[Madhav]

I just passed my CPA but have no job experience. I was Economic major in University and decided to pursue CPA after taking required classes. Now that i am finished with CPA, I am actively looking for job. What kind of position should i look for and what would be my salary range? Any advice would be welcome. FYI: I have some customer service and data entry skills. I am also decent at Excel and done online quick book training. I also volunteered during tax season. However I am ESL student.

[Anonymous]

I'd suggest a small to mid-sized public firm. It will give you the most exposure to the different aspects accounting offers so you can figure out what you like doing and what you don't. Salary depends where you're looking to get the job so if you could give us an idea where you're looking that would help. In general I'd say you can push for more money since you already have completed the CPA but just don't have the year of experience yet.

[Madhav]

@eMeRGeD, i am looking for both public and private however there is always experience requirements on job postings. Right now i just want to get more experience and salary negotiations is not my priority. I just want to get a job.

[Madhav]

Does any one knows a website or newsletter site where i can get latest updated job posting related to accounting and other news related to CPA?

[muhfreedoms]

As with everything, it comes down to what you are looking for. Let's just say you want to pursue public accounting (audit or tax) for the foreseeable future. If you have the stomach and GPA for it, you could try to get into one of the Big 4. That said, firms that are most likely to hire you would be small and mid-size firms. If you weren't able to get into the Big 4 at first but would like to in the future, you could always get some experience at the small or midsize firm and then make the switch. Small and midsize firms often don't have the same workload that Big4 do but that is VERY dependent upon the firm itself. You will also get more exposure to the whole process of audit or tax early on. Non-profits are always looking for accountants but don't pay nearly as much as most other entities. State, local, and federal governments can have limited room for growth but can be good for consistency in case you don't want to work overtime. Corporate entities prefer to hire people from the Big 4 for the accounting roles with large promotion opportunities but also have lower level opportunities available. It's possible to get in and move up the ladder but this could take more effort than transferring from public accounting.

Your likelihood of getting employed increases dramatically if you are willing to move. Some firms are more tolerant of ESL employees than others and that can often be a big factor in determining where you are accepted.

As with everything, there are people with experiences that are vastly different from what I've listed. Good luck on your search and keep at it.

[Madhav]

@muhfreedoms, thank you sharing. I will definitely keep at it and as for which path i want to go(eg. tax or audit), i would prefer tax than audit. Till now i was in celebratory mood after passing CPA but now i have to get back at it just like when I was studying for CPA. Hopefully i will be able to find a job(nice one) and thanks again.

[Anonymous]

I would say (within reason) don't worry about the job experience. I feel like when I was looking most jobs wanted 1-3 years experience and I had a summer and an internship's worth. All in all, apply to as many places as you can and hopefully you'll have the choice to pick between a few for where you actually want to go.

[noor]

I am in a similar situation, so far I have not had any luck in the job search:(

[muhfreedoms]

Indeed, linkedin, craigslist, Robert Half, and Google searching for CPA firms in your area (then going to the “careers” part of their website) will help you find jobs listings. Apply to positions even if they are looking for 1 year of experience. For entry-level positions, the “1 year of experience required” is sometimes listed to discourage people who aren't related to accounting from applying. It can be a discouraging process but keep your hopes up because you will get hired – it's just a matter of time.

[Pete]

I passed the CPA exam years ago, but I’ve never been able to find the correct experience. I work in accounting, but not under a CPA.

Forget about the Big 4, unless you have a good connection, like a manager or partner willing to vouch for you. Even mid sized firms will probably not consider you, unless you come from their campus/internship pipeline. You might get lucky, but I haven’t had that happen. Even did an internship at a mid-sized firm, but was told “they weren’t hiring;” managers who’ve liked me at the firm told me they hadn’t been hiring in this area for years.

Best bet is networking and targeting smaller firms. Unfortunately for me, this never happened. Since I’ve never worked under a CPA, I’m sitting on a peice of paper.

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

[Madhav]

@John that is tough. Hopefully i get one.

[Missy]

Apply to jobs that have an experience requirement. It's not a hard and fast requirement they're just looking to keep from getting applicants who have no accounting credentials at all but think “hey this would be fun!”. You've passed the exams and have the education, if you're a good match for them they'll overlook the lack of experience (except for senior/management positions).

I didn't start college until I was 33 years old. EVERY job I held between the ages of 24 and 37 said a degree was “required” in the posting, I was hired to those three jobs despite the lack of a degree. You won't get every one you apply to of course but I bet your next job will be one that said experience was “required”.

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

[Madhav]

Thanks everyone for suggestions.

[Author]

Replies