I Got A Job As A Corporate Accountant – What Did I Look For?
If you are working in the industry as a CPA candidate, you would probably be familiar with the PERT requirement for designation. In addition to completing the six modules (Core 1 to Capstone 2) and passing the Common Final Examination (CFE), you also need 30 months of approved working experience. There are some flexibility and options on what areas of experience you need to gain (e.g., management accounting, financial reporting etc). However, all CPA candidates going through the experience verification route (EVR) would need qualified work experience that satisfies both depth and breadth.
I am writing this post as I am preparing to meet the CFO of a job I applied to. I have already gone through two interviews – one was a phone call and another one was a video call. They both went well and I actually thought the team would be a very good fit for me. This post might never be published if I didn’t get the job so if you are reading this, YEAH!
Why Was It A Good Time For Me To Look For A New Opportunity?
I have been working in Accounts Payable (AP) at a software company for just over 2 years and I was promoted to the Team Lead for the team recently. If you have been following my CPA journey, you would know that I have gotten just over 7 months of experience approved working as a Senior AP clerk*. I have just submitted another PERT report for my supervisor’s approval. If it goes well, I will have another 5 months recognized (a total of 12 months).
However, duration is not the only factor I need to care about. This is because CPA candidates are required to obtain a specific number of Level 1 and Level 2 experiences throughout the 30-month period. We are required to show progression by working on more complicated tasks as we continue on our journey. For example, the preparation of simple note disclosures for financial statement might qualify as Level 1. In your future submissions, you will have to demonstrate progression by working on more complex and/or higher volumes of note disclosures in order to get a Level 2.
Before I made my decision, I reached out to people in my network to get feedback on the best next step for my CPA journey and my career. I made an effort to talk to people from different backgrounds in different stages of their careers. I actually also got advice from people I didn’t personally know but have admired or followed for a while. You will be surprised at how willing people are about offering guidance.
Considering the fact that I was just promoted, there were definitely reasons for me to stay where I was (e.g., management experience, exposure to project management). However, once I have evaluated all my options at my current company, I made the decision to start looking for opportunities elsewhere.
What Was I Looking For In My Next Job?
2020 has been an unusual year to say the least. When I started my search, the pandemic was still affecting all aspects of our lives. Hence, the criteria for my next dream job has taken that into consideration. The list below is not listed in any particular order so they are all equally important to me.
A Compatible Team With Similar Values
CPABC’s recent interview with Nick Bozikis, CFO of Article, really inspired me to look for a team that shares the same values as me. Nick said, “people don’t work for companies, they work for other people.” I have been working since I was 16 and I can’t agree with the statement more. The highest-functioning teams I have been part of all consisted of people I genuinely liked and respected. Hence, for my search, I intend on interviewing them the same time they are interviewing me.
Money gets you workers that show up for their shifts; respect gets you people that go above and beyond and more.
Financially Strong Company
Certain industries boomed when the pandemic happened just as some doomed. For example, Zoom (conference call software) was on the news for its soared revenue as companies around the globe switched to work from home. Meanwhile, the tourism industry was probably one of the worst-hit industries due to all of the travel restrictions.
I was selective about which company I applied to and in fact only applied to a few before I heard from one of them the next day. I favoured companies that not only survived the change but ideally boomed. It gave me the signal that they either prepared for the storm well or had a business model that was perfect for the future.
Job Description With PERT-Related Experience
One of the reasons why I started my search was to look for an opportunity that allows for progression for PERT. Therefore, a position with a job description of specific tasks is mandatory (e.g., financial statement preparation, schedules reconciliation). I also avoided entry level positions and AR/AP positions as those would limit my exposure to more complex tasks.
To take it one step further, I actually managed to look up the job description of the position I will be reporting to. The purpose of that was to find out if there are tasks that my manager can potentially pass on in the future.
Remote Working Environment
I have been working from home (WFH) since March and largely enjoying it. Since the daily cases in BC have gone back up to double-digits, my preference is to continue working from home for as long as I could. I used to rely on public transit prior to WFH so commuting five days a week will greatly increase my exposure.
In addition to safety concerns, not having to commute also saved me almost 3 hours daily. The 3 hours that I have been able to use to study or work on jenthinks.
Salary That Matches The Market & My Expectation
When I got my first office job, I was convinced by my future boss to accept a salary lower than what I asked for in the name of “experience.” I probably would have made the same decision if I went back in time now because I did get some valuable experience and connections out of it. I was there for just over a year before I landed my next office job that paid what I thought was market at the time.
However, I am not the person looking for my first office job anymore. I have become a lot more aware of my capabilities, my worth and my drive over the last few years. This time, I have done my research on what the market pay is for the role and my level of experience. If required, I will negotiate for a salary that is both reasonable and satisfactory so I won’t think I am being underpaid.
Conclusion
As I mentioned in the beginning, if you are reading this, that means I got the job that met all of the criteria above. My search did not take long and it was due to a combination of luck, timing and fit. Since I was being selective, I didn’t have anything else lined up while I was going through the three interviews. However, everything seems to suggest this is the perfect opportunity for me at this stage of my career and CPA journey.
As long
*my title was a little bit different but it was essentially the same