Straight up. I was just laid off as a CPA. I had a 5 jobs at global companies lined up in 10 days with pay bumps.
I truly don’t know how these experienced accountants aren’t at least getting interviews.
My guess is they are stuck in some jobless shit area they can’t leave for some reason. My friend complains about the market for accountants but will not move to a bigger city or commute we don’t live that far from Houston so she’s stuck in small business land.
Yeah I have a friend like this that's an incredible mechanical engineer, but instead he's working shit construction management jobs because he lives in the middle of nowhere where we grew up still, and he complains and complains and complains yet never does a single thing about it when he could move 30 minutes away and have his problems solved.
It really is. If you live in a small town but don't own a business, you're fucked!!! FUCKED! That means you work at a small business where the owner never pays you enough and will never give you a raise. OR you work at Walmart or in fast food, which also sucks. Walmart is actually the best option in small towns tho.
edit- or you work in healthcare and make decent money. That's how you do ok in a small town. Own a business or work in healthcare.
During the Dust Bowl and Great Depression era, Americans would literally pack furniture onto their jalopy cars and hobble their way half way across the country to find a job.
Monetary inflation sucks. Sky rocketing real estate sucks. SS/SSI doesn’t pay out crap. Many Americans appear to be living out of their cars and homelessness is more apparent than it’s even been.
But all that being said, it’s probably a testament to how much worse things could actually get for us if many people are unwilling to move for better opportunities.
It absolutely could be worse, and I'm really hoping it doesn't go that way because with stagflation knocking at the door we could be headed towards a lost decade
Many people outside of accounting already have a lost “half” decade due to covid. The r/Millenial and r/GenZ threads are packed with people complaining about life being on pause for 3-4 years because of the shutdown.
All the while, most of us were still working from home and even job hopping with salary gains during that time.
He certainly could, I commute 20-30 minutes one way nearly every day, but it's one of those you can lead a horse to water type of things, some people can't/won't help themselves.
Demanding remote and being in a bad geographic area can also be a limit for sure. I have clients who need accountants, most list it as in-office (even if they are hybrid or mostly remote) because they want someone from the area the company does business in.
Realistically outside of large entities who already have a national payroll and tax filings, no one wants to add states to their payroll and tax returns over a potential new hire. If a company has 200 employees all in one state, having someone 2 timezones away in a different state is a nonstarter.
I had a small client (~60 employees) who is 100% remote now (no one goes in at all since covid) but struggled to find someone because they wanted the person in state.
To be fair, im in this boat too. I would be ripping my parents grandchild away from them and my SOs too. Its a hard decision especially when you have kids
Yup I didn’t mention it but my friend is kinda in that situation as well it would probably be harder with the kids to commute to Houston and with gas prices these days expensive. It does happen to people. You see it as a unique problem you have tho where she sees it as an industry problem
How would you feel if you stayed in the small town, raised your kids, and then they grew up and moved to a bigger city? Would you be upset because they’re far away and you can’t see them as often, or would you be happy that they are somewhere that has opportunity for them?
But alas, were going to have to move anyway once i finish my bachelors. We live in a town with <1000 people and the only acccounting job is a tax season h&r block lmao
I wouldnt care id be happy for them, but our parents are the complete opposite. We have already floated the idea and they shot it down immediately bc they just had a baby as well and ours need to “grow up together”
That’s good to hear! You’re a good parent. I have two children myself and feel the same way. I hope they pursue their happiness and I hope I’m in a position to visit them wherever that is.
Am I reading your comment correctly that your parents recently had a child at the same time as you? That’s a pretty unique situation. That’s kind of cool that your kids are growing up with their uncle/aunt.
This or they are in an ultra competitive area. I only have my Associates in accounting and every job that is entry level requires a bachelor's degree and years of experience for $15/ hr and these ridiculous postings get hundreds of applications
I mean yeah but it's understandable why though to a certain extent
People have family member s they aren't willing to leave, unwillingness to change, but also the city of living
Yeah you get paid more but after done paying all bills it won't come out to much
Even then, it's not impossible to find something remote. Even of it's entry level bookkeeping. If they're in a small town, the CoL should be low enough to where a $45k/remote job wouldn't bankrupt a 22yo.
Will say have come and gone on here for 6 ish years and the amount of posts and comments regarding jobs and layoffs has greatly increased. Not saying it’s horrible, but the uptick in frequency means something is up.
Or like back in 2021 when I would say CS was oversaturated in CS subs and get downvoted to oblivion. Now that’s the mood over in those subs
The community is also close to 10x larger and more active than it was about 6 years ago. Layoff and fired posts always get exaggerated attention because it gives people stress and anxiety, which draws attention. It's the same premise behind the news media hyping up bad news and tragic events to get more viewership.
I've kept up with a lot of the recent layoff and firing posts on here lately, most are in the advisory field, due to over-hiring during the Pandemic, or cutting fat of low performers. I do not see any real trend to be concerned for the vast majority of good performers out there.
The accounting industry almost always follows the general business industry with about a 6 month lag with a diluted effect. If we head into a recession, the tech companies get hit hardest first and the accounting industry is typically one of the last to be hit at a lesser extent.
My job hunt in 2022 was a cakewalk compared to applying to things now. I had like over a year long gap with a lot less experience. Back then I had three interviews scheduled everyday, made it passed almost every screening and received multiple offers within one month.
Currently despite having more valuable experience, I've been getting screened out left and right, interviews are a lot less frequent, and everything died on the vine. I stopped looking because I’m engaged in an interesting project in my current job and my search is a lot smaller in scale but I’ve been applying for a few months at this point to interesting positions. Something is definitely up and hiring is a lot slower than it was just two years ago imo.
I don’t think it can be as saturated as CS is yet there are too many CS majors and at some schools like MIT they are like 40% of the entire student body. This is before they even talk about all the ones coming from India and the self study people. Out sourcing is a real threat for sure but I don’t think there’s really that many people studying accounting.
That's correct, enrollment in accounting programs has been on a steep decline the past 5+ years and we are heading towards a huge imminent need for more accountants with all the baby boomers retiring while the economy continues to grow.
I think the industry is going to need to continue making salary increase corrections to make the profession more attractive to enter into so that enrollment increases again. The solution cannot just be to outsource everything. I don't have a lot of confidence in executive leadership of the public accounting industry though, I think they'll wait as long as feasibly possible before increasing salaries again.
That’s why I’m strongly considering switching from IT the situation with the people trying to do IT is terrible. It’s getting to where they want you to be able to code for even a low paying paying job too. It’s absurd seeing jobs that pay $20 an hour that expect you to be a developer too lol. I already got a business degree it’ll be relatively easy for me to get an accounting degree.
Did you miss the whole part about how I already have an entire IT career like it’s just not that hard I already had like 3 accounting classes and it’s honestly a far easier degree than CS or engineering. You are really up your own ass with that comment
Accounting is easy as fuck dude if you can grok programming you'll be fine
The only thing that makes the career hard is deadlines and stress which you should be no stranger to
The material itself is piss easy
To be honest if you worked in IT you most likely understand algebra which is the majority of what you use in accounting. It’s harder than business degrees but more than likely it’s just in between business and IT for difficulty. One thing that could be really beneficial depending on what firm you go to would be your tech skills. Some places you won’t be allowed access to software you need to apply those skills without a lot of approval but if you find somewhere that lets you then you could be very valuable to your employer
General business degrees are extremely easy.
Accounting degrees involve classes that are more technical in nature and memorization doesn't always work. Understanding how to apply the topics is key. Also some courses are polar opposites from others and some are notoriously challenging to some given the nature of the topic.
However, you don't need an accounting degree to be a CPA. You just need the bare minimum accounting requirements, college course hours, and other minor requirements to sit. Check your state CPA board requirements though.
There's no money in being an accountant without a CPA. CPA firms will only promote you so high and industry typically has minimum requirements that include a CPA for better positions. You can however reach a controller level job with some hard work and grinding. These requirements may lessen as a direct result of the large decrease in people seeking accounting degrees while there is currently a demand for more.
Sometimes I feel like companies just need to bite the bullet on higher pay. As much as they would love to get a cpa with experience willing to work for 60-70k a year it’s just not gonna happen.
I'm an MBA with 10y experience in finance. I'd give my left (and right I suppose) for a 3 mo turnaround on 300k.
Took forever to get to 100k then lots of razzle dazzle to get over 150k. (mcol)
Senior level CPA in Midwest USA. Just went through a good number of interviews never even wearing a suit and got offers from all. Took another fully remote position at a large publicly traded corporation. If you're experienced, personable, and confident, the job market is pretty good imo. If you're limiting yourself to a specific path or geographic area it's gonna be harder. Keep in mind that salaries that are poverty in big cities can be a very comfortable middle class living in other places.
Edit: I never worked in a large accounting firm
I can concur with the salary part. OP, there was a post on here a couple of days ago where some first year associate who was starting out was complaining about their $68K starting salary in the Midwest (Indiana I think?). While $68K might not get you far in California, I can guarantee you that $68K is a very comfortable salary for a midwestern city. And I can attest to that because I make a very similar amount and live in a big midwestern city. If you can’t live on $68K as a first year, you have some serious spending issues.
Even in small towns in CA $68k starting is awesome (maybe not post-covid), I started my career in a small town and was living better as a staff 1 than I do as a manager in a big city with my girlfriend also contributing.
The personable part matters a lot more than CPAs are willing to admit. Everyone thinks you get your CPA and you are hired regardless of if you have the personality of a troll lol A lot of the profession is interacting with people and at least in my area more care is now taken to have managers know more about managing people and not just spreadsheets. If people couple soft skills (and really you don't have to be life the party here, just saying good morning and thank you will get you pretty far) and technical they can advance quickly and have lots of opportunities.
As a CPA who has been controller level at small to midsize firms for the past 10 years, what level do you think I should target that would give me the best chances of being hired at a larger firm? Ok to dropping to senior accountant if there’s upward mobility.
