Am I getting ripped off by recruiters?

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #195485
    Zyx
    Participant

    Anyone can give me an idea of how much of compensation for staff accountant in public industry should get (main city in OH) .

    I have been talking to a recruiter. He brought up a staff accountant job at a public industry in my town and I am having a phone interview with the firm on Monday. He presented me at 35k. I thought it would be 40 or high 30. This job is in charged of fixed assets, JE, BS reconciliation, cash accounting and so forth. The firm operates in more than 33 states. This position actually prefers CPA. I know that I am still working on it and it’s prob why I got the interview. Is 35k too low to start off? He also mentioned that probably work 45-50hrs per week.

    I am a hard worker. I have no problem to work that much. I just think compensations should be fair in exchange for hard work. I don’t want to be trapped and eventually jump to another job in near future.

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 81
    FAR - 80
    REG - 77
    zyx

    REG: 77 x2
    BEC: 81 x3
    FAR: 68 retake 10/1
    AUD: 8/27

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 33 total)
  • Author
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  • #682368
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    35k with a cpa preferred? You can get that at target without a college degree

    #682369
    Missy
    Participant

    Do you have any experience or are you a new graduate?

    And no lol you can't make that at Target.

    Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

    Finance manager/HR manager

     

     

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

    #682370
    Zyx
    Participant

    @cpanj22 lol That's what I thought too! I feel like the firm is willing to pay more. But the recruiter tries to cut off other candidates or other staffing agents by presenting low compensation. Don't you think?

    @mla11692 I graduated last year, have 1.5 yrs experience in private company.

    AUD - 77
    BEC - 81
    FAR - 80
    REG - 77
    zyx

    REG: 77 x2
    BEC: 81 x3
    FAR: 68 retake 10/1
    AUD: 8/27

    #682371
    12tang
    Participant

    Not too sure about your area. I assume the recruiter is getting a cut which is why it's low. This sounds like a temp-to-hire where the staffing agency takes a cut until you're officially hired and at which time convert to a higher salary.

    Taking this position depends on your GPA and how you evaluate your own worth. At least in my area, accountants are in super high demand. I too called a staffing agency and he told me $15-17/ hour. I laughed after our conversation. Now if your GPA is super low, you may not be as marketable as you think and going through the recruiter could be a plausible action.

    Assess your local market through job openings posted online and in the papers. If good and you are marketable (good GPA and you work hard), then definitely go elsewhere. In my area (Minneapolis), the average starting pay is high 40's low 50's.

    BEC - PASS

    FAR - PASS

    AUD - PASS

    REG - PASS

    BOOM!  JUST LIKE THAT, I GOT MY LIFE BACK!  =D

    Using Becker self-study
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    BEC: (XX)
    AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
    REG: (XX)

    #682372
    Missy
    Participant

    That's very low with 1.5 years experience in my opinion. Recruiters usually look to place someone overqualified for less than they're worth. Do the interview for the interview experience and move on with your search.

    Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

    Finance manager/HR manager

     

     

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

    #682373
    JohnWayneIsGod
    Participant

    Recruiters do indeed take a cut, which will lower your pay. Although my wife works in a different profession, she took a temp job at a place below market value but received a very sizable bump in pay once she was hired as a permanent employee.

    I'm not familiar with the market in Ohio, but it sounds like you are $5,000 short of what you want. Not too too bad. That is the kind of price you pay to a recruiter. The big question is whether or not this is temp-to-hire. If it is just a temp job, with no hope of it becoming more, then you are working below market just to have some income in the short-term. But if it is temp-to-hire, then you are giving up some money in the short-term for a possible reward later on. Whether or not you decide to take a pure temp position depends on how choosy you can afford to be.

    FAR - 80

    Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.

    -John Wayne

    #682374
    Last Chance CPA
    Participant

    Every recruiter i have ever spoken with has been a moron….ever.

    AUD - 75
    BEC - 75
    FAR - 76
    REG - 76
    I want those initials next to my name!!!!

    FAR - 76
    AUD - 75
    BEC - 75
    REG - 76

    Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

    #682375

    @OP, this seems ridiculously low for someone with a 4 year accounting degree and a “CPA preferred”. I'd run.

    Lol…@Last Chance – this is usually true.

    Usually, they waste your time so they can make their quota. I've met with one recruiter ever who actually got me an interview and an offer for a better paying job than I currently had. Ended up not taking it because I wasn't interested in the industry, but that's besides the point. Anyways, my point is never meet in person with a recruiter unless you talk to them in detail on the phone about the position and the pay range. They will happily waste your time in the middle of a work day.

