[Flight301]

Hi everyone,

I just graduated w my accounting degree last month. I interviewed at 3 places and have 3 job offers, 2 of which I’m seriously considering. I had a 4.0 in college which is why employers are eager to hire me.

One job offer is temp to perm at PepsiCo, another is a junior accounting position at a mid size CPA firm. I accepted the temp position and had worked there a week before the accounting office offered me the job. I thought I would hate Pepsi and only took the job to earn some $$ until I could find a accounting job. The Pepsi job is a entry level analyst job, and does not involve accounting work.

After work a week at Pepsi, I found I really like it there. The training is great so far, the people are awesome, it’s a very laid back atmosphere. I’m almost interested in the analyst work. I didn’t expect to like it there, and it is making my choice difficult.

My dilemma is do I stay at Pepsi or go w the accounting job? My fear is I will not be doing accounting work and maybe this will hurt my chances of getting a accounting job in the future? I’m thinking if I stay at Pepsi I can get some analyst experience, study and take my CPA (no tax season to suck up my time), and maybe in a year or 2 transition towards accounting/analyst position. I just don’t know if this is advisable or a good move for a accountant early in the career.

I understand Pepsi is temp , but I’ve asked the analyst and other temps questions, and it seems like temp can move to perm if you’re good at the work, which being smart I know I will be. It pays $10,000 more then the accounting job when perm, and I like the atmosphere there.

If I get the CPA, and choose to start as a accountant in a couple years will this be feasible? Will my experience at Pepsi make me a less or more attractive candidate?

Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks.

[fsugirl2005]

@Flight301

Everyone here made great points. The reason why I was particular about the position at PepsiCo is because the jobs in today's market are experience driven and not so much education driven. You can have your CPA and an accounting degree, but you may not get picked over someone who has 5 years experience, a bachelor's in accounting, and no CPA. It just depends on what the company you're applying to can live without.

PepsiCo is a nice company to have on your resume though. I know someone who left a large staffing firm to work for them and she's moving right up the ladder. She has an accounting degree but she apparently loves sales and marketing.

Good luck! =)

AUD - 10/21/16 (75----07/2010 expired)
FAR - 10/28/16
BEC - 11/2016
REG - 01/2017

Using Gleim CPA Review, Ninja Audio, Ninja Book

[fsugirl2005]

@Flight301

Everyone here made great points. The reason why I was particular about the position at PepsiCo is because the jobs in today's market are experience driven and not so much education driven. You can have your CPA and an accounting degree, but you may not get picked over someone who has 5 years experience, a bachelor's in accounting, and no CPA. It just depends on what the company you're applying to can live without.

PepsiCo is a nice company to have on your resume though. I know someone who left a large staffing firm to work for them and she's moving right up the ladder. She has an accounting degree but she apparently loves sales and marketing.

Good luck! =)

AUD - 10/21/16 (75----07/2010 expired)
FAR - 10/28/16
BEC - 11/2016
REG - 01/2017

Using Gleim CPA Review, Ninja Audio, Ninja Book

[san4596]

OP – You should make a decision based on future expectations. It appears you want a CPA, but a little uneasy about public. You need to focus on long-term, and realize that some rough roads (Public) lead to greener pastures.

1) Working under a CPA @ Pepsi? No, go to public if you want a CPA

2) Get a raise with CPA? Public = Yes; Pepsi = ?

3) Reimburse for CPA review?

I started as an analyst at a bank, and hit a wall for future advancement. There was no CPA to sign off, and a raise for a CPA was not even in the picture. Needless to say, I went to public after about 4 years in private, and feel like I am behind the ball. My opportunities have been limited by not having my CPA, and I am now having to work harder to succeed. IMO, go with the public accounting job and suck it up through tax season. It may be less money now, but will lead to greener pastures private or public.

CPA EXAM: DONE!!!!
Ethics Course: Passed
Application Mailed: 3/16/15
Professional Conduct Exam: 97
Certification Date: 4/2/15!!!

[san4596]

OP – You should make a decision based on future expectations. It appears you want a CPA, but a little uneasy about public. You need to focus on long-term, and realize that some rough roads (Public) lead to greener pastures.

1) Working under a CPA @ Pepsi? No, go to public if you want a CPA

2) Get a raise with CPA? Public = Yes; Pepsi = ?

3) Reimburse for CPA review?

I started as an analyst at a bank, and hit a wall for future advancement. There was no CPA to sign off, and a raise for a CPA was not even in the picture. Needless to say, I went to public after about 4 years in private, and feel like I am behind the ball. My opportunities have been limited by not having my CPA, and I am now having to work harder to succeed. IMO, go with the public accounting job and suck it up through tax season. It may be less money now, but will lead to greener pastures private or public.

CPA EXAM: DONE!!!!
Ethics Course: Passed
Application Mailed: 3/16/15
Professional Conduct Exam: 97
Certification Date: 4/2/15!!!

