[Lisa_Jane]

I majored in Art years ago and even got a Masters in Fine Arts, but I realized that I didn’t want to teach art as I originally planned. While I was in college I worked at a bank and I loved working with numbers. I did accounts receivable at a doctor’s office and enjoyed that, too. I got a job as an Executive Assistant at a Big 4 Accounting firm and met a lot of great people who encouraged me to study accounting, which I did. I earned a post bachelor’s accounting certificate at a well-known university. I took 54 credits in Accounting and Business classes to sit for the CPA exam. I passed the CPA exam a few years ago. I got a job at a not for profit doing sales and use tax and the Form 990 and other state reporting returns. I’ve been here nearly 5 years and there is no chance for promotion because people rarely leave. I really want to do more with accounting and I’ve had recruiters contact me, but more and more companies are rejecting me because I don’t have an actual Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, even though I’m a CPA. One recruiter told me that she had a job seeker with a degree in Music who was a CPA with good accounting experience, but his lack of accounting degree prevented him from getting interviews.

I’d like to get some experience with internal audit and corporate federal taxation. I was wondering if a small CPA firm might be a good idea. Does anyone have any ideas how I can break out of my career rut and deal with this issue about being a CPA without a Bachelor’s in Accounting?

FAR Passed 5/28/14
AUD Passed 1/22/13
BEC Passed 7/12/13
REG Passed 5/9/14
Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

[Martin]

.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[Anonymous]

I'm blown away that you're having this problem. I have my BS in Economics and I am now a CPA. I have no problem in public accounting. We have other majors here from biology, english and marketing. All became CPAs.

[Missy]

Are you putting you major on your resume? With your experience you should only need to our school and year graduated. It's not deceptive, if asked you will tell the truth but imho distracting if you're putting that the degrees are in art. With more than a couple years experience the education listed on your resume is just a formality.

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

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

[Credit Revenue]

Being a CPA should trump your undergrad degree. You aren't giving yourself enough credit. I agree with MLA maybe present your resume differently so the CPA and accounting experience stand out. Are these recruiters CPAs? If not, I wouldn't put too much into what they are saying and find a recruiter who is a CPA.

A - 79 expires 4/30/16 need a pass on REG
B - 78
F - 80
R - 83!!! Can live again!

[acamp]

CPA > Degree Discipline.

Really, if you have the credits to sit for the CPA, you're likely pretty damn close to a bachelors in accounting anyhow (fine arts undergrad + a pile of accounting classes).

I like MLAs suggestion.

Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

California CPA - Big4 Aud Manager Alum - Private Accounting at Startups

FAR, REG and BEC with Ninja Notes + WTB Only

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[MaLoTu]

I am very surprised you are having a problem, as well.

Is the recruiter you mentioned a headhunter? I am assuming it is. Many people in that profession are looking for a quick and easy placement. I think you should focus on what companies you are interested in and figuring out how to get in touch with the decision makers for those companies.

If you choose not to go the CPA firm route you are probably going to find it hard to get out of the NFP area of accounting. Either way, it is important that you narrow down if you want to go to public or private because the oscillation is going to manifest in your interviewing. It is easier to sell yourself when you target one or the other.

I have a BA in Psychology. I had to do a lot of examining to draw out similarities from what I knew to what I wanted to do. I searched for a job for over a year. By that time I had a clear narrative of how my background supported my desire to go into public accounting. Additionally, I decided on public accounting and didn't waiver (which was hard because I started feeling like I was never going to get a job and I was almost willing to take anything!). So, try to make obvious connections between what you have done and what you want to do. If you are creative, you can say that you thought you wanted to be a creative artist, but found that your creativity made you an out-of-the-box problem solver – or something like that. The desire to teach is another trait that would add value to a firm.

Almost always from my phone... please excuse my typos!

All 4 passed - 2016

CA CPA

[CPA50]

I wonder if you could get hired as a controller for a museum or art institute where you would be looked upon as an incredible asset! Get your experience and then move if you wanted.

AUD - 80
BEC - 77
FAR - 80
REG - 80

3 years

+ 16 tests

+ 2 expired sections

= DONE FOREVER!

