My name is Daniel and I am currently undeclared in my engineering school, but I am in the process of changing my major to Business Administration. The reason I want to change is because I am tired of getting C’s in engineering courses and being happy about it since they are challenging (I did try my best in every course I took, but it sometimes was not good enough).

Additionally, I cannot see myself being an engineer for the rest of my life. I will fulfill all the requirements by Winter 2016 and will be eligible for the Business Program in Spring 2016. I plan on concentrating in either accounting, finance, or marketing, but I am leaning more towards accounting. Some business courses that I have taken so far was an introduction course:

• Provides an overview of the field of business administration. Explores business goals and strategies, functional areas of business and their integration in policy and decision making, social responsibility, computers in business, and business trends and challenges including the international dimension. 

And financial accounting and reporting course:

• A study of the concepts and techniques for measurement and communication of financial information. Includes interpretation of financial statements. 

I want to get an internship for Summer 2016, but I have a couple questions and concerns about obtaining an internship next summer. 

I feel discouraged to apply for an internship because:

1. My GPA is at a 2.7
2. I do not have have a strong accounting background, and
3. I do not start taking upper division business/accounting courses until Winter 2016.

I know GPA is not everything, but I personally feel like an employer will not consider me because my GPA is below at 3.0. Furthermore, my lack of accounting knowledge will not make me a strong candidate. I want to wait until the 2016-2017 academic school year to get an internship, but I feel like it will be too late if I graduate in June 2017 (I might have to be a fifth year since I am changing my major late into my undergraduate career). 

I was wondering if you can guide me on the steps of acquiring an internship. I have no idea where to start and what to do. I looked into two internships that I might apply for Summer 2016. One is the BOLD program at Google and the other one is an Auditor at PwC. Additionally, the Career Center at my school told me about some career/internship fairs that will be happening this Fall. If you have anything tips and tricks that will help me out due to my current situation will help a lot. Thank you so much in advance for the assistance.

Sincerely,

Daniel

Having a sub 3.0 GPA can be terrible.

GPA isn’t everything, but below the three level employers start to get nervous.

In this situation, you need to get the GPA up regardless of the decision.

Unless you have some amazing personal story of starting a business or something like that, I don’t think Google is realistic. With PwC, you also need a higher GPA (3.23 got in me but that was on the very low side).

Also, if you are going into accounting, you need to get a CPA license which requires 150 credit hours.

Here’s something to consider:

Complete whatever degree is the fastest now and take as many accounting courses as electives as you can. Then enter a Masters of Accounting (your GPA will reset).

Once you get a good GPA after a semester in the Masters program (hopefully 3.5 or higher), you can beat the streets for a full-time job.

Internships are great, but it will be tough to land one with a terrible GPA and not even having a declared accounting major.

A good friend of mine had a 2.8 in undergrad and a 3.6 in his Masters program.

He now works at Ernst & Young.

For some people, it’s best to just finish the degree and be glad things reset in the Masters degree.

The post I Want to Switch my Major to Accounting. But my GPA is Ruined. appeared first on The Bean Counter.

Here is the #1 worst mistake I’ve seen!

Should your resume be longer than one page?

Here is a discussion I jumped into in one of the best accounting student groups on LinkedIn.

Here was the question:

And here were the top responses I saw:

I’m not trying to hate on anyone but people…

If you’re an accounting student, 1-page is the MAX! It’s not an opinion of mine, it’s consistent across every recruiter I’ve ever spoken to in accounting!

Other industries are different. I know a guy in college who was applying to work at a University as a building manager and 3-page resumes are typical. But that doesn’t really matter to me.

Accounting should be 1-page, they’re expecting it. This is exactly what they want to know:

• What was your overall GPA?
• What’s your accounting GPA?
• Did you work during school? Was any of it accounting work?
• Do you plan to take the CPA exam?
• Were you involved in leadership activities (like Beta Alpha Psi)?

The post #1 Worst Accounting Resume Mistake I See This Year appeared first on The Bean Counter.

For me the answer was simple, and here’s why.

Logic, evidence, reason = Audit

Rules, legislations, research = Tax

Things need to make sense in my brain. I don’t find opinions interesting unless they make sense. Weird answer huh? It honestly had nothing to do with seeing clients more, working in teams, or future career paths.