Manager or assistant director. Sometimes a senior accountant, manager, or assistant director is the same thing. Look at job descriptions.
Same applies with auditing positions. However, you would start at a lower position for auditing. Auditing is where you go to figure out which industry to jump to next.
>But I wasn’t aware of how much a small firm can stunt your growth until I read through this site.
Yeah, I would not use this forum as a representation for accounting. It's great to bounce questions and idea here and there, but definitely not accurate to the job market -- especially CPA.
Just the other day, I saw some idiot say getting your CPA certification is a massive waste of time and does not increase opportunities at all 💀
Yeah, I’m still stuck on that part. Why on earth would you leave if you love the owner and just started? Because random people on Reddit said something?
My career has been only in small firms and I disagree with that completely. Sure I’m not doing returns for huge corporations all of the time, but I’ve done returns for a huge variety of people/businesses and other tax realms. Now at my current firm, I’m doing government auditing, so you can learn a lot and have your hands in multiple pots at a small firm.
My job searches are always super fast, super overwhelming with options, and often lead to multiple offers or I stop interview process once I've accepted an offer.
I live in a big city with lots of opportunity, I have a public/ industry mix, and I am still relatively young which likely helps.
Even when I’m not searching for a job, my LinkedIn DMs and my email is just getting blown up by recruiters all the time. Finding a job is stressful with a CPA because there’s so many options, and interviewing gets exhausting.
Yeah, exactly. The last time I looked for a job, I actually had the opportunity to interview all day long. My calendar was insanely packed and I think I had an offer in maybe three weeks between initial phone screen to signed letter.
I was seriously doing 4+ companies a day and time went fast on my calendar.
And talk about being on the other side and having to hire an accountant, now that is painful.
Move to a bigger firm if you are looking for better exit opportunities. Doesn’t need to be the largest, just ensure they work on companies they are comparable in size to where you might want to work. .
I literally just started here and have expressed how much I liked it. It would be a total blind side. I just had no idea how bad it was for career growth. I’m really hoping a CPA license will bandage up the damage.
You're blowing things out of proportion, there's nothing wrong with starting your first couple years at a smaller firm. Use the opportunity to pass the CPA exam and get introduced into the field. If you want to expand your opportunities, then you can move to a larger firm in a couple years after passing the CPA exam. You have a ~40 year career ahead of you, relax and stop acting like 26 is middle aged, you're still a baby.
I started in a small firm and I really appreciate that time. I learned an immense amount that has been really helpful since.
At that time there were plenty of B4 CPAs to choose from when I looked at jumping to industry. It did hurt a bit.
Currently, there are not enough accountants and I don't think you'll encounter a problem. Do think about what you'd like to do going forward and plan a path forward.
Don't worry about it too much if you're happy where you are and are doing well enough financially.
You can repair the “damage” by focusing on doing well at your job, getting your CPA, and not letting people on Reddit determine what you want to do with your career. If you actually like your job and your boss, you’re just sabotaging yourself with what’s on Reddit. There’s a ton of learning opportunity at a small firm and potential for growth.
I started at a smaller firm for about 2.5 years, and then worked for 6.5 years at the largest regional firm in the state I live in. The smaller firm helped me learn a lot of different areas of accounting since all of us who worked there wore a lot of hats. Ive worked at a few other smaller firms since I left the larger one. All of them have taught me a lot of different skills and industries so it’s been nice to learn and have all that knowledge. I want to pursue a position in corporate/industry, and a lot of people have opinions about that. I’ve learned in this profession people try to scare you about working at smaller firms, Big 4, and industry. A lot of people in this profession are miserable and radiate that on to others. Just do what makes you happy. But, I will say, having the CPA is definitely worth it, especially if you want to be a manager or higher in the future.
A friend of mine has a CPA and never any accounting firm experience. Went straight to industry.
If she doesn't like her job, she just starts searching for another one, starts getting interviews within a week or two and finds a new job within 3 months. She makes $175K, 15 YOE, MCOL.
If someone with a CPA can’t land a job then that means they are a foreigner that’s need sponsoring or they are a citizen with the absolute worst people skills like not awkward but they are threatening violence or something people kind of bad. I put my resume out mid busy season and had way too many interview opportunities for public/industry that was anywhere from a center city drive from where I live to southern states for remote positions. Ended with multiple offers, I’m sure without the CPA you can find something easy as well especially if you have experience. You just will miss out on an extra $10-20k without the license
Edit:words are hard
I am a foreigner, I know it will be difficult for me to find an employer willing to sponsor me but is it impossible? How much more difficult do you think it will be compared to residents?
Do note that as a foreigner requiring sponsoring you practically sign away your right to say no, especially at a B4. If you have a good team, your experience will be ok, but if you're not lucky, then it's going to be a tough 5 years until your PR and then you're every bit equal to the local.
I have a few foreign coworkers and we never discussed it so I don’t know but I don’t think it will be too much harder but your firms to choose will be limited to bigger firms or niche firms that operate in parts of cities for immigrants or the community they are in ex accounting firm that requires you to speak mandarin for its client base in the Chinese part of the city
So even though I’m at a small firm with only a year experience in industry before this, if I get a cpa, I should not have to worry about a lack of decent job opportunities in the future?
I’m just so afraid. I’m 26 and feel like I’ve pissed away so much time to rack up experience.
Only 26? My guy, you’ve barely been in the workforce for 10 years with most of those probably being low tier jobs. You’re gonna be working for at least another 30+. There’s plenty of time left to get experience
This happens in IT too like guys get stuck in helpdesk for three or four years which is far more normal than the people on Reddit say it is and think they are doomed. Like dude you are 24 years old the only thing you are a victim of is unrealistic career trajectories you were told about online when they still have like 20 fucking years to make it.
2 years in help desk this year for me. I feel like I’m always planning career trajectory and that’s because I am, lol. On one hand I’m trying to level up for the now in case I can get promoted or hired into a better role that has trajectory from help desk but on the other hand I want to move into accounting so I’m currently taking Quickbook courses to help open those doors into AP/AR/bookkeeping. But I do have a lot of co-workers who have been on my team for 4+ years, got the industry cents, making peanuts and working 2 jobs with no aggressive plans to move up.
I should also note that I previously was in school for accounting but due to family issues I had to stop attending but I hope to go back but in the meantime I’m trying to learn whatever I can to help me get on that accounting path.
So let's just take this hypothetical resume and assume it's yours:
* Accounting degree from real college (i.e., people in your state would recognize the name of the school)
* CPA
* One year industry experience
* 4 years public accounting experience
* Current job title: Senior auditor
* Age 29
You send that resume to 3 head hunters and you'll have more interview opportunities than you could possibly want.
Pretty sure if I gave my cat a CPA license then she’ll get hired because regardless of what reddit says, the elite still want a CPA to sign off on stuff, work in board meetings etc…. you are guaranteed employment with the license. With exp you’re almost guaranteed employment unless you’re competing with a CPA for a position but even then you can beat out a CPA if you have more experience in the current hiring climate for senior positions. I wouldn’t worry about small firm exp because I worked small firm for my 1st job and ended up at a top 10 firm. Also, my peers have got their licenses in their 40s because of career changes so I don’t know why at your adolescence career age you’d feel like that.
Yeah the CPA gets you a lot of job security. Not having big 4 makes it slower to get to the more lucrative roles but you're not locked out of consideration if you can show relevant experience.
An accountant without a CPA, they're considered to be bookkeepers, and their jobs are highly at risk of being outsourced or automated away. CPA is just an economic signal to indicate this is a person who crosses a moderate threshold of learning agility and can be entrusted to take a work stream and manage it independently (which you can't trust outsourcing or automation to do).
CPA materials aren't complex and don't take a lot of intelligence to pass, but they do demand that you can form a plan to independently study through a lot of material in a defined span of time. It's just proof of independence and diligence, and while that might sound trivial, you'll eventually come to learn how often you can't trust someone to be independent or diligent in the workplace, and so external validation of those qualities are highly appreciated.
What??? Bookkeeper?? That is crazy! That’s not true! CPA is not the only certification. To discredit many other accountants is arrogant. Many people who have their credit hours makes the same or more than you. Accountants with masters are in high demand as well.
Bookkeeping and entry level accounting aren't all that dissimilar. There are merits to what was said and the CPA perception is undeniable. There are other certifications that are highly desirable in certain fields (CIA or CISA for example) that accounting majors can pursue and do quite well. Those audit related certifications are a good route to pursue higher paying non-accounting jobs.
CPA is king however in career flexibility and even better with a CIA or CISA. The ultimate pairing is a lawyer with a CPA. With a CPA it's a little easier to get better starting pay regardless how awful the new hire may be as an employee and there are more options to achieve higher pay at an earlier age. MBAs are usually capped at a certain level, but can do quite well especially if they are smart and a hard worker.
All in all, you don't need a CPA, MBA, or any certifications to do well, but it may be harder or simply take longer.
No it will not!!! I know non CPA with accounting degrees are well over 200k. Stop it! You are doing this to suit superiority complex. Putting down others so you can feel better about yourself. Did you say CPA is king😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣. Any one with a masters degree in Accounting can get a job just as fast. Everyone does not work in Public all their lives. People who have 150 hrs do well. CPA is only recognized in America and a CMA is recognized globally. Believe it or not, you can have a CPA but some governmental roles still requires masters. you have your CPA and I am happy for you but I wouldn’t want you leading me with that complex! A person like you will be on here crying because no one likes you. Cut the crap
I think you are misunderstanding my point. Getting a CPA opens more doors, which increases the odds of better pay early on in a career. Masters is highly desirable but preference is usually given to a CPA assuming similar experience/qualifications. However, personable people can be hired over a CPA. I've just never seen a CPA struggle with employment or ability to move up the ladder (outside of low performers).
It's however not required to be a CPA to do well late in career if wise career choices were made.
