[jeff]

Hey! The NINJAs are giving away 3 pair of Powerbeats 2 Wireless earbuds – your choice of color.

In the video, I said that they were $200-$300, but they’re actually $150-ish (the mall walker distracted me, I think and I was thinking of the over-the-ear headphones). SO … I’ll give away 3 pair instead of 1.

To Enter: Post your best advice or “tip” for anything CPA Exam or accounting related…it can be CPA Exam, Busy Season, Resume, Big 4, Interview, Getting Hired/Fired, etc. Please label your tip.

Example:

[CPA Exam Tip]: Always take the 1pm exam – never the 8am. You’ll have more time to study and there’s no risk of oversleeping

or

[Big 4 Tip]: During networking events – don’t be the dude throwing back the beers. Nurse it. You can pound beers later when it won’t matter if you make a fool out of yourself.

etc.

**Please do NOT post something like “buy company ____ and you’ll pass” … that’s spam, not a tip***

(Unless it’s NINJA – then NINJA spam is always welcome, encouraged, and appreciated.)

Who Wins? On Friday (1/29 – deadline to enter is 12pm Eastern), I will randomly pick three posters from this thread. I’ll use the RANDBETWEEN function in excel to pick the post(s).

No purchase required to enter…void where prohibited…must be 18 to win, etc.

I will also toss in a NINJA Audio of the winners’ choice – since it goes so well with the earbuds 🙂

One entry per person, please 🙂

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Anonymous]

[Resume Tip] Don't type your resume like you type your text. Sentences have periods, phrases do not. Make it a one pager if possible and focus on what you want the interviewer to know in 10 seconds. You can expand on how you were a straight A student and never missed a class once you get in the door. Seriously, focus on your accomplishments. What have you done that puts you above other candidates? Make sure the format is easy to read and do not use crazy fonts (unless you're applying for a marketing position).

[glogantn]

[CPA Exam Tip]: Before you begin the journey through the CPA Examination process… take it seriously. It's not impossible by any means. You just have to be willing to sacrifice the time and you will be more than prepared to pass the exams.

REG – 81
BEC – 82
AUD – Pending
FAR – 78

[hellencpa]

[Exm tip: be done with the exam before you make babies 🙂 in that case, you won't sacrifice too much

[Skynet]

Dating a Starbuck's Barista is always a benefit because FREE coffee will help get you through the CPA exams.

[Smason]

CPA Exam tip: Have a study plan and follow it. Also use multiple test banks, otherwise you run the risk of memorizing the answers.

[Skynet]

Having Representatives from Becker, Rogers, and Gleim fight to the Death in order to choose a CPA Review provider is Frowned upon but not prohibited.

[kcoops44]

CPA Exam Tip: Don't be afraid to reschedule your exam for the $30 fee. It's better to push it back for $30 than spend over $150 to retake!

[Anonymous]

[Exam Tip] Read the last sentence of the question first – figure out exactly what the question is asking (both, neither, always, never, etc). Too often, one assumes what the question is asking without carefully reading it to make sure.

Good luck everyone!

[Skynet]

Talking SMACK about the KC Royals on A71 might cause Jeff Elliot to come to your house, Slap you around, and Smack you on the head with a Ninja book, but other than that, use A71 as a resource for your CPA exam studies.

[Grendel]

[CPA Exam Tip] Just starting to study for the exam is already half the battle. Before doing any actual studying, plan and study how you're going to study. This includes: (1) deciding and sticking the order of what you plan on taking, (2) the timing in the application of your respective state board for your NTS, (3) transcript evaluations for international candidates (like me), and (4) overall timing to have a game plan with scheduling your exams in the available months and reasonably within the 18-month period.

Currently studying AUD
Goal: To take and pass all parts by Sept 2016!

FAR 04/11/2016 - 78
AUD 06/09/2016 - 82
REG 08/31/2016
BEC

[ChristieF]

[CPA Exam Tip] Plan your studying. If you plan out where you want to be and write it down, it's better than just flying by the seat of your pants and hoping you finish the material and MCQs on time.

[NotYourAverageCPA]

[CPA Exam Tip]: If possible, get the CPA exam done before starting work (especially if you are a recent graduate). You will only gain more responsibility in the future and have less time to study. Intelligence =/ pass, commitment and time = pass.

FAR - PASS
AUD - PASS
REG - PASS
BEC - PASS

NY CPA- Licensed Jan 2016
CISA Exam - Passed June 2016

[jpowell31]

CPA tip: It's all about balance! You're going to want to take breaks or you'll go insane if you're working fulltime. Relationships and your wellbeing will suffer if you don't! That doesn't mean you get to slack off. You're going to have to make huge sacrifices and it won't be easy. Knowing this and getting it over is key. 18 months is the absolute WORST part about the exam. Keep that clock in mind when you're debating taking a few weeks off.

Getting the Job tip: You don't need to start off at a big four. I'm in company management and it's the mid-tier firms that are much easier to work with and those my friends that work in public accounting are much happier at. It's not all about your resume. If you're counting on the big four being in your future, the mid-tier firms or in other roles are a great stepping stone. Of course everyone's experience and office locations are all different but you tend to work closer with upper management in smaller firms and they've got a lot to teach!

[Texan_Stuck_In_OK]

[CPA Exam Tip] Bring those little foam ear plugs to take the test. Where I went the supplied head phones squeezed my head so tightly I developed a headache; and the room was full of coughing and sneezing people taking tests that required a lot of typing. The noise was awful!

A 88, B 76, F 84, R 76 Passed 2014

Licensed in OK

[liveliferich]

General Advice: No matter if you pass or fail a part on the CPA exam you have passed because you have acquired knowledge and elevated to another level. Knowledge is power and as long as you are acquiring it you cannot lose. Always put the quest for knowledge over money because the money will always come eventually. Life is not a sprint it's a marathon so while you are running it do not worry about how another runner is performing. From someone who has worked in the Big 4, you may work in very competitive environments where people feel that they need to throw other people under the bus to get “ahead”. Sometimes the evaluation and promotion process will be very subjective and political and those things may be out of your control but the beautiful thing about the CPA is it is something that you can control. You can control how hard you study and the level of knowledge you are acquiring and no man or woman can get in the way of that.

AUD- 64, 70, 85 8/25/2015
BEC-79 5/27/2015
REG- 71, 79- 2/3/2016
FAR-79 6/8/2016

Licensed Georgia CPA-June 2016

[Author]

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