But there is a lot to consider. This question is HUGELY important in the recruiting process.

APPLY: Regardless of Audit or Tax, you NEED to Apply for the CPA Exam.

The more things you know (where you want to work, when you want to start, audit/tax), the more likely you are to get hired. Firms like someone who knows what they want, has a plan, and is fully prepared.

Don’t be fooled by thinking: “Oh, if I say audit or tax I will increase my chances as they will consider me for twice the positions.” WRONG.

Audit Pros:

• You tend to work in teams.
• There are a LOT more audit positions than tax. In recent years the audit industry has grown. Internal audit, IT Audit, and new PCAOB regulations have greatly increased the number of positions available.
• With audit you’ll have limitless exit opportunities in various industries and for different types of positions in the accounting world (CFO, Valuation, Controller, IT Audit, Financial Accounting positions, Finance, etc.).
• You see the full picture of the business. In many cases, you are responsible for parts of the tax work as well as the financial statement audit.

Audit Cons:

• People will ALWAYS ask you, can you do my taxes? You can’t.
• Audit gives you the chance to be yelled at by the client starting day one!
• Being an auditor requires being skeptical and being independent. This can often times be a problem for people who want to “help” the client, or be on their team like a consultant. At the end of the day your goal is to minimize audit risk (the risk of a bad opinion).
• Tend to be quite a bit of travel involved and you almost always have to be at the client sites. While many see this as a pro, over time less people love the travel (though the hotel points are nice).

Tax Pros:

• They tend to pay a bit better for tax since it’s more specialized
• If you really wish to open up your own firm, tax could be for you. Many small firms are focused on bookkeeping and taxes first! Audits tend to come as you grow.
• Food. The tax team almost always gets the best food catered to the office during busy season.
• Dual, tri, and quad monitors! As you’re always in the office, you typically get the best computer setup.

Tax Cons:

• In some cases may take you a year before you even meet a client.
• There is less teamwork in tax preparation. You are on your own much more than with audits.
• Many (large) firms require a Masters in Taxation.
• There are fewer positions available at larger firms than audit.

While you want to try and make the best decision for yourself, you can alway change. I’ve seen countless people start at small and large firms in one department and move to the other.

The truth is, it’s a guessing game. You will not know until you get in the game.

Do you best but don’t say, “I want to do both” or “I would do either”.

If that’s true, pick one for now, and if you hate it, switch once you’ve accepted your offer and you’re at the firm!

Have another audit or tax pro/con? Let me know in the comments!

The post Public Accounting: Audit or Tax? Here Are The Pros & Cons! appeared first on The Bean Counter.

Mueed shared an interesting comment which you need to understand this fall if you will be interviewing…

So are you saying, once you land the interview, you pass all these tests?:

-Your timing to start didn’t work for the firm
– The office you chose didn’t have a need
– You happened to have a bad interview with someone
– The culture wasn’t a fit at the time (maybe you’ve matured)
– You don’t have a good GPA
– You don’t have work experience
– You aren’t involved on campus
– You could also – just plain suck

Are you saying, once you land the interview, it’s all about how the interview goes?

In general: you didn’t connect with them. 

Solving this problem is a huge challenge and it’s different for all of us.

These are some of the questions you need to be asking yourself:

How do others perceive me?

How do others think of me?

If I were in their shoes, would I want me on the team?

Do I bring enthusiasm to the room?

Am I asking questions and curious about the firm and the people?

You need to empathize with the interview and the company to imagine:

Who would I want to hire?

And be that person.

The truth is that once you’ve made it to the interview stage, it is your job to lose.

It’s easy to join a new community service project, apply to another internship, or try to get out GPA up.

It’s hard to look yourself in the mirror and ask:

“Why am I not connecting?”

Sometimes this has to do with personality differences.

If you are naturally introverted, you shouldn’t expect to change your entire personality.

But you should be prepared to push yourself in ways you maybe haven’t before.

You may have to keep up a conversation for an hour with someone you don’t know.

If you are extroverted, you need to allow others to speak at dinner.

Talking over other people going for the same job can be a huge red flag for firms looking for someone that can handle the natural competition with co-workers in the workplace.

The point is: self-reflection and self-improvement is key.

It’s not that there is something fundamentally wrong with you. But what could be better?