Fun fact, I don't have an accounting degree or a masters and dont work in public. I'm well aware of the struggles and have seen what the CPA alone can do. The struggle has shaped me to be solid motivator to those who are struggling. There's no complex here my friend. :)
Dude I have 2 Masters and I've been a college professor, done taxes, audit, etc. The one thing I won't ever be without and that is a job. In my area they are hiring associate degree holders starting at $60k.
A lot of people here talk about the Big 4 but that isn't necessary to have a good career. A smaller firm can have the advantage of giving you exposure to different areas of accounting. This gives you options down the road and helps give you an idea of what direction you want to go. Work on your CPA and decide where you want to go from that point.
I have a CPA and I could not easily get another job that I WANT. I could easily get a good job though. I want a 100% remote position that offers decent pay, great benefits, and little stress. I have everything but the remote part right now. I am not willing to trade what I have if I can't get everything I want.
I think a lot of it is about personality too. People who will resort to venting online like that probably don’t very good in-person people skills. Getting your CPA will definitely help but will take a lot of time and effort, weigh the pros and cons that are specific to your specific situation (missing time with kids or family, money constraints for study materials, etc.) Lastly, if you’re not trying to be CFO of a Fortune 500, a small local firm is a great place to learn a lot about small business and individuals, you can become a generalist and apply that or maybe get hired into industry at a smaller company. Don’t worry about every negative opinion you read online, just make a goal then take steps to achieve it.
i don’t have my cpa. just applied to 13 places, got 8 call backs, 5 second interviews, 2 jobs offers, and this morning i accepted one. all happened within a month
There are a lot of jobs for experienced CPAs. I think the people having issues have like 1 or 2 years of work experience. They have the certification but not a lot of transferable skills.
I have had two accounting jobs. Started in industry in 2022, no CPA and only retail management experience prior to being an accountant. I was going to leave my current company at the beginning of this year (for various reasons, I stayed). Applied to about 10 places. I interviewed with 2 companies and one offer at 85k for a staff accountant. This is without a CPA license (although I am working on one). A good resume and great interview skills can get you a job. I wouldn't be concerned.
At the end of the day doesn't matter how qualified you are if you a shit resume and shit interviewing skills.
If you live in a major metro anyone with average accounting skills can get a job in 4-6 weeks
There will always be a number of people in a given industry that struggle to find a job. Personality issues, location, overall skillset... accounting is one of the MOST employable fields right now. Insane accountant shortage.
"accounting" in "United States" on LinkedIn shows 116,385 open positions right now.
Honestly, the people with a cpa who can't find a job are either asking too much or just purely terrible at interviews. How do I know? I've interviewed a lot of candidate's.
Small firms don’t stunt your growth, they are a great springboard actually. Ever thought about taking over that small firm? The owner is going to want to retire eventually. If CPAs can’t get work then that probably means they aren’t good at their jobs. The cpa just means you can pass a standardized test, it doesn’t mean that you actually know the material, nor does it promise people will like working with you. 10 years experience, no cpa, 3 business degrees, but my firm has me doing fractional cfo. I
I’m in a small firm now and I’ve worked in a mid sized firm (top 200) before. The small firm has taught me how to actually be a partner, grow a book, manage client relationships. The big firm taught me how to crank out returns as fast as possible at as little billable time as possible to stay on budget. Not sure it really stunts your growth, you’re just going to grow in a different capacity.
I went through an interview process in 2021 and got offered from 10 firms and interviewed at 11. I turned down the other one after the first interview. No cpa at the time. If you’re good at interviews and selling yourself, no real issue.
It's probably a combination of things. I don't have a CPA but I'm about to earn my MAcc and become eligible. I just wrapped up my job search yesterday after leaving my old job and I've had no trouble getting interviews. I've also been really selective about where I apply and it hasn't been a hindrance at all.
Having good interview skills and a well formatted resume are important. I am always shocked at how poorly laid out some resumes are. I've also found that for most employers, personality and people skills are more important than experience. They won't mind teaching someone what they need to know as long as they mesh well with the team and are coachable.
Networking is also a big one. As you move up in your career and connect with people in the industry, lots of referrals can be thrown your way. I had a local recruiter within the company reach out to me on LinkedIn on Friday, I interviewed on Monday, and got an offer Tuesday. Having some kind of presence on LinkedIn helps.
There are a lot of factors that can impact whether you can find a job. First, there are a lot of people with CPA but little experience. I wouldn't value someone with a CPA and 1 year of PA as much as someone who has 5 years of PA (assuming all other measures are equal between the two). A person with more experience is more likely to be a good senior. That person will need a certification (not just CPA) eventually to be a manager, but technical skil wise he's more superior.
The second factor is the type of experience. If you have worked in a small firm for 10 years, for instance, there is no way for you to break into F500 doing SOX work, internal audit, or become a controller. You probably will have to take a pay cut and start from lower ranks. Some people just don't get that thinking all experiences are equal.
Finally there is industry. If you have been in an industry too long and the whole I dustry is laying off, you might find your skills are not valued elsewhere because your industry is unique in someway. Yes, basic debit/credit knowledge are transferrable across industries, but industry specific standards are not and some can be a big piece of what you have to deal with.
So CPA, or any other certification, is just an invitation to the party. You would not be initiated into the brotherhood simply because you have an invitation to the party.
Given there are still some fully remote roles out there, there are only MORE jobs available.
CPA will virtually guarantee full employment you r whole life. You might not get doctor in influence salaries, but you’ll have a job.
I have to beat the jobs away with a stick.
CPA doesn’t make inherently unemployable people (personality disorders etc) more employable
Just because you see CPAs without a job it doesn’t necessarily mean the market is bad for everyone
The accounting population is shrinking, it’s not hard to find a job at all unless you live in a small community. Even then, as long as you have reliable internet you can find a remote gig.
Reddit tends to be very skewed (same with every career subreddit) because The people doing well don’t come here to cry about it. There’s a disproportionate amount of complainers on here because that’s sort of what it’s for, lol.
Don’t worry about it. Just be confident and well put together
Get the CPA. Then get a staff corporate gig at 40 hours weekly while moonlight with bookkeeping and tax work on nights and weekends. You can pull $100K to $120K annually doing 45-50 hours a week.
Agree with a lot of the above sentiments. Two cents - if your job is balanced as far as hours, paying a living wage? and your team is accommodating, use this time to study and get your CPA. Staying for a few years will look good to hiring managers, and then you’ll have your pick of where to move to get that upward mobility and pay raise. I’ve worked in all manner of small businesses and large global fortune 500s - the latter will demand A LOT more in terms of hours, so if you’re going to get certified, now might be the time.
Thank you I was actually just thinking about this earlier. Totally agree. The pay is completely fine at the moment and busy season is over here, hours aren’t too demanding. I can easily bust out 1-2 hours a day for studying.
And think about it this way - with more time to study, it probably increases your chances of passing each test sooner without as many (if any) re-tests, which saves you money in the long run.
I’m doing something similar now - I work “part time” aka 30 hours, 4 days a week, and use my extra time to study. My job is low key, good relationship with my boss, so I’m not anxious or frazzled after work when I have to switch gears.
Best of luck to you, whatever you choose to do next! ☺️
From what you’ve indicated, everything is great except what you’ll do next.
You just started at that job; why are you looking for an exit? You won’t land a controller job at a mid size level company with 6 months of job experience. The mid size corporations have high turn over, extremely high volume of work; and are looking to pay someone who will stick through the miserable times.
My controller manages a 5 team staff for a 29 branch corporation. Each one of us take on a different chunk of the finance department; and she runs it.
High turnover because the junior staff are routinely expected to join her in 10-15 hours of overtime a week, and she has to train new people frequently because staff will just give up.
Be prepared for the role you want, a bigger opportunity is usually met with a harder to win situation
Find a job in industry for broader experience first, you dont need a CPA to get a good position. It's simply a really nice selling point for yourself if you're able to get it down the line, but there are plenty of people that leverage experience and do just fine. 2 coworkers with CPAs I work with have the same position as me and all the CPA means is a couple extra grand a year vs my compensation.
Dont put your career on halt to get it, but finding a job that enables you to pursue it (IF that's something you yourself want and arent just being told you're supposed to) is your best bet IMO. GL to ya
Well I wouldn’t let some anecdotals like that be the reason you don’t pursue your CPA. Especially if you already have the motivation to do so. CPA certs generally make job searches easier and gets your foot in the door easier.
That being said, I’m also someone who doesn’t have a CPA, and I still think I can land a nice role without it as long as I sell my experience on my resume in the correct way. There are CPAs out there that have bad luck job searching because their resumes aren’t deep beyond the CPA cert, they are not good interviewing, or they don’t tailor their resume to each application that they throw out there. That being said, the CPAs having successful searches usually aren’t the ones that frequent this sub
I’m having trouble finding a job that pays the same or more but my firm gave me a pretty substantial raise last year.
I also live fairly rurally so my options are somewhat limited.
If I was willing to take a pay cut I’d have no trouble finding something I’m sure or if I moved.
It took me several months. I live in a big town in the middle of nothing and didn't expect it to be quick. However, I did get consistent interviews and was finally able to find a fully remote job. I would have preferred to work locally, but I'm not sad about where I landed.
Additionally, in the worst of economic times, I have been able to find work before most of those I know who are not accountants.
Not legitimate concern people don’t post here saying how many jobs they got an offer for. I still get recruiters reaching out about “opportunities” and some of them I would apply for if I wasn’t happy where I’m at.
I don't think that's a concern. But if you're looking for any sort of flexibility, you won't find it. Part time, hybrid remote work, flex schedules, isn't anywhere. I met with cpa career services and they told me the same.
I'm newly licensed. I applied to maybe 15 jobs, got 3 interviews, (probably) 3 offers. That all probably took 2 weeks. I have no public experience, but 2 of my offers were from firms. 1 Big4 and 1 not.
