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Banzai 3 posted:CPA exam passed and I missed Watt-Sells by a single point, but god is it good to be done with that thing. drat that sucks. Maybe they will adjust the average downward! Do you think there realistically was anything you could have done? I've scored a 94 and 98 on my first two sections, so I guess I am still in the running under last year's criteria. I can only study for about 7 hours or so before information goes in one ear and out the other. FAR is in a month so hopefully I can pick up the pace.
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Sep 10, 2014 17:21
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Looking for some advice on a possible career path change. I'm 33 with a Bachelors in Business Administration and I've been at the same job for coming up on a decade. The job pays great, is super flexible and I'm pretty much master of my domain here to the point where I basically work like 6 hours a day now. I wear of a lot of hats but the general gist of the work is, I would say, accounting adjacent. Its kind of a mix between accounting and construction management for the educational sector (mostly K-12). While I imagine that I'm not doing the same type of accounting work you guys do, its still a lot of analyzing, reviewing, reconciling, etc that I imagine is part and parcel of an accounting career. The problem I have with the job is that I pretty much can't stand the person I work under, that and the fact the the job has gotten a little stale. Finding new clients has become more of a challenge and just in general the tiny office we have (4 people) is way more stressed out than it used to be. I'm a worrier by nature and I'm constantly doing the, "well if I lose this great job tomorrow, I am 100% hosed" thing which is not even really true but I feel like I need something a little more substantial than a BA in Business Admin if the poo poo really does hit the fan. The company is actually fine, we've signed new clients as recent as a month ago and on top of that, my position is kind of critical but because I am a giant pussy I continue to worry about my job and career path. Anyhow, after trying to fight the fact that trudging along in massive spreadsheets is something I'm actually pretty good at and realizing that I breezed through the three or so accounting courses I took as a part of my BA, I'm considering taking some accounting courses at my local community college with the goal of becoming a CPA. They've got an Accountant Certificate Program that is for people who already have a bachelors degree and want to get into accounting. Even if I get through all this, I'm still not sure I would leave the job. I just feel like I need something more than my simple rear end B.A. in Business Administration. If I do leave, ideally I get the CPA license or just the accounting certificate, leverage the experience I have working in the educational sector and ultimately find a job in the business services department of some school district. Ugh I don't even really know what I'm asking, just kind of weighing this all out. 1) Is this a terrible idea and should I just stay where I'm at until the poo poo actually hits the fan? 2) If I ultimately get through the program, how big a deal is it that its a community college program and not a big state school? My bachelors is from a Cal State but I can't really go back there for the accounting stuff because of distance and money. Anything to be careful about before starting one of these community college programs? 3) Is this feasible working full time? 4) Will my age be a problem? Say I do switch over to an accounting career, will employers have a problem with a 34 or 35 year old first year accountant? Thanks ahead for reading this super boring account of my current work life and for any tips or advice. visuvius fucked around with this message at 00:43 on Sep 16, 2014 |
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Sep 16, 2014 00:40
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Don't.
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Sep 16, 2014 00:55
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1) Leave your current job once you're done passing the tests. I don't see any point of leaving before that. 2) Once you get your license, or say you've passed all the CPA tests, they're not going to care where you went to school. 3) Yes, especially if you're actually only doing 6 hour days 4) No.
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Sep 16, 2014 00:59
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Mush Mushi posted:drat that sucks. Maybe they will adjust the average downward! Do you think there realistically was anything you could have done? I've scored a 94 and 98 on my first two sections, so I guess I am still in the running under last year's criteria. I can only study for about 7 hours or so before information goes in one ear and out the other. FAR is in a month so hopefully I can pick up the pace. Sorry, I just saw this now. Realistically, I could've given myself a bit more time for BEC, but I don't know if that would've actually made a difference. If you've scored there on your first two sections, you definitely have a shot, and if you can go for 7 hours at a time, just keep doing what you're doing, your pace is fine. For me, putting the time in and doing lots of MCQs was the main focus; I found that once I finished a whole section's content, going back and doing 40 question progress tests by section was helpful at showing where I was weak on stuff. Either way, congrats on passing two sections, and good luck on the last two - I'm sure you'll be fine!
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Sep 16, 2014 01:15
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KILLALLNERDS.EXE posted:Don't. Agreed. Given your experience, why would you want to go accounting, rather than management? Accounting hours and pay are generally worse than management. I would kill for a full time position with only okay pay where I worked only from 30~ hours. 1. Yeah it's pretty bad idea. Would you rather spend 30 hours working under someone you don't like or 50? 2. What Harry said, with the caveat that you really need to check with your state's licensing board for what exactly you need to sit and certify as a CPA. 3. Definitely given a 30 hour work week, even at a normal 40 its not too bad. 4. I've heard its no problem, though I don't know personally.
