[ZSRizvi]

Hello everyone, I have some pressing questions and I was hoping you all might be able to help me on some of them (since I’m pretty sure you guys have more experience in the matter than I do).

1. I was scheduled to start at a CPA firm in November; at a company meet we had about 2 weeks ago they confirmed that day. However, they just called me last Thursday to say they’ve moved up the date to October; yet, they also said it’s not mandatory. I can start in either October November.

My problem is, the day before my Uncle called me from India and said he’s getting married. Now, this isn’t just any uncle; he raised me, I am what I am because of him. This is the first wedding we’re having in our family in 13 years. Not only that, we will be doing my grandfather’s one year death day “anniversary” in October as well. It was his wish to see his son get married in his lifetime.

My question is, what do I do regarding my starting date? If all the other new hires except me start in October, my friends and family are scaring me that the company will have a negative perspective of me and they might even find a excuse to kick me out and hire someone else. Even if they say, “oh it’s okay go ahead,” that wouldn’t stop them from having negative preconceptions of me.

But I’ve attended all the company meets they’ve had so far; tried to mingle in as much as possible with the people; I just passed my first CPA exam; and I even was very gungho about starting early (I said as much during the meetings)…until my uncle called me.

Can anyone advise me on what to do and what I should say to HR? Should I even go to India?

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2. Since CPA firms are known for crazy hours during busy season…I’m wondering how to schedule exams. My next exam is for October 3rd (FAR) and then I’ve scheduled REG for Nov. 30 and I’m thinking of doing AUD January 30, 2014 because that’s when my NTS expires.

But is that reasonable? Are Oct-Dec crazy months as well for CPA firms or would I be able to squeeze out enough time to pass REG? What about the busy season January month? Would I be able to study for AUD?

Those working in CPA firms…could you help me out on this please? What are the hours like? I know they’re long…but how long?

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3. With the new law taking effect in 2014, I read that you only need one year of experience (and, of course, passing the exams) to get your license. So, if I start work in November of this year….does that mean by November 2014 of next year, if I’ve gotten the experience and passed all the exams, I could apply for my license?

Moreover, what’s the procedure for me to have “evidence” that I’ve gotten the experience? Do I have my senior/manager sign off on something that says I’ve got audit experience for all those areas?

And also… I had 149 semester units that I graduated with; I took a master’s course that popped it over to 152 semester units. Will that count for me to get licensed? If not, what will I need to do?

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I’ve actually been extremely nervous about not screwing up this job offer. I’ve worked really long and hard to secure such a job (the past few years have been very mentally and emotionally painful; due to the job market, I had to work odd jobs after college). I just don’t want to start the company off on a bad foot.

Can others also advise me on how to do well at a CPA firm…how to rise in the ranks…make colleagues into friends (well, as much as allowable) as well? How to be confident…and all that stuff…

Every time I enter a company, all they look at is my age and how young I am. That affects how they treat me and I don’t like that one bit. How can I negate that?

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If you’ve read this, thank you for your time and I hope to see someone taking time out of their busy schedule to help me out a bit.

Thank you again.

BEC (July 2013)
FAR (OCT 2013)
REG (NOV 2013)
AUD (JAN 2014)

The CPA Exam is an opponent that not even the Fellowship of the Ring would want to come across.

I have a long...long...journey ahead of me.

[ZSRizvi]

No one? =(

BEC (July 2013)
FAR (OCT 2013)
REG (NOV 2013)
AUD (JAN 2014)

The CPA Exam is an opponent that not even the Fellowship of the Ring would want to come across.

I have a long...long...journey ahead of me.

[evesocal]

Not sure what to say about your trip to India. I guess you have to weigh the relative importance of going to the wedding, which I understand is quite important, and the real possibility that delaying your start could be a negative factor at your new job. Your job's reaction is something no one can predict.

As for busy season: Tax people are very busy through Oct. 15, the deadline for extended personal returns. November and December are typically slower, although in December there are tax projections and the audit people start planning. January is normally a slow month for the tax side but the audit people get busy.

How to get ahead in the profession no matter what your age: Work long and hard. Be the go-to person. Don't shortcut your assignments. If you don't understand something ask for help until you do understand it. Don't guess rather than asking for help. Document what you do so whoever reviews your work can easily follow it.

Most of all: Have a good work ethic, show up early, stay late when needed, let the partners know you are willing and able to learn and to take responsibility. Admit when you make mistakes. *Everyone* does. Don't try to blame someone else or make excuses, just admit it and learn from it and move on.

How long are the hours? That varies a lot from firm to firm and depends on what you do. I am a tax accountant. The Sep. 15th deadline is brutal. I worked the past two weeks straight, every day including Sundays, and until 8 or 9 at night during the week. I took today off only because of an important family event and I've been at my firm 15 years. I expect to work straight through until Sep. 15th. If I'm lucky (or pass out for exhaustion) maybe I'll get a day or two off before then.

