[Anonymous]

I currently work in A/R in a non-profit organization. I’m trying real hard to find a better job that fulfills the work experience requirement for the CPA license. The problem is, finding a job while being currently employed is extremely difficult and strenuous on me. Employers keep calling me during working hours at home and because they’re only available 9-5 when I’m a work, I keep playing telephone tag with these people. I obviously can’t use my phone at work and when I tried calling a few companies using my cell phone, it was disastrous due to the terrible reception and noise in my area. There were even times when I tried to email these people and let them know I’m working, so I’m limited in my availability. So, rather than answering my email, they would continue to call me on my home phone during my working hours.

This is very tough to do. I work 9-5 which is the only times these companies can speak with me. And to schedule an interview, I have take time off for those. Basically, this sneaking around to find another job is so hard on me.

Would it be better for me to quit my job so I can dedicate my weekdays to finding a new job? My only concern is that I’ll lose my current benefits and some companies will take it against me that I’m currently unemployed. What do you guys think?

[Minimorty]

Don't quit your job and stop giving companies your home phone number. Use your cell phone only. Surely you an find a plac that has some reception and is decently quiet. Try to schedule a set time to talk to the companies and then just take a 15-30 minute break from your current firm. Use any excuse if you need to (sick, tired, emergency, etc). I don't think it needs to be as difficult as you are making it seem. Definitely don't quit your job before you have something lined up though.

[momto5]

Definitely don't quit your job! Do you have any vacation hours that you could take a little time off to call these companies? Maybe a half day for some extra “study time” that you could also use to connect with these employers? Or can you ever take time off from your regular day for appointments so that you could drive somewhere more quiet with good reception on your cell phone?

FAR - 92 (4/27/12)
AUD - 96 (7/17/12)
BEC - 92 (8/30/12)
REG - 91 (11/12/12)

[Herbieherb]

Ya dont do it. The sneaking around does suck… Get a better cell phone/ carrier…are u using Verizon?

NEW YORK- DONE

[Anonymous]

@Herbie- Yes, I'm using Verizon. I hate it. It's way overrated.

@Mini- My building has bad cell phone reception and outside, it's so noisy due to all the NYC traffic and construction. It's very hard to use a cell phone during working hours.

@momto- Yes, I have vacation days…. too many, in fact. But I don't want to keep taking too many days off one after the other because they might get suspicious and/or take it against me. Taking 1 or 2 days off is not a problem, but taking multiple days off spontaneously is the issue. Companies call when I least expect it and they want to meet right away. So, I need to tell my boss at the last minute that I need to take a day off tomorrow or the day after. And if I get another call, then I'd have to say to my boss that I have to take another day off!

I just got two calls from people. One from an employer and one from a career advisor who wants to meet with me to work on improving my resume and work on setting me up with his connections at some of the CPA firms. Both are only available during working hours, not to mention that those CPA firms that he will set me up with will want to meet as well. Looks like I'm going to have to take a lot of spontaneous days off. This sucks! I'm so going to get fired.

[Minimorty]

You need to be a problem solver man. You know I like you but you sound a little whiny right now. Stop making excuses and handle the situation. Change cell phone companies. Run three blocks down and find a private location that has reception. Do something.

Also, why do you care if you get fired? You were just considering quiting. Take a week or two of your vacation time and get all of your ducks lined up in a row. Again, I think you are making this way more complicated than it needs to be.

[Anonymous]

@Mini- I wasn't whining, I was just a little upset because of how hard this is. And wouldn't getting fired look bad on my record? A lot of companies tend to ask at interviews why you're not working at your former job.

I apologize for sounding this way. I was just wondering if quitting was a good option, which of course everyone said is not. So, I will try to handle the situation. Whatever happens happens. I'll just take time off if my boss lets me.

[LSNYC]

You are in NYC, get a recruiter they will set up all the interviews for you and meet when you can meet. I used one and explained that I needed to meet early before work, they came in at 730am to meet with me before work. Then would set up times to talk at lunch or after work. If they need to talk at say 3pm I would call from Starbucks and come back with a coffee sometimes even one for my coworker too. They also helped set up interviews for me at 8am so I could just go to work an hour or two late. When I finally got an offer and the recruiter wanted to talk again in person they met me at 7pm. If you find a recruiter it can help with your stress.

A - 61, 91!!
B - 78!
F - 76!!!
R - 71, 73, 74, 69, 77!!!!

Finally done!

This is my 2nd attempt at the exam, I had two parts passed (failed many) and I stupidly quit, big mistake. Now I'm back and with a vengeance!

[Anonymous]

That's actually what I'm trying to do. This guy at the career development office at the college I went to is trying to get in touch with me because in order for him to set me up with a recruiter, he needs to meet with me first because he wants to discuss ways to make my resume more attractive. The problem is, I can't get in touch with him. He calls me during working hours at my house. Giving him my cell phone isn't going to help because there's no cell phone reception in my building at work. I've been trying to get in touch with this guy for a week already. He can only take appointments on Tuesday and Wednesday during working hours and whenever I try calling him, he never answers. So, it's a constant telephone tag. I tried sending him an email, but won't respond to it. He keeps calling my house phone instead when I'm not home. On top of that, I have another job trying to get in touch with me for an interview. This one isn't so bad, but I didn't get the voice-mail until late Friday night when I got home. So, I have to work on responding to his phone call on Monday as well.