AUD 88 (expired), 80 retake
FAR 64,69,67,73,67,73,73,73, August 3
REG 75 (expired) September 7
BEC 72, 77

The adventure continues...

[Lisa_Jane]

@CPA50- i would love to work for an art museum but I have not seen anything available yet. Thanks to all of you who have posted a reply- it makes me feel better. I have an excellent resume and I went to an excellent college. I just list “Bachelor of Arts” with no major, and then the recruiters always ask what the Bachelor's degree is in. My Accounting Certificate is from UVAs program, which is also excellent. I'm in the DC area and it seems now every posting on Indeed.com for an accounting position they state they want a Bachelor's in Accounting or a related field. Some HR people won't take the resume without it and even though I'm a CPA I am not considered because I don't have public experience either. The manager who hired me at the non-profit saw my potential and I was not a CPA then. I will keep looking and one of these days someone will look past the art degree! I even had someone at an interview tell me I was “too right brained” to work with them. Ugh.

FAR Passed 5/28/14
AUD Passed 1/22/13
BEC Passed 7/12/13
REG Passed 5/9/14
Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

[Lisa_Jane]

@Credit Revenue- thanks for the reply. Some of the recruiters are CPAs and they do their best but they say the hiring managers only want someone with an Accounting degree. Some of them expect an MBA or Masters in Accounting, too. I think the DC area is hung up on this and they don't understand that I couldn't pass or even sit for the CPA exam without studying accounting first, regardless of my undergrad degree.

FAR Passed 5/28/14
AUD Passed 1/22/13
BEC Passed 7/12/13
REG Passed 5/9/14
Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

[Lisa_Jane]

@CPA50- Best of luck on FAR on May 10th!

FAR Passed 5/28/14
AUD Passed 1/22/13
BEC Passed 7/12/13
REG Passed 5/9/14
Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

[Lisa_Jane]

@MaLoTu Thank you for the excellent insight! I am planning to really focus on what I want to do in accounting and also how to answer the questions I'm asked in interviews. You are right that some recruiters want a quick placement. I really appreciate your advice- it is very helpful.

FAR Passed 5/28/14
AUD Passed 1/22/13
BEC Passed 7/12/13
REG Passed 5/9/14
Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

[mtaylo24]

i find this hard to believe. I also have a Post-baccalaureate Certificate from a well known school in VA (not UVA) and I don't have many problems…It all depends on how you market yourself. Also, its basically the equivalent to a bachelors, so it wouldn't hurt to call it a BSBA every now and then…

CPA (2017)

REG:  75

BEC:  76

FAR:  77

AUD: 78

 

CMA (2019)

P1: 380

P2: 360

AUD - 1st - 60 (12/12), 61 (2/13), 61 (8/13), 78! (11/15)
REG - 55 (2/16) 69 (5/16) Retake(8/16)
BEC - 71(5/16) Retake (9/16)
FAR - (8/16)

[Lisa_Jane]

@mtaylo24 What is a BSBA, and how did you market yourself?

I wish this issuewere not true but in the DC job market they want public accounting even if you have all the experience required and now they want a Bachelors in Accounting. Some job postings are even asking for a Masters in Accounting, which is ridiculous.

FAR Passed 5/28/14
AUD Passed 1/22/13
BEC Passed 7/12/13
REG Passed 5/9/14
Virginia CPA license issued July 2014

[Anonymous]

MaLoTu: I am in a pretty similar boats – what tips do you have to get into Public?

[mtaylo24]

@Lisa_Jane, a BSBA is a bachelor's of science in business adminstration… Career services helped me get my foot in the door upon graduation from my post-bacc certificate. I stayed at that company, being promoted twice, for 4 years. Certificate and experience is all of the marketing I need…

CPA (2017)

REG:  75

BEC:  76

FAR:  77

AUD: 78

 

CMA (2019)

P1: 380

P2: 360

AUD - 1st - 60 (12/12), 61 (2/13), 61 (8/13), 78! (11/15)
REG - 55 (2/16) 69 (5/16) Retake(8/16)
BEC - 71(5/16) Retake (9/16)
FAR - (8/16)

[Author]

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