P.S. I wrote this article earlier this week, people love it! Don’t miss it!

P.P.S. If you feel this article doesn’t apply to you, maybe you literally just need to prepare a bit more and know the questions they will ask. If that’s you, you must read this post with 28 interviews questions you are guaranteed to get!

The post The Truth About Why You Failed Your Accounting Interview appeared first on The Bean Counter.

How to Dress at Accounting Career Fairs

Males Wear a suit and tie. Make sure the suit fits and my personal recommendation on the tie, is a Windsor knot (check out the video below). I’d also recommend not dressing like the next Gordon Gecko (if you don’t know the reference, Google it and watch the movie, not the one with Shia Lebouf). Basically, nothing too flashy. Also, don’t wear a backpack! It is tacky and makes you look like you are back in high school. [fve]http://youtu.be/ZQQr09Ja1zY[/fve]

How to Prepare

Research Most career fairs at universities have a website where you can find the companies that are attending. This is a REQUIREMENT if you’re going to the career fair. You need to make sure you’re prioritizing the firms you want to see before you arrive. Many companies will have a 30-40-80 person line, and if that’s your top choice, you don’t want to show up in the last hour. You also need to check out the website of the company you’re looking for. Look for them in media publications such as goingconcern.com (above). Find out what charities they’re involved in, major clients they serve in your area, and what type of programs they offer for someone like you (training, tours in other countries, summer leadership programs, etc). This can make great conversation starters if there is something you’re curious about and will show you did your research.

Clothing Make sure your clothes are ironed and ready the day before. You can’t get dry cleaning done the same day as the career fair, most places close around 6:00 pm. If you’re worried about your look, ask a couple of friends or even send us a picture at Andrew@thebeancounter.org. You don’t want to walk in with something that doesn’t fit, is outdated, sloppy, and doesn’t match.

Buy on Amazon

Be sure it’s polished before you show up. Try and print on some special paper to make it stand out a little bit. There should be no spelling errors and it should be consistent all the way through. Print 50 copies of your resume before you attend and make sure the paper is unique. See the amazon link to the right where you can buy weighted paper to give your resume that extra pop. There are so many things to consider on your resume and look out for future resume podcasts. If you’d like to check out our resume services, head to our Resume webpage.

Detailed Portfolio No need for the career fair as you won’t have enough time to go through it. Let’s save it for the interview!

Cover Letter Consider it if a specific company required it, however, that is very rare for a career fair.  Save the cover letter for online resume submissions and just go for the one-page resume. If you would like more information regarding cover letter services, check out our Cover Letter web page.

Business Cards Business cards will only make you more of what you already are. If you’re disorganized, poorly dressed, poorly presented, and your picture is on the business card, that thing will be scanned and sent to the whole office before you get to bed. However, if you’re clean, polished, fresh, it can really help you stand out.

Elevator Speech You need to make sure that when you walk into the career fair, and you make eye contact with that first person, you’re ready to smile, and calmly and confidently walk up to them and start chatting: “Hi, how are you? I’m happy to meet you as I wanted to make sure I talk to as many people as I can from “X company”. I was checking out your website and saw that you are one of the companies that offers summer leadership adventures and want to talk to someone about what the experience is like, and what I need to do to apply?” If you’d like to check out our elevator speech coaching, Head to our Coaching  webpage. Then, they may ask for your resume and you’ll exchange pleasantries. Maybe they are a school alumni and you lived in the same dorm, were part of the same fraternity, or had a common professor. Be calm, playful, make eye contact and as I always say, be Enthusiastic, Curious, and don’t be Weird!

Looking for more?

Check out Get Hired By Big 4 Accounting Firms with a podcast and eBook for the career fair! We also have a 5 part interview series, interviews with recruiters who share exactly what you need to know, and 5 resume templates which you can use that I have handcrafted and are proven to work!

The post Comprehensive Guide to Accounting Career Fairs appeared first on The Bean Counter.

Click here for the short version of 42-page “The Interview” eBook or the full version.

“Office Visits”

Before we get into the exact accounting interview questions they’ll ask, as I mentioned in the podcast, the office visit isn’t what I originally thought it was when I first started in accounting. When I heard “office visit” I thought, Nice! I’ll get to walk around the office, see the place, see what they do, and they’ll tell me a little bit about the company. Just like when I did that group office visit with that business organization I am in.

