Don't let ANYONE tell you NOT to put it on your resume somehow. I know some people say ‘well technically you haven't accomplished anything until you've finished all 4, there's no such thing as a partial CPA' etc which is all true, but DO IT.
As someone above said, on EVERY interview I went on in public accounting, the interviewers had that part circled on my resume, and it was the first thing they wanted to discuss, in detail. I got offers at every firm I interviewed at, with a couple telling me outright that I was the 1 applicant chosen from all interviewees because I was nearly done with my exams, and have my 150 credit hours completed. IT MATTERS.
It's not the most professional looking thing in the world, but here's how I did mine…
I have it at the top of my education section even though many advise to put it at the bottom, because TECHNICALLY if you follow the chronology used in the rest of your education section, the CPA exam IS the most recent thing I did.
EDUCATION:
CPA exam 3 out of 4 sections passed 2012
Also (if your resume includes an ‘objective') I mentioned it there as well:
OBJECTIVE:
“I am seeking an entry-level job in public accounting for late 2012/early 2013, at which point I plan to have completed my last remaining CPA exam section”.
Last year at this time I was interviewing for jobs as well, with no CPA mention on my resume and telling interviewers when they asked that I did plan on sitting for the exams throughout 2012. I received offers, but ultimately ended up taking the year off to focus on the exams. Upon re-interviewing this year, at some of the same firms, with ‘3 out of 4 CPA exams passed' on my resume, my salary offers were on average $15k higher than last year. The 3 CPA exams passed is the ONLY thing different on my resume from last year at this time. I'd say that is pretty telling. GET IT ON THERE! haha good luck!
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