[Anonymous]

So I have this job and by the end of the year I will have 1.5 years of experience as staff accountant at a leasing company.

I will have extensive experience with:

Cash Forecast
Lease Accounting
Revenue Recognition
Deferred revenue
Reconciliations
Preparing “Prepared by Client list”
Financial Statement Analysis
Receivables Analysis (i.e checking AR accounts, analyzing and adjusting balances, etc)
Month end closing procedures

I will have limited experience with:
Fixed assets
Asset capitalization

How can I get into a large CPA firm (i.e Grant Thornton, RSM/McGladrey, Crowe, etc)

I feel good about how I did on FAR which would be my last part.

In July I woould have been at my place of work for a year and meet the requirements to become A CPA.

What is the best strategy for getting into one of these firms with no previous public background?

[Ryan – Just Another Dollar]

I went from an Accountant role with 2 years experience in industry to Tax Associate in Public last fall. I built relationships with a couple recruiters and got my resume critiqued while I was working on CPA exams and then blitz-applied to about 20 CPA firms that I was interested in as soon as I passed the last section (but before I was fully licensed). I believe that having the exams was key for me to receive offers quickly as my college GPA wasn't good at 2.85. From what I've heard, most firms do the bulk of their standard interviewing and hiring in early fall. In my case, I was applying in September and my interviews were early/mid-October for a January start date. Definitely do some thinking/research about the type of firm you want to join and don't feel like you need to take the first offer you get if the firm might not be a good fit. With these strategies I ended up at a firm that I'm very happy at and actually enjoy the work (for the most part). Good luck!

B - 88 (2/16)
A - 84 (4/16)
R - 73 (6/16), 82(7/16)
F - 67 (1/16), 84(4/16)

Ethics - 93

Roger course & Ninja MCQ - HiYa!

[ragepsn29]

Hi @rtalfson, I am in the same boat. I'm trying to get into public accounting but recruitment is slow at this time. So did you get into a national, regional, or local firm? And which city are you in? Thanks!

AUD - 65, 72, 70, 74, 81
FAR - 66, 71, 76
REG - 69
BEC - 80

[Pete]

Most larger firms will do their bulk hiring through their internship-pool. Most interns are recruited through the school's campus recruiting system. Why wouldn't they? They get to test people cheaply with no benefits. Then, if for whatever reason, they don't need/want you, they don't have to pay out unemployment.

Unfortunately, for people like us, it makes life incredibly difficult. In addition, firms will typically hire a college intern 8 months out+; they'll hire at their own timeline. A few times, during that 8+ month period, the firms will decide they no longer need their former interns and rescind that offer (happened at my school).

You basically NEED to know the right people at these firms to get hired (directors/partners). Unfortunately, even if you know the CEO/Managing partner, that firm will strongly favor hiring interns. I'd say, intern hire is probably 90% of all new hires at firms, if not higher. A smaller firm is a better bet, but then you'll be confined to doing tax work. Tax work is good, if you like doing it; however, you can really get pigeon-holed doing it.

B=84 This exam was such a b**** that I thought I failed-don't know how these things work
A=76 Slacker I am, I'll happily take it
R=81 I LOVE taxes
F=80 I don't wanna get banned for an expletive I'm thinking with "yea" proceeding it

[Author]

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