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Sep 16, 2014 16:19
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visuvius posted:
I just hired a junior staffer that was considerably older than the kids right out from college, but we really liked her work ethic and her past careers. That being said, junior accountant pay scale sucks.
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Sep 16, 2014 16:42
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Thanks for the input. Knowing that the age thing won't be a problem is a bit of a relief. I don't plan on leaving my job any time soon but I just feel like a want a little more of a robust skill set and for the type of stuff I'm good at, going the CPA route seems like a decent choice. While things are good here, there is only so much new stuff I can learn or be a part of. I'm involved in the sales side, I'm involved in the marketing side and we only have a handful of employees, only two of whom I would consider "under" me so I will have trouble cultivating managerial skills. If I do leave, the goal is not to start as a junior accountant but to use the experience I have to get into a little bit more of a substantial position somewhere in my same industry. And if the poo poo really hits the fan and I can't find that, well then at least I have a CPA license to find that lovely little junior accountant job. Plus I'm very mildly interested in this stuff, something I can't say about most other fields.
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Sep 16, 2014 17:44
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visuvius posted:Thanks for the input. Knowing that the age thing won't be a problem is a bit of a relief. I don't plan on leaving my job any time soon but I just feel like a want a little more of a robust skill set and for the type of stuff I'm good at, going the CPA route seems like a decent choice. While things are good here, there is only so much new stuff I can learn or be a part of. I'm involved in the sales side, I'm involved in the marketing side and we only have a handful of employees, only two of whom I would consider "under" me so I will have trouble cultivating managerial skills. Depending on your state, most/all require work experience in the seven competencies to become a CPA. So you'll have to go somewhere and be a junior accountant. The corporation I work at has a program to develop CPA's in house, working in tax and internal audit. Most do not. Ymmv.
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Sep 17, 2014 02:12
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Just got rejected for an internship from Grant Thornton, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Deloitte, KPMG and EY now on to the local firms...
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Sep 18, 2014 02:59
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Sorry if this has been covered before, but does anyone have recommendations for cheap CPA exam prep resources? The Becker and Wiley programs are way out of my price range right now. How specialized are those review books? Would I be able to get most of the material from regular accounting textbooks?
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Sep 18, 2014 20:58
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posh spaz posted:Sorry if this has been covered before, but does anyone have recommendations for cheap CPA exam prep resources? The Becker and Wiley programs are way out of my price range right now. How specialized are those review books? Would I be able to get most of the material from regular accounting textbooks? Outside of some tax stuff on REG, there really wasn't anything on the exams that I hadn't already seen with a BS/MS in accounting. Becker isn't going to teach you anything new, but it is going to focus you on the stuff most likely to be tested and hammer it into your brain. You could get most of the same information from a normal textbook but it would be way harder to study that way
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Sep 18, 2014 21:44
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Gleim is $1,000 for all 4 parts. Depending on your school/organizations you may get a discount. They're adding videos at no extra cost as well.
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Sep 18, 2014 21:53
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I'm unemployed right now, going back to school to pick up the few accounting classes I need to qualify in CO. We just moved back here from Germany so I have to wait a year to get in-state tuition. I just wanted to get a jump on prep while I have lots of free time. Hurt Whitey Maybe posted:Gleim is $1,000 for all 4 parts. Depending on your school/organizations you may get a discount. That's way out of my price range right now. I'm thinking more along the lines of $25 a pop for previous edition textbooks.
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Sep 18, 2014 22:24
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When are you going to be taking the exam? You should really consider saving up the money and getting current edition books and the whole system most companies will sell you. There's a lot more to these than just the books. If you can't wait to start though, check out Amazon, there should be old editions on there.
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Sep 18, 2014 22:42
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Hurt Whitey Maybe posted:When are you going to be taking the exam? I won't be able to sit the exam for at least a year. Realistically more like 2 years. They're upping the requirements for sitting the exam in Colorado next June. It's possible, but not likely I'll be able to squeak in under the old requirements. I need at least 6 more classes before I can sit the exam, and 3 after that to get the license. I'm still talking to some schools to figure out if it would make sense time/money-wise to try to piece the requirements together at the undergrad level, or do a whole MAcc. I already have an MBA so I'm not sure I really need/want another master's. Once it gets closer, I'll invest in some proper study guides.
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Sep 18, 2014 22:52
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Speaking of test review companies my sister was offered an internship with becker in sacramento for next year. She is only a community college student now, though will receive an AS in accounting this coming spring semester before transferring to finish BS in accounting Looking at the price of the becker prep I figure she could probably get a discount on that as well. Her main goal is auditing at a big 4 so I'm wondering if she should try to get an internship with one of them in sacramento instead after getting her AS + some general work experience while finishing her bs or just take the first offer she got.
