How do I find an entry level accounting position without being CPA eligible?
I now have a bachelor degree in accounting with a 3.8 accounting G.P.A. but can’t find a job because I am short 4 classes of being CPA eligible. I would like to start working while I try to finish those classes but can’t seem to find a job in the Miami, FL or Tallahassee, FL area. Does anyone know of any website or career fairs or something else I could try? Is it just that the economy is bad or that it is Christmas season?
Is it that you aren’t receiving ANY job offers, or that you don’t like the ones you’re getting?
I’m assuming you’ve already checked careerbuilder.com? & tallahassee.com classifieds?
If seriously looking in Tallahassee, contact George Allen at Carr, riggs & Ingram
1713 Mahan Dr
Tallahassee, FL , 32308-1218
Phone: 850-878-8777
He’s a head hunter for various firms. Keep checking back with him until you talk to him personally - he’s hard to get a hold of if not going thru FSU, so be persistent. He set up an interview for me with First American Title when I was trying to finish up my classes for the CPA exam. First American gave me a decent salary and a flexible schedule I needed in order to finish my classes.
Also check with the auditor general - they are ALWAYS looking for people.
Can also check myflorida.com for positions at the state - tho starting salaries at some state agencies are low. But good for some experience while finishing up classes. (P.S. not all state agencies hire at the minimum starting salary, so don’t let that deter you from applying!)
Also - don’t be afraid to apply for jobs that ask for CPA eligibility. Many hiring managers will still hire you if you are a few classes short as long as you agree to finish those classes within a certain date of hire. Where I work, they’ll hire someone who is short as long as they agree to take the classes within a year. But THAT’s usually not stated in the job advertisements 
You can also try Robert Half: http://www.roberthalffinance.com/portal/site/rhf-us
I know of some local companies who use Robert Half to find employees.
Also try Capital Career Solutions. I hired some folks they sent to me at First American (if Sheri is still there, tell her I said HI!)
Another one I would use when hiring Accountants was American Employment (Debbie is fantastic!)
There’s such a shortage of Accountants in Tally, you should have no problem finding a job here. I’d love to validate your "Christmas season" theory, except for the fact that I received my job offers for my current job and for my last job in mid-December.
Good luck!
And remember to do cover letters with resume and a follow up letters to interviews.
September 28th, 2009 at 6:34 am
I am surprised that you have not been able to procure a position with a company.. In the first instance, it is a bad time of the year.. Most companies try to hold off on hiring towards the end of the year because of budgetary issues..
I will recommend you to try the following:
http://www.accenture.com
I used to work for them reporting directly to their executives. They are a great company, pay pretty well, and have different business units… Hopefully, that will help..
One other site which I can recommend…
http://www.indeed.com (this site pulls jobs from all over the web — and YES it is FREE)….
NO registration or anything… like google format…
Hope that helps
References :
September 28th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Raymond:
Your situation is not unlike what I went through this summer. I had a lot of trouble since graduating this May securing a position at a CPA firm. I am about 25 credits away from becoming eligible for the CPA exam and want to get the credit while pursuing my MBA.
First of all, the Big 4 accounting firms are probably out of the picture. They generally have very high standards and will not hire unless you can take the CPA exam from day one. I applied with PriceWaterhouse & KPMG and even with inside help, they all told me to come back after I have my MBA and 150 hours.
I think your best bet would be the smaller to medium sized CPA firms. If you can, I would try to network your way in vs. bursting through the front door by submitting your resume. Maybe one of your parents, family members, friend’s, friend’s family members, etc knows someone who can get you in for an interview. Don’t underestimate the power of networking.
Another resource is to check with your college’s career resource department. They may be able to help you in looking for a position. I know that a lot of them will also assist in resume & interview preperation.
Most of all, don’t give up! Your first job is the hardest coming out of college. I know the feeling. You feel great coming out of college with a high GPA and think you will just waltz into a job. Then the reality hits you that it isn’t quite that easy.
Good luck!
I have provided some resources below if you haven’t tried any. Linkedin I think is probably the best for networking.
References :
http://www.careerlink.com/
http://www.monster.com/
http://www.linkedin.com/
September 28th, 2009 at 7:43 am
You don’t need a CPA for most non-public accounting firms. Try starting there…
References :
http://www.flashpointcpareview.com
September 28th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Is it that you aren’t receiving ANY job offers, or that you don’t like the ones you’re getting?
I’m assuming you’ve already checked careerbuilder.com? & tallahassee.com classifieds?
If seriously looking in Tallahassee, contact George Allen at Carr, riggs & Ingram
1713 Mahan Dr
Tallahassee, FL , 32308-1218
Phone: 850-878-8777
He’s a head hunter for various firms. Keep checking back with him until you talk to him personally - he’s hard to get a hold of if not going thru FSU, so be persistent. He set up an interview for me with First American Title when I was trying to finish up my classes for the CPA exam. First American gave me a decent salary and a flexible schedule I needed in order to finish my classes.
Also check with the auditor general - they are ALWAYS looking for people.
Can also check myflorida.com for positions at the state - tho starting salaries at some state agencies are low. But good for some experience while finishing up classes. (P.S. not all state agencies hire at the minimum starting salary, so don’t let that deter you from applying!)
Also - don’t be afraid to apply for jobs that ask for CPA eligibility. Many hiring managers will still hire you if you are a few classes short as long as you agree to finish those classes within a certain date of hire. Where I work, they’ll hire someone who is short as long as they agree to take the classes within a year. But THAT’s usually not stated in the job advertisements
You can also try Robert Half: http://www.roberthalffinance.com/portal/site/rhf-us
I know of some local companies who use Robert Half to find employees.
Also try Capital Career Solutions. I hired some folks they sent to me at First American (if Sheri is still there, tell her I said HI!)
Another one I would use when hiring Accountants was American Employment (Debbie is fantastic!)
There’s such a shortage of Accountants in Tally, you should have no problem finding a job here. I’d love to validate your "Christmas season" theory, except for the fact that I received my job offers for my current job and for my last job in mid-December.
Good luck!
And remember to do cover letters with resume and a follow up letters to interviews.
References :
I’m a CPA - been working as an Accountant in Tallahassee for 8 years, some of those as a hiring manager in the Accounting dept - I KNOW how hard it is to find & hire an Accountant in Tally!