[jenpen]

Hello hello! I am looking for some advice, but first I’ll give a little background…I have been working in accounting for 5 years. First 4 in a small CPA firm doing everything from audit to tax to payroll, 1 year in a midsize firm as tax staff, and now I am at a family office as a tax and advisory senior. I have my MBA and finally passed the CPA last year.

Now that I’ve been done for awhile, I’m starting to feel that itch to study or go back to school, but I’m not really sure what I should do. My husband suggested maybe the CMA exam, and I think that would be a good option. It won’t help me in my current job, but could potentially be useful in the future. Are there any other designations I should look at? I would appreciate any and all advice!

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[Mae]

I have the same problem. After a year or two of no studying or schooling, I get bored and start looking around for something.

I just signed up for some graduate classes in accounting analytics. I think Data Science is going to be a field that will grow and become a way of life in the future of accounting.

Good Luck on your search!

AUD - PASSED MAR '15
REG - STUDYING SEP '16
FAR - PASSED MAY '16
BEC - PENDING JUL '16

[Akashi]

I am in a somewhat same but a different position. I have been working as a financial analyst for 9 years now. I have MBA/ACC and BS/BA. I was told today by a placement agency that it will be hard to place me as a staff accountant even after I have my CPA. I will have to work internally and see if I can get promoted to an accounting department to gain the accounting skills i need. I am quite nervous after hearing that. Here I am working hard to get a CPA and now I don't even know if it will be useful. If anybody has any suggestions as to wat my odds will be after passing CPA, I will greatly appreciate. Thanks. Utpal

[B4BeanCounter]

Going for CMA. Much cheaper alternative and less time-consuming than a MBA.

[Skynet]

WWE World Heavyweight Championship!

Ring Announcer : I CAN'T BELEIVE IT! The “Accountant” Stone Cold Stunnered Vince McMahon and Triple H to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania!

Amidst the Chaos Jeff Elliot of Another71 cashes in his Money in the Bank to Hit the “Rock Bottom” on the “Accountant” to take the World Heavyweight Championship.

The entire WWE Corprate Accounting Staff storms the ring and brawls in the the ring to end the program.

[NoName]

I am going through the same debate in my mind.

It seems like with an MBA the school you go to really matters (eg the networking opportunies). Is going to a no name school even worth it?

The CMA is heavily finance focused.

I am teetering back and forth since the CPA process is nearly complete but yes I am also starting to get bored.

[Bobsacajawillie]

Akasbi, please elaborate as it seems like getting a staff accountant position would be a walk in the park with all of those qualifications>

[jenpen]

@Phil – not sure about all of that, but I wasn't relying on my MBA for anything. I simply obtained it (from an online, no-name school) as a means to an end. I needed a degree with the right accreditation (my undergrad didn't fit) in order to take the CPA exam. I knew that once I got my CPA, it really wouldn't matter where I went to school, and it seems to have worked out for me so far. If you are going to use the MBA in order to advance your career, then a different approach might be necessary.

I noticed that with the CMA. I think more in-depth finance would help me in my current role and likely in the future with my current direction. I think once I can wrap my mind around the cost of the exam, I will probably work on this one unless I find something better.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[jenpen]

@B4BeanCounter – Have you begun studying yet? Just wondering what the materials look like compared to the CPA prep. Have you selected a study program?

BTW – I love your quote. I have watched that speech many times and have read the book, too. I'm overdue for a re-read…maybe I'll do that soon.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[B4BeanCounter]

@Jennifer – I've just registered for Part 1 of the CMA exam (Wiley). I used Becker for the CPA exam. I'll be taking in early September and YES! Randy Pausch is one of the poeple I look up to!

[Biff Tannen]

Sit by the pool and drink margaritas

[jenpen]

I'll be curious to hear about your experience. I was looking at either Gleim or Surgent. I did not have great luck with Wiley for the CPA, so would try to avoid having a repeat with the CMA. It would be great if Ninja would come out with a CMA review course, since that was what I relied on and finally achieved success with for the CPA.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[aaronmo]

My opinion…go after something computer science related, or data analytics. If you ever want to go to a private, or get into consulting at a larger firm, that has real value. You're already perfectly situated to progress where you are.

[NoName]

Funny enough I was in an interview today and it focused on data analytics (job was financial analyst but really it was more like a data scientist or something of that nature).

It looks like a lot of that leans on learning programming languages such as SQL, Python, etc.

I am actually pretty decent with SQL and started looking into Python.

[NoName]

@ Jennifer

No disrespect intended.

I think we are actually in completely different situations as my major is Business (accountancy focus). I have the typical background of someone in accounting and went into the public accounting right out of a college.

I was posing the “no name MBA school” as a general question and mainly directed at myself.

I have known plenty of folks who went to a local school in my area (which is a no name) and are doing fine with an MBA. This whole topic is hotly debated when it comes to an MBA…. It's the old “do it right or don't do it at all” thought process (and everyone has an opinion in between).

[jenpen]

@Phil
I didn't take your response as anything negative. I was simply explaining why I went to a no-name school to get a degree that (in my eyes) ultimately wouldn't matter. 🙂 I feel like MBAs are everywhere these days, so it's not something that would help me stand out, even if I went to a great school for it. Plus, at the end of the day, it isn't really relevant to tax accounting which is where much of my focus is. So meh. Whatever. A lot of wasted time and money all so I could get my CPA. 🙂

IT stuff is really not in my wheelhouse. My husband is a sys admin and talks to me all the time about a lot of that stuff. It's all Greek to my ears.

AUD - 56 - 68 - 61 - 9/8/16
REG - 75
FAR - 7/15/16
BEC - TBD

Wiley CPAexcel and NINJA 10 Point Combo

[Author]

Replies