WRONG!

This is an interview and a brutal one at that. It lasts almost 24 hours and if you’re not ready for this knock-down, drag-out battle then you may have your resume pulled right out of the pile.

Pre-Interview Social

Typically with office interviews there is a social, or meet and greet, the night before you go into the office. I must stress: THIS IS PART OF THE INTERVIEW. Don’t take this lightly and make sure you’re on your “A” game. Dress is usually more casual than a suit and tie, but make sure you reach out before to determine the setting, dress, location, and time the event begins.

Hotel

If you’re from another city, or live far away from the office, the company will arrange a hotel room for you. Make sure you’re treating this as a business trip–no raging parties in the hotel restaurant ;-). I would also recommend against making an all-night event with the other interviewees as I have seen that go wrong a few times. Remember, they are your competition.

APPLY: Find the CPA Exam Requirements By State and Apply

The Day of the Office Visit

Be prepared for at least three interviews as that is how a typical office visit goes. You may also be waiting around for 15 minutes to an hour beforehand where you need to be ready to mix and mingle with HR without showing signs that you’re rattled.

Now the interviews. The company will generally have you meet with manager level employees and above, usually a few partners. The interviews can last 30 minutes to an hour. Some interviewers will drill you on the checklist of questions and take it very seriously. Others may sit back and just want to “shoot the shit” for an hour. Either way, you need to be prepared. If you’ve brought a portfolio/resume and want to show it off to the interviewers, be ready to pivot and just have a conversation if a partner doesn’t seem interested. Try to get a sense of how it’s going during the interview. Watch the interviewers’ facial expressions and gestures, like if they look at their watches. If you’re seeing negative signs, try to change the subject or bring up the enthusiasm a little bit.

Lunch

The interview is not over at lunch, I repeat, it’s NOT over! A good friend of mine had a 100% chance of landing a job–he built many relationships at the company, did great in the interviews, and had all of the necessary qualifications, but he imploded at the post interview lunch (have a listen to find out why).  The lunch is meant to be more relaxed. The firm will usually send you out with the lower level staffers like Senior Associates, and Associates. Don’t let this fool you, they are still in the process of evaluating you and once that lunch is over, a decision will be made.

Keep your enthusiasm high even if you’re exhausted. You need to still have several of questions to ask: How long have you been with the company? Where are you from? Where did you go to school? For which clients do you work? In what industries do you specialize? You know, I was speaking with “X person” during my interview and he mentioned… what you your experience with that?

Questions they WILL ask you during the interview

Now for the meat, what questions will they ask you? Try to stay calm and relaxed. Keep your shoulders loose, keep your back straight (no slouching), stay engaged, and have a light and confident smile. This is the time, more than ever, to have enthusiasm, curiosity, and don’t be weird! It’s okay to pause at any given time and say, “You know, that’s a great question, let me think about that for a moment.” Prepare before the office visit by spending some time thinking about your responses to all of the questions below!

Have a listen to the podcast for my analysis and advice on each question, although I warn you, it’s a long one!

Interview questions you may be asked

1.     Tell me about yourself.

2.     Why do you want to work at “X” company?

3.     Why is “X” firm your first choice?

4.     Describe a situation where you felt challenged and had to overcome it.

5.     Do you have any questions for me?

6.     Who else are you interviewing with?

7.     Do you have any other offers?

8.     Describe a time when you had to work exceptionally hard to provide great service to a customer or client. What did you do and what was the outcome?

9.     What accomplishment are you most proud of?

10.    Give me an example of how you successfully dealt with someone who was difficult.

11.    Why are you interested in this particular area of the firm?

12.    Give me an example of a time you failed.

13.    Give me an example of a time you succeeded.

14.    What’s the most difficult thing you’ve ever had to do?

15.    Give me examples of how well you work under pressure.

16.    What are you looking to get out of a job/internship with a public accounting firm?

17.    Where do you see yourself in five years?

18.    What city do you want to live in?

19.    What are your strengths?

20.   What are your weaknesses?

21.    Why have you had “X” number of jobs over the years?

22.    Discuss a specific accomplishment you’ve achieved in a previous position that indicates you will thrive in this position.

23.    Tell us about a time when things didn’t go the way you wanted, like a promotion you wanted and didn’t get or a project that didn’t turn out how you had hoped.

