[smsingla]

I am in such a big dilemma and would like to get advice from my fellow Ninjas.

Earlier in 2013, Jan to May, I worked in a small CPA firm as a Tax Accountant. After that I took break in summer and started studying for BEC in August and now cleared BEC and REG.

Now I am confused. I have two options:

Option #1 Work in CPA firm again for this coming tax season for 4-5 months and then study for rest of my exams so that I don’t have too much gap on my resume. I have till April 2015 before REG expires

Option #2 I just finish with my CPA and then look for more permanent job after passing all the sections

Any advice will be really appreciated.

REG 81
BEC 74,65,78
FAR 79
AUD 85 DONE!!!

[Study Monk]

If you have the option to leave after april 15th on good terms I would take the job with the intention of taking the audit section of the exam in the April/May window. Passively study for audit when you have the spare time and try to get ready for one section in four months. Then in April take a leave of absence to finish FAR.

That being said it really all depends on your experience with yourself. Are you a person that can easily stop and go or are you a person that is primarily momentum based? I tend to do well with momentum and am sensitive to changes in habits. If I took two weeks off from studying I might end up losing two months or years even.

Your study endurance is another thing to consider. When you work full-time on these exams does it take you a month and a half to pass a section or more than two months per section. The reason this is important is you are basically taking six months off the time you have to pass this thing before you lose a section if you work at a busy tax firm. If you might end up with two testing windows left the amount of time it takes you to pass each exam will be relevant in your decision making process.

I am assuming finances is not an issue since it wasn't brought up in your post.

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[M.O.D.]

What is a “gap” in a resume? A period when you did not work? Why is that a bad thing?

Studying is more important than working, because it gives you better returns in the future. Show the interviewer a cost-benefit comparison if he does not understand the concept.

Also, try this on the interviewer:

I don't work because I made enough money to retire on. How come you are still working? Am I not smarter than you, who is still slaving away? You should hire me be to be your boss, to tell you what to do, because you are obviously incompetent.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[M.O.D.]

What is a “gap” in a resume? A period when you did not work? Why is that a bad thing?

Studying is more important than working, because it gives you better returns in the future. Show the interviewer a cost-benefit comparison if he does not understand the concept.

Also, try this on the interviewer:

I don't work because I made enough money to retire on. How come you are still working? Am I not smarter than you, who is still slaving away? You should hire me be to be your boss, to tell you what to do, because you are obviously incompetent.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[mla1169]

MOD in the long run you are correct that studying is more important, but it is a fact that folks with uninterrupted work history on their resume are more likely to be offered positions than folks with gaps on their resume.

Remember when a manager is making a hiring decision, book knowledge is only a part of what they're interested in. They also want to know someone can get along with their peers, become promotable and ESPECIALLY make a commitment of more than a few months or a year to an employer.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

MOD in the long run you are correct that studying is more important, but it is a fact that folks with uninterrupted work history on their resume are more likely to be offered positions than folks with gaps on their resume.

Remember when a manager is making a hiring decision, book knowledge is only a part of what they're interested in. They also want to know someone can get along with their peers, become promotable and ESPECIALLY make a commitment of more than a few months or a year to an employer.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[M.O.D.]

I see your point. However, longevity is shown by long stays with one company etc, as opposed to many short stays with multiple companies. (That would scare me, as a manager, as opposed to gaps in time in between stays.)

But if the issue is commitment (and stability) one should address that directly. One can be committed to studying, passing the CPA test, finishing a degree, even raising a family. These are all successes of commitment and stability one can bring up (even on a resume).

I also meant to question the entire paradigm of commitment to work for its own sake. Much of the working classes only know this world. Life-long dedication, commitment and stability to what is essentially poverty. Is that the goal we should strive towards? It is unfortunately the only world most people (including HR and management) know. But their knowledge should not necessarily restrict my knowledge.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[M.O.D.]

I see your point. However, longevity is shown by long stays with one company etc, as opposed to many short stays with multiple companies. (That would scare me, as a manager, as opposed to gaps in time in between stays.)

But if the issue is commitment (and stability) one should address that directly. One can be committed to studying, passing the CPA test, finishing a degree, even raising a family. These are all successes of commitment and stability one can bring up (even on a resume).

I also meant to question the entire paradigm of commitment to work for its own sake. Much of the working classes only know this world. Life-long dedication, commitment and stability to what is essentially poverty. Is that the goal we should strive towards? It is unfortunately the only world most people (including HR and management) know. But their knowledge should not necessarily restrict my knowledge.

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

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