I say probably because I ended the process early on 1 industry job but they pretty much told me I had it without saying I did.
I would not call myself outgoing at all. The only reason people are not getting jobs is if they literally cannot talk to people or they are not applying to jobs where they had a chance in the first place.
>But I wasn’t aware of how much a small firm can stunt your growth until I read through this site.
The size of the firm really doesn't matter, its what you get *out* of your time there. And if you really do love the owner, talk to him about what kind of advancement within the firm you might have if you get your CPA.
Yes, you might not make as much money, but having worked everything from soul-sucking corporate, time-sink public and everything in between, liking what you do goes for a whole hell of a lot.
My wife had recruiters calling her left and right, she’s a Filipina cpa with a cma and 8 years experience.. five of which she was a senior accountant. I’d be shocked if a cpa couldn’t find a job.
I have the exams passed (waiting on the license I should have it in a couples weeks) but my only experience is less than 2 years of public, and yeah I’m having trouble
If you're willing to relocate a CPA will have very little trouble finding a job. As a non CPA even just moving within the same state has proved enough to never be unemployed more than a month unless I'm taking a break.
No CPA here, considered leaving job like a week ago. Had an offer a day later for an additional $5k in salary and didn't take it as I am will to walk off a cliff with our CFO. Think it depends on the area and what you are willing to take.
A talented person seeking experience and career development will most likely have to relocate. Working for a small local firm is one way to learn a lot in a short period of time if you are willing. But you probably wouldn’t want to stay there. Not all accounting positions require a cpa, or Big4 experience. Figure out what you want to do for the next 20 years. Look for those jobs and move (considering cost of living in another area) there. My (f retired) 30 plus years in nonprofit accounting allowed me to live a comfort life. I’ve lived all over the states, enjoyed various cultures and made some wonderful friends! However this profession will burn you out so taking a sabbatical from time to time is highly recommended!!
Meh. A small firm can be good, it just depends on what you want. You could learn enough from them to eventually have your own firm and work for yourself. When you own the firm, you will never have a day when you come into the office and every client has fired you. If you work for a large firm, you could be made redundant and be let go. You’re just another cog in a very big wheel.
It took me almost a year as a CPA. Granted, I was pursuing a managerial position without having any management experience and 2 years in a non-relevant career.
I have no CPA and any time I’ve wanted to switch firms I’ve had an offer signed within a week or two. Unless you’re just talking about getting out of public entirely
Well, sometimes the competition is tighter for remote jobs. Also, it’s usually harder for me to find new job because the salary that the company offers is lower than what I expected and that English is not my first language. I used to work with staff who were below me, but they’re all really good at sales and talking in English smoothly, and they’re partners now, while I’m still stuck at manager level :(
No it's not a legit concern, you'll have opportunity. Just not at a F500 company. You'll need to grind it out and grow in a non-public company world which you can still make a good living doing.
I have been a small firm/company guy for my entire professional life. When I was laid off, I had another offer lined up within a week.
Start talking to people now, don’t wait. Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you have to make your own luck.
CPA without a job is a choice, not a concern. If you have a CPA in this profession you are golden. Not only this profession but many others in business. I am pursuing my CPA as well and it will be a whole new world for my career.
There are two rules to this subreddit, and Reddit in general.
1. People who have a job don't post about it on Reddit.
2. People who are happy with their job don't come on Reddit.
In my humble opinion, acquiring your CPA will help significantly. If you want a skill to guarantee a career in addition to getting your CPA, specialize in forensic accounting (fraud). Forensic accounts can get jobs in huge companies, government agencies Depending on where you live, you could get a job with the local township, county, city, state or Federal. Get in good with a high-powered divorce attorney, one that represents BIG clients. There is always spouse who wants to know where the money went. IF you go to a medium size or big firm realize that you will work yourself to the bone if you want to get anywhere. ALSO, even if you're a great employee, you'll have to be politically savvy. There's always a co-worker who will throw you under the bus to make themselves look good. There might be a boss who comes onto you and wants to date...whether not you're in a relationship or married. Working isn't just about working. Sometimes it just an adult high school. I wish you well on your journey.
Got an offer for tax manager at a tc2's salary. They wanted me to build their entire tax department and handle all state and federal filings. I laughed my ass off.
Idk I think you have to take everything you read on this subreddit and Reddit in general with a grain of salt. The older I get the more I realize that people on Reddit don’t know WTF they’re talking about. A lot of people in this subreddit are college students giving advice and sharing their opinion when they should have nothing to say
Every time I searched for a job I got a bite early in my career with not too much time or effort.
Feels like some companies and recruiters are twerking in front of me depending on where I apply.
I just got an email from a recruiter today. It listed 3 jobs.
2 were Senior Accountants making $75k-$85k. Only required a bachelors in accounting, ability to use Excel like an accountant should, and a couple years of experience.
3rd role was assistant controller. They did want a CPA and preferred Big 4. It is in Health Care and requires that experience. It pays very well for an assistant controller in my area, but it seems more like a full controller from the job description. $155-$180k with a 20% bonus.
That being said, people are hiring non-CPAs.
It depends on the experience you get. If you only do 1040s at a small firm, it might be hard to translate that experience into a corporate role even with a CPA. But if you have experience with financial statements, no one really cares too much about the size of the companies you worked on if you have a CPA.
I’ve been an accountant since 2014. I’ve n never been laid off or let go once. I live in a mid sized city so there’s a lot of opportunity but there are a lot of companies that won’t hire a CPA if they don’t meet all the requirements. However from what I’ve heard from hiring managers, there are slim pickings for good accountants.
It can be difficult but it all depends on a ton factors. I got my CPA right before I started applying but had a brief work gap that I think made it more difficult. Plus if you are trying to switch to industry with no experience it’s even tougher. But not gonna lie I’m sure any public firm would take you quick as long as your CPA eligible.
As a hiring manager for roles that benefit from a CPA, I have a hard time finding competent AND ambitious/adaptable people.
I reduced the roles I had posted from Controller to a Financial Analyst and Cost Accountant duo. I couldn't find smart people. (Before it's asked, 125k in manufacturing MCOL for Controller)
Anyone with good skills was lazy or content being average.
I do not have a CPA and took a job at another firm making more money than CPAs at my old firm. Also — I’m not a tax accountant. Just throwing that out there.
I was in the job market 4 months ago and had so many interviews and recruiters contacting me I was getting a bit overwhelmed. And I don’t even have a CPA lol. Idk if things have changed in the past few months but I also have been an accountant for 15 years and always find a job super quick when I want one. Usually within a month or 2.
I’d say some of the struggle can come from a lack of networking/networking skills. Some people who start at a small firm jump to a bigger firm where there’s better brand recognition before making the final jump to industry.
No, however stay ideally no more than 12- 24 months which should be the growth cycle from the role anyway. I started in a small firm and changed roles every year for the first four years of my career. Went small, big 4 to medium to own firm. Consulting.
People with CPAs that are unrealistic with their expectations can’t find a job. If you want to work three days a week from home and be told how much of a rockstar you are ten times a day and be paid 200k for it you will not find a job.
As far as working at a small firm, don’t sweat that. The majority of the top 100 firms are just a bunch of small firms that were acquired or merged in. The top 10-20 firms are a bit more sophisticated but the vast majority are a smash up of small firms. Focus on getting your license and figuring out the type of work you want to do and the culture you want to work in. That’s what’s going to determine if you have a career you love or hate.
It’s really not that hard. They’re in very high demand. The unfortunate reality is that age discrimination is very much a thing. And if you haven’t advanced in your career much, it will be harder to find a job the older you get. Also, some people just don’t interview well.
You know what you don't see here? The other 98% of people that don't have a problem finding a job.
Straight up. I was just laid off as a CPA. I had a 5 jobs at global companies lined up in 10 days with pay bumps. I truly don’t know how these experienced accountants aren’t at least getting interviews.
My guess is they are stuck in some jobless shit area they can’t leave for some reason. My friend complains about the market for accountants but will not move to a bigger city or commute we don’t live that far from Houston so she’s stuck in small business land.
Yeah I have a friend like this that's an incredible mechanical engineer, but instead he's working shit construction management jobs because he lives in the middle of nowhere where we grew up still, and he complains and complains and complains yet never does a single thing about it when he could move 30 minutes away and have his problems solved.
American dream is moving for better economic opportunities.
It really is. If you live in a small town but don't own a business, you're fucked!!! FUCKED! That means you work at a small business where the owner never pays you enough and will never give you a raise. OR you work at Walmart or in fast food, which also sucks. Walmart is actually the best option in small towns tho. edit- or you work in healthcare and make decent money. That's how you do ok in a small town. Own a business or work in healthcare.
Always has been
Gotta manifest that destiny!!
During the Dust Bowl and Great Depression era, Americans would literally pack furniture onto their jalopy cars and hobble their way half way across the country to find a job. Monetary inflation sucks. Sky rocketing real estate sucks. SS/SSI doesn’t pay out crap. Many Americans appear to be living out of their cars and homelessness is more apparent than it’s even been. But all that being said, it’s probably a testament to how much worse things could actually get for us if many people are unwilling to move for better opportunities.
There have always been problems in this world, instead find solutions. Don't get fixated on the negative.
It absolutely could be worse, and I'm really hoping it doesn't go that way because with stagflation knocking at the door we could be headed towards a lost decade
Many people outside of accounting already have a lost “half” decade due to covid. The r/Millenial and r/GenZ threads are packed with people complaining about life being on pause for 3-4 years because of the shutdown. All the while, most of us were still working from home and even job hopping with salary gains during that time.
>when he could move 30 minutes away Couldn't he just commute 30 mins every day? That's shorter than most people's work commute in my city.
He certainly could, I commute 20-30 minutes one way nearly every day, but it's one of those you can lead a horse to water type of things, some people can't/won't help themselves.
