changing to auditor
I have a Bachelors in accounting and CPA license. I have been working for 10 years and have had 5 different employers during that period. I am currently thinking about making a change and going to work for a Big Four CPA firm or a local one as an auditor. I don't have any auditing experience but is something I would like to explore. I would like to know if it's possible to make this change after 10 years of experience in general accounting and financial analysis. Some people tell me that Big Four firms only recruit people with auditing experience or recent college grads with no experience. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks
I have heard that experienced CPAs are in short supply. This may be a regional phenomenon, but it is worth looking into. If so, it bodes well for your candidacy. There are many active recruiting firms specializing in this area and you should approach them. You can also try and network to a local Partner in one of the big firms and have an informational interview and see what the reaction is. Failing that, approach directly and see what the result is. I wouldn't wait for jobs to be posted. Target and go for it. And in the process, use your real world experience as a selling point. Ian Christie Career Changers Coach
Your experience "on the inside" will definitey help you overcome the new learning curve in auditing. After 10 years experience, however, I see 3 glaring points to consider: (1) you will likely take a pay cut; (2) you will be subject to being the "assistant" of some younger whipper-snappers not long out of college; and finally, (3) you will be burning a lot of midnight oil as the public accounting sector is so infamously known. If you can accept these nuances, then you will certainly learn a new branch in our accounting world. Now having been on both sides ( I did the Big Four out of college 6.5 yrs and then have been in private for 3 yrs), this experience gained on both sides of the fence definitely compliment each other. Check-in with us and let us know what happens either way.
How do I do the same, jump into Accounting, but with different work experience? I have undergrad in Fin / Intl. Business and practical work experience in real estate and business research. No CPA. So how do I work into this field? I'm not scared of debits and credits, I like working long hours and I'm trainable.
Hey, I too am having the same experience as you, approx 13 years in the industry, mostly banking, but about an year ago, I tried to apply for auditing jobs as I wanted to migrate to the West, but the consultant/ agent gave me a negative feedback and suggested that I move internally to the audit function in my current employment and then try again after 6 months. I found this very ridiculous. But this feedback really put me off from searching for Auditing jobs. If you are successful, please do let me know. All the best. I am a recent graduate of three years. I first started off into private accounting for two years and then moved into public accounting. I was in public accounting for 6 months before I decided that, that profession wasn't for me. I told you that because I believe that you can make a better jump from private to public versus public to private. I can hear it now, everyone screaming what?!?!? But lets examine that for a minute. Usually coming from private your detailed orientated and driven to get work done the correct way. In public accounting they are just shooting for not to break their materiality and if they don't, it usually doesn't bother them that it is off. Which coming from private, your usually curious when something comes back wrong, but since its beneath the threshold don't worry about it (makes no sense). To me that mindset is wrong. If something is wrong I want to know why. Is it my internal controls? Is it my personal? Etc.. Its a completely different mindset. I have seen people who start off in public accounting completely drop out of accounting because they couldn't make it in private accounting. If I were you and you wanted to make the career change like I did you have to look at two different issues? One, what industry did you work in (Construction, Manufacturing, Real Estate)? Second, I would target CPA firms that have a specialization group in that particular field because your practical work experience will allow you become the crim da la crim in the candidates they have to interview for that position. Just make sure this is what you want. When I left private accounting I was an assistant controller. I took a demotion to get their and then when I got there I found out that it was nothing like I pictured it. Before you decided to make the change remember that you are starting in a new field. You will become the bottom feeder all over again and have to work your way back up (at least you should be on the fast track). The other thing I would warn against is depending on the type of work you want to do, that should dictate what companies you apply at. If you want to work on an audit start to finish and do the taxes as well. Then, a small private company is the answer for you (even regional). If you want to work on the big accounts then go for the national and big four groups. Just remember starting off there you will audit accounts receivable instead of being apart of the whole thing. Another thing I will warn against coming from the private is that you will work insanely more hours. When you start for a CPA firm you're not getting a job, you're getting a life... REMEMBER THAT... Its not just long hours, its attending function after function to keep your name out there. Public accounting is all about networking. I hope this helps you in your decision ditrevi76, but the thing I would urge the most is remember that this is a life not a job in public accounting. If you go into it with the wrong mindset it will never work. I just hope for your sake you have better luck then I did when I choose the wrong CPA firm to work for. Thanks and Good Luck... I've been in financial reporting for 10 years and I've heard the same thing. But they may be interested in you if you have some expertise in an industry and they have substantial clients in that same industry. Also, you'll probably have better luck getting into a midsize firm, but since you've worked so long already you may have to take a pay cut or benefits reduction or both. If you've done substantial work as Liason with external and/or internal auditors, that would be favorable as well. I've also heard it's better to be either male and married or female and single. The thought being that either situation would make you more likely to be willing to work very long hours and more likely a person looking to advance his/her career. Married women tend to follow their husbands and may become burdened with children...both pregnancy and childcare. Conversely, married men may be blessed with children that he'll have to support and put through college. Illegal, but prove it happened. But I'm curious about your statement that you have a CPA license and a Bachelors in accounting. Back when I passed the uniform CPA exam in 1999, in Massachusetts you needed the exam and 3 years public auditing experience to become a licensed CPA. Or you could have the exam, a Masters, and 2 years public auditing experience. Then I'd heard that passing the exam and obtaining a Masters became an option to get licensed. But I wasn't so sure of my source because back when I passed the exam the word was that requirements were going to become even more rigorous (a Masters would become mandatory along with experience). I've also heard that the public auditing(some or all, not sure) could be substituted with some stated amount of internal auditing. (That I believe, because I knew someone who did it) Anyway, just curious how is it you became a licensed CPA without experience or a Masters. In what state did you take the exam? | |
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