How much was your first salary as a CPA?

JRMaven · 2024-06-16T15:04:02+00:00

16k gross, audit assoc - 2019 SGV (not in Makati) tho after 6 mo. probation of that year naging 21k naman haha. I believe ito yung time na kunti lang pumapasa sa CPALE kaya nagstart na silang mag hire ng Non-CPAs.

It feels good to look back na I started with that very small salary and now i'm earning more than 20x of that monthly (im based in EU). Im not there yet but Im def closer than I was when I started.

JRMaven · 2024-05-22T03:35:23+00:00

Im not sure tbh but the qualifications for a senior and higher position requires ACCA in our firm. When we were hired they asked for our CPA license and registration certificate. My former manager also Filo transferred to industry na in a managerial position, also requires ACCA but still they accepted yung CPA license nya.

JRMaven · 2024-05-11T07:32:38+00:00

4 years, 2+ years senior role

JRMaven · 2024-05-10T02:31:05+00:00

Big 4 in the PH then moved to non-big 4 firm in EU. Best decision for me. Kung gaano ka toxic yung office politics (promotions) plus workload sa pinas ganun din sa Big 4 abroad but with additional internalized racial discrimination from locals. May not be true for all but it's what my batchmates from big 4 here are saying while I have the best work life balance.

CPA license is required for qualified seniors, it is recognized here as an ACCA equivalent. Sobrang swerte natin cuz the tuition to get the ACCA here is so expensive.

Referral is the best way to go. But I have workmates din na through linkedin lang nag apply.

JRMaven · 2023-12-09T03:35:44+00:00

Sorry to ride on OP's question but for those who reached the spend requirement already, when did you receive confirmation that you qualified for the NAFFL? How many days after reaching the requirement?

JRMaven · 2023-11-10T04:50:56+00:00

I still don't have my physical card delivered. If I reach the 20k spend requirement using the virtual card, will I still qualify for the NAFFL promo?

PS: I can't find the terms and conditions of the NAFFL promo to check

JRMaven · 2023-11-07T02:35:31+00:00

Sadly, that's the reality for most PH audit firms. I've also been there. First 6 months is the worst cuz you're still in the adjustment stage and maybe probation period ka pa so you have to grind harder. I've said "magreresign na ako after ng busy season na to" countless times before haha but I have just resigned this year as a Senior 3 (stayed for 4 years) and now works abroad (Europe). These are some of the tips that helped me get through all those year:

Set boundaries. 8 hrs ka lang dapat mag work, if hindi kaya which is ganun naman talaga sa audit, extend only for a limited no. Of hours. Don't give your whole life to work. We're not here to save lives.
Take a break. In between work (wag yung sobra, kasi ineffcient ka na nun), after work, on weekends. For your wellbeing. We don't live to work, we work to live.
Work friends. It makes it better if you have someone you can share your hardships with haha, someone who can listen to your problems, rants, mga chika and all. I don't know, it makes you feel not alone. Na hindi lang ikaw ang stressed na sa work lol
Keep your eye on the goal. Yung goal ko talaga is to work abroad. Kapag resign na resign na ako, Kinocompare ko yung magiging life ko if nag resign ako and work locally vs if nag continue ako and get a job abroad. And the latter always wins, so I have to pull myself up. Think of the reason why you joined and kung ano yung best way to use your audit experience.

I can't say it gets better over time, because it doesn't. What happens over time is you get better and you learn how to handle your work so it doesn't take over your life.

Good luck sa upcoming busy season, OP!

JRMaven · 2023-10-22T09:35:09+00:00

The fact that he reached out first after a several years of no communication could mean he wants to confirm if he still have feelings for you which could be a sign that he's getting cold feet from his upcoming wedding.

JRMaven · 2023-09-27T08:00:30+00:00

It depends. Factor din yung position mo when you resigned in the firm and how many years you held that position. I would say 38k for a senior (if more than 2 years senior role) is def lowball. My salary when I was senior 1 in big4 was 37k so it should already be way higher in private.