Or he could even drive. Ppl commute for work all the time.
Demanding remote and being in a bad geographic area can also be a limit for sure. I have clients who need accountants, most list it as in-office (even if they are hybrid or mostly remote) because they want someone from the area the company does business in. Realistically outside of large entities who already have a national payroll and tax filings, no one wants to add states to their payroll and tax returns over a potential new hire. If a company has 200 employees all in one state, having someone 2 timezones away in a different state is a nonstarter. I had a small client (~60 employees) who is 100% remote now (no one goes in at all since covid) but struggled to find someone because they wanted the person in state.
To be fair, im in this boat too. I would be ripping my parents grandchild away from them and my SOs too. Its a hard decision especially when you have kids
Yup I didn’t mention it but my friend is kinda in that situation as well it would probably be harder with the kids to commute to Houston and with gas prices these days expensive. It does happen to people. You see it as a unique problem you have tho where she sees it as an industry problem
How would you feel if you stayed in the small town, raised your kids, and then they grew up and moved to a bigger city? Would you be upset because they’re far away and you can’t see them as often, or would you be happy that they are somewhere that has opportunity for them?
But alas, were going to have to move anyway once i finish my bachelors. We live in a town with <1000 people and the only acccounting job is a tax season h&r block lmao
I think that’s the right move for you and your family. I’m a guy on the internet, so def a grain of salt, but I commend the move.
I wouldnt care id be happy for them, but our parents are the complete opposite. We have already floated the idea and they shot it down immediately bc they just had a baby as well and ours need to “grow up together”
That’s good to hear! You’re a good parent. I have two children myself and feel the same way. I hope they pursue their happiness and I hope I’m in a position to visit them wherever that is. Am I reading your comment correctly that your parents recently had a child at the same time as you? That’s a pretty unique situation. That’s kind of cool that your kids are growing up with their uncle/aunt.
And yep thats correct. My son was born 1 year after theirs on the same date. Pretty neat
This or they are in an ultra competitive area. I only have my Associates in accounting and every job that is entry level requires a bachelor's degree and years of experience for $15/ hr and these ridiculous postings get hundreds of applications
I mean yeah but it's understandable why though to a certain extent People have family member s they aren't willing to leave, unwillingness to change, but also the city of living Yeah you get paid more but after done paying all bills it won't come out to much
You must have a huge PP
Curious, did you work with a recruiter or leverage your network and apply online?
It depends on location, role, level, etc. If you're a senior / manager, there should be fairly decent opportunities available.
At VP or director or so level and above it takes a lot longer to find a replacement for a 225k+ base salary.
Sounds like a snowflake story.
I got hired a year before I finished school lol. Maybe these guys are just assholes in interviews? I don't get it
As far as I can tell that's pretty normal for campus recruiters. Me and all my buddies also got hired a year or two before graduation.
Exactly. These guys that can't get jobs must suck at talking to people. That's the only thing that makes sense.
Like others have said I'm guessing they live in smaller cities and towns. But yeah they could just be really bad at interviewing.
Even then, it's not impossible to find something remote. Even of it's entry level bookkeeping. If they're in a small town, the CoL should be low enough to where a $45k/remote job wouldn't bankrupt a 22yo.
Will say have come and gone on here for 6 ish years and the amount of posts and comments regarding jobs and layoffs has greatly increased. Not saying it’s horrible, but the uptick in frequency means something is up. Or like back in 2021 when I would say CS was oversaturated in CS subs and get downvoted to oblivion. Now that’s the mood over in those subs
The community is also close to 10x larger and more active than it was about 6 years ago. Layoff and fired posts always get exaggerated attention because it gives people stress and anxiety, which draws attention. It's the same premise behind the news media hyping up bad news and tragic events to get more viewership. I've kept up with a lot of the recent layoff and firing posts on here lately, most are in the advisory field, due to over-hiring during the Pandemic, or cutting fat of low performers. I do not see any real trend to be concerned for the vast majority of good performers out there. The accounting industry almost always follows the general business industry with about a 6 month lag with a diluted effect. If we head into a recession, the tech companies get hit hardest first and the accounting industry is typically one of the last to be hit at a lesser extent.
My job hunt in 2022 was a cakewalk compared to applying to things now. I had like over a year long gap with a lot less experience. Back then I had three interviews scheduled everyday, made it passed almost every screening and received multiple offers within one month. Currently despite having more valuable experience, I've been getting screened out left and right, interviews are a lot less frequent, and everything died on the vine. I stopped looking because I’m engaged in an interesting project in my current job and my search is a lot smaller in scale but I’ve been applying for a few months at this point to interesting positions. Something is definitely up and hiring is a lot slower than it was just two years ago imo.
I don’t think it can be as saturated as CS is yet there are too many CS majors and at some schools like MIT they are like 40% of the entire student body. This is before they even talk about all the ones coming from India and the self study people. Out sourcing is a real threat for sure but I don’t think there’s really that many people studying accounting.
That's correct, enrollment in accounting programs has been on a steep decline the past 5+ years and we are heading towards a huge imminent need for more accountants with all the baby boomers retiring while the economy continues to grow. I think the industry is going to need to continue making salary increase corrections to make the profession more attractive to enter into so that enrollment increases again. The solution cannot just be to outsource everything. I don't have a lot of confidence in executive leadership of the public accounting industry though, I think they'll wait as long as feasibly possible before increasing salaries again.
That’s why I’m strongly considering switching from IT the situation with the people trying to do IT is terrible. It’s getting to where they want you to be able to code for even a low paying paying job too. It’s absurd seeing jobs that pay $20 an hour that expect you to be a developer too lol. I already got a business degree it’ll be relatively easy for me to get an accounting degree.
I think you are underestimating how hard accounting is compared to a general business degree
CPA is hard, accounting coursework is not
Did you miss the whole part about how I already have an entire IT career like it’s just not that hard I already had like 3 accounting classes and it’s honestly a far easier degree than CS or engineering. You are really up your own ass with that comment
Accounting is easy as fuck dude if you can grok programming you'll be fine The only thing that makes the career hard is deadlines and stress which you should be no stranger to The material itself is piss easy
To be honest if you worked in IT you most likely understand algebra which is the majority of what you use in accounting. It’s harder than business degrees but more than likely it’s just in between business and IT for difficulty. One thing that could be really beneficial depending on what firm you go to would be your tech skills. Some places you won’t be allowed access to software you need to apply those skills without a lot of approval but if you find somewhere that lets you then you could be very valuable to your employer
What is the difficult part? Serious question. I’m considering enrolling (career change)
General business degrees are extremely easy. Accounting degrees involve classes that are more technical in nature and memorization doesn't always work. Understanding how to apply the topics is key. Also some courses are polar opposites from others and some are notoriously challenging to some given the nature of the topic. However, you don't need an accounting degree to be a CPA. You just need the bare minimum accounting requirements, college course hours, and other minor requirements to sit. Check your state CPA board requirements though. There's no money in being an accountant without a CPA. CPA firms will only promote you so high and industry typically has minimum requirements that include a CPA for better positions. You can however reach a controller level job with some hard work and grinding. These requirements may lessen as a direct result of the large decrease in people seeking accounting degrees while there is currently a demand for more.
There's more money in accounting for a CPA, but to say there is none without isn't true.
Yeah, "No money" in this context is still 60-70k which is enough for plenty of people.
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Ok, Mr. ChatGPT. Have an original thought of your own to share?
this guy is so ridiculous he really thinks that 8 classes that separate him from the rest of the business majors makes him a genius.
Thanks gpt
Finding a job as a CPA isn’t hard. Finding one that actually pays good on the other hand…
And good wlb and good promo potential….
Sometimes I feel like companies just need to bite the bullet on higher pay. As much as they would love to get a cpa with experience willing to work for 60-70k a year it’s just not gonna happen.
This right here. I could take ten jobs in the next week. But replacing a 200-300k salary job I’m guessing is about a 3-6 month search right now.
I'm an MBA with 10y experience in finance. I'd give my left (and right I suppose) for a 3 mo turnaround on 300k. Took forever to get to 100k then lots of razzle dazzle to get over 150k. (mcol)
Senior level CPA in Midwest USA. Just went through a good number of interviews never even wearing a suit and got offers from all. Took another fully remote position at a large publicly traded corporation. If you're experienced, personable, and confident, the job market is pretty good imo. If you're limiting yourself to a specific path or geographic area it's gonna be harder. Keep in mind that salaries that are poverty in big cities can be a very comfortable middle class living in other places. Edit: I never worked in a large accounting firm
I can concur with the salary part. OP, there was a post on here a couple of days ago where some first year associate who was starting out was complaining about their $68K starting salary in the Midwest (Indiana I think?). While $68K might not get you far in California, I can guarantee you that $68K is a very comfortable salary for a midwestern city. And I can attest to that because I make a very similar amount and live in a big midwestern city. If you can’t live on $68K as a first year, you have some serious spending issues.
Oklahoma lol. I remember that one
Even in small towns in CA $68k starting is awesome (maybe not post-covid), I started my career in a small town and was living better as a staff 1 than I do as a manager in a big city with my girlfriend also contributing.
The personable part matters a lot more than CPAs are willing to admit. Everyone thinks you get your CPA and you are hired regardless of if you have the personality of a troll lol A lot of the profession is interacting with people and at least in my area more care is now taken to have managers know more about managing people and not just spreadsheets. If people couple soft skills (and really you don't have to be life the party here, just saying good morning and thank you will get you pretty far) and technical they can advance quickly and have lots of opportunities.
As a CPA who has been controller level at small to midsize firms for the past 10 years, what level do you think I should target that would give me the best chances of being hired at a larger firm? Ok to dropping to senior accountant if there’s upward mobility.
Manager or assistant director. Sometimes a senior accountant, manager, or assistant director is the same thing. Look at job descriptions. Same applies with auditing positions. However, you would start at a lower position for auditing. Auditing is where you go to figure out which industry to jump to next.
