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 Topic: Can someone please tell me.... ( Topic Closed)
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formerstarQB16
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| Posted: 29 Aug 2011 at 20:18 | IP Logged
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db729 wrote:
formerstarQB16 wrote:
| Well no, it's not that simple.
I've applied to recently advertised positions in a top 20 Metro area, a top 15 metro area, and a top 5 metro area. My resume is fine, I've had it checked. And my firm is not considered a cancer. Actually, my firm is probably not even known to recruiters.
Which brings me back to my initial question... I think I'm struggling because recruiters don't understand what it is we do at smaller firms. Especially those that have zero clients who are issuers.
I feel like I'm S.O.L.... does anybody have any experience otherwise?
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Just applying to the jobs isn't enough, if you don't actively network, you're not going to get the job. You're not the only one applying to those jobs with 4 years of PA experience. If you don't come from a recognizable CPA firm, you're going to get passed over by the BDOs/GTs/etc. Even if you're actually a significantly better candidate, the reality is that your CPA firm's name is holding you back. Not to mention just the sheer number of applicants.
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I could be completely ignorant to the plight out there right now, but I would be absolutely shocked if there were many outside of me with 4 years of experience applying for a 2nd year position. That's a pretty substantial backstep for most. I was only applying for it in order to get another phone interview.
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db729
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| Posted: 29 Aug 2011 at 21:23 | IP Logged
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formerstarQB16 wrote:
I could be completely ignorant to the plight out there right now, but I would be absolutely shocked if there were many outside of me with 4 years of experience applying for a 2nd year position. That's a pretty substantial backstep for most. I was only applying for it in order to get another phone interview. |
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My guess is that recruiters will look at the name before the length of service, whether or not you may feel that's unfair. Like I said, if you want to get a job, you'll have to network. Almost experienced hire I know had their resume passed on. If they didn't get their resume passed on, then they came from a large national firm.
At the end of the day, Big 4 is going to match your skill set with their needs. What do you bring to Big 4 that other people can't? Even if you have 4 years of experience applying for a 2 year job, there are other applicants with 2 years of experience that can perform their expected roles just fine. For positions that require 3/4 years of experience, there are applicants from large national firms that can perform those roles. It's not about how long an applicant has worked in PA. It's about what he/she can bring to the table that others can't, and then he/she will be placed at the applicable "level" in the firm.
Not to knock on your accomplishments or discourage you, I'm just saying you have to network before you get an opportunity to sell yourself. Why would recruiters look at you when there are however many other applicants hustling and grinding it out just as you, and maybe even more by making the extra effort to connect and network?
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Ellipsis123
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| Posted: 29 Aug 2011 at 22:02 | IP Logged
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You could have 8 years of experience and apply for a job that only requires 2 and they still won't look at you. I think the name of your firm is probably holding you back. Does the experience you have meet the requirements of the job postings? For example, for asset management or banking jobs, you have to have 2 years of experience doing audit (or tax) for exactly those type of clients.
If you do have the correct experience, than maybe you need to do a better job of conveying it on your resume. I know that it's always better to list accomplishments rather than a job description but you might want to go with the latter if it matches the job requirements of the Big 4 position.
If you list a whole different bunch of industries or if you do both audit & tax, they might think your not specialized enough or that the clients you handle are all probably very small and simple.
If all else fails, I guess you could try to apply to a large regional or a national firm (because they recognize those firms) and then make the jump from there.
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bird
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| Posted: 30 Aug 2011 at 12:26 | IP Logged
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hate to say it, but that's life.
without a brand name firm on your resume, it will be difficult to cold apply to an internet job posting and land an interview.
only being out of school for four years and already working in public accounting, hopefully you have a network of people within the big 4 firms you can get in touch with. the majority of big 4 experienced hires are employee referals, and I'm sure one of your contacts in the big 4 would love to get the employee referal bonus through you.
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formerstarQB16
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| Posted: 30 Aug 2011 at 12:41 | IP Logged
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db729 wrote:
formerstarQB16 wrote:
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I could be completely ignorant to the plight out there right now, but I would be absolutely shocked if there were many outside of me with 4 years of experience applying for a 2nd year position. That's a pretty substantial backstep for most. I was only applying for it in order to get another phone interview.
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My guess is that recruiters will look at the name before the length of service, whether or not you may feel that's unfair. Like I said, if you want to get a job, you'll have to network. Almost experienced hire I know had their resume passed on. If they didn't get their resume passed on, then they came from a large national firm.
At the end of the day, Big 4 is going to match your skill set with their needs. What do you bring to Big 4 that other people can't? Even if you have 4 years of experience applying for a 2 year job, there are other applicants with 2 years of experience that can perform their expected roles just fine. For positions that require 3/4 years of experience, there are applicants from large national firms that can perform those roles. It's not about how long an applicant has worked in PA. It's about what he/she can bring to the table that others can't, and then he/she will be placed at the applicable "level" in the firm.
Not to knock on your accomplishments or discourage you, I'm just saying you have to network before you get an opportunity to sell yourself. Why would recruiters look at you when there are however many other applicants hustling and grinding it out just as you, and maybe even more by making the extra effort to connect and network?
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While I agree with this being "their reason", I find it pretty arrogant for someone with no knowledge of mid-size firm accounting to assume that my experience is not as valuable as someone with top 20 or Big 4 credentials.
I'm not working at H&R block here. What small firms lack in complexity, they make up for in broad foundational knowledge. It's the nature of the beast, clients are too complex at the Big 4 level for one person to complete all tasks of an audit. On the other side, I've been an in-charge accountant on Audits, Reviews, and Comps for 2.5+ years, building every part of an engagement binder from start to finish. Am I going to have an extremely in-depth knowledge of specific substantive procedures? No. But I guarantee you that I've obtained a much better understanding of the big picture than those who have only worked at a Big 4 firm for a 3 years. I know this, because I work with several former Big 4 and top 20 employees.
So while you've confirmed what I already suspected regarding perceptions, let's back off the ridiculous falsehood that someone with 2 years of Big 4 experience is more qualified than someone with 4 years of Small firm.
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