I don't think changing cell phones will solve the issue because I believe Verizon is considered one of the best carrier. A couple of my co-workers have other phones and carriers and their reception is a lot worse than mine.

[kv_]

You don't have to change carriers if you otherwise like your phone. I wouldn't under these circumstances, since it sounds like you're looking for a short-term solution.

You could get some kind of basic go-phone, one of those prepaid or pay-as-you-go burner phones. It doesn't even have to be a smart phone since you would only need it for 1 purpose: Use that for your employment conversations.

Can't get a burner phone? Get a Google Voice #. Give that to potential employers/recruiters. Check your voice mails on GV as needed – you can do this on your “regular” mobile phone. Call them back on whatever phone.

Find a quiet place with decent reception where you can go out to get lunch midday. Starbucks, the deli, your company's dis-used lunch room. Or use the lunch room when nobody else is using it (what time do your co-workers eat? Delay until they're done & out of there or else eat super-early.) Worst case scenario sneak into the company's locker room (if your company has one – I'm guessing the non-profit doesn't but some orgs do.)

Let your recruiters & employers know you have limited availability. There's usually somewhere in the job application that says your contact preferences.

In my experience, my employer actually became more suspicious of me when I needed to take a few sporadic days off here & there on short notice, or if I arranged to come in late/stay late or go home early/come in to work early! (I have plenty of PTO & the company is pretty generous about how fast you accrue it, but actually using it is another story…)

It might actually work better to dedicate a short period of time to a “Vacation” if you can line up the interviews within a few days of each other.

Chances are your connection through your college is worrying about (and talking to) current students more than an alum. It might be worth it to break it down to him one more time, you have limited availability, what time that availability is between, and that you prefer e-mail. I don't know what to tell you if he doesn't take the hint though.

[Anonymous]

“In my experience, my employer actually became more suspicious of me when I needed to take a few sporadic days off here & there on short notice, or if I arranged to come in late/stay late or go home early/come in to work early! (I have plenty of PTO & the company is pretty generous about how fast you accrue it, but actually using it is another story…)”

Bingo! That's what I'm afraid of. And it's hard to avoid taking sporadic days since employers contact me sporadically.

[Anonymous]

I should also mention that I had a few bad experiences in the past. One time, this company called me and asked to meet with me at a certain day. That was a bad day because I had something very important to do at work that day. When I suggested another day, like the day after or so, they said no. They said they can only meet with me that day and time only. So, they turned me down because I was unable to make it on their terms. Another time, one company made me run over to their office at the last minute. I was a fool and did it. The interview seemed to go ok, but I never heard back from them. I called to follow up and left them a voicemail, but they never responded. So, that was the end of that. And another time, one company called me and asked me to come over for an interview the next day, a Friday. Since I didn't really want to put in for time off so suddenly, I asked if we can have the interview next week. She said she can't because she's going on vacation the next week and needed to have the interview on that day. So, I called in sick at work and went to the interview. She told me that this was one out of three interviews. Once they make a decision, they need to invite that person a couple more times to meet the higher ups. Sure, like I have the time to keep taking time off to visit them, lol. But again, like the other interview, it went ok but never heard back from this one either. I called, no answer and left a message. No response back either.

Sure, you can say that some of these companies were a bit unethical, but like my friends and family said, jobs are tough due to the economy, so companies are going to be hard on people who apply for a job. Companies know that people are desperate for jobs so they have no problems being unreasonable about things.

But anyways, I can try emphasizing that I prefer email and can only be contacted outside working hours or on a cell phone, but based on my experience, a lot of companies are not going to be happy and will have no problem taking it against me.

[Minimorty]

You need them a lot more than they need you. I suggest you act like it and make yourself available on their terms. Again, just calling it like I see it. Still really like you.

[Anonymous]

I know I should use this opportunity to find the right job and company to work for. Obviously, if the company is being unreasonable, that could be a sign that this company is a place I shouldn't be working for. But I'm getting desperate because I want to fulfill that 1-year working experience requirement. It's going on too long.

[Anonymous]

Stop giving out your home phone number only give out cell phone numbers

If you'd consider quitting to find another job why are you so worried about being fired?

“I quit my old job to look for a new job” sounds better than “I got fired from my old job because they found out I was looking for a new job”?

My old audit senior took a phone interview right in front of me while we were at a client together. I didn't tell anybody. He got a new job.

[Anonymous]

I just want to announce that I FINALLY got a job that will fulfills the work experience requirement. After sneaking around and doing one phone interview and two face-to-face interviews with this one company, they finally gave me an offer today for their Staff Accountant position. It's a private company, but it's a job that's specifically for someone looking to become a CPA and will be working directly for a Controller, who is a CPA. They just need to do a background check and if everything checks out (which it will), they will send me a formal letter to sign. Finally, I was able to do it!! Obviously, I won't resign from my current job until I get the formal letter. But the hard part will come in a couple of weeks when I get the formal letter and will have to tell my boss I'm leaving. She will be crushed!

[Author]

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