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Sep 19, 2014 00:12
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I don't think many employers care about an AS. They'd rather just scoop up interns that are in their way to a BS or MS. There's plenty of those to go around. Most big 4 want people with MACC or MTax or at least students in a priority recruiting school with a plan for 150. Internship at an audit firm is huge, as well as roles in campus orgs like BAP. Not acting like a goober during interviews is also essential. It's a pretty straightforward path if that's what she wants but it takes several years of steady work to execute.
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Sep 19, 2014 00:27
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posh spaz posted:That's way out of my price range right now. I'm thinking more along the lines of $25 a pop for previous edition textbooks. I think Bisk's textbooks are around $50 each - I used them to pass the four parts in my first go around.
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Sep 19, 2014 03:17
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Wiley CPA usually has year access for it's test bank and the some gigantic book for like $500 every once in a while. Honestly though, with that long of a time frame I don't see the point.
Harry fucked around with this message at 03:28 on Sep 19, 2014 |
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Sep 19, 2014 03:26
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Good Citizen posted:I don't think many employers care about an AS. They'd rather just scoop up interns that are in their way to a BS or MS. There's plenty of those to go around. Thanks for the information, yeah I figure its a long path and yeah she is definitely planning to join the BAP at university so thats good to know it looks good. The other path was potentially working forensic for the FBI does anyone have any information on resources I could give her on that path?
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Sep 19, 2014 05:22
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Recruiting season is coming into full swing at my school and I'm preparing for an upcoming career fair and other recruiting events. This means, among other things, buying a suit. The problem: I'm a huge dyke and wearing women's clothing makes me want to crawl out of my skin. However, I know that accounting is a pretty conservative profession and I don't want recruiters' first impression of me to be that I'm weird or offputting. Given your experience, will it be okay for me to wear a very androgynous cut suit (basically menswear) to this kind of thing, as long as it's nice and business formal? Or should I suck it up and try to look like a girl?
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Sep 22, 2014 01:06
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Esme posted:Given your experience, will it be okay for me to wear a very androgynous cut suit (basically menswear) to this kind of thing, as long as it's nice and business formal? Or should I suck it up and try to look like a girl? Split the difference and get a nice women's pant suit?
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Sep 22, 2014 01:16
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posh spaz posted:Split the difference and get a nice women's pant suit? Well, that's firmly in the category of women's clothing for me. I dunno how to explain it, it's just the way it's cut and the way it pulls or whatever makes me feel ridiculous and kills my confidence. Also lack of pockets is the worst. Feel free to tell me I'm being a huge baby, though.
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Sep 22, 2014 01:36
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Esme posted:Feel free to tell me I'm being a huge baby, though. There's like a million dudes in the world who despise wearing suits and want to wear jeans to interviews. Most just suck it up and wear the drat suit. Sometimes you just gotta play the game.
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Sep 22, 2014 03:04
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Esme posted:Well, that's firmly in the category of women's clothing for me. I dunno how to explain it, it's just the way it's cut and the way it pulls or whatever makes me feel ridiculous and kills my confidence. Also lack of pockets is the worst. Feel free to tell me I'm being a huge baby, though. Look do you want a job or no? Face it, these recruiting events are about first impressions and playing into what these firms are looking for. Nobody cares that you're a huge dyke. Everyone wants to see you wearing a pantsuit or some other professional clothing. Sucking it up and getting a good job when you have a good opportunity to can lead to extra $xxx,xxx over your life. Maybe even $x,xxx,xxx. Get a pant suit.
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Sep 22, 2014 11:23
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Aqualung posted:Sucking it up and getting a good job when you have a good opportunity to can lead to extra $xxx,xxx over your life. Maybe even $x,xxx,xxx. Counterpoint: these fairs tend to be scams and having an in tends to be a far more important factor for job hiring than how classy you look at a career fair.
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Sep 22, 2014 12:20
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ThirdPartyView posted:Counterpoint: these fairs tend to be scams and having an in tends to be a far more important factor for job hiring than how classy you look at a career fair. Campus career fairs are the center of recruiting at a lot of schools. Obviously there are recruiting events before hand, but not showing up in professional clothing at the fair is a bad idea. And not to be offensive, but I was an intern with a relatively obvious lesbian and she got by just fine. Wear whatever professional clothes you feel comfortable with, as long as you look like a professional who is well put together. No one is going to say "lady looks like a dude!!!"
