[Anonymous]

How hard or easy is it for someone to get a temp job in a major city (with a good economy) if they’ve passed the CPA exam, but:

– have no experience

– finished school 2.5 years ago

– passed the exam 6 months ago

Could the person get a temp job within 2-3 weeks after applying (just general temp job, not necessarily accounting related)?

How hard/easy and fast/slow could this person get an accounting related job that satisfies CPA license work requirements?

[Anonymous]

What's your other work experience? (I'm assuming you've had jobs, just not accounting-related ones…) In lieu of accounting experience, the rest of the job history will have an impact on the marketability of the applicant.

Temp work is kinda unpredictable. Right now is *not* a big hiring time for public accounting. For tax, the only deadline in the next few months is the individual tax return extensions deadline, and that deadline isn't usually too pressing. I don't know the Auditing schedule as well, but I'm thinking the next few months aren't killers for them, either. For tax accounting, if you were on the market starting Jan 1, I'll bet you'd have something by mid-February at the latest, if you were going to have something that tax season at all. But if it's through a temp agency, there's a good chance that you'd be let go Apr 15. I'm thinking that Auditing usually has the “busy season” start a bit sooner and end a bit sooner, too, so not sure the exact window for auditing.

What state are you in? Different states have different requirements for the experience for the CPA certification, so without knowing your state, it's hard to guess when you'd have experience that counts towards it. (Like, in KY, where I am, any accounting experience – including bookkeeping – counts. But, in some states, it has to be auditing and has to be done under a CPA.)

[Anonymous]

What's your other work experience? (I'm assuming you've had jobs, just not accounting-related ones…) In lieu of accounting experience, the rest of the job history will have an impact on the marketability of the applicant.

Temp work is kinda unpredictable. Right now is *not* a big hiring time for public accounting. For tax, the only deadline in the next few months is the individual tax return extensions deadline, and that deadline isn't usually too pressing. I don't know the Auditing schedule as well, but I'm thinking the next few months aren't killers for them, either. For tax accounting, if you were on the market starting Jan 1, I'll bet you'd have something by mid-February at the latest, if you were going to have something that tax season at all. But if it's through a temp agency, there's a good chance that you'd be let go Apr 15. I'm thinking that Auditing usually has the “busy season” start a bit sooner and end a bit sooner, too, so not sure the exact window for auditing.

What state are you in? Different states have different requirements for the experience for the CPA certification, so without knowing your state, it's hard to guess when you'd have experience that counts towards it. (Like, in KY, where I am, any accounting experience – including bookkeeping – counts. But, in some states, it has to be auditing and has to be done under a CPA.)

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Yea, I have other work experience, but it's been so long and it's minimal. I guess I could put it on there. I doubt anyone would check it.

My state requires CPA supervised work for experience, not just any accounting experience unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Yea, I have other work experience, but it's been so long and it's minimal. I guess I could put it on there. I doubt anyone would check it.

My state requires CPA supervised work for experience, not just any accounting experience unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

You said it's been awhile since your work experience – did you stop working to pursue education? If so, then I think the work experience will definitely still benefit you. It shows that you were able to keep a job, but then decided that you'd rather be an accountant a whopper flopper (or whatever the former job was), so you did what you had to in order to become an accountant. If, on the other hand, you got fired repeatedly and were unable to get a new job, then that's not going to be such a positive, but will probably still come out at some point.

In your state, does it specify what type of accounting experience, or just “accounting experience”? Like, if you got a job working for a CPA, and all you did was prepare payroll and payroll tax returns, would that count? Does it have to cover any specific topics? If it's any accounting work for a CPA, then if you could find a tax-season job helping a CPA with simple individual tax returns, it'd count…and you can probably find something like that fairly easily at the start of tax season. If it requires audit experience, though, I doubt you'll find an audit job through a temp agency. Not positive how much tax firms use temp agencies, but I think that tax is much more likely than audit.

[Anonymous]

You said it's been awhile since your work experience – did you stop working to pursue education? If so, then I think the work experience will definitely still benefit you. It shows that you were able to keep a job, but then decided that you'd rather be an accountant a whopper flopper (or whatever the former job was), so you did what you had to in order to become an accountant. If, on the other hand, you got fired repeatedly and were unable to get a new job, then that's not going to be such a positive, but will probably still come out at some point.

In your state, does it specify what type of accounting experience, or just “accounting experience”? Like, if you got a job working for a CPA, and all you did was prepare payroll and payroll tax returns, would that count? Does it have to cover any specific topics? If it's any accounting work for a CPA, then if you could find a tax-season job helping a CPA with simple individual tax returns, it'd count…and you can probably find something like that fairly easily at the start of tax season. If it requires audit experience, though, I doubt you'll find an audit job through a temp agency. Not positive how much tax firms use temp agencies, but I think that tax is much more likely than audit.

[Tncincy]

I think you could get a temp job especially around tax season. I am thinking how I can gain attest experience to fulfill that experience requirement. I have enough general experience for the license but I can't sign for auditing and attestation. I want the full benefits of the CPA designation, so I am even looking to volunteer or sit in on an audit to get the experience. But Temp positions is a great door opener to a full time position. (of course I have to pass the test )

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

[Tncincy]

I think you could get a temp job especially around tax season. I am thinking how I can gain attest experience to fulfill that experience requirement. I have enough general experience for the license but I can't sign for auditing and attestation. I want the full benefits of the CPA designation, so I am even looking to volunteer or sit in on an audit to get the experience. But Temp positions is a great door opener to a full time position. (of course I have to pass the test )

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

[Author]

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