[Anonymous]

I really need some help here. Please help me.

I don’t understand. I have a solid background (at least I think):

-GPA 3.5 in MAcc (probably 3.6 by the end of the last semester).

-Half year experience in the IRS as an individual tax return examiner and a back up lead (when the lead was out, I would be the lead. So I do have leadership experience to tell). I left this job because it’s seasonal.

-A seasonal internship in the IRS as a revenue agent (corporate tax auditor) with the exposure in dealing with Big 4 and large corporations.

-3 CPA exams passed-REG, AUD, and FAR. I failed BEC once. Yeah, who failed BEC? But I don’t think this failure is the issue.

-I have photographic memory (not those crazy kinds) so I do remember a lot of things (including the interview details I will be providing).

Here are the companies I applied (tax or audit): Deloitte, EY, BDO, Grant Thornton, Baker Tilly, CBIZ, O’connor Davies, and McGladrey.

Here are the companies that gave me internview: BDO and Baker Tilly.

I had 2nd round interview in BDO and didn’t receive an offer. Yeah, who screw the 2nd round interview right? I had the 1st round interview with Baker Tilly and was declined for a further one.

Here are the details and questions I had when I was with Baker Tilly:

Question: tell me about yourself.

Answer: I said that I was good in math, and when I found the similarity between math and accounting, I transferred the interest to accounting and started to do better and better in school; I also said that I am a highly compliant individual who has a respect for ethical code, regulations, and laws. And this quality was actually the IRS saw in me; at last I provided certain details about my communication skill.

Question: 5 year plan.

Answer: seeking another degree in master of taxation or MBA. developing a specialized skill, such as international tax, tax controversy solution, blahblahblah.

Question: why tax?

Answer: I said something about the logic in tax that is different from the one in auditing, and I just did better in tax because I fit such logic. The interviewer had both experience in tax and auditing, and totally agreed with what I said. She also provided what she had in her job in both tax and audit, which was similar to what I presented.

I gave her 3 questions:

-Whether the merger Baker Tilly had with Parentebeard would impair Baker Tilly’s core value and operating style?

-Whether Baker Tilly UK’s merger with RSM UK will be a problem for Baker Tilly International?

-if I hope to be an international tax professional, what qualities are you looking for in such candidates?

The interviewer and I have a lot of things in common actually. She lives around the IRS office I worked and we drive the same routine between office and home. She and I both have height fear so we discussed the experience we had in Toronto Tower (so many coincidences). So I really had no idea why I didn’t get the 2nd interview with Baker Tilly. Is it something bad in my answers or questions?

About the BDO. I think I probably screw it up because I mentioned several times that they are mid-size firms:

-When they asked me why not big 4, I said that opportunities to different tax field in “mid-size firms” tend to be more (this is actually what my supervisor in the IRS told me).

-When they asked me why BDO, I said that BDO may have the potential to become the Big 5 because in China, BDO breaks the big 4 pyramid, and people don’t see this situation that a “mid-size firm” out earns a large firm a lot.

-Did you apply big 4 (to be honest, I said yes). And here I felt chill because they just asked why not big 4. Maybe I should just gave a lie.

So please, help me out. I am kind desperate here.

[Anonymous]

@katerina2665

The firm was ParenteBeard or Holts? Ah…it doesn't matter. I won't be back to Baker Tilly.

You have your point and I thank you for your time. I will continue applying of course.

[katerina2665]

@cycgundam, it was HRR, thank you for reminding me, could not remember the name. Just so you know, and i know it solely from my friends from college and people who work/worked there (HRR till now), a lot of people either quit their job or planning to do so in near future stating that management became really tough there since the acquisition. One girl quit only after half a year, and at least 2 seniors that i know will quit in the next month. Many non-entry position employees were let go recently. Who knows what is going on there. Maybe its a good thing we did not get a position there. Again, just stating from what i heard. It could be a great firm, for all i know.

[pikachu]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2014/06/18/10-job-interview-questions-you-should-ask/

You should ask more about what they are looking for, and follow up with how you fit in.

Also, something else to consider, is that maybe straight accounting firm isn't for you. I had a high GPA upon graduation, great resume, plenty of interviews, but no offers.

