[wng1885]

I hope to pass the last two parts of the CPA within the next 6 months and after that it’ll be back to school for an MBA. I was wondering what my options are as far as employment goes. I currently only have about 5 years of work experience as an Staff accountant and no public firm experience which is why I would need experience at a Big 4.
What are some of the positions I would be looking at if I were to go with employment at a Big 4?

AUD: 68, 73, 81

FAR: 72, 78

BEC: 78

REG: May 2017

[Birdman]

With zero experience in public I suspect you would be getting an entry level at Big 4. But you don't have to go Big 4 to get your public experience..

FAR- 74, 78 (10/2015)
BEC- 73, 88 (09/02/2016)
REG- 68, 88 (05/27/2016)
AUD- 58, 87 (07/21/2016)
Done and done!

FAR- 74, 78 (10/15)
BEC- 73
REG- 65, 88 (05/16)
AUD- 7/16

[hasy]

Ditto on the second poster. Public experience can be obtained anywhere.

AUD - 83
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REG - 78

BEC - 80 (Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB)

FAR - 72; 83 (Roger + NINJA MCQ)

AUD - 83 (Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB)

REG - 52; 78 (Roger + NINJA MCQ)

Ethics - 68, 96 (how I dislike you)
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This forum is more addictive than drugs. Still returning after licensure.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved - Helen Keller

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BEC 80 (10/23/15)
FAR 72 (4/2/15); 83 (7/11/16)
REG 52 (4/28/15)
AUD (9/9/16)

Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB

[neaux]

If I were you, I would try to work in a management or outsourcing role at a public accounting firm. You wouldn’t be taking a step back like you would in Audit or Tax.

FAR - 81, 7/4/16
AUD - 77, 7/11/16
BEC - 83, 7/23/16
REG - 63, 8/12/16; 87 11/4/16

NINJA saved my working life!

[wng1885]

I'm a bit confused as to what “public Accounting” really means. Can someone help me understand?

AUD: 68, 73, 81

FAR: 72, 78

BEC: 78

REG: May 2017

[DTBird]

Public Accounting Firms are partnerships which provide assurance and tax services.

That being said, public accounting experience is not vital. You could go do internal audit, financial analysis, treasury or corporate accounting.

AUD - 78
BEC - 77
FAR - 76
REG - 80

Texas CPA

BEC - 77 (5/16)
AUD - TBD (8/16)
REG - 80 (1/16)
FAR - 76 (8/15)

[wng1885]

Corporate accounting is probably the path I'm looking to take. The issue is I will need Public accounting experience to satisfy the Work experience requirement for the CPA. So I would be just looking at entry level assurance/tax if I were go with a big 4 firm? No other choices?

AUD: 68, 73, 81

FAR: 72, 78

BEC: 78

REG: May 2017

[Birdman]

I don't know what state you're in, but in my state, you don't have to have any public accounting experience, you just have to have your experience signed off on by a licensed CPA. Your situation may be similar.

FAR- 74, 78 (10/2015)
BEC- 73, 88 (09/02/2016)
REG- 68, 88 (05/27/2016)
AUD- 58, 87 (07/21/2016)
Done and done!

FAR- 74, 78 (10/15)
BEC- 73
REG- 65, 88 (05/16)
AUD- 7/16

[Ginja_CPA]

I don't know what to do after passing the CPA… I never thought I'd get this far…

In all seriousness though, you could also go to a mid-tier firm, and not go big 4. Which state are you in? A lot of states just require that you work under a CPA, it doesn't have to be in public.

AUD - 83
BEC - 78
FAR - 80
REG - 80

If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried!

REG: 80 (02/19/16)
AUD: 83 (04/11/16)
BEC: 78 (05/28/16)
FAR: ?

[Jdn9201]

Ditto above posters – check your state's requirements, but experience likely doesn't mean public accounting experience. Also, don't knock yourself – 5 years of staff accounting experience is nothing to sneeze at. You likely only have to have your license application signed off by an active CPA that can speak for your work, and that has supervised your work for 1 year.

BEC - 88 8/29/15
REG - 82 11/14/15
AUD - 83 1/8/16
FAR - 80 2/29/16

[Anonymous]

In CA – we have two seperate forms. One for public accounting experience and one for non-public. It doesn't matter where you get the experience, as long as it is under a licensed CPA.

I worked in Government during school and they had one person on the accounting staff keep their license active for just that reason.

You can work anywhere, but just make sure you are honest in interviewing that you need a licensed CPA to sign off for you.

If you don't have interest in working in tax or audit, go to industry or government. Just make sure you confirm that an active CPA is present.

[waffle_house]

@wei ng

Public accounting is another form of slavery.

AUD - 80
BEC - 75
FAR - 84
REG - 76

Exams started Sep 2014 -Exams done Mar 2017

Texas CPA

I put in work, it was evident

[CPYay]

I'm in CA too and am currently working industry. We have a CPA here who I'm hoping will be here to fulfill my requirement.

I also don't know what your intentions are, but aside from him just signing off, I expect him to teach me. He has loads of public accounting experience and I hope to obtain some of that knowledge. I'd hate to be the clueless CPA that drags down the collective reputation due to my inadequacies.

AUD - 92
BEC - 84
FAR - 89
REG - 84

Mailed application! Hoping to be licensed by year-end!

[wng1885]

I'm in MA, I have heard about the possibility of working under a CPA and having that person sign off on some sort of form to help you meet the work experience requirement. Though I am not sure if MA is one of those states that allows it. I will call my state board to find out today.

So I'd have a higher chance of not having to start off with an entry level position if I were to go with a mid-tier public accounting firm?

AUD: 68, 73, 81

FAR: 72, 78

BEC: 78

REG: May 2017

[Anonymous]

@Wei Ng-I am in Massachusetts, and I believe if you have a master's degree you don't need public accounting experience to get a license (non-reporting which is what I am going for since I never expect to sign a tax return or an audit opinion) and 3 years of non-public accounting under a CPA counts as one year of public experience-there is a letter that has to be mailed with application. I had to make sure about all this before even applying because I have 16 years of accounting experience but no master's degree and no intention of getting it.

[Anonymous]

Get a girlfriend/boyfriend, kids and you won't feel the same way. I haven't even sat for a single section and I already cannot wait for this to be over!

[Author]

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