[Anonymous]

I’m currently in the beginning stages of browsing for a new job. I have about 3.5 years of solid accounting experience split between time as a tax auditor with the state and an internal audit gig at a mid size public corporation. I recently passed my CPA and I’m starting to get a good idea of what I want to do for the rest of my career and where I want to end up. I’m curious as to how you view job titles associated with positions (ex. Associate, Senior Associate, Supervisor). Would you put value in a Senior job title over a Staff or Associate position just based on job title?

[.]

I don't know about public but at small private companies it's a joke. Everyone is an assistant controller or blah blah supervisor, even though they don't supervise or control anyone or maybe just one person.

At my last job, I sat next to this lady who was the “AP Supervisor” and she was constantly being bothered by like 4 or 5 different “Assistant Controllers.” I remember her saying something about there being too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

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[Wiley CPAExcel + Ninja MCQ]

Finally licensed.

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[Missy]

Titles mean nothing really its about what experience you have. For example in a small company what is called an assistant controller might be a staff accountant in a larger company. I am called a finance manager here, but if I applied to a larger company to be a finance manager they'd see I am not currently working on debt covenants, investments, etc and immediately discount me as a candidate.

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

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

[ScarletKnightCPA]

Job title does not matter enough to be considered. Different industries and companies have different practices for job titles. For instance, in Banking, everyone is a VP but they may not manage anyone.

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MBA in progress

[sarah40460]

I agree with others on this title situation. I went from senior auditor in state government to junior internal auditor at a private company, but the tasks I was responsible for expanded greatly. As of next Monday, I will be starting a new job as a “consultant,” and my job duties will be very similar to the audit tasks I'm already accustomed to, but the results will be far more impactful. Job titles are worthless. What matters is that you're expanding your skillset.

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I'm never studying for anything ever again!

[So FAR So Good]

I think my situation is very different than some listed here. I worked for a larger company and was able to stand out enough to get recognized and promoted quickly. Transitioning to a small company, I took a big title cut because the company had a very flat organization. I was hired as a finance associate and was doing the work of what a finance manager/assistant controller would do at other firms. Now I'm a finance manager and would consider it equivalent to a controller at another firm.

It all depends entirely on where you're going and what you will be responsible for. You could be a finance associate and be making decisions regarding long term governance and major cash flow decisions, and you could also be a finance manager at another place and be booking journal entries all day (effectively not managing anybody, but managing a “process”). Take your pick.

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F - 91 (6/5/2016)
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B - 12/10/2016

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I have been looking for “Senior” jobs because I felt that with my experience and CPA I was qualified for something a little more up the food chain and I didn't want to take proverbial step backward. But it seems to n employer by employer situation.

[So FAR So Good]

Yeah, definitely don't be that person that looks like they're chasing a title, but DO make sure you're VERY informed in regards to what the role entails and what others' responsibilities are in comparison to yours. That will tell you all you need to know. My company is a mid-sized investment firm and only had four levels on the finance side when I started: Associate, Controller, VP, CFO, with weighting towards the bottom end. There are two more layers in there now due to growth, but that's it.

I will tell you that at my current company, nothing reflects worse on a new hire than having them come in the door with a sense of entitlement that they should have been hired as a manager based on their time in audit, especially given the exposure and breadth of experience they get at the associate level. It's funny to see those people show up with their attitudes and then fall flat on their face when they realized they haven't experienced the operational/preparation side of the business and are falling behind.

A lot of companies have a sort of “prove that you deserve it” culture where they frankly don't give a damn what your background is and just want to see you walk in and do your job and do it well without complaining. You do that and you will be very well taken care of and then find yourself in a place very quickly where you WILL get the title (along with pay) that you think you deserve, and more.

AUD - 91
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REG - 86

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F - 91 (6/5/2016)
A - 7/30/2016
R - 10/8/2016
B - 12/10/2016

[mricci1989]

It also really depends on industry. I work in commercial real estate where titles are considered in context (different roles unique to the investment property / development business).

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[Author]

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