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Sep 22, 2014 12:47
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Hurt Whitey Maybe posted:Campus career fairs are the center of recruiting at a lot of schools. Obviously there are recruiting events before hand, but not showing up in professional clothing at the fair is a bad idea. That's why everyone should wear tuxedos to career fairs. 
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Sep 22, 2014 14:07
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ThirdPartyView posted:That's why everyone should wear tuxedos to career fairs. Everyone knows tuxedos are partner-only attire.
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Sep 22, 2014 14:31
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Aqualung posted:Look do you want a job or no? Whoa, there was never a question of wearing professional clothes or not. Just how they'd be cut. I'm not quite that stupid. Hurt Whitey Maybe posted:And not to be offensive, but I was an intern with a relatively obvious lesbian and she got by just fine. Wear whatever professional clothes you feel comfortable with, as long as you look like a professional who is well put together. No one is going to say "lady looks like a dude!!!" Opinions on all this seem to be pretty mixed, but it's been seriously helpful for me to hear everyone's input, so thanks. A lot better to get it from anonymous internet strangers than from people I'm trying to impress. 
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Sep 22, 2014 15:47
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I agree having an in somewhere is important, but it just opens the door. Sometimes actual hiring people go to career fairs, and it's always safer to make a professional impression on the off chance they might do your initial interview someday. You still need to pass multiple interviews at most companies, so even if you have an in there's a limit to how far that goes.
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Sep 22, 2014 16:09
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posh spaz posted:I agree having an in somewhere is important, but it just opens the door. Sometimes actual hiring people go to career fairs, and it's always safer to make a professional impression on the off chance they might do your initial interview someday. On the other hand, knowing actual accounting firm HR people, the fairs don't give you brownie points for being awesome, just bin you for being a goober. Some even told me that it's not worth attending at all.
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Sep 22, 2014 16:20
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ThirdPartyView posted:On the other hand, knowing actual accounting firm HR people, the fairs don't give you brownie points for being awesome, just bin you for being a goober. Some even told me that it's not worth attending at all. I would say 90%+ of the people who got jobs out of school in my year got them by networking at the recruiting days and nothing else. I'm gonna go ahead and assume this is true for the majority of schools.
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Sep 22, 2014 16:27
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ThirdPartyView posted:On the other hand, knowing actual accounting firm HR people, the fairs don't give you brownie points for being awesome, just bin you for being a goober. Some even told me that it's not worth attending at all. I think it really depends on what you're trying to get out of the career fair, re: not being worth it. I had a payroll accounting job at a Fortune 500. I chatted up the lady at the career fair, and she remembered me when I got called in for the initial interview. I felt a lot more comfortable talking to her and I think she was more comfortable talking to me, and the interview went really well. If you're a goober college student, you probably need practice talking to strangers in semi-professional settings. In that case, go talk to every single person there. But yeah, if you're a super-goober, maybe you should try freelance programming from your mom's basement instead.
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Sep 22, 2014 16:31
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posh spaz posted:If you're a goober college student, you probably need practice talking to strangers in semi-professional settings. In that case, go talk to every single person there. Yeah this is me. Actually, this particular fair doesn't even have firms that I'm interested in, but I could definitely use the practice. Especially since there's another, smaller one that's put on by Beta Alpha Psi coming up that I KNOW people have gotten an in on jobs from.
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Sep 22, 2014 20:31
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I think career fairs are more about getting a sense of the firms than it is about the firms getting a sense for you. My schools career fair let me test my assumptions about the different firms and confirm two had attitudes I did not want to associate with.
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Sep 23, 2014 14:34
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Esme posted:Whoa, there was never a question of wearing professional clothes or not. Just how they'd be cut. I'm not quite that stupid. A lot of it isn't about the fact that you want to wear jeans (I let my staff do it on fridays and weekends) but a couple of issues: 1) Our older clients are much more conservative than the rest. Our wealthiest client gets upset if I'm not wearing a tie when he sees me, so when we know he's coming in, the entire office dresses with a little more class. 2) Trying to "express yourself" and throwing a fit over office attire screams out unnecessary drama to potential employers and co-workers. This job has enough drama as it is, nobody wants to work with any more than necessary.
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Sep 23, 2014 17:00
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Jesus, you ever gently caress up real bad? Like real bad? Just one of those days where things just go from worse to worst in minutes.
Audax fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Sep 24, 2014 |
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Sep 24, 2014 01:11
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Audax posted:Jesus, you ever gently caress up real bad? Like real bad? Define 'gently caress up' since the base threshold can be anywhere. Like "I stupidly sent a 'Partner X/Boss sucks' email to the boss" gently caress up or a "I bankrupted this company in 10 minutes flat" gently caress up?
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Sep 24, 2014 01:21
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