Passed all exams on first attempt, still can't find a job :(

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  • #171774
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Title says it all. I’m frustrated and ready to take any under-paying bookkeeping position offered but still no luck. What should I do?

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  • #647828
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Crap ! You are scaring the shit out of me ! Been searching for a year ! no luck

    I wish both of us the best of luck !

    I guess I should pass first though !

    #647829
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I am in the same boat…changed of career at age 40….received my Masters last year and passed all four parts of the exam and have been submitting resumes for a few weeks with no response..im going to have a breakdown soon!

    #647830
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Tell us more, tell us more.

    How long have you been looking? How old are you? What type of searching are you doing (I can tell you that if it is for anything using monster or careerbuilder you are wasting your time)? What type of networking are you doing? What industry are you in or looking to get into–don't just take a job, target an industry that interests you.

    Most people don't get jobs because they passively look using national sites where they get 10,000 resumes per position. In fact Drudge has a headline where 20,000 people applied for less than 900 jobs at an auto plant. Following the masses isn't going to work.

    Some off the cuff ideas:

    1. Join toastmasters to make some contacts.

    2. Join and go to the Chamber of Commerce meetings (even if you have to start a small accounting / tax business to get in)

    https://www.helpguide.org/life/job_networking_how_to_find_job.htm

    https://www.ehow.com/list_6750331_networking-ideas-job-seekers.html

    3. (last ditch effort here): Find the child of a very wealthy self-made businessman or woman and either knock her up or get knocked up by the son. Welcome to the family. 😀

    #647831
    mena je twa
    Member

    All of you above, have any kind of work experience in the field of accounting? I mean 2 -3 years experience in a fortune 500 companies or any small private / listed companies…..

    Mom/Pop accounting and bookkeeping does not count.

    Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

    #647832
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I have 8 months of experience in a Big four – an international location … resigned to get my cpa and maseters … was a research assistant … ! passed 2 parts of the cpa … Should be done of the other two in july i hope …

    Btw thanks @ CPAPending …

    #647833
    mena je twa
    Member

    Showing only 8 months of work experience is not enough, if you are applying for accounting positions. Also, if you were 23, 24 and had this kind of experience and working on the CPA exam it would be stil ok.

    With the way this economy is going and unemployment around 8% or so, ( in some states its more higher) the employers have a lot of options and they can pick & choose who they desire.

    At this point i would say ask your friends or family members or some distant relatives to keep an eye out for some kind of staff accounting positions in their companies.

    In all honesty, the recruiters would not even look at tyour resume with this thin work experience. At the end of the day they also want to make their fat commission by placing a candidate who has a perfect work history, stable at a company for 4-5 yrs and has not bounced around a lot.

    Also, make sure you get your resume looked at by a career counselor, it can help.

    Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

    #647834
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    By the way, in case anyone is unclear, option 3 is a joke.

    Although I am holding it out in case I just get tired of the corporate world and decide I'd like to be a kept man! 😀

    #647835
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Lol ! Good one CPApending …

    Ya … i know … i'm shooting for an internship or an entry position … not looking for an experienced position … i'm 24 years old … 🙂 . Good luck to all of us 🙂 . thanks for your help too mena je twa … I'm still optimistic 🙂 .

    #647836
    Peanut
    Participant

    location location location. Where are you guys living/looking for employment?

    AUD 81 (X4) Previous scores 59, 72, 72
    REG 80 (X3) Previous scores 59, 60
    FAR 75 (X2) Previous score 67
    BEC 79 (X2) Previous score 58

    #647837
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I live in NJ…I am looking in NJ and NYC…I think im going to start researching recruiters…and seeing if that helps any. I have business experience but not accounting. I worked in financial services and home loans each for five years.

    #647838
    Peanut
    Participant

    @cheer222, when I was living in NYC I had a difficult time finding employment. Recruiters are sometimes the best way to go. A lot of times that is how you can get into a large company. I went through Ajilon Finance and scored a really good position. Our company also used Winter Wyman. It definitely does not hurt to contact them, they will also tweak your resume

    AUD 81 (X4) Previous scores 59, 72, 72
    REG 80 (X3) Previous scores 59, 60
    FAR 75 (X2) Previous score 67
    BEC 79 (X2) Previous score 58

    #647839
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    You guys also have to be honest with yourselves.. are you qualified for the positions you're applying for?

    In the LA area, I see a lot of public accounting positions that require at least 2-5 years experience. For those that have less than 2 years of experience, consider looking for entry level (no experience) positions.

    If you're still in school or closely connected with your university's career center, I would go to on campus interviews through the school. Not sure how much things have changed, but when I was in school (3 years ago), if you have passed your CPA exam or passed a few sections, you had a major advantage over new graduates that have nothing on their resume.

    I would also consider small local CPA firms in your area. Google CPA and your zip code and check out each firm's career center or just mail your resume and cover letter to them so they have it on file when they need to hire.

    Mena je twa has a great recommendation! Ask people you know. Their recommendations goes a long way in the hiring process.

    #647840
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    @Peanut..thanks im going to start with recruiters tomorrow! I will find a job….I will find a job…lol im secretly hoping I find one that says I can start in August…a few more months off would be nice too 🙂

    #647841
    Mom2two
    Member

    Just a few ideas…network, network, network…everywhere. If you recently graduated I would try and work with former professors you built a relationship with or see if career services at the school can help you. Try to work with a recruiter if you can. They may not work with you if you don't have experience but can always direct you to their temp services area. I have yet to meet a recruiter that flat out turned someone away. They always at least referred the person to their consulting division. Maybe try that, Robert Half, Kforce are a few to consider. Do research on your city and see who the accounting and finance recruiters are. I 100% agree with everyone that says you will not get anything through online national job banks, like monster. Try linkedin, look at the local ads. Don't come off as frustrated or desperate when you do go on an interview. And finally just because you have your cpa does not mean you are not going to start off anywhere other than the bottom. So put your time in and realize you probably will have to start off as a staff accountant and complete what you may consider remedial work. I do think once you start working you will excel faster with your cpa than someone without it but it will also depend on your personality, work ethics, ability to network, etc. I would not take a bookkeeping position because once you start working it will be a lot harder to explain why you are ready to look for something else a few months into the job.

    B: 81 (3X) May 2012
    A: 76 (1X) Nov 2011
    R: 86 (2X) Feb 2012
    F: 64, April 2011, retake 10.01.12 - 75!!!!!!!!!!

    #647842

    I live in Central CA and started with midsized firm out of college(a classmate was working there and reccomended me in). The partner was from big 4 so hours were horrific and BAD management, so I left at 1.5 years and no license. I applied to a job that said 2-5 years of experience, CPA preferred(I found the job through Careerbuilder). I was hired on the spot after they had been looking for 3 weeks. So shoot high even if you think you aren't qualified, it is all about the right fit too.

    CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
    REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
    BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
    AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

    (Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

    Ethics 90%

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