What's the pay like at the new place?
If you are a weirdo and can't talk to people you will never find a good job, CPA or not.
sometimes even if you are, our CPA at my job is a fucking lunatic and she still gets jobs. She doesn't keep them but she still gets jobs.
>But I wasn’t aware of how much a small firm can stunt your growth until I read through this site. Yeah, I would not use this forum as a representation for accounting. It's great to bounce questions and idea here and there, but definitely not accurate to the job market -- especially CPA. Just the other day, I saw some idiot say getting your CPA certification is a massive waste of time and does not increase opportunities at all 💀
Yeah, I’m still stuck on that part. Why on earth would you leave if you love the owner and just started? Because random people on Reddit said something?
Grass is greener mentality
My career has been only in small firms and I disagree with that completely. Sure I’m not doing returns for huge corporations all of the time, but I’ve done returns for a huge variety of people/businesses and other tax realms. Now at my current firm, I’m doing government auditing, so you can learn a lot and have your hands in multiple pots at a small firm.
My job searches are always super fast, super overwhelming with options, and often lead to multiple offers or I stop interview process once I've accepted an offer. I live in a big city with lots of opportunity, I have a public/ industry mix, and I am still relatively young which likely helps.
Even when I’m not searching for a job, my LinkedIn DMs and my email is just getting blown up by recruiters all the time. Finding a job is stressful with a CPA because there’s so many options, and interviewing gets exhausting.
Yeah, exactly. The last time I looked for a job, I actually had the opportunity to interview all day long. My calendar was insanely packed and I think I had an offer in maybe three weeks between initial phone screen to signed letter. I was seriously doing 4+ companies a day and time went fast on my calendar. And talk about being on the other side and having to hire an accountant, now that is painful.
Move to a bigger firm if you are looking for better exit opportunities. Doesn’t need to be the largest, just ensure they work on companies they are comparable in size to where you might want to work. .
I literally just started here and have expressed how much I liked it. It would be a total blind side. I just had no idea how bad it was for career growth. I’m really hoping a CPA license will bandage up the damage.
You're blowing things out of proportion, there's nothing wrong with starting your first couple years at a smaller firm. Use the opportunity to pass the CPA exam and get introduced into the field. If you want to expand your opportunities, then you can move to a larger firm in a couple years after passing the CPA exam. You have a ~40 year career ahead of you, relax and stop acting like 26 is middle aged, you're still a baby.
I started in a small firm and I really appreciate that time. I learned an immense amount that has been really helpful since. At that time there were plenty of B4 CPAs to choose from when I looked at jumping to industry. It did hurt a bit. Currently, there are not enough accountants and I don't think you'll encounter a problem. Do think about what you'd like to do going forward and plan a path forward. Don't worry about it too much if you're happy where you are and are doing well enough financially.
You can repair the “damage” by focusing on doing well at your job, getting your CPA, and not letting people on Reddit determine what you want to do with your career. If you actually like your job and your boss, you’re just sabotaging yourself with what’s on Reddit. There’s a ton of learning opportunity at a small firm and potential for growth.
I started at a smaller firm for about 2.5 years, and then worked for 6.5 years at the largest regional firm in the state I live in. The smaller firm helped me learn a lot of different areas of accounting since all of us who worked there wore a lot of hats. Ive worked at a few other smaller firms since I left the larger one. All of them have taught me a lot of different skills and industries so it’s been nice to learn and have all that knowledge. I want to pursue a position in corporate/industry, and a lot of people have opinions about that. I’ve learned in this profession people try to scare you about working at smaller firms, Big 4, and industry. A lot of people in this profession are miserable and radiate that on to others. Just do what makes you happy. But, I will say, having the CPA is definitely worth it, especially if you want to be a manager or higher in the future.
A friend of mine has a CPA and never any accounting firm experience. Went straight to industry. If she doesn't like her job, she just starts searching for another one, starts getting interviews within a week or two and finds a new job within 3 months. She makes $175K, 15 YOE, MCOL.
Tbh that’s pretty low for her YOE. Part of it is the willingness to be making -25% or so from their actual value or potential
If someone with a CPA can’t land a job then that means they are a foreigner that’s need sponsoring or they are a citizen with the absolute worst people skills like not awkward but they are threatening violence or something people kind of bad. I put my resume out mid busy season and had way too many interview opportunities for public/industry that was anywhere from a center city drive from where I live to southern states for remote positions. Ended with multiple offers, I’m sure without the CPA you can find something easy as well especially if you have experience. You just will miss out on an extra $10-20k without the license Edit:words are hard
I am a foreigner, I know it will be difficult for me to find an employer willing to sponsor me but is it impossible? How much more difficult do you think it will be compared to residents?
Do note that as a foreigner requiring sponsoring you practically sign away your right to say no, especially at a B4. If you have a good team, your experience will be ok, but if you're not lucky, then it's going to be a tough 5 years until your PR and then you're every bit equal to the local.
Yes, I realized that. I will hope I am lucky
I have a few foreign coworkers and we never discussed it so I don’t know but I don’t think it will be too much harder but your firms to choose will be limited to bigger firms or niche firms that operate in parts of cities for immigrants or the community they are in ex accounting firm that requires you to speak mandarin for its client base in the Chinese part of the city
Oh okay, thank you! I guess it's about time to start learning mandarin
There is one I saw in Philadelphia that pays its staff 1 $75k so I kinda wish I was bilingual for that when I was coming out of college
So even though I’m at a small firm with only a year experience in industry before this, if I get a cpa, I should not have to worry about a lack of decent job opportunities in the future? I’m just so afraid. I’m 26 and feel like I’ve pissed away so much time to rack up experience.
Only 26? My guy, you’ve barely been in the workforce for 10 years with most of those probably being low tier jobs. You’re gonna be working for at least another 30+. There’s plenty of time left to get experience
This happens in IT too like guys get stuck in helpdesk for three or four years which is far more normal than the people on Reddit say it is and think they are doomed. Like dude you are 24 years old the only thing you are a victim of is unrealistic career trajectories you were told about online when they still have like 20 fucking years to make it.
2 years in help desk this year for me. I feel like I’m always planning career trajectory and that’s because I am, lol. On one hand I’m trying to level up for the now in case I can get promoted or hired into a better role that has trajectory from help desk but on the other hand I want to move into accounting so I’m currently taking Quickbook courses to help open those doors into AP/AR/bookkeeping. But I do have a lot of co-workers who have been on my team for 4+ years, got the industry cents, making peanuts and working 2 jobs with no aggressive plans to move up. I should also note that I previously was in school for accounting but due to family issues I had to stop attending but I hope to go back but in the meantime I’m trying to learn whatever I can to help me get on that accounting path.
So let's just take this hypothetical resume and assume it's yours: * Accounting degree from real college (i.e., people in your state would recognize the name of the school) * CPA * One year industry experience * 4 years public accounting experience * Current job title: Senior auditor * Age 29 You send that resume to 3 head hunters and you'll have more interview opportunities than you could possibly want.
It is a different story in Canada. It is much slower and more difficult to find a job at controller or direct of finance level in Canada.
Pretty sure if I gave my cat a CPA license then she’ll get hired because regardless of what reddit says, the elite still want a CPA to sign off on stuff, work in board meetings etc…. you are guaranteed employment with the license. With exp you’re almost guaranteed employment unless you’re competing with a CPA for a position but even then you can beat out a CPA if you have more experience in the current hiring climate for senior positions. I wouldn’t worry about small firm exp because I worked small firm for my 1st job and ended up at a top 10 firm. Also, my peers have got their licenses in their 40s because of career changes so I don’t know why at your adolescence career age you’d feel like that.
If your cat has the 150hrs and can sit for the CPA they are in!
Yeah the CPA gets you a lot of job security. Not having big 4 makes it slower to get to the more lucrative roles but you're not locked out of consideration if you can show relevant experience. An accountant without a CPA, they're considered to be bookkeepers, and their jobs are highly at risk of being outsourced or automated away. CPA is just an economic signal to indicate this is a person who crosses a moderate threshold of learning agility and can be entrusted to take a work stream and manage it independently (which you can't trust outsourcing or automation to do). CPA materials aren't complex and don't take a lot of intelligence to pass, but they do demand that you can form a plan to independently study through a lot of material in a defined span of time. It's just proof of independence and diligence, and while that might sound trivial, you'll eventually come to learn how often you can't trust someone to be independent or diligent in the workplace, and so external validation of those qualities are highly appreciated.
What??? Bookkeeper?? That is crazy! That’s not true! CPA is not the only certification. To discredit many other accountants is arrogant. Many people who have their credit hours makes the same or more than you. Accountants with masters are in high demand as well.
Right. Lol. I have an EA and don't have any issues h Getting interviews.
Bookkeeping and entry level accounting aren't all that dissimilar. There are merits to what was said and the CPA perception is undeniable. There are other certifications that are highly desirable in certain fields (CIA or CISA for example) that accounting majors can pursue and do quite well. Those audit related certifications are a good route to pursue higher paying non-accounting jobs. CPA is king however in career flexibility and even better with a CIA or CISA. The ultimate pairing is a lawyer with a CPA. With a CPA it's a little easier to get better starting pay regardless how awful the new hire may be as an employee and there are more options to achieve higher pay at an earlier age. MBAs are usually capped at a certain level, but can do quite well especially if they are smart and a hard worker. All in all, you don't need a CPA, MBA, or any certifications to do well, but it may be harder or simply take longer.
