[cgartime]

Start with my background first.

I work in industry accounting department for 4 years. Last January, I promoted to accounting manager. Become a CPA is always in my mind since I graduated. Back to 2012, I passed BEC and AUD, but failed FAR & REG for many many time. I stop studying after I lost my credit for BEC and AUD. Recently, I start the battle again….also, I start hunting public accounting job. This week, I will have an interview with a mid-size public accounting firm for entry level Staff accountant.

Here is my questions.

1.should I join pubic accounting before I passed all exams?

2.The salary listed on the job is 20% less than what I made, If I got an offer after the interview, is there any negotiation for the salary for public accounting firm.

Thanks for advance.

[Anonymous]

20% is a big pay cut. Actually, your cut might be bigger than 20% because your next potential industry job might be another 10-20% higher than now. Since you are already an accounting manager, why do you want to go back to public accounting? entry level staff accountant usually makes about 45k-55k, so I don't see much room for salary negotiation unless you are bring over some special skills/experience.

[fuzyfro89]

Are your career goals to advance to the upper management levels within 10 yrs? Controller type stuff? It's not impossible at all, but many companies will give preference to those with public experience.

I'm assuming you are feeling some sort of ceiling in your ability to advance which is why you are considering public at this point?

1) You should finish the exams while still in school, but hey, we don't all get to do things on a perfect timeline. Always take the experience first and then figure out a way to fit in the exams. Unless you have a serious doubt that you could reasonably get the exams done while in a certain job, you should take it if that job is good for your career.

2) Not much. Maybe 1-2k for staff, but nothing that will help much. You really need to decide if you want the job. At the senior level perhaps a bit more… maybe 3-5k. Probably goes up a little bit for each level, but mostly depends on the firm's desperation and what level they are trying to fill.

[Missy]

Depends on your long term career goals.

I can only assume the company you currently work for is privately held. As your recent promotion confirms, it is not necessary to have public experience to work your way up in a privately held company. If you are satisfied with working for a private company and particularly if you are in an industry where you have specific expertise now (for example most of my experience in accounting is with manufacturing;for defense contracts, its a nice niche!) the lack of public experience will not affect your career.

If you envision yourself holding a similar position within a publicly traded company, or in an industry that is different from your current position, the public experience may or may not be “required” but certainly is a good tool to have in your toolchest and may be the difference between you & someone else getting an offer.

I never worked in public accounting and only worked at a publicly traded company briefly. I truly LIKE working for small privately held manufacturers and can honestly say that my lack of public experience did not hold me back. For the few interviews I went to at publicly traded companies it was a deal breaker (combined with the fact they were in different industries than my background and had revenues 10x what my previous employers revenues were.)

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

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

[Author]

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