Dawgie

You want to take the CPA as soon as possible while you got some of the stuff stuck in your head. Also, it's easier to study in college mode. It's also easier to pass in your earlier years when you have less responsibilities. Believe me, I'm taking my last section tomorrow.

Thetaxdad

Take the CPA as soon as possible. The answer to your question, in public accounting at least, is yes, not having the CPA will hinder your ability to climb the "career ladder." Many firms will give you passing bonuses, some will pay for review courses even.

1stp klosr

Should I be sending out a cover letter every time I apply to an internship through eRecruiting? I am not too sure how much the bigger firms like Deloitte care for a cover letter.

Also, would it be a bad thing to apply to multiple internships posted by the same firm?

Thanks.

Dawgie

I didn't do one, and I got an interview for all Big 4 internships.

1stp klosr

Thanks for the quick response Dawgie. That's great to hear, although I may still do one. I don't want that to be the difference between getting an interview or not. Do you think it would be a bad thing to apply to two internships for the same firm (audit and forensics)?

Dawgie

Yes I think it would be a bad idea. Shows you don't really have an interest in one particular field. Meaning you didn't really research beforehand what might be a potential career path for you.

creamgethamoney

Does anyone know anything about what opportunities working for the Government presents? Aside from the benefits, do they earn a good salary as well if you work your way up? Do they present exit opps similar to that of the Big 4 in terms of becoming a CFO and whatnot?

Dawgie

Awful exit opportunities. Government accounting is so different.

taxguy

Dawgie, you are wrong, BUT it depends on the government job. When I was at IRS , many of the staff got great jobs with high powered accounting and law firms.

Dawgie

I stand by my claim, "great" jobs are subjective and so are "high powered" accounting and law firms. Why start off at government, when you just end up at these "high powered accounting firms"? Also when you talk about high powered accounting firms, that can only mean one thing. Big 4. Like I said, awful exit opps, you can get into Big 4 right after undergrad. So what's a staff from a government job do at a high powered law firm? Some back office GL accounting?

jonahrubin

My dad's huge international law firm employs accountants(who don't also have law degrees) who make big money involving themselves in things like international transfer pricing cases. Now, I don't know where they came from(could certainly be Big Four vets, I don't know) but I know the IRS has a lot of power as far as dictating transfer prices to multinationals so I could see how that might be a good route. But I'm sure those accountants are outnumbered 100 to 1 by the ones who do the nuts and bolts accounting for the government's 2 trillion dollars that is mostly wasted every year...and I really doubt the 100 doing pedestrian government accounting have great opportunities. The culture of the civilian government workforce is just terrible by and large and I'm guessing the experience you get just isn't really applicable to anything profit oriented.

So if I were thinking about going the government route, I'd certainly make sure I knew exactly what job I was going to be doing and what kind of job it would likely get me in the long run.

treeblah

So my goal is Big 4 auditing, and I just started my junior semester. This is the right time to look for an internship right? Only problem is that my schools upcoming career fairs don't include any big 4 firms. My school's website shows that KPMG EY and Deloitte are/have been active on campus. I'm sure a bad economy isn't helping my situation. Do I have to take it upon myself to try to land an interview? Is it possible they will be recruiting in the Spring for summer internships?

Dawgie

You gotta find someone at the firm that will forward your resume to HR.

jonahrubin

The Big Four recruit interns way in advance. They showed up to a mini career fair thing for people in the BBA/MS program here and pretty much said nothing but that they're recruiting in the spring for internships in the summer of the following year. Why they do this, I don't know. So while maybe there's some kind of advantage to "networking"(bugging Big Four reps at their table at a career fair), you are probably not too far behind the curve. I gave them my resume and took a card and some silly materials but I don't think it'll really matter. If they don't do it at your school then don't worry.

HOWEVER, if you are at a school with a BBA/MS program that you aren't in you are probably boned. I mean, how are you going to get an internship for summer 2011 if you have graduated by then?

mc2ik

Treeblah, if you are doing the 150 hours in 4 years then you should start contacting the Big 4 for internships this summer. If you are doing the 5 year program, you should still contact the big 4 to show interest and land a leadership experience (externship) with them this summer. The externship can lead to an internship and gives you an early chance to interview. Either way, I would highly recommend contacting them as they do recruit very early.