass, and you're not sure you want to meet the experience requirement? If you care that little, I'd say stay in sales. Taking a cut in pay sucks, and you don't sound like that's what you want.

BEC - 10/01/2013 - 80 - Wiley books and test bank
AUD - 10/21/2013 - 78 - Wiley books and test bank
REG - 11/27/2013 - 78 - Wiley books and test bank
FAR - 01/13/2014 - 79 - Wiley books and test bank, Ninja Blitz

License Issued 03/17/2014

[kmaahs]

If you were content with your lucrative sales job than why did you even go to school and take the cpa exam?

I think you need to sit back and determine what your priorities are.

C.P.A.

[kmaahs]

If you were content with your lucrative sales job than why did you even go to school and take the cpa exam?

I think you need to sit back and determine what your priorities are.

C.P.A.

[Anonymous]

To clarify, I landed the sales gig somewhat recently (after passing my 2nd exam section), so I didn't have the same earnings when I started studying for the CPA Exam.

@ItsStudyTime, that's the thing… I don't want the time I invested to be in vain. Also with the passage of SB 823, my clock is ticking.

[Anonymous]

To clarify, I landed the sales gig somewhat recently (after passing my 2nd exam section), so I didn't have the same earnings when I started studying for the CPA Exam.

@ItsStudyTime, that's the thing… I don't want the time I invested to be in vain. Also with the passage of SB 823, my clock is ticking.

[Anonymous]

I am kind of in the same situation as a career switcher even though I haven't all the exams.

Sales is a very transferrable skill but I think people like you and me are going to have to avoid Big4 type situations where you are just a cog in a pre-defined, rigid position that they have to fill.

I think you need to focus more on networking and finding smaller, more boutique, growing firms where they need their employees to wear multiple hats. You need to be looking for jobs that aren't necessarily advertised by getting to know a lot of people in the industry.

You need to find a position where your previous experience is valued and transferable and if you can help to land clients an do presentations while knowing a little bit about accounting at the same time, I think you could justify a much higher salary than a recent graduate without any professional experience.

[Anonymous]

I am kind of in the same situation as a career switcher even though I haven't all the exams.

Sales is a very transferrable skill but I think people like you and me are going to have to avoid Big4 type situations where you are just a cog in a pre-defined, rigid position that they have to fill.

I think you need to focus more on networking and finding smaller, more boutique, growing firms where they need their employees to wear multiple hats. You need to be looking for jobs that aren't necessarily advertised by getting to know a lot of people in the industry.

You need to find a position where your previous experience is valued and transferable and if you can help to land clients an do presentations while knowing a little bit about accounting at the same time, I think you could justify a much higher salary than a recent graduate without any professional experience.

[psullyii]

@AMax95… Totally similar situation to you. I decided to get back into school to get my MAcc, and I wound up with a new job during the two year process. I was in management, and had actually been promoted and the job was not bad. As much as I didn't want to take a pay cut, I wound up having to take a $7k cut and give up a company car.

At the end of the day, I knew I did not want to be involved in corporate mid-level management. I don't mean for this to come across the wrong way, but trying to convince people who make $10 an hour to care about their job when you don't have any power to increase wages or enact significant change just sucks. I figured that I was taking a few steps back to hopefully take significant steps forward in a few years.

Also, if all you are missing is the experience requirement… well, I can't imagine taking all of these tests and not getting my license. If you are successful in sales, you probably have a strong business personality. If you found your way into audit, it's hard to imagine that a company wouldn't want you in a few years, and you could get back into the private sector if public accounting isn't your thing. Just try to think about this with a long term perspective, and make your decision from there.

AUD - 82
BEC - 81
FAR - 82
REG - 88

Clean sweep with Becker and Ninja Audio. Licensed 1/24/2014.

[psullyii]

@AMax95… Totally similar situation to you. I decided to get back into school to get my MAcc, and I wound up with a new job during the two year process. I was in management, and had actually been promoted and the job was not bad. As much as I didn't want to take a pay cut, I wound up having to take a $7k cut and give up a company car.

At the end of the day, I knew I did not want to be involved in corporate mid-level management. I don't mean for this to come across the wrong way, but trying to convince people who make $10 an hour to care about their job when you don't have any power to increase wages or enact significant change just sucks. I figured that I was taking a few steps back to hopefully take significant steps forward in a few years.

Also, if all you are missing is the experience requirement… well, I can't imagine taking all of these tests and not getting my license. If you are successful in sales, you probably have a strong business personality. If you found your way into audit, it's hard to imagine that a company wouldn't want you in a few years, and you could get back into the private sector if public accounting isn't your thing. Just try to think about this with a long term perspective, and make your decision from there.

AUD - 82
BEC - 81
FAR - 82
REG - 88

Clean sweep with Becker and Ninja Audio. Licensed 1/24/2014.

[tough_kitty]

Tough decision…it's always hard to take a pay cut but if 10 yrs from now you'll get laid off from sales, you won't even be a CPA….gotta think long term.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Tough decision…it's always hard to take a pay cut but if 10 yrs from now you'll get laid off from sales, you won't even be a CPA….gotta think long term.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Maybe try to find something you can do part time for now while saving some money and then getting a full time accounting job??

I mean, stay in sales and do part time taxes or something.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Maybe try to find something you can do part time for now while saving some money and then getting a full time accounting job??

I mean, stay in sales and do part time taxes or something.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[ipasscpa]

What's SB 823?

CPA- VA

[Author]

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