[1rightanswer]

Hi guys, I have been on this forum since September 2018 when I started my CPA exam journey, I have read a lot of what’s on here but have rarely posted except maybe for replies here and there, so this is the first thread I have created.

I’m starting this thread to get some advice about how to get my first accounting job. My situation is as follows: I’m 38 (39 in October), my first degree and all of my work experience are in AutoCAD drafting and design. When I was unemployed in 2010, I went to a local university to study Accounting because I heard from people that Accounting jobs were plentiful. So, I took all of the required Accounting courses to sit for the CPA exams but I did not graduate since I already had a BS. I found employment in drafting in 2011 and had nothing to do with Accounting until 2018. Fast-forward to September 2018, I left my drafting job (there was no future and I wanted to change careers) and started taking the CPA exams. I finally passed all 4 sections in March 2019. After passing I have been applying for entry-level Accounting positions including A/P clerk, Accounting Assistant, Accountant I, Tax preparer, and Audit Associate positions. In total, I have probably sent out 50 applications, but I haven’t heard back from any of them.

I’m putting my Accounting education and passing the CPA exams on my resume, but I think not having Accounting work experience and having non-Accounting experience is turning a lot of employers off. I just went to the unemployment office and heard from the employment counselor that Accounting is one of those professions where employers prefer experience over education. I now agree this statement probably is true.

What should someone in my position (38, have Accounting education, passed CPA exam, but 0 Accounting experience) do? I thought I would have trouble landing a job because of my age and my imperfect English (Chinese national), but I didn’t expect absolutely no interest in me even as an applicant. I was hoping I could pass the CPA exam and get my Accounting career rolling quickly, but that doesn’t seem like will be the case. Should I keep on sending out resumes knowing there will be little interest? Should I try to reach out directly to CPA firm owners and accounting managers to ask for employment? What are my best strategies for landing entry-level work at my age?

BTW I live in Houston, are there other parts of US I should move to where it would be easier to find Accounting work? I’m willing to relocate. I’m not yet 40, and have a long life of work ahead of me, I was really hoping this career change to Accounting was gonna work out long-term for me.

[23]

I'm curious what advice others may have, but have you spoken to recruiters or thought about temp work? A temp position could turn permanent, or turn into more temp work. After a bit of experience, I would think you should be able to land something full time and permanent in Houston.

WA candidate

[1rightanswer]

@23 I have solely been applying online (craigslist, indeed, workintexas.com, etc), some of the work I have applied for are temp or temp2perm. Haven't talked to recruiters or working accountants yet, I don't have any connections. I tried to friend them on linkedin but not much success.

[MaLoTu]

I would imagine the market in Houston is pretty good for accountants right now.
Use linked in. Try their premium service. Once you apply follow up with the job poster letting them know you applied and maybe something you like about the company. I think I would actually also attach my resume again in the note. I personally had a lot of success with the method.
Good luck.

[JRG24]

Yeah, Houston is a pretty good market. Why not get into a master program at U of H or UHD (or even A&M if you can get in)? You could leverage job fairs, etc. and start building a network.

[JRG24]

Email me at jrgcarbuyer at gmail (this is my burner account I use when dealing with spammy companies). I'm in Houston and we could connect. I just finished staffing up my department but I'd be willing to check out your resume and give pointers, etc. I really wish the forum supported PMs.

[1rightanswer]

@MaLoTu I will try following up on Linkedin after applying for a job.
How do you know who the job poster is? A lot of jobs on indeed.com don't show who posted it.

@JRG24 I don't want to go back to school at my age, I just want to find a job and work. If I go back it's another year spent in school, that's in addition to 9 months I've been studying for the CPA and job searching already. I don't know if what I will be learning in the Masters program is new or something I already learned in CPA review course. Is it worth it to go back to school just to be able to attend job fairs twice a year? I have been to job fairs before and didn't get any offers. Thanks for your offer I will email you shortly.

[Jimmy Dugan]

I was in my 30's when I switched careers to accounting and that first job was hard to come by. When you are in your early to mid-twenties, people are more likely to want to help you get your foot in the door in a company or industry. Conversely, there is a little stigma attached to mid-career people that decide to quit what they were doing and pursue something else.

None of this means you won't get hired eventually, but it is going to take a little more work for you. Job ads are a graveyard for someone without experience. Doing that means you have to be one in 500-1,000 resumes that makes it through the HR (Human Roadblocks) review, and that's not likely without experience. Be a little more aggressive with the networking. Hit linkedin hard and use the search function. Reach out directly to people in the industry; a lot of good happens when you talk to people. The fact that you've knocked out the CPA shows that you are serious about the profession and, sooner or later, someone will give you an entry level job.

