[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.

[Missy]

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

[Anonymous]

the thread title is: Any tips or advice searching for a job?

there's 31 responses to the thread, (pretty substantial by A71 standards) filled with great advice/tips.

my tip/advice #1: @OP, i think instead of berating and turning everything down, you should take/try the advice of the people that are taking time out of their day to post to try to help you!

my tip/advice #2: when/if you land an interview, leave the cocky/know-it-all attitude at the door. employers love confident candidates, they HATE arrogant ones.

[Anonymous]

Once again I am not some 20 year old kid fresh out of school from a no name college..So I could care less about the useless advice given from the experts. I went to school in a part of the country that is not networked within the market i am in..

I've worked several years in Sales and Marketing..with Staffing firms as well. But you go right ahead and tell me how they work..Whatever makes you feel good about yourself and your sad life is fine by me. You must have low self esteem to troll Mb's trying to lecture people.

If you had reading Comp skills you would see that I specifically asked outside of Campus staffing which is not an option since I do not have access too it..Outside of job boards and the OBVIOUS ways of finding a job…I get 5-10 calls a day from multiple staffing agencies..I've been looking for a week. I dont have interest in doing 10 interviews a day so they can put my resume on file to boost the database to make their company look better to sell contrats..

And lol at you thinking a CC education is iffy..all my professors were also professors at Saint Louis University and University of Missouri..the others were working professionals that RAN CPA firms…My GPA was 3.6 so give me a break.

Funny how getting a job out of college is partly so difficult due to the university students being so over worked in class yet under educated..but yes more debt = a better education..you must be a wonderful accountant.

[Anonymous]

I didn't come on here to fight with people..I asked for advice outside a realm of the obvious scenarios..

For the people who put sincere input into an answer..I appreciate it.

To the trolls youre a sad pathetic bunch that hide behind a computer screen and run your mouths..

[Anonymous]

@Fuzzy…You're spot on I think..I just need to get a couple sections of the exam passed and I think it'll be much easier to get my foot in the door.

I haven't applied to any CPA firms in Chicago Area even as of yet just mostly industry which seems to be a big no go..unless I want a bookkeeping job somewhere…

Once May and then September Rolls around I'll just hit it hard on getting Cover letters out there and Resumes to the firms and I'm sure I wont have an issue.

I spoke with a few public tax places last fall but never pursued them due to being in school full time and not know how studying for the CPA would go. So I'm sure Ill find something.

[Anonymous]

MIA your expertise is astounding..you have a job to fill and are working with the same recruiter…groundbreaking stuff…

and Son the firm I spoke to with in Iowa offered 25 an hour..I wont have any problem finding a job that pays what Im worth..which is more then 10 bucks and hour..Chicago will surely pay more then 25..I know of people easily make 75-80 fresh out of college (with a masters though)

If you dont know how to negotiate and sell yourself thats on you.

My problem and the point of this email was how to get in the door and past the GATEKEEPERS.

[Missy]

Actually you specifically asked others experience with agencies, just worked with one this week. You're angry that you're meeting so many obstacles, and it's unfortunate your ego won't let you accept advice from someone with many more years experience. Go ahead and make it personal it doesn't bother me. Yes I've only been doing this since 1992-I'm sure you know more than I do.

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

[Missy]

All snark aside I'd be happy to take a look at your resume and give you some pointers. I understand you're frustrated in general, and I don't take it personally. If you feel your 6-8 years sales experience can't benefit from 24+ years experience specific to the accounting world I understand completely. Just keep it civil. I know you were put off by my comment about worrying your unemployed self and I apologize sincerely for being rude.

By the way i am the furthest thing from a troll, been here since 2011 and offered helpful advice to hundreds of cpa hopefuls after I finished the exam. Jeff will attest to that if it matters. I also happen to be a moderator here but don't use that login to post.

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

[Anonymous]

MLA I appreciate the response..and yes its frustrating and I apologize as well to you for letting things get out of hand..

My deal with recruiters is they waste your time to meet there quotas..of course there are good ones out there..but so so many terrible ones as well..I have 20k left an should be fine until september..just losing 17k in 6 months in a bit of a shock to the system..

also the cpa studying is going well with rogers review..averaging around 70 percent my first run though FAR..so by the second and third times hoping towards 80s..I do think having FAR and any other sections will improve hiring odds come fall.

I should have maybe rephrased the original post a bit as to think outside the box more..

Honestly after two weeks of searching I think industry is probably out of the question at this point..which is fine..

I'm working with a few recruiters with an audit position with Blue cross blue shield and then American Express..both around 60k in Chicago..

I doubt anything comes from them though as I dont think I'm qualified for the positions.

I will say just searching though actual public firms websites i have found hundreds with entry level positions open..probably around 50 k (mind you adjusted Chicago is more then most areas) ANd expanding my search from Chicago to iowa to wisconsin to Stl Im sure I will get something this year.

I also reached out to a few CPA's I know who were willing to write me letters of recommendation for me.

For anyone else looking…FUCK Job boards and craigslist..go straight to the source and apply through the firms..I suppose recruiters might be valuable with 5 years experience..but not as an entry level.

[Missy]

Two weeks in is a very short time to get frustrated. Even in industry, between year end, auditors coming in, budgets, working with the tax accountants managers in industry let a lot of things slide at this time of year even if they went ahead and listed a job that they need to fill. You would be surprised at getting calls a month after you applied. It's like that saying keep throwing mud against the wall eventually some of it will stick.

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

[Author]

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