The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Need career advice (Accounting related)
Cantelope
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, I got a bachelors degree in business with an accounting emphasis. I got that degree December 2013. During that time I did an internship for a small local firm owned by a relative of mine. In our family we really don't like having family members work for us, but as a favor this relative let me work for him for a few months and called it an internship. I doubt I can go to them for anything further. It took till April to get a job through a temp agency. That job lasted until October, it turned out that before they hired me they had planned on selling the company, and they did. They moved it to another state, and they made vague offerings of something in the future if I was really interested but it would involve relocating, and I wasn't interested in relocating.
So fast forward to March of 2014 and I get a tentative job offer from the State (California). I am super excited about this, they have me come to their offices and fill out paperwork for a day or two. Then they do a background check. They tell me for three weeks that they are waiting on the background check, which I was able to check with the Sheriff's office a week into that and find out that actually I passed the background check and the person hiring me was lying about waiting on the background check. I don't care, the state is offering really good pay, and so I wait. After those three weeks they said that due to internal issues they cannot bring someone on at the moment, but that they plan to hire me soon. So I continue to wait for quite some time. It was months later near the end of June that they finally told me that actually they are not going to hire me. The position "fell through," whatever that means.
So, I am now in a position where I have not been employed for close to a year. None of the temp agencies I've signed up with have contacted me in quite some time, and I'm putting in lots of applications, and getting the occasional phone interview but nothing goes beyond that. I put out as many applications as I can, but most of the stuff I see these days I am laughably unqualified for. Like, they want three years experience for a clerk position, and require experience with specific software that I have not used. I'm concerned that at the rate I'm going I'm going to have not had a job for so long that employers are going to reject my application the moment they see when I was last employed. I feel like my plan to work in accounting is going nowhere fast, and I need to see about getting a different kind of job. At this rate it won't be long before any new grads that manage to get work soon have more experience than I do, and a less blemished resume.
This is kind of painful for me, as I studied accounting specifically because I thought it would be easy to get a job and that there would be a lot of employment stability. Now I'm thinking about leaving it behind, as I fear I am near becoming unemployable in this field. Sure, I learned some interesting stuff in college, but I now feel like I've wasted a good chunk of my life and gone into debt for too little. What does everyone think? Should I focus on getting a job in retail, or in food service? As from my perspective I am seriously in danger of being qualified to do nothing else.
So fast forward to March of 2014 and I get a tentative job offer from the State (California). I am super excited about this, they have me come to their offices and fill out paperwork for a day or two. Then they do a background check. They tell me for three weeks that they are waiting on the background check, which I was able to check with the Sheriff's office a week into that and find out that actually I passed the background check and the person hiring me was lying about waiting on the background check. I don't care, the state is offering really good pay, and so I wait. After those three weeks they said that due to internal issues they cannot bring someone on at the moment, but that they plan to hire me soon. So I continue to wait for quite some time. It was months later near the end of June that they finally told me that actually they are not going to hire me. The position "fell through," whatever that means.
So, I am now in a position where I have not been employed for close to a year. None of the temp agencies I've signed up with have contacted me in quite some time, and I'm putting in lots of applications, and getting the occasional phone interview but nothing goes beyond that. I put out as many applications as I can, but most of the stuff I see these days I am laughably unqualified for. Like, they want three years experience for a clerk position, and require experience with specific software that I have not used. I'm concerned that at the rate I'm going I'm going to have not had a job for so long that employers are going to reject my application the moment they see when I was last employed. I feel like my plan to work in accounting is going nowhere fast, and I need to see about getting a different kind of job. At this rate it won't be long before any new grads that manage to get work soon have more experience than I do, and a less blemished resume.
This is kind of painful for me, as I studied accounting specifically because I thought it would be easy to get a job and that there would be a lot of employment stability. Now I'm thinking about leaving it behind, as I fear I am near becoming unemployable in this field. Sure, I learned some interesting stuff in college, but I now feel like I've wasted a good chunk of my life and gone into debt for too little. What does everyone think? Should I focus on getting a job in retail, or in food service? As from my perspective I am seriously in danger of being qualified to do nothing else.
0
Posts
1) Get your Master's
1.5) Get an internship at a big accounting shop during grad school
2) Take the CPA exam
3) Put in 3-4 years at big accounting company
4) The world is your oyster, there are 10000000000 opportunities for people with that background
Source: I was at Deloitte for 4 years (Finance not accounting role) and now I do whatever the fuck I feel like and people pay me. With an actual accounting background there will be even more options for you.
My recommendation is to pursue an internship or full time job with a public accounting firm. They are always hiring and churning through bodies. If you can deal with the pressure and the job, then the pay is great and it opens a ton of opportunities.
I am a CPA in the audit side at a large regional firm for the last 7 years, so if you have any questions - shoot me a PM.
I don't exactly see a lot of accounting positions that require a masters degree but no experience. Cause if I get a masters degree that is the situation I'm looking at.
1. Work towards your MS,
2. Intern somewhere (big4 preferable) while in getting the MS.
3. Work at an accounting firm, again preferably big4
4. Pass CPA exam
5. Get CPA after completing requisite 2 years experience.
Right now you're basically relegated to accounting work that isn't valuable enough to require a CPA. I know it sucks but that's how it works. If you want to turn accounting into a long term career, I suggest you think about getting a CPA.