24.    What are your thoughts on the increase demand of quality by the PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) and how would you face such demands in your first year?

25.    Tell me about a time when you had an idea but your team was not willing to accept it. How did you go about presenting this idea and trying to persuade them to accept it?

26.    Why should I hire you?

27.    Describe some situations where you’ve had to use technical writing skills.

28.    What makes you stand out?

To listen to the full podcast where I answer each question and the exact response you should give the recruiter, check out the course Get Hired From Big 4 Accounting Firms, or email me at andrew@thebeancounter.com.

The post 28 Interview Questions the Big 4 Ask Before Hiring You (Q&A eBook Included) appeared first on The Bean Counter.

Don’t miss the first article on the timing of accounting firms hiring efforts and how to reach out to all firms (not just those on campus).

From the mailbag:

Dear Mr. Argue,

Hi. I am Ricky, the recent Economics graduate from University of Kansas. I have read The Bean Counter accidentally and I love your posts. I found that it is very helpful for my recruiting. I wish I could have read your blog earlier.

Nonetheless, I am seeking advice regarding my current situation. I have just graduated from college in August. During the last fall, I tried to reach out and join the Big 4 during information sessions. Since I do not have a high GPA, I was surprised when I was invited for the on-campus interview by 3 of the Big 4 firms. However, I ended up not receiving any job offers from the firms (even though I made it to the in-house interview for one of the firms).

The question is, should I try to apply for the Big 4 again?

I heard some recruiters said I should first spend a few years working in some regional or local firms. Once you get the experience, you can apply as an experienced staff. On the other hand, I am afraid that applying Big 4 firms again this year would hurt my chance since I did not have any significant work being done during last year.

Sorry for writing a long email. I really appreciate your help.

Best Regards,

Ricky

Failures stinks.

It burns.

It hurts.

I remember the first time I interviewed with the Big 4.

It was for a summer leadership adventure.

I didn’t get the position.

I was heartbroken.

So what did I do?

I spent the next year working on the things that might have caused me to not be chosen.

I say “might” because you usually don’t know.

I focused on my GPA (was in the low 3’s).

Became Vice President of Beta Alpha Psi (then President).

I won a National Speech Competition.

I got 3 part time jobs.

A year later, I could have basically chosen what firm I wanted to work at.

Just because I was rejected once, didn’t mean I couldn’t work for that same firm a semester or even a year later.

In fact, I know a guy who applied to a firm 4 times. Rejection, rejection, rejection, rejection.

On the 5th time, BOOM! He got the position and still works there to this day.

There are so many reasons why you may not have been chosen:

• Your timing to start didn’t work for the firm
• The office you chose didn’t have a need
• You happened to have a bad interview with someone
• The culture wasn’t a fit at the time (maybe you’ve matured)
• You don’t have a good GPA
• You don’t have work experience
• You aren’t involved on campus
• You could also – just plain suck

Any of those issues could be the reason you weren’t chosen.

However, if you’ve already been asked to do interview, I think you’re problem is interviewing.

Even if you have “problem areas”, if you are a phenomenal interviewer, you can overcome any issue.

The reason is that once you are at the interview: they are interested in you!

There is no major alarm, nothing obvious that holds you back.

It’s up to you to lock in the position.

One of the biggest problems I see with people going through recruiting is a lack of self-reflection and a tendency to blame others.

Here’s a surprise for you:

If you didn’t get the position, it’s your fault! Period.

Good news about that, if it was your fault it’s also within your control to fix.

When you blame others, it relieves you of needing to change.

So yes, I would re-apply even if you got rejected.

But before doing that, I would honestly ask yourself: what went wrong?

Fix it.

Then apply!

The post If You Experience An Accounting Firm Rejection, Should You Re-Apply? appeared first on The Bean Counter.

It’s when the plan on selecting the most interns and full-time hires.

I received a huge spike in questions this time of year.

So over the next couple of weeks/months, I’ll be covering these questions and at the end of the article I’ll put “NFRT” to show this has to do with fall recruiting.

The questions will be of all types but will all be related to helping you find a job this time of year.

So let’s get into it!

From the mailbag:

Hi Andrew,

I stumbled across your site via youtube back in June and I have been loving all the content you share with future and current accountants.

