[10keyLeah]

I’m looking for tips about how to approach my job hunt.

I just passed the last exam section. I live in a rural area with only a handful of CPA offices and generally they are 1 or 2 person offices. There aren’t many opportunities that come up. Part of the reason I sat for CPA exams was that I had trouble landing a job over a year ago when I was looking and applying for anything business related that came up.

In WV, you do not have to work directly under a CPA, but you have to have a CPA vouch for your work and sign off on it. Am I wrong to think that I’d rather work directly under a CPA even though I would take any job that would fulfill the requirements?

I’ll spruce up my resume, but after that, I’m not sure how to approach the job hunt.

For example, I’d like to apply to work with a CPA that does mainly just taxes, but I know he is in the middle of busy season right now. Should I apply now, or wait until after April 15?

So, I’m looking for some thoughts and direction.

Ninja Combo, Yaeger, Wiley -- Licensed CPA, May 2015

[10keyLeah]

Ok gang, I thought I'd give an update on my rural small town job search. I've still only heard from the 1 CPA, and I went to the interview with this person the other day. I didn't know what to expect. I'll keep it general just so I don't accidentally reveal too much.

It turns out the meeting was very casual and conversational. They had talked to at least one other CPA in the area to ask if I had applied there also. Of course I did. I told them I had, and they seemed to appreciate that I was honest with them about it.

It turns out that I really like the place and the people there. They seemed to like me as well. I was told I could expect to hear back within the next 3 days. I'm hoping for good news.

Ninja Combo, Yaeger, Wiley -- Licensed CPA, May 2015

[10keyLeah]

Ok gang, I thought I'd give an update on my rural small town job search. I've still only heard from the 1 CPA, and I went to the interview with this person the other day. I didn't know what to expect. I'll keep it general just so I don't accidentally reveal too much.

It turns out the meeting was very casual and conversational. They had talked to at least one other CPA in the area to ask if I had applied there also. Of course I did. I told them I had, and they seemed to appreciate that I was honest with them about it.

It turns out that I really like the place and the people there. They seemed to like me as well. I was told I could expect to hear back within the next 3 days. I'm hoping for good news.

Ninja Combo, Yaeger, Wiley -- Licensed CPA, May 2015

[GoVPI]

I understand about the rural part, rural SW-VA. My professors at Radford told us probably would be best if we head over to Richmond or Northern VA or south to Charlotte, I'm heading south for warmer weather when I graduate in December! Hope you get something soon!!! Great job on passing the exam

BEC 8/14/14 - Passed
Graduated from college 12/13/14
AUD 8/31/15 - 74. Retake - Passed
REG
FAR

[GoVPI]

I understand about the rural part, rural SW-VA. My professors at Radford told us probably would be best if we head over to Richmond or Northern VA or south to Charlotte, I'm heading south for warmer weather when I graduate in December! Hope you get something soon!!! Great job on passing the exam

BEC 8/14/14 - Passed
Graduated from college 12/13/14
AUD 8/31/15 - 74. Retake - Passed
REG
FAR

[Anonymous]

@10key Sorry I didn't answer you previously – I've had this up in a tab in my browser to reply to since seeing your question, but haven't felt like I could give it a proper response! (My brain has felt very absent the last couple weeks…) Glad you posted an update so that I'll know you're still seeing the thread. 🙂 And that's awesome that the interview/meeting went so well! Hope that you hear good news soon. 🙂

As for the sign-off, mine was an odd situation. When I was job-hunting, I'd visited this firm, and really hit it off with the guy, but he didn't have enough business to hire a 2nd person. Two months later I got a job at the (non-CPA) accounting office next door to him. The two neighboring accountants got along well, so I saw the CPA randomly when his copier was broken and he was borrowing ours, or when the UPS man delivered our packages to him (happened often – we were closed Wed, and the UPS man would just deliver next door when we were closed), etc. My boss had volunteered his former partner, who was a CPA and worked in the next town over, to sign off on my experience and that was my plan. After working at this firm for about a year, though, my boss and I started having issues and I started looking for a job elsewhere. When I secured an interview for a promising position, I stopped by the CPA's office one morning and asked if he'd be willing to sign off on my experience, which he happily agreed to…and then if he would be willing to even if not all of it was at the neighbor's office. So, a month after I left the job, I came back to visit the CPA next door to get my experience signed off on.

As for whether/when to ask about it, my thought would be that if you're working for a CPA, it shouldn't be a problem. You've already clearly had your initial interview, so this is all probably too late, but my thought would be that asking about it first-thing could look like your goal is just to stay for a year; however, assuming that your state's form is like mine, all that they're really signing off on is that you did the work, not that you are competent etc., so I wouldn't expect you'd have any issue with them being willing to sign off on it.

Hope this is still helpful at this point, and good luck with this potential position! 🙂

[Anonymous]

@10key Sorry I didn't answer you previously – I've had this up in a tab in my browser to reply to since seeing your question, but haven't felt like I could give it a proper response! (My brain has felt very absent the last couple weeks…) Glad you posted an update so that I'll know you're still seeing the thread. 🙂 And that's awesome that the interview/meeting went so well! Hope that you hear good news soon. 🙂

As for the sign-off, mine was an odd situation. When I was job-hunting, I'd visited this firm, and really hit it off with the guy, but he didn't have enough business to hire a 2nd person. Two months later I got a job at the (non-CPA) accounting office next door to him. The two neighboring accountants got along well, so I saw the CPA randomly when his copier was broken and he was borrowing ours, or when the UPS man delivered our packages to him (happened often – we were closed Wed, and the UPS man would just deliver next door when we were closed), etc. My boss had volunteered his former partner, who was a CPA and worked in the next town over, to sign off on my experience and that was my plan. After working at this firm for about a year, though, my boss and I started having issues and I started looking for a job elsewhere. When I secured an interview for a promising position, I stopped by the CPA's office one morning and asked if he'd be willing to sign off on my experience, which he happily agreed to…and then if he would be willing to even if not all of it was at the neighbor's office. So, a month after I left the job, I came back to visit the CPA next door to get my experience signed off on.