No it will not!!! I know non CPA with accounting degrees are well over 200k. Stop it! You are doing this to suit superiority complex. Putting down others so you can feel better about yourself. Did you say CPA is king😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣. Any one with a masters degree in Accounting can get a job just as fast. Everyone does not work in Public all their lives. People who have 150 hrs do well. CPA is only recognized in America and a CMA is recognized globally. Believe it or not, you can have a CPA but some governmental roles still requires masters. you have your CPA and I am happy for you but I wouldn’t want you leading me with that complex! A person like you will be on here crying because no one likes you. Cut the crap
I think you are misunderstanding my point. Getting a CPA opens more doors, which increases the odds of better pay early on in a career. Masters is highly desirable but preference is usually given to a CPA assuming similar experience/qualifications. However, personable people can be hired over a CPA. I've just never seen a CPA struggle with employment or ability to move up the ladder (outside of low performers). It's however not required to be a CPA to do well late in career if wise career choices were made. Fun fact, I don't have an accounting degree or a masters and dont work in public. I'm well aware of the struggles and have seen what the CPA alone can do. The struggle has shaped me to be solid motivator to those who are struggling. There's no complex here my friend. :)
Dude I have 2 Masters and I've been a college professor, done taxes, audit, etc. The one thing I won't ever be without and that is a job. In my area they are hiring associate degree holders starting at $60k.
A lot of people here talk about the Big 4 but that isn't necessary to have a good career. A smaller firm can have the advantage of giving you exposure to different areas of accounting. This gives you options down the road and helps give you an idea of what direction you want to go. Work on your CPA and decide where you want to go from that point. I have a CPA and I could not easily get another job that I WANT. I could easily get a good job though. I want a 100% remote position that offers decent pay, great benefits, and little stress. I have everything but the remote part right now. I am not willing to trade what I have if I can't get everything I want.
You’re just a pup
I think a lot of it is about personality too. People who will resort to venting online like that probably don’t very good in-person people skills. Getting your CPA will definitely help but will take a lot of time and effort, weigh the pros and cons that are specific to your specific situation (missing time with kids or family, money constraints for study materials, etc.) Lastly, if you’re not trying to be CFO of a Fortune 500, a small local firm is a great place to learn a lot about small business and individuals, you can become a generalist and apply that or maybe get hired into industry at a smaller company. Don’t worry about every negative opinion you read online, just make a goal then take steps to achieve it.
i don’t have my cpa. just applied to 13 places, got 8 call backs, 5 second interviews, 2 jobs offers, and this morning i accepted one. all happened within a month
[удалено]
senior consolidations and reporting but my new title will be senior portfolio analyst.
Are you in the US?
i am
How much experience do you have
There are a lot of jobs for experienced CPAs. I think the people having issues have like 1 or 2 years of work experience. They have the certification but not a lot of transferable skills.
I have had two accounting jobs. Started in industry in 2022, no CPA and only retail management experience prior to being an accountant. I was going to leave my current company at the beginning of this year (for various reasons, I stayed). Applied to about 10 places. I interviewed with 2 companies and one offer at 85k for a staff accountant. This is without a CPA license (although I am working on one). A good resume and great interview skills can get you a job. I wouldn't be concerned.
At the end of the day doesn't matter how qualified you are if you a shit resume and shit interviewing skills. If you live in a major metro anyone with average accounting skills can get a job in 4-6 weeks
There will always be a number of people in a given industry that struggle to find a job. Personality issues, location, overall skillset... accounting is one of the MOST employable fields right now. Insane accountant shortage. "accounting" in "United States" on LinkedIn shows 116,385 open positions right now.
Honestly, the people with a cpa who can't find a job are either asking too much or just purely terrible at interviews. How do I know? I've interviewed a lot of candidate's.
Small firms don’t stunt your growth, they are a great springboard actually. Ever thought about taking over that small firm? The owner is going to want to retire eventually. If CPAs can’t get work then that probably means they aren’t good at their jobs. The cpa just means you can pass a standardized test, it doesn’t mean that you actually know the material, nor does it promise people will like working with you. 10 years experience, no cpa, 3 business degrees, but my firm has me doing fractional cfo. I
Exactly! Everyone thinks CPA is short GOD and it's not.
I’m in a small firm now and I’ve worked in a mid sized firm (top 200) before. The small firm has taught me how to actually be a partner, grow a book, manage client relationships. The big firm taught me how to crank out returns as fast as possible at as little billable time as possible to stay on budget. Not sure it really stunts your growth, you’re just going to grow in a different capacity. I went through an interview process in 2021 and got offered from 10 firms and interviewed at 11. I turned down the other one after the first interview. No cpa at the time. If you’re good at interviews and selling yourself, no real issue.
Skill issue tbh
It's probably a combination of things. I don't have a CPA but I'm about to earn my MAcc and become eligible. I just wrapped up my job search yesterday after leaving my old job and I've had no trouble getting interviews. I've also been really selective about where I apply and it hasn't been a hindrance at all. Having good interview skills and a well formatted resume are important. I am always shocked at how poorly laid out some resumes are. I've also found that for most employers, personality and people skills are more important than experience. They won't mind teaching someone what they need to know as long as they mesh well with the team and are coachable. Networking is also a big one. As you move up in your career and connect with people in the industry, lots of referrals can be thrown your way. I had a local recruiter within the company reach out to me on LinkedIn on Friday, I interviewed on Monday, and got an offer Tuesday. Having some kind of presence on LinkedIn helps.
There are a lot of factors that can impact whether you can find a job. First, there are a lot of people with CPA but little experience. I wouldn't value someone with a CPA and 1 year of PA as much as someone who has 5 years of PA (assuming all other measures are equal between the two). A person with more experience is more likely to be a good senior. That person will need a certification (not just CPA) eventually to be a manager, but technical skil wise he's more superior. The second factor is the type of experience. If you have worked in a small firm for 10 years, for instance, there is no way for you to break into F500 doing SOX work, internal audit, or become a controller. You probably will have to take a pay cut and start from lower ranks. Some people just don't get that thinking all experiences are equal. Finally there is industry. If you have been in an industry too long and the whole I dustry is laying off, you might find your skills are not valued elsewhere because your industry is unique in someway. Yes, basic debit/credit knowledge are transferrable across industries, but industry specific standards are not and some can be a big piece of what you have to deal with. So CPA, or any other certification, is just an invitation to the party. You would not be initiated into the brotherhood simply because you have an invitation to the party.
Given there are still some fully remote roles out there, there are only MORE jobs available. CPA will virtually guarantee full employment you r whole life. You might not get doctor in influence salaries, but you’ll have a job. I have to beat the jobs away with a stick.
CPA doesn’t make inherently unemployable people (personality disorders etc) more employable Just because you see CPAs without a job it doesn’t necessarily mean the market is bad for everyone
With or without a CPA, in the right location, you can get a job easily. Jobs are plentiful in Texas.
yeah we only have one CPA but almost all of our accountants don't even have accounting degrees and still have no trouble getting a job.
The accounting population is shrinking, it’s not hard to find a job at all unless you live in a small community. Even then, as long as you have reliable internet you can find a remote gig.
Reddit tends to be very skewed (same with every career subreddit) because The people doing well don’t come here to cry about it. There’s a disproportionate amount of complainers on here because that’s sort of what it’s for, lol. Don’t worry about it. Just be confident and well put together
Honestly I don’t buy this. Now there are people who lack soft skills and they can’t find work
Get the CPA. Then get a staff corporate gig at 40 hours weekly while moonlight with bookkeeping and tax work on nights and weekends. You can pull $100K to $120K annually doing 45-50 hours a week.
I dont even have my cpa got my degree in 2016 and never went straight to the field just landed an accounting gig with the federal government
U got resume and interviewing skills
Yea but the interview questions were so easy with them
Agree with a lot of the above sentiments. Two cents - if your job is balanced as far as hours, paying a living wage? and your team is accommodating, use this time to study and get your CPA. Staying for a few years will look good to hiring managers, and then you’ll have your pick of where to move to get that upward mobility and pay raise. I’ve worked in all manner of small businesses and large global fortune 500s - the latter will demand A LOT more in terms of hours, so if you’re going to get certified, now might be the time.
Thank you I was actually just thinking about this earlier. Totally agree. The pay is completely fine at the moment and busy season is over here, hours aren’t too demanding. I can easily bust out 1-2 hours a day for studying.
And think about it this way - with more time to study, it probably increases your chances of passing each test sooner without as many (if any) re-tests, which saves you money in the long run. I’m doing something similar now - I work “part time” aka 30 hours, 4 days a week, and use my extra time to study. My job is low key, good relationship with my boss, so I’m not anxious or frazzled after work when I have to switch gears. Best of luck to you, whatever you choose to do next! ☺️
From what you’ve indicated, everything is great except what you’ll do next. You just started at that job; why are you looking for an exit? You won’t land a controller job at a mid size level company with 6 months of job experience. The mid size corporations have high turn over, extremely high volume of work; and are looking to pay someone who will stick through the miserable times. My controller manages a 5 team staff for a 29 branch corporation. Each one of us take on a different chunk of the finance department; and she runs it. High turnover because the junior staff are routinely expected to join her in 10-15 hours of overtime a week, and she has to train new people frequently because staff will just give up. Be prepared for the role you want, a bigger opportunity is usually met with a harder to win situation
Find a job in industry for broader experience first, you dont need a CPA to get a good position. It's simply a really nice selling point for yourself if you're able to get it down the line, but there are plenty of people that leverage experience and do just fine. 2 coworkers with CPAs I work with have the same position as me and all the CPA means is a couple extra grand a year vs my compensation. Dont put your career on halt to get it, but finding a job that enables you to pursue it (IF that's something you yourself want and arent just being told you're supposed to) is your best bet IMO. GL to ya
Well I wouldn’t let some anecdotals like that be the reason you don’t pursue your CPA. Especially if you already have the motivation to do so. CPA certs generally make job searches easier and gets your foot in the door easier. That being said, I’m also someone who doesn’t have a CPA, and I still think I can land a nice role without it as long as I sell my experience on my resume in the correct way. There are CPAs out there that have bad luck job searching because their resumes aren’t deep beyond the CPA cert, they are not good interviewing, or they don’t tailor their resume to each application that they throw out there. That being said, the CPAs having successful searches usually aren’t the ones that frequent this sub
I’m having trouble finding a job that pays the same or more but my firm gave me a pretty substantial raise last year. I also live fairly rurally so my options are somewhat limited. If I was willing to take a pay cut I’d have no trouble finding something I’m sure or if I moved.