    FAR - Passed (82)
    BEC - Passed (76)
    AUD - Passed (89)
    REG - Passed! (81)
    AICPA Ethics

    Licensed CPA

    #682376
    fuzyfro89
    Participant

    I'm honestly surprised by any CPA-track position paying less than 40k, even in a low cost of living area.

    Regardless, I'm assuming you're in the 30s right now, which is low. You need to pass your CPA to get into a different tier of compensation and career path. For companies that aren't public or very well known, sometimes the disadvantage is that no one really knows what you did there, and it's up to you to tell the entire story.

    Have you gotten any other indications from other recruiters?

    Many recruiters will just present you with what they have. That doesn't mean it's what you are worth. When I was leaving my first job in public, I was receiving job pitches from recruiters from 55k (what I was making at the public firm) to 75k. In case you don't already realize, that's a HUGE range. Many of them aren't all that useful or talented, but are just throwing a bunch of mud at the candidates… hoping something sticks.

    My opinion: interview and get the practice, but keep looking elsewhere.

    #682377
    Skynet
    Participant

    Many years ago, I was working with a recruiter. She was Japanese but really Hot and Cute. Almost made a Fool of myself when I was checking her out instead and forgetting to follow her to her office for the interview. Or almost forgetting what i was really there for.

    Sorry, it's not related to the thread. Just wanted to mention it. LOL!

    AUD - 90
    BEC - 78
    FAR - 84
    REG - 87
    World Domination Plan

    Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
    Phase II : Megan Fox - In Progress
    Phase III : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
    Phase IV : Form the new Charlie's Angels with Megan Fox, Scarlett Johansson, & Gal Gadot
    Phase V : TBD

    BEC : 78
    REG : 87
    FAR : 84
    AUD : 90

    World Domination Plan

    Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
    Phase II : Megan Fox - Initiated
    Phase III : Bring back 8-Tracks
    Phase IV : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
    Phase V : TBA

    #682378
    ScarletKnightCPA
    Participant

    When I graduated in 2009 I took a job through staffing agency at a major financial service company for $12 an hour, this is NY NJ area. My friend stayed there for 2 years hoping to get a permanent job. I heard the staffing agency was charging $24 for us so they were taking half.

    Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
    Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
    Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

    MBA in progress

    #682379
    12tang
    Participant

    @ScarletKnightCPA – That just made me throw up a little. The economy was sensitive then but still, that's a substantial cut! Sickening rate for the area as well..

    BEC - PASS

    FAR - PASS

    AUD - PASS

    REG - PASS

    BOOM!  JUST LIKE THAT, I GOT MY LIFE BACK!  =D

    Using Becker self-study
    FAR: (82) 175 hours - 1st attempt
    BEC: (XX)
    AUD: (69) 45hrs of study - 1st attempt
    REG: (XX)

    #682380
    Last Chance CPA
    Participant

    Japanese but hot and cute Skynet? Lol…

    AUD - 75
    BEC - 75
    FAR - 76
    REG - 76
    I want those initials next to my name!!!!

    FAR - 76
    AUD - 75
    BEC - 75
    REG - 76

    Now I need some experience!!! And some networking...

    #682381
    Skynet
    Participant

    Last Chance CPA – It was actually a small Japanese recruiting firm in Downtown Los Angeles. I was just fortunate to get a really young, hot, and cute one.

    AUD - 90
    BEC - 78
    FAR - 84
    REG - 87
    World Domination Plan

    Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
    Phase II : Megan Fox - In Progress
    Phase III : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
    Phase IV : Form the new Charlie's Angels with Megan Fox, Scarlett Johansson, & Gal Gadot
    Phase V : TBD

    BEC : 78
    REG : 87
    FAR : 84
    AUD : 90

    World Domination Plan

    Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
    Phase II : Megan Fox - Initiated
    Phase III : Bring back 8-Tracks
    Phase IV : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
    Phase V : TBA

    #682382
    Skynet
    Participant

    DAMN IT LAST CHANCE CPA! Stop ruining my Fantasies!

    AUD - 90
    BEC - 78
    FAR - 84
    REG - 87
    World Domination Plan

    Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
    Phase II : Megan Fox - In Progress
    Phase III : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
    Phase IV : Form the new Charlie's Angels with Megan Fox, Scarlett Johansson, & Gal Gadot
    Phase V : TBD

    BEC : 78
    REG : 87
    FAR : 84
    AUD : 90

    World Domination Plan

    Phase I : Pass CPA Exams - Complete
    Phase II : Megan Fox - Initiated
    Phase III : Bring back 8-Tracks
    Phase IV : Megan Fox & Scarlett Johansson Lingerie Pillow Fight
    Phase V : TBA

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 33 total)
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