Am I qualify for Big 4 entry level position?

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    Topic
  • #186721
    jessie424
    Participant

    I graduated 4 years ago at a state university. The only reason I didn’t apply big4 at campus was due to my bad GPA. After school, I started work in a small corporation for two years and then move to a local small CPA firm for another two years. Meanwhile, I study for the CPA exam and already finished 3 out of 4. If I have finished them all, I still need to take 20 more credit in order to full fill the 150 educational requirement.

    Just curious If I will get chance for interview If I chose not to put my ugly GPA on the resume.

    I give myself three options

    Option #1, Go ahead apply for Big4 now

    Option #2, Take some easy classes in a community college. Apply big4 after I obtain my licenses and a better GPA

    Option #3, Go back school for a master degree. Apply big4 when I have my license, master degree and hopefully a better GPA.

    Thanks a lot!!!

    REG: 81 expired. Schedule in July 2014. 86 done!!!
    AUD: 86
    FAR: 80
    BEC: 75

Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
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  • #579088
    ahugemistake
    Participant

    It won't hurt to apply now, and if you dont have success then try going to a regional. If that doesnt work, pick a school with heavy big 4 recruiting and give it another shot!

    FAR: 78*, 75
    REG: 76*, 85
    BEC: 79*, 76
    AUD: 79*, 93

    All scores expired, let's try this again.

    FAR - 78*
    AUD - 66, 79
    REG - 73, 76
    BEC - 79

    #579089

    Get the 150 hours OR be in the process of getting them or you won't have a shot.

    #579090
    stag
    Participant

    In my experience, Big 4 will only hire you if you are 150 ready when you start. Its encouraged to have your exams passed, but not required. But 150 is a must iirc.

    FAR - Aug 2013 Passed
    REG - DEC 2013 Passed
    BEC - FEB 2014 Passed
    AUD - MAY 2014 Passed

    BSEE = who needs accounting degree to pass CPA exams?

    #579091
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I have 150 credits and qualify to sit for the exam, but am one credit shy of fulfilling the accounting course education requirement for licensure. Is it safe to say I don't have a shot with Big 4 (entry level or experienced associate) until I get that credit? Sorry to hijack the thread.

    #579092
    RIST
    Member

    You need the credits.

    I have seen this a bunch of times. When you need the credits they give you an internship and tell you to come back later. You don't want an internship so just get the credits. Make them easy. Walking, Running, Swimming. In most states anything goes and no one cares so long as you can legally say “CPA”.

    As to the OP's question on GPA, a friend of mine is flying through the ranks of a Big 4 office and she has a 2.5 GPA. Not sure what yours is, but it can't be much worse. GPA is part of the package, not the be all end all. The CPA > GPA.

    #579093
    jessie424
    Participant

    What about if I apply as a CPA candidate? I guess passing all four sections of the exam will be harder than full fill the 150 credit right?

    Any one successfully get in big4 as a CPA candidate without full fill the 150 school credit?

    My only concern is timing. I heard big4 normally start hiring at around July ~ October. If I miss this summer, I might need to wait until next year to get in.

    REG: 81 expired. Schedule in July 2014. 86 done!!!
    AUD: 86
    FAR: 80
    BEC: 75

    #579094
    stag
    Participant

    @acome You could apply for positions even when you are not 150 ready, but they want you to get there by the time you start. I have friends who got hired in last October that wasn't 150 ready until this May. It was fine because they are not starting until this later this summer. Since they usually hire a year ahead, you don't need to be 150 right now, but you must have plans in place to be done with the 150 requirement by the time you start working for them. And they are not talking about having random 150 credits, must meet your state's licensing requirement. CPA candidate only requires 120 credits, so it won't meet their basic requirement.

    @jessie424 I know its harder to pass the CPA exams than get the credits, but 150 ready is one of their basic requirement that you must met before they will even consider you for a full time job. I don't know if it has always been like that, but it seems that way now. As for hiring cycle, they do most their hirings around Fall semester, but there are some during the Spring once they are done with their busy season. I know people who received offers this April after interviews in March.

    FAR - Aug 2013 Passed
    REG - DEC 2013 Passed
    BEC - FEB 2014 Passed
    AUD - MAY 2014 Passed

    BSEE = who needs accounting degree to pass CPA exams?

    #579095
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @stag Thanks for the info. I might look into online courses, they were mentioned in another thread and I think I can pick up the required credits in a matter of weeks.

    Another question, I'm looking at openings on Big 4 career pages. There are some positions I'm highly interested in, but the posting is dated from over a year ago. Is it worth it to apply to these positions?

    #579096
    fuzyfro89
    Participant

    Jessie:

    If you get an offer, it will be contingent on you being “CPA Eligible” by your start date. I would not apply without that, because if you are not CPA eligible, they won't want you.

    The question of passing the exam is irrelevant, because if you don't meet your state's requirements to get a license, then passing the exam is meaningless.

    #579097
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @Fuzyfro89 Any thoughts on my predicament? (I don't mean to second guess anyone here, I'm just trying to establish a general consensus before weighing my options)

    #579098
    fuzyfro89
    Participant

    “I have 150 credits and qualify to sit for the exam, but am one credit shy of fulfilling the accounting course education requirement for licensure. Is it safe to say I don't have a shot with Big 4 (entry level or experienced associate) until I get that credit? Sorry to hijack the thread.”

    It doesn't matter how many credits you are short. If you manage to get an offer, it will require that you finish your education requirements before you start. At least, that's what they do for campus hires, so I don't imagine they would be MORE lenient on experienced hires.

    Why not just get the additional 1 credit and not worry about it?

    #579099
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Sorry I guess the point I was driving at is how much time does one typically have with Big 4 after receiving an offer? Is it true they hire a year in advance? It's not really a question of leniency so much as timing. Here, my situation: I fulfill the education requirements in my current state. However, I am one credit shy in the state that I wish to work in (need an upper level accounting credit). Dunno where to get one only credit, typically three credit courses are what's offered. Which is a fairly big commitment, if I'm looking at a grand and almost five months of my time. It's kind of a catch-22 for me; I'm not going to get the credits without an offer, but I probably can't get the offer without the credits. It's a calculated risk, getting the credits without a contingent offer, and I'm basically just wondering if I would have enough time to get the credits after an offer. If not, it might just be worth it to stay in state.

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