After Sep. 15 it will lighten up a bit, maybe stay only until 7 PM and not work Sundays, until Oct. 15.

Not everyone at my firm works this much but I'm by no means the only one. Like I said, it varies.

Best of luck to you in your career.

B: 75
R: 80
A: 77
F: 81
Ethics: 84, 92 and done!
Licensed in California

[ZSRizvi]

Thank you for your insight!

I'll be starting in audit and I know they start interim reporting around that time as well.

My most urgent matter is the start date so I was hoping people could advise me a bit more on that. From experience, would it be a bad move on my part to start on the original date?

I worked hard at my last job and long hours as well (usually from 7AM until 8PM) and my manager is the one who recommended me for this CPA firm. So I'm ready to give it my all but I don't want to be cut off before I even have the chance to prove anything.

I suppose this is one of those situations where I have to weigh the scenarios and proceed with caution…

BEC (July 2013)
FAR (OCT 2013)
REG (NOV 2013)
AUD (JAN 2014)

The CPA Exam is an opponent that not even the Fellowship of the Ring would want to come across.

I have a long...long...journey ahead of me.

[Anonymous]

ZSRizvi, Is there anyone in HR that you have gotten to know somewhat through this process? If there is, I'd just be very honest, and say that you would have loved to start in October, but your uncle – who is like your father – is getting married in India, so you'd like to move back to the November start date. How long do you plan to be in India? Could also be possible to do a combination – say you'd love to start Oct 1 with the others, but you'll need to be gone Oct 15-22 for his wedding…or you'd be happy to start Nov 1 if that's better. If they just moved the start date last Thursday, then it's not like they've been counting on you for long! What did you tell them when you called – that you needed to look into things or that you wanted to start in October? If you've already told them that you need to look into things or something along those lines, then they anticipate that you have something else going on. If you told them on Thurs that you wanted to start in Oct, and then call and say that on Wed your uncle had called, that might look kinda fishy!

Overall, though, I would be in favor of going to India. They have given you an option, and if you handle things professionally, using your options shouldn't get you in trouble. And…your father-figure is more important than the job. I don't mean to minimize the importance of the job, because I understand a job is VERY important. But if they'd revoke your offer because, due to a family commitment, you started at the later of their offered dates, then they don't seem to have much care for or commitment to the employees, so likely in a short time, this firm wouldn't be a part of your life anyway (either because they let you go, or you found a job elsewhere due to their treatment). If in 2 years you're no longer employed with this firm, I suspect you will greatly regret missing your uncle's wedding! A job is temporary; family is forever. And a wedding is a big deal. It's not something small like “Oh, my uncle in India caught a flu, so I can't start Monday, I've got to fly out there”. That'd be ridiculous! But his wedding and remembering your grandfather's death are both important things, and coming together before you're committed to start work is a very good reason to attend to these family matters.

2. How big is the firm? That will likely help people estimate. The best way to know, though, would be to ask the people in HR, specifically about the overtime. Not specifically when to schedule your exams, but to ask when and how much overtime you should plan for since you want to make sure you're there whenever they need you, or something like that. For your AUD test, I'm guessing that January is the worst month for studying. I haven't worked in audit, but it seems like if I was an auditor, January would be when all the work suddenly shows up and I'd keep my cheap employees (aka new ones) till all hours to get it done. So, if my guess is right, then I suspect that schedule your exam for the first weekend in January would work better than the end of January, since the first weekend would allow you to study throughout December (and any Christmas vacation), rather than having to try to study in January. For anything scheduled in January, though, I would specifically ask HR about that – “I would like to take one of my CPA exams in January. Is there a weekend that I can anticipate being off to do so?” That is assuming you have access to a test center with weekend appointments…if not, you'll want to ask permission for all the dates. Just don't try to ask HR directly if you have the time to study – ask them about workload, and get permission for days you need off, but if you ask them if you will have enough time to study or something like that, it may reflect poorly on you. But, I figure the reason you're asking here is because you already figured out you don't want to ask them!

Like evesocal said, it varies firm to firm, and the “real” busy season for auditors is post-Jan 1. Interim stuff happens every quarter and increases the work load some, but from everything I've gathered, Oct and Nov are not particularly busy months.

3. These rules vary state-to-state. Which state are you seeking licensure in? In KY, where I am, the rule is 2000 hours of experience to be completed over the course of at least a year. So, if you work a lot of overtime, you might have the 2000 hours met in 10 months, but you have to wait till you've been working for a year before you can count as having met the requirement. But, once you have met the year requirement and have passed the exams, you can apply for the license.

