[Anonymous]

So I turned down a job in Public in tax/audit this past December to focus on taking the exam and have since run into some headwinds financially as ive been whipsawwed several times in the options market resulting in rather large losses. Kind of regretting doing so at this point.

So now I’m looking for positions in anything I can find in multiple citites…Chicago/STL/Quad Cities to be exact..

Just wanted to feel out anyone on here on what they did to go about getting an accounting job to start out. I keep running into the 2-3 year experience crap for an entry level job..and I don’t trust staffing agencies for the life of me. Not interested in being jerked around temping for 10 bucks an hour either.

So any personal experience with recruiters..job listings..applying directly to a company..Job Fairs…etc would be great.

Obviously campus recruiting at this point is not really an option.

Also in October I emailed about 35 local firms and heard back from about 2..so not really all that inspiring.

[Anonymous]

Dave thanks..yeah I think I'll keep an eye out on CPA sites for listings..problem is the 30 or so I looked at in Chicago dont have career sections listed..

Campus recruiting isnt really an option for me like i said earlier..The school I went to has really no network set up.

If I go back to school it sure as hell wont be for more accounting BS..It'll be IT or something.

And RH does take a commission off your salary..its usally around 20 percent..They are sales people..I used to work in sales..most dishonest unethical of the industry are recruiters..

Looking at any job site and seeing countless good paying jobs listed by recruiters I can almost guarantee they do not exist.

[SpiritofGod]

Northwestern university has more than 500 openings. Northwestern.edu Check it out. If you don't have the experience they are looking for, start as a temp and move your way up. The university has its own temp department, ( not like the fake, crappy temp agencies out there, gees these Temps almost gave me heart attacks when I was counting on them to get a job in 2009)

[Missy]

Well you made it sound like you were going to be paying them. Trust me, I am a hiring manager looking to fill a position that is going to be a six figure salary. I'm very much ok with the $30k fee to the agency if it means they're spending the hours screening people and narrowing down a field of candidates that frankly I have neither the time nor the inclination to deal with. I wouldn't worry my unemployed self with how companies choose to hire but that's just me.

Its just you asked for suggestions and basically don't actually WANT advice. Sounds like you've got all the answers already so you should be just fine.

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

[Stilgoin]

I know it is a lot of work, but you might consider taking an accounting class in the area where you want to work- something like forensic accounting or government if you haven’t had them. That just shows employers that you are working to improve yourself, which gains a lot of respect and could potentially get you hired. That would at least get you introduced to the local people and qualify you to use the college’s resources. If you have the qualifications, you could also teach a class as an adjunct, which could have the same result. You only need a bachelor’s to teach as an adjunct at most community colleges. 😉

B | 62, 78
A | 73, 67, 79
R | 82
F | 59, 59, Waiting

Ethics | 93

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
~Winston Churchill

“In a world full of critics, be an encourager."

[Anonymous]

Spirit of God…you may actually be the spirit of GOD..lol thanks for your help I'll check it out..I dont mind temp work..I just dont have interest being jerked around by these people..

[Anonymous]

mla11692…piss off..I don't the negative nancies on here..yes I know it all..or I have vast experience with staffing agencies…as I used to work as a recruiter and in sales..THE ENTIRE POINT OF THERE JOB is to negotiate your salary down so they can make a commission off you…Which is why it is a sales job.

I could care less if you are a hiring manager..do yourself a favor and dont comment on my posts..I would never in a million years want to wish for someone like you..A CPA for 3 years acting as if shes GOD, piss off…

I asked for advice outside the realm of go to a staffing agency (most are fake jobs) go to student services..not an option..look on job boards…all posts for the most part are by staffing agencies posting fake jobs….

[Anonymous]

stilgoin thanks for the input..Chicago is a bit different..and pretty competitive..so I'm not sure teaching is much of an option..but I'll keep an eye out..really anything is worth looking into..

I've located a few firms with open positions through there company websites..which seems the way to go.

[Missy]

Charming. But thanks, I'll continue to comment where and how I choose. I think you're overestimating the vast nature of your experience, I'm positive I know more about hiring and being on both sides of working with staffing firms than you do, and you could learn a lot from.me. Not a God, just someone who actually has vast experience. Yes, they negotiate your salary down to make LESS of a commission.