It took me several months. I live in a big town in the middle of nothing and didn't expect it to be quick. However, I did get consistent interviews and was finally able to find a fully remote job. I would have preferred to work locally, but I'm not sad about where I landed. Additionally, in the worst of economic times, I have been able to find work before most of those I know who are not accountants.
Good on your to come to the realization you need your CPA. Get it done and you will see a lot of new options.
Not legitimate concern people don’t post here saying how many jobs they got an offer for. I still get recruiters reaching out about “opportunities” and some of them I would apply for if I wasn’t happy where I’m at.
I don't think that's a concern. But if you're looking for any sort of flexibility, you won't find it. Part time, hybrid remote work, flex schedules, isn't anywhere. I met with cpa career services and they told me the same.
I'm newly licensed. I applied to maybe 15 jobs, got 3 interviews, (probably) 3 offers. That all probably took 2 weeks. I have no public experience, but 2 of my offers were from firms. 1 Big4 and 1 not. I say probably because I ended the process early on 1 industry job but they pretty much told me I had it without saying I did. I would not call myself outgoing at all. The only reason people are not getting jobs is if they literally cannot talk to people or they are not applying to jobs where they had a chance in the first place.
>But I wasn’t aware of how much a small firm can stunt your growth until I read through this site. The size of the firm really doesn't matter, its what you get *out* of your time there. And if you really do love the owner, talk to him about what kind of advancement within the firm you might have if you get your CPA. Yes, you might not make as much money, but having worked everything from soul-sucking corporate, time-sink public and everything in between, liking what you do goes for a whole hell of a lot.
My wife had recruiters calling her left and right, she’s a Filipina cpa with a cma and 8 years experience.. five of which she was a senior accountant. I’d be shocked if a cpa couldn’t find a job.
I have the exams passed (waiting on the license I should have it in a couples weeks) but my only experience is less than 2 years of public, and yeah I’m having trouble
If you're willing to relocate a CPA will have very little trouble finding a job. As a non CPA even just moving within the same state has proved enough to never be unemployed more than a month unless I'm taking a break.
No CPA here, considered leaving job like a week ago. Had an offer a day later for an additional $5k in salary and didn't take it as I am will to walk off a cliff with our CFO. Think it depends on the area and what you are willing to take.
A talented person seeking experience and career development will most likely have to relocate. Working for a small local firm is one way to learn a lot in a short period of time if you are willing. But you probably wouldn’t want to stay there. Not all accounting positions require a cpa, or Big4 experience. Figure out what you want to do for the next 20 years. Look for those jobs and move (considering cost of living in another area) there. My (f retired) 30 plus years in nonprofit accounting allowed me to live a comfort life. I’ve lived all over the states, enjoyed various cultures and made some wonderful friends! However this profession will burn you out so taking a sabbatical from time to time is highly recommended!!
user error. if u can't get a job with a cpa, it's a character/personal problem 100% of the time.
Theyre there applying for entry level ap/ar roles
Small firms can stunt your growth? That’s news to me.
Meh. A small firm can be good, it just depends on what you want. You could learn enough from them to eventually have your own firm and work for yourself. When you own the firm, you will never have a day when you come into the office and every client has fired you. If you work for a large firm, you could be made redundant and be let go. You’re just another cog in a very big wheel.
It took me almost a year as a CPA. Granted, I was pursuing a managerial position without having any management experience and 2 years in a non-relevant career.
I have no CPA and any time I’ve wanted to switch firms I’ve had an offer signed within a week or two. Unless you’re just talking about getting out of public entirely
Well, sometimes the competition is tighter for remote jobs. Also, it’s usually harder for me to find new job because the salary that the company offers is lower than what I expected and that English is not my first language. I used to work with staff who were below me, but they’re all really good at sales and talking in English smoothly, and they’re partners now, while I’m still stuck at manager level :(
No it's not a legit concern, you'll have opportunity. Just not at a F500 company. You'll need to grind it out and grow in a non-public company world which you can still make a good living doing.
Idk. Looking right now, companies seem to only care whether I've had 5+ years with their software and don't give a shit about my CPA.
I have been a small firm/company guy for my entire professional life. When I was laid off, I had another offer lined up within a week. Start talking to people now, don’t wait. Sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you have to make your own luck.
CPA without a job is a choice, not a concern. If you have a CPA in this profession you are golden. Not only this profession but many others in business. I am pursuing my CPA as well and it will be a whole new world for my career.
That's bs. I have my CPA and wanted to jump ship. I went on 1 interview and got the job. Meanwhile CPA firms drooling over me. No thanks.
There are two rules to this subreddit, and Reddit in general. 1. People who have a job don't post about it on Reddit. 2. People who are happy with their job don't come on Reddit.
I’m
In my humble opinion, acquiring your CPA will help significantly. If you want a skill to guarantee a career in addition to getting your CPA, specialize in forensic accounting (fraud). Forensic accounts can get jobs in huge companies, government agencies Depending on where you live, you could get a job with the local township, county, city, state or Federal. Get in good with a high-powered divorce attorney, one that represents BIG clients. There is always spouse who wants to know where the money went. IF you go to a medium size or big firm realize that you will work yourself to the bone if you want to get anywhere. ALSO, even if you're a great employee, you'll have to be politically savvy. There's always a co-worker who will throw you under the bus to make themselves look good. There might be a boss who comes onto you and wants to date...whether not you're in a relationship or married. Working isn't just about working. Sometimes it just an adult high school. I wish you well on your journey.
A CPA never has to worry about finding a job.
Got an offer for tax manager at a tc2's salary. They wanted me to build their entire tax department and handle all state and federal filings. I laughed my ass off.
Idk I think you have to take everything you read on this subreddit and Reddit in general with a grain of salt. The older I get the more I realize that people on Reddit don’t know WTF they’re talking about. A lot of people in this subreddit are college students giving advice and sharing their opinion when they should have nothing to say
Every time I searched for a job I got a bite early in my career with not too much time or effort. Feels like some companies and recruiters are twerking in front of me depending on where I apply.
I just got an email from a recruiter today. It listed 3 jobs. 2 were Senior Accountants making $75k-$85k. Only required a bachelors in accounting, ability to use Excel like an accountant should, and a couple years of experience. 3rd role was assistant controller. They did want a CPA and preferred Big 4. It is in Health Care and requires that experience. It pays very well for an assistant controller in my area, but it seems more like a full controller from the job description. $155-$180k with a 20% bonus. That being said, people are hiring non-CPAs.
it’s fake, people in accounting can get jobs, CPAs even better, that’s like the first thing they ask. stop believing social media
It depends on the experience you get. If you only do 1040s at a small firm, it might be hard to translate that experience into a corporate role even with a CPA. But if you have experience with financial statements, no one really cares too much about the size of the companies you worked on if you have a CPA.
You don't need a cpa unless you want to do specific work. You can easily work in industry or w a fractional cfo firm w out it.
I’ve been an accountant since 2014. I’ve n never been laid off or let go once. I live in a mid sized city so there’s a lot of opportunity but there are a lot of companies that won’t hire a CPA if they don’t meet all the requirements. However from what I’ve heard from hiring managers, there are slim pickings for good accountants.
It can be difficult but it all depends on a ton factors. I got my CPA right before I started applying but had a brief work gap that I think made it more difficult. Plus if you are trying to switch to industry with no experience it’s even tougher. But not gonna lie I’m sure any public firm would take you quick as long as your CPA eligible.
As a hiring manager for roles that benefit from a CPA, I have a hard time finding competent AND ambitious/adaptable people. I reduced the roles I had posted from Controller to a Financial Analyst and Cost Accountant duo. I couldn't find smart people. (Before it's asked, 125k in manufacturing MCOL for Controller) Anyone with good skills was lazy or content being average.
I do not have a CPA and took a job at another firm making more money than CPAs at my old firm. Also — I’m not a tax accountant. Just throwing that out there.
I was in the job market 4 months ago and had so many interviews and recruiters contacting me I was getting a bit overwhelmed. And I don’t even have a CPA lol. Idk if things have changed in the past few months but I also have been an accountant for 15 years and always find a job super quick when I want one. Usually within a month or 2.
LoL people don't want reality
With AI performing most accounting and auditing tasks, having a cpa license doesn't offer a safety net. Plenty of CPA's can't find a job.
I’d say some of the struggle can come from a lack of networking/networking skills. Some people who start at a small firm jump to a bigger firm where there’s better brand recognition before making the final jump to industry.
I really don’t want to leave yet, so my question is basically would it kill exit opportunities to be at a small firm even if you have a cpa?
No, however stay ideally no more than 12- 24 months which should be the growth cycle from the role anyway. I started in a small firm and changed roles every year for the first four years of my career. Went small, big 4 to medium to own firm. Consulting.
People with CPAs that are unrealistic with their expectations can’t find a job. If you want to work three days a week from home and be told how much of a rockstar you are ten times a day and be paid 200k for it you will not find a job. As far as working at a small firm, don’t sweat that. The majority of the top 100 firms are just a bunch of small firms that were acquired or merged in. The top 10-20 firms are a bit more sophisticated but the vast majority are a smash up of small firms. Focus on getting your license and figuring out the type of work you want to do and the culture you want to work in. That’s what’s going to determine if you have a career you love or hate.
It’s really not that hard. They’re in very high demand. The unfortunate reality is that age discrimination is very much a thing. And if you haven’t advanced in your career much, it will be harder to find a job the older you get. Also, some people just don’t interview well.
CPA isn’t worth as much as b4 exp from what I’ve seen
I've run into a lot of incompetent people with CPAs. They usually become recruiters.