[Anonymous]

I took my last CPA exam last Saturday (fingers crossed), but I finally realized this week that I don’t want a career in public accounting. All through undergraduate the CPA exam and public accounting were drilled into our heads, but the more I learn about it the more I’m not interested. However, I will probably “pay my dues” and work for a year or two in public. So is the CPA useful outside of public accounting?

[mla1169]

Of course it is useful outside of public. Take a look at a job listing website for jobs like accounting manager, controller, etc. Most will say they want a CPA and experience in public. The truth is many will accept CPA's that have no public experience. Not all corporations insist on public experience even though they claim so in job listings (they're just trying to weed people out, usually).

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[JUTTERB]

Seeing as the CPA creditential is the preeminent designation in the accounting profession I don't think you wasted your time or money regardless of how long you stay in public accounting.

FAR - PASSED 11/2009 - EXPIRED, PASSED 11/2012
REG - PASSED 1/2011 - EXPIRED, PASSED 11/2012
AUD - PASSED 5/2011
BEC - PASSED 11/2011
ETHICS - PASSED 12/2012

Licensed Colorado CPA

[Noct]

My cousin got his CPA with no intention of working in accounting. He leveraged the credential to get into corporate finance and is now an executive of a lucrative firm. He never took a single CPE course and let his license lapse. If he needs a fallback position he can reinstate his license, which is much easier than being licensed in the first place. Not a bad plan really…

FAR - 79 - 07/2012
AUD - 65, 78 - 11/2012
BEC - 76 - 11/2012
REG - 78 - 01/2013
ETH - 98 - 01/2013

Material: Wiley books

[Anonymous]

Agree fully with the previous posters- right out of grad school I went to work for a Fortune 500 company. I never went to public accounting, and I don't intend to, unless I go later in my career as a consultant or something. But at my firm, the CPA is definitely highly valued. I know the same will be true at other companies. So no, you didn't waste your time at all!

[Author]

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