Job Responsibilities
General Auditing and Tax service responsibilities for clients
(size varing from mid-size corporations to wealthy individuals)
under supervision of senior accountants. I was told that this
firm let new accounting staff to do both auditing and tax for a
few years and evaluate which the person is better at. Then,
they will assign you with specialization.
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Job Requirements
CPA-eligible, meaning that applicants need to meet the state CPA
exam education requirements. For Washington state, you
generally need 5 years of college education with certain
accounting and business administration emphasis (please see the
state board of accountancy web site for the detail). Generally,
the company send its recruiter to colleges they do recruiting.
They generally hire Accounting-major students graduating soon.
It does not matter if you are not a major as long as you clear
the CPA-eligible requirements. As for accounting as a field of
study, it is rigorous to say the least. It chooses people.
Either you get it or not. You will know if you take a few
introductory classes to find out if you have a match.
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Uppers
High starting pay and great benefit. You will find a decent job wherever you
are, especially if you pass the CPA exam. It is one of the highly-regarded
occupation, once you are a CPA. You can build on what you learn at school when
you start working (and continue learning!). It has been the seller's market
after the big corporate scandals like Enron.
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Downers
The study of accounting chooses people. If you do not get it,
you don't. (If you think it gets bettter sometime later, you
are wrong.) Even you like the subject, it is still rigorous to
get a good hung of it. Once you start working, long and hard
working hours awaits you. It requires you to continue learning
(once you attain the CPA license, you are required to take CPE
hours).
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Lifestyle
Work first, and everything would come to the second place. At least for the
first few years. Working about 50-60 hours/week in moderate months. More hours
in peak season. I heard it is better than larger firms which make new comers to
work inhumane hours (up to 80hrs/week I heard). Auditors travel a lot, but it
depends on who you get for the assigment. Company had a Christmas Party, and I
was invited (and attended) even I start working late next year. Dress code is
standard conservative. For women, suits and skirts (for auditors pants suits).
Men wear suits.
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Compensation
Base 42K to start. Annual assessment. Interest free loan up to
1.5K (for relocation expense, etc.) Health insurance 70%
premium covered by the company. 50% of health gym membership
fee is paid by the company. Retirement investment account, you
can participate after 2 years of employment. Company matches
the pot.
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Advice to Jobseekers
If you want to work as the CPA in a public accounting firm, you
must like accounting, and willing to work hard. I mean HARD.
You also need a decent people skill. Afterall, you are working
for your clients (and for partners of the firm!). In order to
get a client, you need to be able to communicate. In order to
get ahead and noticed, you need to be able to communicate. If
you have the gift, you are lucky to give it a shot. BUT, you
also must realize that graduating does not end your studying.
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