@MintsRGood… I guess the best way to put it is that a lot of pieces kind of fell into the right place. I'm actually still an “adjunct” (but basically a full-time adjunct if that makes sense, as I teach 4-5 classes per semester… I just get paid less right now… 🙂 ).
I lived overseas for a few years and ran a small business over there but wanted to get back to the US, so I essentially stopped doing that and needed something to do when I came back here. I applied to the USSS for a Special Agent position and in the meantime, decided to take an accounting class (I didn't like accounting at all in college, so I really don't know what got me interested). It just so happened that the professor was outstanding, I did really well in the class, and so I decided that I would get the accounting credits to sit for the CPA; I already had an MBA from a very good business school, so I was set with everything else. I took 18 credits the next semester (Intermediate I & II, Auditing, Tax, Government/NFP, and Small Business Accounting) and had the same professor for two of the classes and did very well…
In the meantime, I passed through the entire process with the USSS (interviews, polygraph, medical, etc.) and was approved for hire, only to be held up due to a budgetary freeze. I was told that I would be sent to FLETC in 3 months (the training center in GA)… as it turns out, I didn't hear again from them for 2 years (more on that later). So, I took one final accounting course (Advanced Tax) with the same professor, again did very well, and as luck would have it, she was about to become the new department chair, and asked if I would be interested in teaching Principles 1. I started out with that course and eventually built up to where I was working full time for a local CPA firm and teaching 3-4 classes per semester. Some of these were not accounting courses but other business courses, and I think the fact that I have an MBA as well really helped as well in terms of offering versatility to the department.
Anyway… I quit my full-time day job at the accounting firm (hated it, by the way) mid-November of last year to finally get started with the CPA. Less than 3 weeks later and I had my BEC credit. In the meantime, I've taken on a full-time teaching load and love it but realize that the CPA is the missing piece in the puzzle; I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't see how people can be in the accounting world for more than a few years without wanting to do the CPA.
Oh… and back to the USSS… they called me earlier this year to see if I was still interested in the position. I told them thanks but no thanks. 🙂
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