[Unemployed_CPA]

I just passed last section of CPA exam FAR on last February. Graduated in 2010 with MS in Accounting however I couldn’t find employment in accounting position. While going school, I was working in accounting non-related position so I don’t have any experience in Accounting. My undergrad is also in Accounting major. It’s been two years since I graduated and still couldn’t find accounting position. Is it just me or there are other folks out there too who are facing the same difficulty?? I read threads in the past that lots of folks are forced to work more than 40 hours a week in accounting position. So please give me some advice how can I find employment in accounting field in this tough economy? I live in Colorado.

[mla1169]

The economy is brutal right now but there are jobs out there. Are you getting interviews? If not consider having your resume professionally reviewed.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Marivy22]

Indeed.com is a good website to look for jobs. Is moving to another city/state an option for you? Needless to say, some cities have higher demand for accountants than others.

Done 😉
Class of 2012!!!!
Lots of prayers and hard work....

[jenuno01]

I agree with both mIa and Marivy. It's important that you look good in paper, that being said… like mIa said, have someone professional look at it, I believe @Texas27 can help here. Also, how good are you at interviewing?

Class of 2012

[Unemployed_CPA]

Thanks to mla1169, marivy22 & jenuno01 for your suggestions. While I was in school, I did get help from career center to build my resume. I am using indeed, simplyhired, monster, linkedin, careerbuilder in search of opportunity. I had very few interviews but ended up with empty hand. Career center also helped me with my interview skills. Most of the feedback I received during interview is lack of accounting experience. I am also willing to relocate if the employment is offered. Thank You so much once again:-)

[kmwgrace]

Adding that you've passed the CPA exam should hopefully garner you a few more interviews! Keep at it!

~ Kate... MTX!
CPA exam on hold while I homeschool my 6 year old!

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, you are wasting your time on careerbuilder, monster, etc. Those are passive ways of trying to find a job and for me has never been successful…..not ONE call in all the times I used them.

I have a BBA in Acct, and MBA (with honors), fabulous work history and when I was laid off I sent 100+ resumes with not ONE call EVER. The fact is that employers will get thousands if not tens of thousands of resumes for a job on those sites.

You need to be networking or doing something different. I was laid off last year (both layoffs due to mergers/acquisitions) and it took me all of 8 hours to find a job that was a 25% pay increase, huge bonus, stock options, etc. and I am at an advanced professional level. Of course that was through networking.

You need to call up friends, family, friends of friends, go to alumni events from your college, talk to your college's recruiting office. If you have been out of work this long, something is very very wrong. Either you are not truly motivated and are just going through the motions applying at these huge national sites, your resume is bad, or something else is going on. That's not judging, that's just stating the obvious.

Whatever you do, make it the exact opposite of what you have been doing and see if that works.

Best of luck to you, don't worry you'll be knee deep in journal entries and recons before you know it.

[Anonymous]

With your education background you should be at least be getting interviews. What do the job prospects look like in your area?

Do you want to work for a CPA firm? If you do, try to google CPA and your zip code and go through all the cpa firm's websites and see if they have any job openings? If they don't, I would still write a letter and attach your resume and send it to them. I've seen people do that at my firm and if they look good, we keep them for future positions or part time work.

Good luck!

[mena je twa]

Unemployed – CPA

You have too much education on your resume, and not a single drop of work experience. That's one of your biggest problem….. If i am hiring, i would second guess my self if i want to hire you. And this economy is not helping either.

One advice, drop off your MS in Acct and just leave your undergrad and CPA on it.

Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

[Unemployed_CPA]

I agree with you, CPApending. I am using online approach only, very limited networking approach. So far, haven't used alumni networking, only career center resources in terms of networking. Thanks for advice I will try different this time.

Sometimes I think like how mena je twa thought about my situation…May be I have too much education but none accounting work experience…I have bachelor & Master in Accounting, on top of these degrees I have MBA also and got done all CPA exams…I had applied in accounting clerk, accounting associate, clerical positions to get into accounting field but most of the response was overqualified…my GPA is also high 3.9 in MS and 3.63 overall….may be I am one of those unlucky, LOL 🙂

[pkd1982]

I agree that with your education and having passed the exam you should be getting interviews…have you thought about volunteer work or internships? Since you've got the academic credentials, you may want to work on networking and building up work experience. I've seen small non-profit theaters ask for volunteer controllers before, there are board advisory positions, things like that. Obviously you don't get paid for it, but it puts something on your resume other than academic work and it's a way to make contacts in your community that you can use later on. An internship at a company you'd like to work at would be even better, but I'm just putting out the volunteering suggestion as something else to think about.

REG: Pass
BEC: Pass
AUD: Pass
FAR: August 2013

[mena je twa]

Unemployed –

Bless your heart, you need to completely overhaul your resume or else your chances of getting employment in accounting will keep going down.

Even the social networking etc will not help you, in my opinion. All these qualifications need to match with a upward- laterall movement in your employment.

Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

[Anonymous]

Unemployed…

I'm beginning to think that careerbuilder and monster are nothing but clearinghouses for the unemployed to make their weekly contacts! 😀 I've just never had the first bit of luck, other than recruiters hounding me from the ads–those cleverly disguised enough to fool me into applying–thinking it is a real job.

Definitely try to expand your marketing. Perhaps you could join toastmasters to make contacts or join a networking group of some sort in your local city. Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. You never know what contacts you will make. Best of luck and hang in there.

CPAPending

[Anonymous]

I am being told that I'm “over qualified” as well. Discouraging! However, I agree with everyone else that is saying it's (probably) your resume. When I was doing this on my own, interest was few and far between. I've been working with a career advisor and we revamped and ramped up my resume and things are finally turning around. She is teaching me how to write succinctly, how address what the job ad is looking for, and how to equate my past experience with what the job ad is looking for. In fact, she worked with me to address qualifications for a job and as I'm writing this I was notified that I'm qualified for the position (federal government job). It's a job that I just didn't see how I would ever be qualified for – even in my wildest dreams. I'm a left brain thinker and I couldn't have done this without her right brain abilities so whether you can get the services for free or have to pay a small sum for it, it's so worth it!

[Author]

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