[MaLoTu]

@1rightanswer – I only used linked in for my search. On almost all the postings it will show the profile of who created it. I would just follow up with them. If there was no info on who specifically listed the job I would search LinkedIn for a recruiter at the company and let them know ‘hey I applied for X position on (enter site name). I think I am a great match for the company because of xyz. I am attaching my resume here for quick reference. I would love to have a conversation to find out more about what your company is looking for in the person who will fill this role.’ Or something to that effect.

[1rightanswer]

@jimmy Dugan, Obviously I wouldn't quit a well-paying job without a reason. let's just say it was a quit-or-get fired situation, and I left to jump-start my job search. The job was in O&G, this business is feast or famine, people here gets that. I'm sure I can explain this issue to an employer. I realized applying is not efficient, networking/letting people know you are looking is probably a better way. I had thought about taking unpaid internships, but now realized people with paying jobs don't like you shadowing and learning from them, they might perceive you as a threat.

@Malotu I see it now, thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely start using it from now on.

[Mike J]

I'm also in the same boat. I'm 37 and began taking undergraduate prereqs for the exam at 29. I passed my last section in Dec 28. My BA is in journalism and I worked as a paralegal and for the IRS in collections.

I had a job in audit for 6 months. I was hired only because I passed the exams. As the hiring partner told me I was hired despite my lack of experience. It was quite literally only because I passed and his senior he assigned me to did not. The other associates did not and some failed a few sections. Nobody showed me anything. I had to learn on my own. When I couldn't keep up, I was let go because I was a threat. My workpapers were always signed-off on time with minimal corrections. I learned in the exit interview that I was hired because they thought they were getting a CPA on the cheap. I had zero experience in audit it with non-profit work.

There is something to this: “people with paying jobs don't like you shadowing and learning from them, they might perceive you as a threat”.

That job though helped me see that I didn't like the rubber-stamp aspect to audit. Once a different senior that was a CPA asked me to sign off on testing a legal expenses account that was missing an invoice for its largest account. I didn't protest in front of the client but raised the issue privately with him. He had someone else sign off. They probably didn't like me doing so without having the experience.

Since then I am half way through a MST in Tax at a State school in NY. As OP lamented you need to standout. I feel that I need an Accounting piece of paper since I had limited experience.

I've only had a few temp jobs during tax season. The partners liked me but there wasn't enough in the budget to keep me. It was a SMALL firm. I worked on QuickBooks and helped with research projects for corporate accounts. Did some individual returns.

Sorry to hijack the thread. But I know how OP feels. It sucks that there is such a bias against career switches.

That said, I think I will try those LinkedIn suggestions.

[1rightanswer]

I know people don't want to train you because when I left my last company, I asked the boss if I can get trained in the Accounting department. The boss left the option with the accounting manager who declined.
If we can't get accounting work experience due to not being able to get hired or people unwilling to have us learn under them as unpaid internship, I guess we are screwed. lol.

[Mike J]

Haha. Yeah pretty much. I took a customer service rep job for now after last April. Gotta keep working. Something will break for both of us.

[Skynet]

To the OP – You may want to take a low paying position just to get in the door because it is really tough without experience even with passing the exams. It could be either AP, AR clerk or even a simple book keeping job. Again, it is just to get yourself in the door.

I was in the same situation. After a few years, it will become easier once you gain a little experience and you start building up your network.

[1rightanswer]

@skynet I got it. I have been applying to the jobs you mentioned already, anything to get in the door.

[Pete]

I HAVE an accounting staff job and can’t find work in order to fill the license and progress. I’ve also passed my CPA/CFE and gotten the required 150 credit hours. I can’t really move on to other roles, since most require public accounting/audit experience.

The problem is most mid size to large accounting firms, the kind that do audits, are VERY finicky hiring-wise. They very rarely hire outside campus recruits/interns, so I’m at a catch 22 despite currently having a staff accounting job. It’s also worth noting my pay is significantly under market rate.

The market got weird after 2008. I know a few accounting managers from my networking group who either ended up forced to take staff accounting roles or are still unemployed years later. Granted, they are much older than you.

Your best bet is to network your way into a job. Ask people for advice and referrals to others, not a job. They will definitely tell you if they are hiring, but if not, they will refer you this way.

B=84 This exam was such a b**** that I thought I failed-don't know how these things work
A=76 Slacker I am, I'll happily take it
R=81 I LOVE taxes
F=80 I don't wanna get banned for an expletive I'm thinking with "yea" proceeding it

[Author]

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