As far as your current search, you've put yourself in a tough situation. I suggest you apply to every AR/AP type job and maybe try to help out a tax firm during tax season when that comes up again. Don't let listings that require experience stop you from applying. Let them tell you that you're not qualified.
Having the passed the exam and having the designation are two different things. Finish the exam and the job opportunities will be there, along with a raise when you actually get the qualification.
Are you saying I can take the exam without being qualified? Everything I've seen indicates I have to prove that I am able to get the designation before taking the exam. I'm interested in getting a CPA, but I'm under the impression that there really isn't anything I can do that is helpful towards getting it until I have at least a full years experience working under a CPA.
Pretty much everyone that goes through a Master's Accounting program takes the CPA exam afterwards. You're thinking about the problem backwards. Start the Master's program, work with the job placement team associated with the program to get an internship during school and/or a summer internship. Finish program, (probably with a job offer in hand from your internship), take the CPA exam. The hurdle isn't that high.
typically, if you want an accounting job, you need to go full bore starting in college (ie, a BS in accounting from a school that is well known for it) and most firms recruit from that stage. they can pay you shit and work you to death because as Pacificstar said, the world is your oyster if you have a few years at a Big 4 shop.
I, without realizing, got super lucky apparently. i started out in AP at a finance company, people saw potential and bumped me up to an accountant (seriously, i took 1 accounting class in college), then more of an analyst. i just kind of stumbled into the systems role that i am in now. My degree was in Econ, with a business focus. I'm not sure if recruiters handle people at entry level, but it would not hurt to talk to one (Mergis, Robert Half, etc) they work on commission, so if they don't think they can place you, they will let you know.
Keep plugging away!
What kind of world do we live in where I am expected to gamble so much for the opportunity to work?
Btw, I use temp agencies like Robert and Half. Ocasionally they get me an interview, they haven't gotten me anything in a long time. The say that their clients want people with more experience, and that they have plenty of candidates like that.
Other than that I second the advice of getting your masters. CPA is necessary for audit firms, but not necessary for industry companies - so that route depends more on what you are interested in.
I was able to get a masters in 1.5 years with a graduate assistantship (Aka worked part time for the university) so 70% of tuition of was covered. It's very do-able without wracking up a ton of debt. (Although I did also get my BS in accounting - so I don't know if you would have to take extra classes to make up for that)
Island Name: Felinefine
It's really shitty but unless you catch a break with someone companies are more likely to hire newly graduated people for their entry level positions over you. Going back to school resets that year gap of unemployment and makes you eligible to sit for the CPA - whether you plan to take it or not having that door open is attractive.
Island Name: Felinefine
I hear you about the gamble and all that. I'd say that I don't know any unemployed people that have the Master's in accounting. I also don't know anyone that has a MA Acctg and does not have the CPA designation.
I know all about shame spirals man. After undergrad I had no job offers and moved back to NYC with 2k in the bank left over from summer jobs. After I basically spent $130k on undergrad after scholarships. If you just want to start making money I'd say the following:
1) Excel skills can get you decent paying temp jobs
2) I hate Robert Half, they have never referred me to anything useful
3) Network hard, don't be afraid or ashamed to ask friends and family for referrals
4a) If an internet posting has been out there for more than 2 days on something like Monster, assume that it has been spammed to death by people that saw it first
4b) Ideally you want to be one of the first 20 or so people to apply for a job. In order to do that, filter job search websites by posting date. You'll have to wade through a bunch of listings that don't apply to you, but it's more likely that someone will see your resume
5) Smaller companies typically look at waves of resumes. So they'll look at the first 20 or so that come in, decide to interview some dudes, and if none of them work out they'll repost the job and check out the next 20. This is why 4b is important
6) If you see a job you feel like is a good fit, apply for it immediately. The sooner you apply the better. Timing matters.
7) Don't be afraid to apply for jobs at smaller companies. It's easier to move up in smaller companies, and there's the possibility of gaining an amazing mentor.
8) Try not to appear desperate. As much as they are interviewing YOU, you are also interviewing them. Asking questions like "How long have you been at the company? What about this position/company has made you want to stay here so long?" This makes it seem like you're thinking seriously about the company.
9) If you are going to make a claim, be prepared to give specific examples.
I know several including myself. I also know several people who let theirs expire. That could just be that the company I work for treats finance and accounting degrees the same.
Island Name: Felinefine
Just something that you have written off and no one else has focused on. You should absolutely lean on your relative for a job, both at their firm and for referrals for some of their clients who they know have positions open. As the external accountants they will know if any of their clients need help and they can network for you to get you a job. Also, you're keeping a large door closed that could be of immense help to you just because your family has (or you think has) some kind of anti-nepotism bent.
Every job I have worked at with the exception of one since I have been 14 have come from some kind of personal contact, only once have I had to depend on spamming out resumes to get a job. That's six positions for a total of 18 years of work thanks to networking, and I am horrible at networking. In a couple of cases I got jobs because people that I had previously worked with were looking out for me and passed on good references to people who were hiring.
Aside from that, it hasn't been stated here explicitly, but treat your job hunt like a job. Spend eight hours a day on it, don't just send out a batch of resumes and then do nothing for two weeks waiting for responses. Always keep pushing.
Sorry mate.