I got a job a month after graduation doing “project accounting”, which is kind of like hardcore accounts payable. I was so good in that position that I got noticed by another department (financial analysis), and got a 33% raise in 7 months (to $40k). I learned a lot of reporting, Excel, etc. Then I left for UPS ($45k). I learned a lot about SQL and boring technical stuff at UPS, and left about 2 years later for another 33% raise (60k).

This all happened in 3 years. I have a job that I relatively like, doesn't have insane big 4 hours (just about 40 every week), and it wasn't the straight path, but it ended up fine. You might not be destined for accounting firms, but your talent will be noticed.

FAR: 2/23/14 77 (1 month studying)
AUD: 5/25/14 68
AUD: 7/13/14 72
AUD: 10/12/14 72
I GIVE UP

[Anonymous]

@katerina2665

As matter of fact, after the 1st interview with BT, I was worrying about the reputation of HRR. Also BT last year hired a few from my campus, and one of the hired didn't approve the firm that much.

I was upset when I got that letter a week ago (very upset today because I know one guy who applied the same job as I did got an interview but I didn't).

Maybe I have another path. But I guess so far I still have to try.

[Herbieherb]

@gundam ok since you are still in school don't worry about the unemployment questions…it only applies to people out of school and work long term 3+months, employers simply don't find these candidates desirable. A rainmain is brilliant in math, but they lack the other personal and social skills necessary to function. An interview is short and your responses and questions seem overly complicated and unfriendly. Chill out and stop focusing so much on the international side, you want a job now, once you are in, then explore the possibilities

NEW YORK- DONE

[masa_inn]

“I still remember the ignorant face of the interviewer when I said something about her firm in UK merged with RSM.”

Do you really mean it as you wrote it, “ignorant”? People in charge of hiring can smell this kind of attitude from a mile away.

FAR
AUD 02/10/14 passed
BEC
REG

Roger, WTB, Ninja materials

[Guti]

This is a very interesting topic. Who would you rather work with Accountant A or Accountant B. Accountant A is a smart individual with a GPA of 3.50, and he just finished with the CPA exam. It took him about 14 months to pass the exam, so he knows that he has struggled for everything he has earned including the 3.50 GPA. This also makes him a very humble individual who thinks that everyone is capable of greatness, but you have to work hard at it in other to achieve your dreams. He works hard,but also plays harder as he know that life is not just Accounting.

Accountant B is not smarter then Accountant A at least on paper since he also has a GPA of 3.5, and passed the CPA exam. The only difference with Accountant B is that he did not struggle much to pass the CPA (6 months) or to get a GPA of 3.50. Since he did not struggle much to accomplish his goals, he thinks he is a lot smarter than most Accountants he knows, and he is always comparing himself with his colleagues. This makes him very cocky and narrow minded since you can never judge a book by its cover. He loves to be right,so his life evolves around his profession. Lets say Accountant B might do the job faster than Accountant A,but both will get the job done. Who would you rather hire?

cycgundam, you are not Accountant B by the way, you might be too young so life will make you change your ways in a near future. Accountant B is someone who is already in his late 30s,but never changed his way of thinking even after life taught him many lessons.

FAR-84
AUD-
REG-
BEC-

[lakersfan24]

From that interview I can see why they didn't give you the offer….

1. Your answer to “tell me about yourself” would probably have made me immediately decide you weren't gonna be hired. Honestly these interviews are just so the interviewer can see if they can handle working alongside you for 60-70 hours a week and that answer would've just been a no. That part about the ethics stuff….and other stuff before was just boring. Just be more relaxed when you answer the question.

2. The MBA answer. Next time just say something that doesn't give the idea of you being a flight risk and that you see a future with the firm or at least accounting (the MBA kind of tells me you want out of accounting). Something like I want to complete my CPA and hopefully bring in some clients to the firm (don't say it way though lol. Sounds crappy)

3. Don't bring up mergers and other things like that. Some people may not even know about those things and you don't want to make the interviewer feel lost. Just ask more interactive things about the culture or advancement within the firm. This can show your interested in your career with the firm.

4. First you mentioned why you didn't want to do Big 4, but then you go and state that BDO could get into the “BIG 5”. Seemed kind of contradictory to me seeing as if they were part of this group they would have this same con that you mentioned you didn't like about Big 4.