My name is Amanda Rodriguez and I am an Accounting student in her last year and as you know its that time for me to think of my future and prepare myself for sending resumes and lining up interviews that could turn into job offers.  I have a few questions about this and I was hoping to get your opinion and advice.

I was planning to graduate in Spring of 2016 but now for unforeseen events I may have to push this back to Summer of 2016.

• Are recruiters only looking for candidates that will graduate in Spring 2016?
• Will graduating in summer 2016 hurt my chances against those who are graduating in Spring of 2016?
• Would it be wise to apply for summer internships so that it may turn into a job offer or apply straight for the position?
• Another part of the application process I am confused about is applying for the position itself.  Is this done through recruiting events held at school or do I find these positions on their websites?

Again I have been reading your content and I was just confused as to how to actually apply for positions and get those interviews.  I was about to just start emailing recruiters my cover letter and resume but I wanted your input first.

Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon

-Rebecca

These are great questions and really lie at why I started The Bean Counter.

The truth is, for people who already have accounting jobs, they forget how little they knew.

I started The Bean Counter because I remember what is was like to be in your shoes. Not knowing the best path and not having anyone to show you the way.

Even the people that are supposed to guide you tell you ridiculous things like: “Only apply on the company webiste” or “Your resume can be longer than 1-page”.

Let’s dig into these on-by-one.

Are recruiters only looking for candidates that will graduate in Spring 2016? Will graduating in summer 2016 hurt my chances against those who are graduating in Spring of 2016?

No.

Most accounting firms have on-boarding processes 3 times per year:

• January – Full-time hires & winter internships
• June – Summer interns (none or very few full-time hires)
• September/October – Full time hires only

I’m talking mainly about large firms, but many small firms fall under those dates as well.

If you graduate in the Spring or Fall, they still won’t want you to start until September/October.

So that’s perfect!

If you finish in Spring, you will have time over the summer to complete your CPA exam.

If you finish in Summer, you’ll be done and start work almost immediately!

Would it be wise to apply for summer internships so that it may turn into a job offer or apply straight for the position?

No.

Most accounting firms like you to do an internship a year or so in advance of your full-time start date.

You are typically considered ready for full-time when you have completely the 150 credit hours for the CPA exam.

You don’t have to actually be a CPA or completed any of the exams.

So in your case, if you complete your 15o credit hours in Summer 2016, you need to be looking for full-time September/October.

The best time for an internship for you would have been January or June 2015.

But don’t worry, most people at the firms never did an internship!

Another part of the application process I am confused about is applying for the position itself.  Is this done through recruiting events held at school or do I find these positions on their websites?

Both.

I always tell people to make a list of at least 20 companies you want to work for.

First, see if they are at the career fair.

If not, then you need to reach out to them directly.

I walk through how to do that by finding them on LinkedIn and exactly what to say in the email here.

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress!

Have a question about fall recruiting? Let me know in the comments!

The post Notes From The Recruiting Trail (NFRT Part 1) appeared first on The Bean Counter.

And it raises the question:

What do young people and new hires to the profession want their career to look like?

I am always encouraging people who use my course or work with me on a resume to realize interviews work two ways.

The firm has to make a decision about you.

And YOU need to make a decision about the firm.

If you follow my steps through the recruiting process, you’ll almost certainly have multiple offers.

And that should be the goal, to have multiple choices. The more choice, the higher the quality.

The most basic analogy is the incredible human success that is the grocery store!

Lots of choices, incredible quality.

Your job search is the exact same.

When you have choices and options in your career, you’re negotiating and deciding from a position of strength.

Once you have options, then you have to make a decision of what’s important to you.

Here’s an excerpt from Jody’s article:

The other day, as I was browsing LinkedIn, I saw a job advertisement for a tax manager.  Now I can honestly say I know nothing about the firm or even the location, but the first three words in the ad made me stop dead in my tracks (and no, I’m not looking for a new job.)  

“Beautiful Downtown Office.”

I read those three words as stifling, painful, and horrifying.

But what shocked me the most is how “old school” firm management believes this is important. Important enough for it to be the first three words in an ad intended to catch a new hire. What is wrong with this picture, firm, and our profession?

Regular readers of my column know work is no longer a place you go. 

It’s what you do, who you are, and a lifestyle. 

