Convince me to take the CPA

amother

Smokey

Sun, Oct 25 2020, 11:35 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I am a valuable employee now, but who is to say that I won't stagnate a few years down the line due to the growth of the firm and the new hires being actual CPAs? You say your relative was a valued employee for over 20 years, but did this relative continue to advance within the company? Re: flexibility, I was mostly referring to the ability to relocate (which there is precedent for in my firm), but I agree with you that flexibility is incorrectly touted as a perk of this field. That was a tough reality check for my classmates and me in our last semester of college, as we had all somehow been convinced that accounting was a flexible field before starting college!

Yes, he advanced to a position of management. The company grew and he grew with it. The fact that you say your company is new is good thing in that sense.
As far as review course, I agree that Becker is best and ninja is a nice supplement. However I wasn’t working at the time I took the exams and cannot imagine how I would’ve done it without extreme motivation. Or a heck of a lot of brains. I did have kids though.

ellacoe

Sun, Oct 25 2020, 11:41 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

We have not discussed this, I know that this is done in large firms, but like I said, this is a fairly new company and they don't have a precedent for this. How would I even approach such a conversation?

What benefit would there be for them in you becoming a CPA? Try and figure out what value it would add and also try and ascertain what you would want from them, I.e time off to study, money towards revision costs etc. and what you would be willing to commit to, as they might want you to commit to staying for a certain amount of time. Once you have an idea about these things you can figure out the best way to approach them and how to pitch it.

amother

Royalblue

Mon, Oct 26 2020, 10:01 am

I took the tests when I was single and it was hours and hours. No way would I be able to do it married but I know many others that have. Don’t be so sure that your company will raise you if you take the tests. My company openly said that they do private and having the four tests under your belt doesn’t make you more valuable to them - I.e. no raise. Also make sure you have Simone to sign off on you. That’s still an issue in my place...

amother

Khaki

Mon, Oct 26 2020, 10:24 pm

Other small firms wont hire you as a manager or similar without a CPA. Even though I think experience is much more valuable but that's the way it is. Could be you can advance in your own company but even small firms will only pay you so much.

As far as starting my own firm. about 5 year before my husband spread around in yeshiva that I was doing tax returns. All while working at my nonjewish firm one town over (they wouldnt have gone to that firm). some of those clients started businesses, and spread the word. At one point I took the leap and dropped the job and business just exploded B'h@!

amother

Wed, Oct 28 2020, 7:54 pm

amother [ Brown ] wrote:

If you dont do it it will always eat away at you and give you no peace. Bite the bullet , right now. Now. The more you wait the harder it will be.

That's my main concern, I don't want to regret not doing it a few years down the line and then be in an even more difficult position... It's just so much to undertake NOW!

amother

Wed, Oct 28 2020, 7:56 pm

amother [ Royalblue ] wrote:

Can I ask you around how many hours a day? Did you study every day or in larger blocks a few times a week?
Interesting re: your company's response to the CPA - do you mean that because they have private clients as opposed to publicly traded clients, a CPA is not worth much to them?
Why would it be an issue for them to sign off on you? I am assuming you are referring to the hours you worked under a CPA?

amother

Wed, Oct 28 2020, 7:58 pm

amother [ Khaki ] wrote:

I hear, it definitely brings your resume up a notch when you have those initials after your name.
Wow, nice to hear your success story! You should continue to have hatzlacha!

amother

Wed, Oct 28 2020, 7:58 pm

ellacoe wrote:

Thank you, I will have to think about that!