aswedc

You do not need work experience. The GMAT is valid for five years.

sleepykitten

Hello~

I am planning to do a accounting minor at USC, could a minor be enough to work for accounting firms?

aswedc

You will need to be CPA eligible, but otherwise, there are lots of UC students without accounting majors working for the firms.

Nike

how is easy is it to get a job if you are not close to big companies? I live in south jersey and there really arnt any big companies that i can think of. I suppose my chances of getting a higher paying job would greatly increase if I live say in NY. Will wanting to get a job where i live effect how my career will play out...make less money?

melon390

Taxguy, how long would you say it takes to make senior manager at the big four, holding a CPA? Also, how much do these experienced managers make?

southpasdena

you "usually" have 3 kinds of managers, a manager, an experience manager and then a senior manager. Senior managers are rather rare. take a look at glassdoor.com. It gives rather accurate salary distributions.

aswedc

"Taxguy, how long would you say it takes to make senior manager at the big four, holding a CPA?"

Holding a CPA makes no difference in how fast people are promoted, other than that not having a CPA or law license will prevent promotion to manager.

Calcruzer

The latest theory seems to be that large companies will go to International accounting standards by 2011 and small companies by 2012.

southpasdena

and that is why accounting programs need to start addressing the dynamics of this industry.

melon390

I know some smaller companies are allowing some telecommuniting, can anyone address this further?

COH123

do CPA firms care about SAT scores? I am a rising junior majoring accounting at a large state school and really want to get an internship this summer. I have a 3.81 GPA BTW

taxguy

SATs are irrelevant once you finish your first year of college. Few care what they are once you graduate. They will care about your GPA in college however.

COH123

So some firms might not hire you because of a bad SAT score? regardless of gpa?

taxguy

Let me repeat myself: SATs are irrelevant once you finish college. Few, if any firms will ask for your SATs.

Nausicaa11

Hello, soon to be an accounting grad and looking for some guidance.

I'm getting my degree from DePaul University in Chicago. I think they have a good reputation in the area. I've got about a 3.4 GPA overall, and have gotten all As and Bs in my Accounting courses. Additionally, I've had an internship in the accounting department of a local non-profit. It was not an accounting firm, but the job involved only accounting. The CFO was a former manager at a big 4 firm, incidentally the one I want to work at, and worked there for 11 years. She offered to forward my resume to people she knows at the big four and other firms.

Would a "connection" like this make any difference in their consideration for employment? I'm worried my GPA isn't high enough for big four, but I'm hoping my internship and other volunteer work, as well as the connection, will give me an edge.

I guess I don't know what I'm asking, but do the professionals here think I would be a strong candidate for the big four?

Additionally, I won't have the 150 credit hours finished until this winter, although I have completed all the required accounting curriculum required for graduation. Should I start applying for jobs now? Is it common for firms to hire students working towards the 150 goal if they have already substantially completed their education?

Thanks for any help.