[Form1040]

I got my BS Accounting degree in 2009 and graduated without any job offers or relevant experience. I spent the next two years looking for work without any luck before I decided to go to grad school. I got my MS in Accounting half a year ago and now I feel like I’m in the same situation again. I have not been able to find any work through on-campus recruiting or career fairs held by my local CPA society.

I’m working part time right now as a Seasonal Assistant Tax Preparer and just started preparing for the CPA exam. My first section is scheduled for July and I probably won’t complete all sections until next year. My part-time job only lasts until the end of the tax season.

Should I continue to apply for jobs while I am studying for the CPA exam or wait until I get my license? Will getting a CPA license make up for the gaps on my resume? I feel like I screwed myself over big time. What accounting firms would even consider me with so many gaps on my resume and lack of relevant experience despite having two degrees?

[Anonymous]

CPA license isnt worth anything without experience. It will not in any way make up for your lack of experience. Reading text books is not equivalent to experience. People try to get CPA done early on in their 20s because they intend to start a family and don't want to deal with it while dealing with a job, a baby and what ever else. However, that CPA won't really start to help a person until they have 3-5+ yrs of experience to go a long with it.

PS: it boggles my mind that someone could not find a job for 2 years after college. What the heck is this world coming to..

[One day….]

I think passing the CPA exam is the reason I recently received a job offer. I have no real accounting experience, but I believe the fact that I passed the exam showed how dedicated I am to succeeding. Now passing the exam isn't going to roll in the job offers with no experience, but there will be times that it matters. Also, I think if you're applying on job sites, you need to be one of the first ones to apply since they will probably stop looking after receiving so many. So check the job sites multiple times a day and apply right away.

One day is today! I'm DOOONNNNNEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

[The Dingo]

@Form1040

With some significant gaps you may have a little trouble getting a second glance. The plus is: You are well aware of the challenge…so you need to address it upfront and directly, put it in the cover letter. This is one of the few times when I might actually recommend working with a professional search firm because they can help make the introductions to their employment clients and smooth-over the employment history after they have vetted you on behalf of their clients.

Other thing: Get some additional work experience. A good accountant who is out of work for two years, even in this economy, is someone who wants to be out of work for two years. Here's a couple things you can do and have cash flow in the short term:

1. Go meet with temp staffing firms (the Robert Half types)…I normally wouldn't recommend this, but you need experience and they can place you on short-term gigs with little risk.

2. Be reasonable about your salary expectations. You may have to prove yourself and earn some experience points. Big-4 firms not banging down your door? No 4.0 GPA from Chicago or Penn State? No Big-4 Uncle with a recommendation letter? OKAY then you're not going to command $60,000 a year right out of school….be upfront about needing the experience and be willing to take the same salary as the non-degreed data entry clerk and be happy for $14 an hour…….OR….sit home and hold down the couch.

Also, be reasonable about the job market…it's not a place where you'll send out four resumes and get four offers on their first call. You're competing against others who graduated more recently, don't have the gaps and have more experience…So you've got to send 100 resumes EVERY WEEK. Scour the job boards and knock on CPA doors from here to there. If getting a job isn't your job…you're not going to get a job.

[Anonymous]

@Form1040 The 2 things that will help you the most are experience and networking. Get experience in any way possible, and like what the Dingo said, you may look into going with a staffing firm to get a temporary job just to get experience on your resume. And network, network, network. That doesn't necessarily have to be professional contacts, it can be anyone, your parents, uncle, neighbor, classmates, etc. And don't ask if they know of any openings, but rather tell them that you're currently looking for a job and to keep you in mind if they hear of anything.

[Tncincy]

Great advice!…. Actually it is what I am doing…since I have run my own business for 18 years and the tax industry has changed to where individuals are doing their own returns I have been going to the temp agencies trying to get experience and get my name out there. Yes my name is there concerning taxes, but I have not had much luck with serious bookkeeping clients or tax clients beyond individuals, like partnerships or corps. I really want to get into the field so I am trying the temp agencies.

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

[Whatdidyou]

“I got my BS Accounting degree in 2009 and graduated without any job offers or relevant experience.:

Depending on how you define “relevant experience” this happened to a lot of people.

“I spent the next two years looking for work without any luck before I decided to go to grad school.”

hmm. This will be the hard part to explain. I'm sure you did more in 2 whole years than just look for work. Don't discount your other experiences (paid or unpaid; relevant or “irelevant”, extracurricular) during this time period! – if you truly did absolutely nothing then you should be worried.

“I got my MS in Accounting half a year ago”

Good for you.

“and now I feel like I'm in the same situation again. I have not been able to find any work through on-campus recruiting or career fairs held by my local CPA society.”

Sorry to hear this. Although hopefully you've applied elsewhere too.

“I'm working part time right now as a Seasonal Assistant Tax Preparer and just started preparing for the CPA exam.”

Good for you.

“My first section is scheduled for July and I probably won't complete all sections until next year. My part-time job only lasts until the end of the tax season. Should I continue to apply for jobs while I am studying for the CPA exam or wait until I get my license?”

Apply now.

“Will getting a CPA license make up for the gaps on my resume?”

Ideally, you'd fill in those gaps with other experiences/things you did during that time period – even if it wasn't paid or accounting work. & you cant put CPA on your resume without experience. Passing the exams will probably help but getting a job should take priority IMO. Passing the CPA will help you move up or towards a different position.

“I feel like I screwed myself over big time. What accounting firms would even consider me with so many gaps on my resume and lack of relevant experience despite having two degrees?”

Note that you've graduated 6 months ago and have been working as a seasonal tax preparer while studying for the CPA exam and looking for full-time job opportunities. Hope is not lost, many people are and/or have been in much worse positions than you. Have a good attitude, fill in the long gaps on your resume with something (you HAD to be doing something else during that 2 year period), and be ready to answer interview questions about any gaps you don't fill in. And as others have said, be realistic. Apply everywhere and network. DON'T just apply to ‘accounting firms' – if that's all you've applied to so far, that explains your troubles. Apply to other business type positions and don't be too picky. You can always move to different positions later.

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[FlipACoin]

I love the advice so far in this thread and as usual I have a bit of a rant. Gaps in employment for people just out of college in the 08-10 time frame are completely explainable. There were managers doing senior jobs, seniors doing mid level jobs, mid level folks doing entry level jobs and what did that leave for people just out of school? Starbucks. Unfortunately. It was a frustrating time and unless you knew somebody or had outstanding academic credentials most people just out of school weren't doing squat in their field. The bright side is that you have done/are doing something with your time, and something serious in accounting. You got your MS and although doing tax preparation isn't exactly sexy, it shows that you are serious about WANTING to do something in accounting, and that says a lot.

A hiring manager will know all of this. The problem often times that people with gap resumes have is getting past the recruiter level. Many times these recruiters just aren't sensitive to the specifics. They look at so many resumes that they have a formula they look for and unless you fit that formula you just aren't getting a call. Networking is of course good, but the best advice I've read on this thread yet is getting in with an external recruiter/headhunter/temp company. Since they have direct, pre-existing report with hiring mangers, they can at least get you into an interview pretty easily and that's exactly what you need. You need to get in front of hiring mangers and tell your tale. Just be sure you have a good tale to tell :). They will be more interested in how you have overcome adversity and your relentless, unwavering effort than the adversity itself. Good Luck.

[Form1040]

Thanks for all the advice given! I will continue to look for work while preparing for the CPA so hopefully I will have some experience on top of my license. I'll also check out some temp agencies.

[Author]

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