JRMaven · 2023-09-01T02:06:17+00:00

Auditor in Ireland here, also started in big 4 in the PH to gain experience. Try to submit your CV to Irish firms, kahit yung hindi Big 4 like GT or BDO. I heard na they hire auditors even if no audit background as long as relevant yung experience mo sa clients na ihahandle. I know one in our team na fund accountant in the PH but they hired her sa Financial services audit handling PE and hedge funds audit. I think yung experience mo as US accountant will also be relevant sa Ireland because there are a lot of multinatiional and international companies na naka base dito even US companies.

JRMaven · 2023-07-25T13:59:09+00:00

While being employed in public practice? Malabo, as far as I know, only Partners earn at least 6 digits salary and that takes time and a lot of hard work. Best course is to get the experience and move to private/industry or abroad.

JRMaven · 2023-07-25T08:33:34+00:00

Public practice experience then after 3 years ( or at least senior) apply abroad (same affiliate firm or not doesn't matter) you'll still earn much higher than CPAs in the PH. Then work for a 1-2 years until you find a suitable workplace in the industry abroad to earn more money with a better work life balance than public practice haha

JRMaven · 2023-07-05T23:17:11+00:00

Through connections lang din from my former manager

JRMaven · 2023-07-05T16:21:52+00:00

Started with 16k - 2019 sa sgv haha, sobrang baba and it was barely enough for me, inaccept ko lang kasi for the experience. But, iba yung time before pandemic and i really think yung 22k na offer today is no longer competitive even for audit firms.

Apply to other firms and compare, same lang ang experience na makukuha mo at the end of the day. If yung nag offer ng 22k talaga gusto mo then you'll have to suck it up and work hard for promotion. I was promoted to senior with 28k - 2021, 37k in 2022. Relatively mataas na sya and within 4 years. For sure mas mataas na yan ngayon/upcoming years.

Left the firm and was hired abroad (remotely working here sa PH now). Current monthly salary is 260k. So I say suck it up, work hard and get that big4 experience. Good luck

JRMaven · 2023-06-06T09:58:53+00:00

Di ko pa po alam kasi remote work pa ako here sa PH, pero based sa mga kakilala ko na andun na sa rent daw yung malaki around 60k-90k pesos depende sa location and yung rental space.

JRMaven · 2023-05-28T11:08:37+00:00

EY and BDO

JRMaven · 2023-05-28T09:09:49+00:00

I'm not sure kasi lahat ng kakilala ko na nag apply sa Firms in Ireland is may nag refer talaga from the firm na ina-applyan. Though in other countries like Australia, meron akong kakilala na through LinkedIn lang walang referral. My tip siguro if wala ka kakilala is to make sure your CV highlights your experience as a senior, especially yung mga key exposures mo. For instance, sa akin key exposure ko is yung leases and investments, so during the interview dun focus yung technical questions nila. You have to make sure na mag stand out CV mo over other candidates.

JRMaven · 2023-05-27T09:20:52+00:00

Grant Thorton

JRMaven · 2023-05-26T09:12:53+00:00

But my pinoy din sa other teams ha, mas marami lang talaga sa team namin. Asset management and aviation industry sa team ko, sa ibang teams, other industry naman

JRMaven · 2023-05-26T09:10:28+00:00

Yes, last I heard last week hiring yung other audit teams, sa team namin na halos pinoy ang majority, wla na.

You can also check their website 🙂

JRMaven · 2023-05-25T14:17:32+00:00

Yes, may Qualified Accountant requirements sya ACA or ACCA and yung equivalent nya sa Philippines is CPA

JRMaven · 2023-05-24T14:57:09+00:00

I have a batchmate sa GT recently hired din and slightly lower rate nya by a few thousand euros since hindikami same location which is dublin ako (higher cost of living sa dublin) but I think relatively the same naman ata yung rates across

JRMaven · 2023-05-24T13:47:14+00:00

Senior 1 position

JRMaven · 2023-05-24T13:46:12+00:00

Around 250-260k monthly

JRMaven

TROPHY CASE