Name something about the actual firm itself that you like, not the fact that it could move up next to the Big 4. This just makes it seem like you want to be at BDO just cause it has a chance of being like the Big 4. The answer to this question shouldn't be that hard.

Well there's my advice. I'm sure some people will disagree with what I've said but that's just how I do interviews. I tend to be more relaxed it works for me. The interviewer usually just wants to hire someone that they can imagine working with, not some guy who only spits back robotic answers.

[stoleway]

OP: If your goal is to get a job desperately and your focus is only on public accounting firms, It would be very difficult to break in especially when you've started getting a lot of rejections from them. Im an ESL like you and had my MBA back in 2012, I accepted an AP position in a private industry with an annual salary of 40k right after graduation.

I have given up looking for accounting jobs since I feel quite comfortable with my new position as a billing consultant for a large telecom firm and earning close to 70k, I believe I will earn more in the future as I progress through this role.

My advise is to stop concentrating on just public accounting and accept any decent opportunity that comes your way, I would also advise that you moderate the kind of questions you ask during interview, your questions are little bit technical and seems to put the interviewer on the edge.

Learn to ask questions about the challenges and opportunities that comes with the job youre interviewing for…etc. Your answers should also be simple, interviews these days have become a process of bullshiting, showing off and if possibly lying, but dont overdo it!

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[Anonymous]

@masa_inn

“I still remember the ignorant face of the interviewer when I said something about her firm in UK merged with RSM.”

Do you really mean it as you wrote it, “ignorant”? People in charge of hiring can smell this kind of attitude from a mile away.

---

I didn't say “ignorant” in a negative way. I simply wanted to express that the HR didn't have a clue about some matters. Perhaps I didn't use the appropriate word.

I believe that I was very gentle and “interested” in the interview because BT is one of the firms that I want to be a part of.

[mystical guy]

I was in the same position you are, twice. I had a total of nearly 2 years of unemployment despite having experience, passing the CPA and CISA…being very “marketable” as my Director of Audit who hired me said.

First of all DO NOT be discouraged. Don't second-guess yourself and blame it on your English or your race, or your nationality. The fact is, there nearly 300,000 graduates who are either unemployed or underemployed and you just happen to be one of them.

Finding a job needs courage, trial and error, and presenting your best self to the interviewers. Practice does make perfect, and keeping up with the stuff you do know, studying it even so that when you go to interviewers you can literally “preach” any code, any theory, answer questions that leave your interviewer amazed.

Keep going. You'll get the job!

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

[fuzyfro89]

Qualifications get you an interview, personality gets you an offer.

The questions about mergers and company strategy, not helping much. You need to appear to be someone the interviewer wants to work with. 12 hours a day, 6 days a week for s few months per year. That is what they are thinking while you are talking in an interview.

Work on your interview skills, small talk, smile a lot, appear confident and calm, dress well but not like a model, etc.

You want the interviewer to think “he seems like a sharp guy, shares our teams interests outside work, I could see myself working with him long hours for a few months per year, and I think we can teach him the accounting/tax/audit”.

Good luck. Keep trying!

[confusedcandidate]

“The interviewer and I have a lot of things in common actually. She lives around the IRS office I worked and we drive the same routine between office and home.”

My girlfriend says that this part may indicate you are “creepy.” She says it's too personal and that you may have come across too strong and breached her comfort zone. You need to watch out for that sort of thing.

90% of an interview* is to see if everyone ELSE at the office wants to spend 60 hours a week with you. Let me ask you something else that nobody has mentioned yet: how's your hygiene? Bad breath, greasy hair, and pit stains are all instant job killers. Do you floss every day? Do you smoke? Do you know how to shave without giving yourself razor burn and pimples all over your face? Things like that add up and make it hard to work with someone.

*90% is a made up number but you get the point.

Weekends are meaningless to a CPA candidate

[Anonymous]

cycgundam-

I should add that I was in your shoes at one time as well. 150 credits, 3.85 GPA, and was very outgoing with a very well put together professional wardrobe. I interviewed with nine, yes NINE firms before I found a job. I think that one of the problems is that I was 31 and competing for jobs against 22 yr olds.

My advice is to hang in there. The hardest job to find is your first one. If all else fails, look for a local firm that services clients that speak you native language. They're probably smaller, but their out there. And above all, hang in there.

[Author]

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