Anyone here know how to get an interview in public accounting firms?

Originally Posted by Texasmade

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Having 2000 charge hours, 100 hours of CPE, 8 holidays, about 4-5 weeks vacation, and don't forget your unassigned time. Think about how 2000 charge hours + CPE time+ unassigned time+ travel time (total about 2300+ hours a year) fit into about 45 weeks of work. Then consider the salary you get and you'll see why it isn't always all it's cracked up to be.
You put it a lot more succinctly than me. Here's your job essentially....work your ass off (get the project done yesterday), but make it seem like you didn't (don't hit the budget!!) EDIT: Sorry, not to get too negative in a "how to get an interview" thread or derail it, but my overall point is that your career in public accounting is what you make of it. It's a FANTASTIC place to get your start, but whether you're at Big4 or Mid-Tier, your success is ultimately up to you...not the name of the company.

Can I ask why she is only looking for a public accounting position vs. one with a private company?

Genuinely curious, I'm currently doing a 6 month internship with a CPA firm in Audit and if they don't keep me I'll be back in the job market..

Originally Posted by longskate88

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Can I ask why she is only looking for a public accounting position vs. one with a private company?

Genuinely curious, I'm currently doing a 6 month internship with a CPA firm in Audit and if they don't keep me I'll be back in the job market..

well that's what she was told was the way to go although im sure at this point she'd consider pretty much anything

Originally Posted by longskate88

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Can I ask why she is only looking for a public accounting position vs. one with a private company?

Genuinely curious, I'm currently doing a 6 month internship with a CPA firm in Audit and if they don't keep me I'll be back in the job market..

Don't many private firms seek out CPAs (and don't you need audit experience to get the CPA) that worked in an audit role? Or at least in a tax role?

Originally Posted by BC2012

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Don't many private firms seek out CPAs (and don't you need audit experience to get the CPA) that worked in an audit role? Or at least in a tax role?
I think private firms do seek people who've worked in public accounting, and yes you need audit hours to become a CPA. The path I've been told is you graduate, work for a public firm for a few years, and in that time you get to know people who work at the private companies who've been your clients. Then a few years down the road one of those private calls you/vice versa and you go to work for them in a private role.

Originally Posted by BC2012

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Don't many private firms seek out CPAs (and don't you need audit experience to get the CPA) that worked in an audit role? Or at least in a tax role?

Depends on the state you want to be licensed in. In Texas you don't need audit hours but you do need to work under a CPA. You then have to submit the work/tasks performed under a CPA in which he or she signs off on which the State Board either accepts or rejects.

Embowafa is 100% correct. Very good posts!

That said I was one of the 0.0001% that wasn't recruited off campus. In fact, I couldn't get an interview when on campus. I took a job with a private company who happened to be audited by AY (back then it was the Big 8, but things worked exactly the same way he described).

The Senior Audit Manager on our account happened to be the recruiting director for the office and was very familiar with my work (I did all the prep work for our annual audit). When the economy dipped and I was going to be let go my boss called him to see if they needed any help and they did. I wound up going in as a new recruit the next year. Probably took a job from some poor college grad. Ha!

Anyway, mine was a very non-traditional route in and probably is not one that could be replicated as it relied on a little of luck (meeting the right people at the right time). Hard work and perseverance, but also a lot of luck.