[Anonymous]

I have passed all four section , I don’t understand how to show it on my resume, May I write like this

“Missouri CPA certification

• Passed all four sections of the Certified Public Accountant Examination”

I do not have the work experience yet.

I also need suggestion on how and where to look for the job.

Background – I have completed my bachelor and master degree in other country and it was done back in 2007.

I came to the USA in 2010, but I didn’t have the work visa . last year I got the work permit then I started studying CPA ,

I didn’t look for the job after getting the work permit because the Accounting and Tax rules and regulation are different in the USA than my home country , so I thought better to understand all these rules and then look for the job.

I have 3 years of experience as an Accounting clerk which I had back in 2010 .

Now my concern is

1) how to show I passed all 4 section

and

2) how to show this long gap on my resume

3)where to go for the job when I don’t have any work experience in the USA.

please help , I really need it .

[Anonymous]

You can get in trouble for anything that is perceived as looking like you're licensed when you're not, so you have to make sure that whatever you list clearly indicates that you're not licensed. So, I would suggest something like “Candidate for Missouri State CPA Certification: Exam passed, education requirement met, currently seeking to fulfill experience requirement”, so that it clearly shows you don't meet one of the requirements, and that you don't hold the certification, though you are seeking it. Actually, “Seeking Certification as CPA in Missouri” might be even better than “Candidate for Missouri State CPA Certification”, since it's even more clear that you don't have it.

Generally on a resume you don't want to highlight any deficiencies and instead leave those for the reviewers to discover on their own; however, in this situation, you do need to highlight it since you could otherwise lose your ability to get licensed, if your state is one that is more strict about this.

I think in at least one state (TX if I remember right), you can't put CPA on your resume at all till you're licensed, but most allow a statement indicating that you're seeking the designation and listing your progress towards it.

[Anonymous]

bump

[mitchmatch]

I would write

Missouri CPA Candidate,

saying certificate seems borderline misleading as if you passed.

FAR-76 First attempt.
AUD-79 First attempt.
REG-79 First attempt.
BEC-79 First attempt.

Done!

BECKERS

[Missy]

Generally people put it under education “Passed all four sections of Uniform CPA exam”, and include it in your cover letter that you are actively pursuing a license once you meet the experience requirement.

I agree that putting certification can be construed as misleading.

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

[mitchmatch]

Correction i said as if you passed, i see you did pass, first congrats, second i meant to say as if you received the license.

FAR-76 First attempt.
AUD-79 First attempt.
REG-79 First attempt.
BEC-79 First attempt.

Done!

BECKERS

[Author]

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