[Peanut Butter is Good]

I was wondering if you can still get hired as a full-time audit associate, without having had some public accounting experience first? And I don’t mean working in an “accounting” job, which could mean anything (data entry, etc). I’m asking because I’m noticing a lot of smaller firms are posting jobs where they want only “experienced” assurance professionals with 1-2 years experience in a public firm. And, these are just the smaller firms, never mind the Big 4. Is this normal? Or can you still get in without said experience?

AUD - 84
BEC - 88
FAR - 81
REG - 79

If I passed so can you!!

[msgolds]

Quite honestly, Big 4 is probably more willing to hire you with no experience than a smaller firm is. They have more money and resources to train new employees than smaller firms do. When I worked for a smaller CPA firm, I usually had to seek out my own training and just expense my company for it.

Big 4 is more concerned with your ability to work long hours under pressure. They will hire and train inexperienced employees, and work their tails off because they have lower billing rates and are more expendable.

BEC - 90 PASSED
FAR - 84 PASSED
AUD - 93 PASSED
REG - 84 PASSED

I DID IT!!!!

Using Becker Self-Study

"If we were put here to carry a great weight, then the very things we hate are here to build those muscles."

[NumberCruncher4lyfe]

I agree with @msgolds! However it is possible to get hired. I came from private and just recently moved into public as an auditor. It is definitely a different world and i'm constantly learning new things. But as the above poster said its better to go Big 4 if youre new to public because they will provide you with top notch training and you wont get that at a smaller firm trust me. you either sink or swim with a smaller firm

[Hank Scorpio]

I was looking for an entry level in something other than big 4. I networked with anyone I could. I got hired in a local firm with 50 people as an entry level auditor. If you want big 4, go to meet the firms at your school. The smaller firms in my area hired from a recommendation.

AUD - 71, 79
BEC - 69, 74, 75
FAR - 71, 74, 80
REG - 74, 78

FAR - 10/3/16
BEC - 69 - 10/31/16
AUD - November 2016
REG - December 2016

[Author]

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