Calibay_CPA,

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I am formerly from bay area and big4. From my experience, many others who are in your position have similar questions.

I think you should start with a thorough self-assessment. It is an opportunity to reflect back on your past work experiences, to determine what worked and what did not, and to realign your goals for the future.

Keep focused on what is important to you. Some good questions to ask yourself:

•What skills do I most enjoy using? Which do I enjoy least? What are my key strengths?
•What are my personal and professional goals for the next few years? Five years? Ten years?
•What are my values? What guides me as I make decisions? What do I need and what level of importance do I place on factors such as:
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With what types of people do I like to work?
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What type of working conditions do I prefer?
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What type of organizational culture and values are important to me?
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What level of responsibility do I hope to undertake in an organization? What are my goals for career advancement?

Your responses will help you in deciding what types of positions to target in your search. The aim is to understand what is important to you. Then you can decide if going to a regional PA firm or into industry will get you to where you want to go. I wish you luck. I have many contacts of recruiters out there. Let me know if I can help.