[Anonymous]

Joined: November 30 2009

Online Status: Online

Posts: 15

Posted: June 28 2010 at 12:30am | IP Logged Quote WishIPassed23

I am currently working as a staff accountant for a unique consulting firm and make an average salary, but my ultimate goal is to get back into public accounting (specifically auditing). I graduated with my accounting degree 7 months ago and have been working ever since. I also have passed BEC and just received a failing grade on AUD.

My question is that I am deciding between resigning from my job and focusing on passing the rest of the CPA exam ASAP or trying to pass while working which appears doable but will take much longer. With my ultimate goal of being hired to a public accounting firm, should I give notice to my current firm >> pass the CPA >>> then apply to these firms or should I keep applying while working and studying?

Sorry for the rant- any insight is appreciated

[potatogun]

I would NOT quit. Apply while you're still working. A lot of companies are avoiding people who are unemployed because they view it as a bad mark on someone no matter how illogical that may be given the economy.

I would apply while you work and keep working on the CPA as you can. Give yourself plenty of time to study if you need it. Don't rush it if you don't get the results you want/need.

While having passed the CPA is surely something to attract employers, I would not risk being out of work for a few months to complete it even though it is a valid excuse. Plus you never know how long it would take to obtain a new job.

FAR 92 - AUD 91 - REG 94 - BEC 86

[Anonymous]

Thanks for sharing your opinion as I am completely on the fence about this decision. My situation I'd unique in that my parents have offered to support me financially to pass the exam if I decide to resign. Does that change the decision you think I should make?

[financeguy]

Quitting a job right now would be a massive mistake

AUD - 81, BEC - 74, 80, FAR - 82, REG - 81
Done!

[Anonymous]

I just joined this site but here is the opinion of a 37 year old mother who works full time as a senior accountant, has a four year old child (another full time job) and is just now preparing to take the CPA exam…

Focus on passing the exam. Period. If I had to do it all over again I would do what you are considering doing. Especially since you would have the financial support of your parents. Yes the exam can be passed while working full time, if I didn't believe that I wouldn't be here trying to do it myself but it would be so much easier without the added stress of working full time. In my opinion passing all parts of the CPA exam is an very valuable asset which will open up doors for you. Jobs will come.

On the other hand if you feel like being unemployed will not look favorable to employers offer to do some volunteer work or part-time work (less than 20 hours week) at an accounting firm or any other company in their accounting department. This will continue to give you some work experience but not all the hassle of being employed full time and you can still focus on passing the exam.

[Anonymous]

Don't you dare quit your job! Quitting a job throws up red flags! Public accounting is all about efficiency and multi-tasking and trust me when I say that firms look for those qualities. Believe me I wish I could do what you're thinking…but truth be told others in my firm are still working full time and have passed the exam. And they get HUGE kudos for it! If you give up experience, you're making room for someone else with experience to get hired instead of you. Anyone can pass this exam – lets face it yes it is hard and terribly difficult but it is a book exam. And for the record, I'm not a random troll exclaiming that the exam is easy because it's not. I'm still waiting on my score from last testing window and am not expecting to pass so trust me when I say I know it's not easy. My point is if a firm finds the right candidate who has strong experience but doesn't have their cpa but is willing to sit for the exam, they'll scoop them up very easily. That's exactly what my firm did for me and I'm sure out of a large number of candidates a few of them had to have had their CPA.

Keep your head up, study like a banchee and if you put the time into it, you'll be rewarded.

[Anonymous]

Don't you dare quit your job! Quitting a job throws up red flags! Public accounting is all about efficiency and multi-tasking and trust me when I say that firms look for those qualities. Believe me I wish I could do what you're thinking…but truth be told others in my firm are still working full time and have passed the exam. And they get HUGE kudos for it! If you give up experience, you're making room for someone else with experience to get hired instead of you. Anyone can pass this exam – lets face it yes it is hard and terribly difficult but it is a book exam. And for the record, I'm not a random troll exclaiming that the exam is easy because it's not. I'm still waiting on my score from last testing window and am not expecting to pass so trust me when I say I know it's not easy. My point is if a firm finds the right candidate who has strong experience but doesn't have their cpa but is willing to sit for the exam, they'll scoop them up very easily. That's exactly what my firm did for me and I'm sure out of a large number of candidates a few of them had to have had their CPA.

Keep your head up, study like a banchee and if you put the time into it, you'll be rewarded.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all of your feedback and after thinking it over, I have decided to stay working full time and finish the exam.

Now- any advice on getting an interview from any size public firm? I would work at anywhere from the smallest to the big 4 firm, I just want to get audit experience.

[Author]

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