Passed the CPA exam but can't land a audit/tax job, any advice?

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  • #181684
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Dear all,

    I hope everyone is doing ok. I need some advises, and I hope someone here can help me out. I could not find any job in public accounting or accounting related work when I graduated from college, so I decided to take the CPA exam. Later, I found a full time accounts receivable position while working on the exam. Fortunately, I passed all four sections of the exam in May this year, and I believe this is an advantage for me to land a job in tax or audit. However, after months of job hunting, I only had one interview so far and I did not get it. I am totally confused. I don’t know what is the reason why I am not getting any interview. I even applied for regular accounting job but the result is the same.

    Thank you

    Samson

    FIN 81

    AUD 72, 84

    BEC 73, 82

    REG 69, 76

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 46 total)
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  • #579893
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    SSG

    let me answer your question

    first, it was ur resume problem

    second, it's only been a few months since u started ur job hunting

    third, there r tons of ppl who passed the exam with tax/audit exp in bay area, in other words, it's very competitive

    forth, be patient, there r always audit position available throughout the year so it's just a matter of time and luck

    #579894
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    If you've only had one interview, I think that resume problems are a likely suspect. If you'd like, you could email your resume to me and I could give you some feedback – elisabethr90@aol.com . Feel free to edit out name, address, etc., if you're more comfortable that way…and change company names or whatever. Just leave the job descriptions, college descriptions, etc., the same and I can try to give you some assistance with it.

    However, not having landed a job yet may just be due to the level of competition. It sounds like you're willing to work in any public accounting – is that correct? If so, are you applying only to posted open positions, or also introducing yourself to people who aren't advertising? I got my public accounting job by going door-to-door, dropping off resumes and introducing myself at all the accounting firms in the area, so I'm a big proponent of aggressive job-hunting. The position that I got was never advertised, and I happen to know that the guy who hired me hates to advertise so probably never would have advertised the position. If you're already doing this, then we'll tweak your resume, and then just hang tight. It might take awhile to find something, but something will open up eventually! And in the meantime, you're in an accounting job where you are gaining experience. It might not be tax experience, but it contributes to audit experience. Just think – if you were asked to audit a client's AR function, you know a lot more about the ins-and-outs of AR from working it than you would just from reading an auditing textbook! More than that, though, it's accounting experience. If you seek to learn from every minute that you work, then no time spent in an accounting office is a waste, even if you are stuffing invoices into envelopes (which is what I did almost all day Friday…).

    #579895
    Study Monk
    Member

    Hello,

    If I were you I would look into state and federal jobs. However the hiring seasons for public accounting and a lot of government tax positions are over.

    Maybe you will need to tough it out at the A/R job until then. I don't have my CPA and no recent degree or accounting work experience so I would love an A/R job(well maybe not love). I imagine you still need to work under a CPA to get the work experience for your actual license? Otherwise you would be able to do one year of AR and then get a staff accountant position.

    I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

    "Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

    #579896
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Lilla,

    I applied both the open positions and accounting firms that are not hiring, but I did not physically go door to door to drop off my resume. I think my resume is not doing the magic, and I admit that writing resume and cover letter are my weaknesses (I rather taking another exam than writing resume and cover letter). I had others to review my resume and cover letter, and everyone is giving me different opinions, so I am very confused what works what doesn't. I will email you my resume and cover letter, and please take a look for me.

    Thank you very much

    Samson

    #579897
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Monk,

    Yes, I still need to get the one year work exp. to get my CPA license, but my current AR position exp. is not helping me to get any job in public accounting.

    Samson

    #579898
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    At least you got an AR job which I'm guessing pays at least 500 a week. I've been graduated for six months passed BEC with a 93 and still can't get a job going. I'm working part time retail even though I have a masters degree.

    #579899
    san4596
    Member

    Better – I think you should attempt contacting your local Society of CPA's chapter president. Given that you have already past the exam, you should be able to join and start networking at the luncheons. I would also suggest picking up volunteer hours with the chapter as well.

    CPA EXAM: DONE!!!!
    Ethics Course: Passed
    Application Mailed: 3/16/15
    Professional Conduct Exam: 97
    Certification Date: 4/2/15!!!

    #579900
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi candlemassisawesome,

    Would you mind telling me what is the subject of your master degree? and what city and state are you in?

    Samson

    #579901
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi San4596,

    Your idea is actually a very good idea.

    Thank you

    Samson

    #579902
    Keely
    Member

    If you aren't landing any interviews, then I'd agree your resume, cover letter, and method of communication might be to blame. Are you submitting resumes online or actually emailing someone? Every single one of my job interviews before my current position came from me emailing either the partner or HR directly and not submitting it on their website. Obviously, that may not work if you're applying for Big 4, but it's basically like throwing your resume into a black hole. Find someone who works there and network with them, go to your CPA society meetings. Go to the YP happy hours. Public accountants love to drink, I'm starting to find out. And if all else fails, join OK Cupid. I had someone send me a message there, saying they were a CPA in my city and we ended up exchanging messages, which eventually led to me sending him my resume and he referring me to a recruiter. I had an interview a few weeks later, and I got the job. Online dating FTW! 😉

    Also, keep your emails extremely short and to the point. I don't go into any details in them. I just say:

    Hello X, I'm attaching my resume and cover letter for consideration for the position of __________. I hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.

    And that's it. I never try to sound too desperate, know what I mean? Be confident and let your accomplishments speak for themselves. Keep at it!

    BEC: (4/2012) 88
    AUD: (5/2012) 91
    REG: (8/2012) 82
    FAR: (1/2013) 78 🙂

    VA CPA #42010

    #579903
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Keely,

    I submit to both online and HR directly, but I am not getting any response at all. I guess my resume and cover letter really suck. I have a really dumb question to ask. How do I find out the CPA society meetings in my area? I love your story about getting a job via dating website, so epic and it totally rocks. btw, I have a favor to ask, it seems like your resume and cover letter work really well and they help you get interviews, so I wonder if you mind emailing me your resume and cover letter? Of course, please “x” out all the personal information. It is totally ok if you don't want to.

    Thank you for your advise

    Samson

    #579904
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Keely,

    P.S. I am not going to erase your name from the resume and put my name on it to submit. I just want to compare my failing resume and cover letter to a successful one.

    Thank you

    Samson

    #579905
    stancesc5
    Member

    quite the opposite problem I'm having, I'd say you need to just apply to more job postings

    #579906
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Mostly likely your resume. I have my final score in Sept 2013, and I send out my resume right away. I already have like 3 interviews in public accounting, no big 4. In addition, I think that now it is still a tough time for job hunting. I heard from the HR dept of my company said that one executive assistance position has more than 200 ppl applied for it.

    #579907
    stoleway
    Participant

    @better_samson

    I presume you’re a guy? even though Keely is right on some of her assertions about job searches and distribution of resumes, I don’t think that will be the case for everyone seeking to get hired; when men try so hard to get a job, they are perceived as desperate. But a pretty lady (with qualification) can be hired quickly without trying.

    When it comes to hiring, we men are on our own. lol

    REG -63│ 84!!
    BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
    AUD- 75!
    FAR- 87!

    Mass-CPA

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