[HoosierCPA]

Yes this is another post about seeking advice on my career. I’ve been struggling to figure out where I would like to proceed..here is my story.

Halfway through my journey the prep course I was using expired. I went to my employer and asked them a couple things. 1) Can they pay for my Becker course 2) Where they saw my future with the company. The VP I was speaking with said they have been “heavily considering” opening back up the assistant manager position for me, and that he see’s it easily happening in under a year and getting the CPA would be the “nail in the coffin”. Fast forward to today. I passed my final exam in February and besides a couple people saying congratulations I have not gotten any compensation, bonus, or promotion for passing.

I’m beginning to feel discouraged, talked to my boss and he said he added 1% in the proposed raises as a way of rewarding me for passing. When I heard this it raised red flags in my head…what happened to this promotion I had been promised, is there any plans at all to reward be for my cpa besides 1% (amounts to about 650/year)? After this convo I went and spoke with the VP and he basically said there are no immediate plans to do anything for me passing. Basically said his plans are to give me more duties to see how I handle it and in the future they would most likely open up the assist manager position to me. Also, to add to this convo I asked if they would compensate me for passing since I knew of many other people who got raises for getting their masters..he just says “well nobody has gotten a cpa here so I’m not sure how it’s handled, why don’t you talk to the HR manager, even tho I know he will turn around and ask me”. So I did, and the HR manager seemed ecstatic for me, this was 3 weeks ago. I have asked twice since on what they concluded on that and he just says, “I will have to badger the hell out of the VP till I get an answer”.

My questions, do I stick with the course and trust my VP when he already fibbed on his first promise or do I look elsewhere and assume they are just leading me on to try and get another year or 2 out of me before I walk? Also, as far as getting compensated, I am starting to view it as how much do they really value me if I have to beg them for a raise, I know they give them out for masters, why is it I have to beg for mine? Is that the wrong way to look at it?

**background, I have been with the company 5 years. I’ve had 1 promotion, 3 years ago moving from staff to senior*. There is only 1 other CPA, and its the VP**

FAR - 78
REG - 72,74,71...please just go away REG nobody likes you!
BEC - 82
AUD - Aug 16

[Missy]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, see whats actually out there and what offers you can actually get the come ask the question again.

I think its a mistake not to be on top of the job market unless you're at the tail end of your career and know you won't be moving anywhere.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Missy]

Also, make sure to keep your expectations realistic. I know you expect more for getting your CPA but how does the CPA benefit your employer? Even if you are the rock star of that place and you very well may be, its unlikely you'd get a huge bump in pay or promotion unless you provide more benefit to your employer than you did without it. The question I ask when I think I deserve a raise or promotion is can my company find someone else to do all the things I do for what I make or less. If someone else will take your exact responsibilities and perform as well for $65k they're unlikely to give you $70 unless they are in the extremely lucky position of having extra profits to cut into.

From what you posted above I don't see a promise or a fib. You were told they were considering something to happen, that shouldn't have been construed as a promise much as you probably both hoped it would happen.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[HoosierCPA]

mla that's a good point. I've just recently started looking. I've never been a “grass is greener on the other side” type of person which is why I have never looked in the past. Not till the last month that I have been somewhat unhappy. Anyway, manufacturing is huge where I live, there are a lot of opportunities, I have thought about contacting some recruiters that I have dealt with in the past and seeing what opportunities they know about. .

To your second comment. It's not that I think the CPA in itself brings so much more value, it may not in their mind, its just the principle behind them compensating others for a masters and barely acknowledging my accomplishment–is this a childish way to think? Maybe. And as far as getting more money…I'm not just asking for a raise. I'm asking for a new title, with new responsibilities. If you were to ask me would I rather have $5K more in salary or a new title with new duties I would hands down say the new title. I am fairly young (28) and I know experience is way more valuable then the money that is why I am trying to approach this whole situation without coming off as greedy. However, just giving me new duties without the title I don't think helps me from a career point of view nearly as much. For instance I could list all my duties out on my resume and keep the “Senior” title but when looking for another job I don't think it means as much as having “Assistant Manager”–however you are the manager so you may be able to speak on that.

FAR - 78
REG - 72,74,71...please just go away REG nobody likes you!
BEC - 82
AUD - Aug 16

[Missy]

Employers place much less value on what title you list on a resume than you think. They care about your competencies.

If I am hiring someone to prepare cost and pricing analysis for government contracts, I'll take a bookkeeper who can intelligently discuss what that means over someone who lists VP Finance and has no experience doing what I'm looking for.

But definately circulate your resume and see what bites you can get, remember to consider TOTAL compensation and don't focus on salary exclusively. Whatever you do don't accept a counteroffer from your current employer, if you get an attractive offer elsewhere commit to it fully.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[HoosierCPA]

Thanks mla! I'll keep everything you said in mind. Just freaking out a bit because I feel like I am at a fork in the road with my career and need to decide where to proceed!

FAR - 78
REG - 72,74,71...please just go away REG nobody likes you!
BEC - 82
AUD - Aug 16

[Missy]

Here's my .02, have some idea of what your ultimate career goal is then work backwards from there. I love working in manufacturing, it is interesting and you get to work with folks from engineers with PhD to the shipping and receiving clerks. Do you want to work for a HUGE corporation as management, or would you be happier with a small company where you get to wear many hats. Then work backwards from there, for example if you want to be the CFO of Samsung you might look up the current CFO and see what their prior experience was, did they start in a smaller technology co or did they work their way up the ranks right there. I kind of fell into my current position but definately because of specific experience on my resume (in particular DoD contracts, which is a pretty sweet little niche as not a lot of people have a clue about them).

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[HoosierCPA]

Coming out of college I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do. Fell into manufacturing through a job placement agency. Have loved my experience with it for the exact reasons you mentioned. It's not a small company, about $650mm in sales, $6B globally. However most are sales are through subsidiaries which allows us to have a smaller accounting dept.

Over the course of my 5 years my career goals have evolved. I told myself I would be happy with making an above average salary for the rest of my life and stay away from management. As my career has progressed and my confidence has grown I could see myself as a controller, MAYBE an officer (still not sure if I want to jump to that level) and stick in manufacturing. Who knows, maybe one day I will fall into a great opportunity as you (and you're right I have no idea what a DoD contract is lol)

FAR - 78
REG - 72,74,71...please just go away REG nobody likes you!
BEC - 82
AUD - Aug 16

[Author]

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