As for whether/when to ask about it, my thought would be that if you're working for a CPA, it shouldn't be a problem. You've already clearly had your initial interview, so this is all probably too late, but my thought would be that asking about it first-thing could look like your goal is just to stay for a year; however, assuming that your state's form is like mine, all that they're really signing off on is that you did the work, not that you are competent etc., so I wouldn't expect you'd have any issue with them being willing to sign off on it.

Hope this is still helpful at this point, and good luck with this potential position! 🙂

[10keyLeah]

I was offered the job! I took it and I'll start in May. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm a little nervous since it's my first job. The good thing is that the person hiring me likes to teach and plans to spend time showing me the ropes. I was told I would start out doing payroll/bookkeeping, and possibly small tax returns next year.

I think I'll have to start a thread asking for tips for first time job at small 3 person tax firm (counting myself).

@Lilla – Thank you for your response. 🙂 You were definitely in a unique situation with the whole signing off thing. I didn't bring it up in the interview since it was a pretty informal conversation and I felt that they liked me enough and were relaxed enough that it wouldn't be an issue when the time comes. They did ask me if I planned to just get my license and leave. I assured them that was not my intention.

Ninja Combo, Yaeger, Wiley -- Licensed CPA, May 2015

[10keyLeah]

I was offered the job! I took it and I'll start in May. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm a little nervous since it's my first job. The good thing is that the person hiring me likes to teach and plans to spend time showing me the ropes. I was told I would start out doing payroll/bookkeeping, and possibly small tax returns next year.

I think I'll have to start a thread asking for tips for first time job at small 3 person tax firm (counting myself).

@Lilla – Thank you for your response. 🙂 You were definitely in a unique situation with the whole signing off thing. I didn't bring it up in the interview since it was a pretty informal conversation and I felt that they liked me enough and were relaxed enough that it wouldn't be an issue when the time comes. They did ask me if I planned to just get my license and leave. I assured them that was not my intention.

Ninja Combo, Yaeger, Wiley -- Licensed CPA, May 2015

[studylongUstudywrong]

Way to go 10Key!!! Nice to see the Certificate pay off.

It sounds like you are going to get great training.

Just know, sometimes public accounting can be overwhelming. I remember a buddy using this analogy:

Imagine you are learning the catcher position for a baseball team. You have to learn how to catch. Simple. So it would make sense that first you learn how to catch an underhand pitch, then a fastball, then a curve, and so on. (Disclaimer: I know nothing about baseball)

So it is your first day…. You put your gear on. You are ready for that first pitch, but to your surprise they throw 50 balls at you at once… YIKES!!!!!

If this happens: focus on one ball, catch it and feel good about it. Every day you will see something new and before you know it you can catch all 50 at once. Now you are trying to catch 60 at once, but that is what keeps it fun. LOL

Because that problem solving skill becomes second nature, some accountants will take it for granted. Remember that what you are doing is challenging.

Licensed Texas CPA

[studylongUstudywrong]

Way to go 10Key!!! Nice to see the Certificate pay off.

It sounds like you are going to get great training.

Just know, sometimes public accounting can be overwhelming. I remember a buddy using this analogy:

Imagine you are learning the catcher position for a baseball team. You have to learn how to catch. Simple. So it would make sense that first you learn how to catch an underhand pitch, then a fastball, then a curve, and so on. (Disclaimer: I know nothing about baseball)

So it is your first day…. You put your gear on. You are ready for that first pitch, but to your surprise they throw 50 balls at you at once… YIKES!!!!!

If this happens: focus on one ball, catch it and feel good about it. Every day you will see something new and before you know it you can catch all 50 at once. Now you are trying to catch 60 at once, but that is what keeps it fun. LOL

Because that problem solving skill becomes second nature, some accountants will take it for granted. Remember that what you are doing is challenging.

Licensed Texas CPA

[Anonymous]

Congratulations!! 🙂 Sounds a lot like (the positive aspects of) my public accounting job – after I was hired, there were 3 people – me, the boss/owner, and the part-time college student…and my boss had gone to college to be an accounting teacher, so loved teaching me everything he knew! Sounds like a great position for you, can't wait to hear how it goes!

[Anonymous]

Congratulations!! 🙂 Sounds a lot like (the positive aspects of) my public accounting job – after I was hired, there were 3 people – me, the boss/owner, and the part-time college student…and my boss had gone to college to be an accounting teacher, so loved teaching me everything he knew! Sounds like a great position for you, can't wait to hear how it goes!

[Anonymous]

Job searching in a rural area can be difficult. It may be better to use your connections- that lady that you know from church/religious services may know someone that can help you land an interview with someone else. Is there a local chamber of commerce? By getting involved with that it can help open doors for you.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Job searching in a rural area can be difficult. It may be better to use your connections- that lady that you know from church/religious services may know someone that can help you land an interview with someone else. Is there a local chamber of commerce? By getting involved with that it can help open doors for you.

Good luck!

[tomq04]

Congrats! Now that we know the story, i'm curious as to the question posed above,

If you were an animal, which would you be?

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[Author]

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