A job is not “location based” – especially at the manager level. Yet, this “old school” firm believes that a downtown office is something a “tax manager” level professional would choose. 

(full article)

I remember when I worked at PwC, I thought the Big 4 was the entire accounting profession.

Let me tell you a little secret, it’s not.

There are well over $1.2M accountants and auditors in the US.

According to Accounting Today, in the top 25 firms, there are 217,000 employees.

That means over 80% of accountants don’t work for large firms.

They work for companies and firms that have all sorts of different company environments and cultures.

So what is important to young people?

When I went through the recruitment process, I chose the firm that paid the most attention to me.

The one that courted me.

They showed interest in me.

They believed in me and my potential.

That, more than the office, more than pay, more than prestige, is why I chose the firm.

Why did you choose your firm?

If you haven’t chosen a firm, what will you use to make your decision?

A few months ago we released 15 Things Bean Counter Readers Want From Firms (survey results):

1. Great company culture
2. Work life balance
3. Advancement opportunities
4. Great learning environment & training
5. Care about me as a person, not just a “faceless employee”
6. Enthusiastic employees who are excited about their job and the people they work with
7. Ability to travel
8. Stability
9. Good benefits
10. Good compensation
11. Helps me to grow into the best professional I can be
12. International assignments
13. Staying current with technology
14. Forensic accounting opportunities
15. Community service

The first two are hitting on exactly what Jody is talking about.

The truth is, young people are becoming more and more valuable as technology continues to make accounting and auditing easier.

Young people increasingly want a firm that’s hip, allows flexible or remote work, and is in tune with what’s important to young people today.

A corner office, a nice pension, and office parties aren’t as relevant as there were in the “Mad Men” days.

So what about you? Do you work at a firm that really understands you? Or have you ever interviewed at a firm that was clueless about what’s important to our generation?

The post Millennial Accountants Don’t Want A Corner Office With A View appeared first on The Bean Counter.

Hi Andrew,

I hope this message finds you well. I have a situation I was hoping you could help me with. Thanks to your program I was able to land a tax accountant position with McGladrey last semester. I have been involved with Beta Alpha Psi for the past two semesters, which has also been a great tool that helped me land the job. As I’m going into my final semester, does it make sense to continue being a part of BAP?

I will be taking my first section of the CPA exam in January. Would this time be put to better use studying for the exam? I don’t hold any position within the organization, so I wouldn’t be bailing on any responsibilities. I feel that BAP has served its purpose and that it wouldn’t have much value now that I have a job.

Thanks so much for sharing your insight!

Best regards,

David

This is a constant problem for Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) Chapters.

While BAP offers tremendous opportunities for professional development and community service, most people use it to find a job.

And that makes sense.

Perhaps the greatest thing you can get as a result of your experience in Beta Alpha Psi is a full-time job offer.

But while most people never attend another meeting after that achievement, I think that’s short-sighted.

I always try to look at the bigger picture.

When I got promoted in 2 years at PwC (the normal is 3 years), it was because I went above and beyond in a number of areas.

One of which was recruiting.

I attended a number of recruiting events at many different Universities.

Before I worked at PwC, zero people worked there from my University.

A few short years later, the PwC office had hired 10 people!

10 people in one office from a small school like The University of Tampa made a big difference.

So while I understand you’re thinking of quitting, what are you missing out on?

Can you help McGladrey get the inside scoop on who the rising stars are?

I literally sent the recruiting at PwC a list of every person in the Chapter and who are thought would make great interns or full-time hires in the next year. They loved that!

While I did a number of other things to get promoted, this was part of the pie.

When you are trying to get the biggest raise, biggest bonus, and going for promotion, every little battle helps win the war!

That’s my attempt to appeal to your self-interest.

But what about giving back? You’ve done well for yourself.

Remember when you were a little more scared?

Didn’t know if you would get an offer?

Would you implode during the interview?

Had sweaty palms at the career fair?

I’m not saying you need to commit your entire semester to BAP, you need to pass the CPA exam.

But stopping in for a few meeting and helping people that are struggling like you were just a few short months ago sounds like the right thing to do…..

Enjoy you semester, and let us know what you decide!

P.S. Be sure to read this post when making your study plan for the CPA exam!

The post Should I Quit Beta Alpha Psi? appeared first on The Bean Counter.