To verify the experience, things again vary from state to state. In KY, you have to have a CPA sign a statement of experience, stating that you worked at XYZ Company as in ABC Position for this date to that date, and it lists duties. This CPA does not have to be your supervisor in KY. In most states, you have to have your supervisor be a CPA and sign off on it. In some, you have to have your supervisor sign off, but s/he doesn't have to be a CPA. However, I'm assuming that your senior/manager will be a CPA, so probably they will just sign your paperwork once you've got a year under your belt. If you tell us what state you're in, we should be able to clarify for you! 🙂

And…it sounds like you should have the education requirements met. 🙂 Again, some states are more picky than others, but I can't imagine any reason that your 149+3 wouldn't count for the 150!

4. How to do well at a CPA firm – have a great work ethic. Be friendly but take care of the work first thing. Take initiative. Never sit around waiting for a project. If you don't have something to do, ask for something to do. And don't complain about anything you are asked to do. If they say “Here's a mop – go clean the bathroom”, do it with a smile. Work hard, do things right but don't take all day, and you'll be fine.

As for making colleagues into friends… This is more difficult. Just wait and see how the environment is and go with the flow. If you get the idea that everyone hangs out at the bar together Friday evenings, then go ahead and try to make friends and hang out with them. If you get the idea that most people never see each other from when they leave work till when they come back the next day, then don't try too much to be the oddball out. Because the people you work with are coworkers, first and foremost, not friends. People at work have an ulterior motive in every interaction, because they're there for their career, not for their social life. Also, trying to be too chatty at work may come across as being lazy or nosy if it's not the norm. However, if everyone else is chatting and you refuse to look up from your work, then that's not a good thing either! So just take your cue from the people around you.

How to be confident… Be confident. There's really not much more to it than that. There's no magical recipe for confidence – you have to be able to look yourself in the mirror and say “I am ZSRizvi and I am as good as – and better – than the next one.” Confidence doesn't mean pride, but it requires a measure of it. Remember that at the end of the day, we're all humans. Your senior and the partners put their pants on one leg at a time same as you do. As a human, you have every bit as much value as each of them. You don't know as much about the accounting etc., so you don't want to act prideful, but have confidence as a person, with humility in your work.

How young are you? Forget your age. You are a college graduate, CPA candidate, and employee (by the time you walk in the door) at this CPA firm. What else matters? Don't act young, and they will have no reason to regard you as young. Act confident and mature, and people won't remember your age. I was always on the younger side of things in the places I worked, and while they can tell to some extent, you don't have to let it be too apparent. Besides…if they're all older, they're probably jealous of your youth. 🙂

[ZSRizvi]

Thank you Lilla! Reading that made me feel a bit better.

I actually am fairly familiar with an HR personnel (she's the one who initially interviewed me) and so I gave her a call today, discussing my situation. I was extremely nervous because I didn't want her to get the wrong impression that I didn't want to start early; so I emphasized that I wanted to do as much but the phone call from my uncle took me by surprise. She said (quite…pleasantly?) that it was alright and that some other people weren't starting in October as well. I just hope that she's being sincere; as in, she means what she says and she isn't already developing a negative notion of me. =

I live in California; so under pathway 2 (which in 2014 will be the only pathway I can take, right?) it says I require 1 year of experience, including 500 hours of attest experience. I'll have to research more about what's the procedure to have senior CPAs sign off. And I think for scheduling exams I'll do what you told me; I'll schedule most likely in the first week of January (I might need to move REG now because of the trip) and if the NTS for AUD expires, so be it. I most likely won't sit for it until next spring anyway. =

I'll be turning 23 in a month. I graduated early hence when everyone finds out my age, there's a variety of reactions ahahaha. I think what also sets me apart from the typical CPA environment (which seem to focus a lot on happy hours and sports activities as a way to de-stress) is that I don't drink and I'm not into sports. My interests are vastly different so it's a bit more difficult to find common ground to even have small chit-chat over.

My only positive outlook right now is 1)I pass the exams and show that I'm worthy, valuable, and aggressive in producing results and 2) to excel and surpass expectations of my seniors. I know in the first year people make a lot of mistakes but, what I'm worried about is, I might be one of those people who don't catch on quickly enough giving them reason to let me go. Usually I'm a fast-learner but for them “fast-learner” might mean twice my speed.

Ahhh, the stress of a working-class citizen ahahaha. I read somewhere on the forum how CPAs should get compensated for emotional distress and I highly agree!

BEC (July 2013)
FAR (OCT 2013)
REG (NOV 2013)
AUD (JAN 2014)

The CPA Exam is an opponent that not even the Fellowship of the Ring would want to come across.

I have a long...long...journey ahead of me.

[Tncincy]

Just be straight forward with the employer, If they agreed to hire you they will understand the family situation. So just be straight forward, which does not mean you will get the time off. We have not because we ask not…..so just ask.

I am currently looking for an accounting position, preferably audit for the experience after the exams. At 48, I don't know how I can approach a firm to at least work with a CPA on an audit. After the exams I do want to be a full functional CPA.

Finding a job and studying is a hard task.

It begins with a 75
Been here too long as a cheerleader....ready to pass

[Author]

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