[vanadium3]

stay in pepsi. it looks like that's what you want. I'm sure there are cpa's in pepsi, so once you pass the exams (gonna take a while), you can work under cpa for exp.

you'll hate the cpa firm from what you described. it's opposite of industry. the bigger the firm's name, the bigger the stress.

CPA

[vanadium3]

stay in pepsi. it looks like that's what you want. I'm sure there are cpa's in pepsi, so once you pass the exams (gonna take a while), you can work under cpa for exp.

you'll hate the cpa firm from what you described. it's opposite of industry. the bigger the firm's name, the bigger the stress.

CPA

[How many letters do you need]

It's a tough decision to be honest. Pepsi is an amazing opportunity for somebody first starting out. As you have already experienced, their training is awesome as most huge companies are and never underestimate what having a blue chip on your resume can do for you (especially if you think you might want to head into very large corporations in the future).

On the other hand, I completely understand your natural sway toward public accounting, being that is what you studied in school. The other thing to consider is that while the move from public accounting to the corporate world is almost a natural one, the move from the corporate world into public accounting is not something that happens very frequently . If it were anything other than a blue chip I would say go the public accounting route hands down…

I would say this: If there are plenty of Pepsi corporate accounting and/or corporate finance positions in your existing office/area (or within a relocation area that you wouldn't mind going to) I would say stick with Pepsi as a permanent and look to transfer in 18-24 months to either Accounting or Finance within the company. If those opportunities don't seem to be there, I say go to public accounting, get your CPA and keep in SOLID touch with anybody and everybody at Pepsi. Believe me those contacts will come in very handy if/when you decide to go back to corporate. Good luck!

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[How many letters do you need]

It's a tough decision to be honest. Pepsi is an amazing opportunity for somebody first starting out. As you have already experienced, their training is awesome as most huge companies are and never underestimate what having a blue chip on your resume can do for you (especially if you think you might want to head into very large corporations in the future).

On the other hand, I completely understand your natural sway toward public accounting, being that is what you studied in school. The other thing to consider is that while the move from public accounting to the corporate world is almost a natural one, the move from the corporate world into public accounting is not something that happens very frequently . If it were anything other than a blue chip I would say go the public accounting route hands down…

I would say this: If there are plenty of Pepsi corporate accounting and/or corporate finance positions in your existing office/area (or within a relocation area that you wouldn't mind going to) I would say stick with Pepsi as a permanent and look to transfer in 18-24 months to either Accounting or Finance within the company. If those opportunities don't seem to be there, I say go to public accounting, get your CPA and keep in SOLID touch with anybody and everybody at Pepsi. Believe me those contacts will come in very handy if/when you decide to go back to corporate. Good luck!

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[tough_kitty]

As a side note: It's “AN accountant”, not “a accountant”. A very important detail for the WC part of the BEC exam.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

As a side note: It's “AN accountant”, not “a accountant”. A very important detail for the WC part of the BEC exam.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[How many letters do you need]

Nit 🙂

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[How many letters do you need]

Nit 🙂

MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

[mystical guy]

@Flight301 I was a temp analyst myself, and the job was okay for a while. I mean, the hours are great and the atmosphere was relaxed at the Fortune 500. But, like you, I always had that nagging sound in my head that I was not doing accounting stuff, and that many analysts had a better career if they had some certifications (like the CISA, CPA..etc).

I'll quote an analyst with Coopers and Tires. He said, “I realize that not getting the CPA has hurt my chances for other jobs. But what I do, only I can do. Every time I want to leave they pay me more to stay.”

This was the same thing at the company I worked for. Analysts seem to get stuck in the same position. Unless you get your financial background in, you won't be able to move into Internal Audit or some other area. Alternatively, passing the CPA does open the doors and windows to IA. There's nothing to stop you from completing the exam and then applying into internal audit, if you get bored with analysis. (I got bored)

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[mystical guy]

@Flight301 I was a temp analyst myself, and the job was okay for a while. I mean, the hours are great and the atmosphere was relaxed at the Fortune 500. But, like you, I always had that nagging sound in my head that I was not doing accounting stuff, and that many analysts had a better career if they had some certifications (like the CISA, CPA..etc).

I'll quote an analyst with Coopers and Tires. He said, “I realize that not getting the CPA has hurt my chances for other jobs. But what I do, only I can do. Every time I want to leave they pay me more to stay.”

This was the same thing at the company I worked for. Analysts seem to get stuck in the same position. Unless you get your financial background in, you won't be able to move into Internal Audit or some other area. Alternatively, passing the CPA does open the doors and windows to IA. There's nothing to stop you from completing the exam and then applying into internal audit, if you get bored with analysis. (I got bored)

CPA - Since 2015
CISA - Smashed 2012
CIA - Passed 2015

[Author]

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