[lobrennan]

Ok I paid a company to make me a resume, and they did, and it’s fantastic! Except it says I can do all sorts of things in the accounting field that I have never done before. Tax preparation, I did do VITA in 2007 so I figure that’s ok.

But financial statement preparation, other things like that, I have only done in the context of the CPA exam (and school). Is it ok to list those things on a resume if I’ve never done them in a job environment? I’m really confused about this. Don’t want to make it sound like I fell off the turnip truck and have never used a 10-key before, but I don’t want to get to the interview and have them read my resume, and then I have to say, “About that….”

If the resume clearly states I have no accounting experience and am looking for an entry-level job, is it understood that my Skills are pretty much all academic? Help!!

FAR 8/2013 - Passed!
REG 11/2013 - Passed!
AUD 1/2014

[Study Monk]

A lot of people exaggerate what they do on their resume but if you have no actual accounting experience your resume should of been focused on your educational experience not make believe work experience.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

A lot of people exaggerate what they do on their resume but if you have no actual accounting experience your resume should of been focused on your educational experience not make believe work experience.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[mla1169]

I am very careful to be perfectly clear as to what I've actually done in practice on my resume. For example I have passed the quickbooks pro advisor certification and I use quickbooks for the cheerleading league and Girl Scouts but I will NOT say I have QB experience because I don't. I very much downplay anything I don't have tons of hands on experience with. It's probably cost me tons of opportunities but I sleep well at night.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

I am very careful to be perfectly clear as to what I've actually done in practice on my resume. For example I have passed the quickbooks pro advisor certification and I use quickbooks for the cheerleading league and Girl Scouts but I will NOT say I have QB experience because I don't. I very much downplay anything I don't have tons of hands on experience with. It's probably cost me tons of opportunities but I sleep well at night.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

does it say what you can do or does it make up names of companies you've worked for?

[Anonymous]

does it say what you can do or does it make up names of companies you've worked for?

[lobrennan]

EXPERTISE & STRENGTHS

 Financial Reports & Statements

 Reporting & Procedural Standards

 Tax Preparation

 Budgeting & Expense Reports

 Record Keeping & Accounting Systems

 Accounting Records

 Record of Assets & Liabilities

 Profit & Loss

 Cost Review

 Expense Control

 Account Payables/Receivables

 Employee Health Care Benefits

 Troubleshooting

 Project Planning & Analysis

 Productivity Improvement

I've done these things in theory but it doesn't seem right on a resume, no outright lies, my experience includes my 5 years of selling shoes! I think it's just going to have to be shaved way, way down. I want to be very clear, maybe instead of Expertise and Strengths I should make it say Slight Familiarity and Academic Acquaintance. Whoop!

FAR 8/2013 - Passed!
REG 11/2013 - Passed!
AUD 1/2014

[lobrennan]

EXPERTISE & STRENGTHS

 Financial Reports & Statements

 Reporting & Procedural Standards

 Tax Preparation

 Budgeting & Expense Reports

 Record Keeping & Accounting Systems

 Accounting Records

 Record of Assets & Liabilities

 Profit & Loss

 Cost Review

 Expense Control

 Account Payables/Receivables

 Employee Health Care Benefits

 Troubleshooting

 Project Planning & Analysis

 Productivity Improvement

I've done these things in theory but it doesn't seem right on a resume, no outright lies, my experience includes my 5 years of selling shoes! I think it's just going to have to be shaved way, way down. I want to be very clear, maybe instead of Expertise and Strengths I should make it say Slight Familiarity and Academic Acquaintance. Whoop!

FAR 8/2013 - Passed!
REG 11/2013 - Passed!
AUD 1/2014

[Anonymous]

i dont see anything wrong, its not making up imaginary positions and work history. simply a listing of skills which you do possess

[Anonymous]

i dont see anything wrong, its not making up imaginary positions and work history. simply a listing of skills which you do possess

[Anonymous]

maybe you can clarify more when you get an interview. you gotta put something on your resume at first if you have no work experience.

[Anonymous]

maybe you can clarify more when you get an interview. you gotta put something on your resume at first if you have no work experience.

[mla1169]

I might change “expertise and strengths” to “knowledge and strengths”, you're right that expertise might be a stretch.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

I might change “expertise and strengths” to “knowledge and strengths”, you're right that expertise might be a stretch.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[I should be studying]

I remember my first interview where I had “knowledge of Quickbooks and Peachtree software” or something like that on my resume. I had never used either before but I heard they were easy to learn and most places used one or the other so I put it on there. The interviewer asked me specifically what my experience was with them and my response was something like “you'll notice I wrote ‘knowledge of' and not ‘experience with'”. (basically saying I just know they exist)

REG - 80 (2/28/13)
AUD - 68 (5/24/13), 84 (7/11/13)
BEC - 83 (8/29/13)
FAR - 70 (12/04/13) 80 (2/10/14)

[Author]

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