[Christy]

Was curious if anyone on here had made the jump from Senior Accountant to Controller? I see some controller jobs asking for so many years of progressive experience which I get but some are much more vague.

I’ve been a Senior Accountant going on 13 yrs in a company where advancement just doesn’t happen due to the small department and excellent employee retention.

Recently passed CPA and wondering if Controller jobs are out of my league as far as employers are concerned. I definitely have the drive and determination but does it really matter?

[OTK1995]

It really depends on your company and management team. I was hired as an auditor to an Accounting Manager role. After doing that for a year, I found a job in an industry I was interested in so I took a “demotion” to work there. In that position, I was promoted from a Senior Accountant to an Accounting Manager in a year. Four years later, I moved to another state and took a job as a senior accountant because I didn't want any stress while I adjusted to my new location. Two years later, I am now the Controller of a $100M a year sub of a company in the Fortune's top 10 on the recommendation of my boss who was previously the Controller. I am also fat and stressed out, lol.

[Missy]

It all comes down to skill set. Every controller job is different, so if a company is looking for someone that knows Quickbooks, has sales & use tax experience, has worked with foreign currency transalation and managed a department of 5, and you have done all of those things its entirely possible. It all comes down to choosing the candidate who is the best fit for the position they're trying to fill over years of experience and titles.

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

[Author]

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