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

[Son]

amohr23cubs, if no one else is going to tell you this, I will: you'd be hard pressed to find a firm that is willing to pay you $30/hour if all you have under your belt is a questionable community college education, no work experience and (if you even managed to pass it yet) a CPA exam. Your decision to abandon a decent offer and pursue a CPA license would also be a red flag for any large company or a respectable public accounting firm as it would make hiring managers questions your ability to prioritize and work under stress.

I concur with mla – seems like you already have all the answers, and know that you're too good for a temp or real entry-level job that will get you at least a year of that experience – so why bother asking people for advise here.

AUD - passed
REG - passed
BEC - passed
FAR - passed

[Biff-1955-Tannen]

Shits getting crazy in here

AUD 93 Jan 16
BEC 83 Feb 16
FAR 83 Apr 16
REG 84 May 16

99% Ninja MCQ only

[SpiritofGod]

@ amohr23cubs I work the state of Illinois as an accountant. Another place you can search for real jobs. We don't have a budget yet, otherwise, it would have been a great place to start your career. Work4illinois.gov. let me know if you have questions. Stay away from temp agencies if you can.

[Spartans92]

Where is Skynet! We need some of his humor!

BEC- PASS

[makiu]

Wuao!!! this thread is better than Trump vs Rubio !!! hahahh

[Missy]

And to anyone reading this confused about how staffing or temp agencies actually work I can give you an explanation.

Yes often they will post jobs that don't actually exist or that they don't have exclusive rights to in order to get a bigger candidate pool. Its a numbers game they may have 1000 job seekers and 10 positions on their desk at any time. After spending some time on job search boards its pretty easy to tell the difference. (Hint: copy and paste a snippet into google with quotes,if you see the exact same listing in multiple locations or the exact same listing posted directly by an employer, its not likely a job they can get you an interview for.)

Either an employer will contact them or more often the agency will reach out cold to a business. The business tells the agency what they want in the position and what the salary expectation is. The agency wants to send as few candidates as possible (if the hiring company wanted to interview 30 people they wouldn't entrust an agency.) so many times they're going to try to present a candidate who is COMPLETELY overqualified for the position. “Hey we've got someone with a masters and 20 years' experience for your entry level A/P position!” of course the hiring company will be thrilled and have established a business relationship that they'll go back to the same agency again.

As a candidate, it is your job to manage your expectations AND manage your recruiter. Of course every kid just out of college thinks they're worth $60k. The recruiter simply knows the market better, and knows if you don't want to lower yourself to a $10 job, six other people will. The recruiter will not present you to a client without your prior consent so if they say can I present you for this $8 job you say no thanks. Pretty straightforward stuff. I managed my recruiter by emailing him my must have list and my wish list. Also don't expect a recruiter you've only talked to twice to go out on a limb for you, the relationship you build is the difference between good opportunities and garbage, keep in touch and be sociable. He was honest and said he may not be able to fill my list for a while but he presented me with three possibilities. One I interviewed with and didn't get an offer, one I had no interest in, and one I am working at currently. Now that I am hiring guess who gets the opportunity to fill it?

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

[fuzyfro89]

Accounting field is unique in that so much of the pipeline of entry-level is filled while people are still in school. This is a HUGE benefit since many other fields (finance, marketing, etc.) have a much larger cohort of hiring which does their hiring in the last semester for students about to graduate, and even on a rolling basis AFTER you graduate. This is also a huge DETRIMENT since so much of the open positions are already filled by the time you graduate, so you're kind of the odd-man(woman) out if you don't have a job before graduation.

It seems you are in the latter category. On top of that, you are coming from an lesser-known school in a different region… so alumni connections aren't much help either. Your only shot is to make progress on one or more of the following:
– pass the exams (all 4 is best, but any progress is better than none)
– networking… this will likely be your ticket to get interviews, either directly with hiring managers, internal HR, or external headhunters/staffing agencies/temp agencies

With little experience, a no-name school degree (per your words), and not having passed the CPA exams, it will be a challenge. No secret answers, but put effort in all the avenues stated above, and let time work it's magic.

Good luck!

[Author]

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