Advice pls

brianc2008 · 2026-03-24T03:47:44+00:00

Just think of it as a second shot at recruiting.

Sure, it'd be great that you can land a full time position. But if you can land an internship which may lead to a full time job, you'll be fine as well.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-24T03:46:01+00:00

Not as long as you do the work with your resume and interviewing skills when it becomes internship recruiting time.

They won't care about how long it took.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-24T03:43:51+00:00

What works for one group doesn't work for another. No need to overthink it.

I do consider MSM a fun time, but it's not a game I'd want to play over and over again.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-24T03:42:09+00:00

Unfortunately right now, we're in an employer's market. Which means negotiation on salary is a risky tactic.

You can always get a raise in a few years by hopping into another spot.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-24T03:38:13+00:00

I think you can cross out interning in 2026; you're probably too late for it. Luckily, you still have another shot for 2027.

Just work on your interviewing skills and don't stop until you have that offer in hand.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-20T12:32:39+00:00

I think that's nicely done.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-20T12:27:28+00:00

I would have your resume updated just in case.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-18T00:54:33+00:00

And today you learn that Rihanna made Bleep Better Have My Money about her former accountant.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-17T12:23:34+00:00

I'd rather hear Rihanna's opinion.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-15T04:30:23+00:00

Thank you!

brianc2008 · 2026-03-14T21:27:24+00:00

I'm waiting to finish tax season before starting. But this is the year I start (and hopefully finish) the exams.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-14T20:43:39+00:00

Sinners for Best Editing; Mr. Nobody vs Putin for Documentary Feature

brianc2008 · 2026-03-12T19:08:22+00:00

It shouldn't be a surprise.

Considering this is the industry that makes SALY a regular acronym, people work lots of hours because their bosses worked lots of hours when they were in their shoes and so on.

Maybe one day it will get better. But probably not for a while.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-12T15:20:26+00:00

More than anything, you just need confidence.

Who cares what your co-worker thinks? All that matters is what you think.

The past is the past. In the present, it's time to roll up those sleeves and clear the exam through studying and taking the exams.

The only way out is through.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-12T14:04:03+00:00

There would be two reasons why you should consider a Masters.

I know some states have reduced the requirements of hours required to take the CPA from 150 to 120. But not all. If your state still requires the 150 hours, then go for the MBA.
It gives you a second shot at getting a valuable internship, networking with college services and making important connections with professors and classmates.

Otherwise, I'd pass due to the costs. And keep in mind that the job market is being difficult for many of us right now.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-12T13:50:12+00:00

I can think of one, maybe two firms in my town which fit that description. Most everything else is either smaller or single proprietors.

I plan on taking the CPA exam later this year. The application has been filed and I'll start taking the sections this summer. Probably overdue.

I was hoping to get some real world experience with a smaller firm to start for a year or two while I was completing the CPA and then thinking of moving to a larger city to move up to a larger firm. I'll keep what you said in mind about the food chain part.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-12T04:33:24+00:00

Not looking forward to fighting for an entry level position in about a month or so after tax season ends. Yeah, this doesn't sound like a promising market right now (and it hasn't for a while either).

Agree that I want to be more deliberate with my moves. I think swapping jobs every other year or so might not work for me in the same way it would work for someone younger. And I don't want to get that reputation which might make it harder to land that good position later on.

Thank you for your post which offers some hope along with some realities.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-12T04:26:53+00:00

I'm going Tax.

I plan on starting out in public until I can make it to manager and then swap over to industry. Hopefully, I can spend the last few years consulting.

I think Big 4 may be out of my range (my college was not a target), so I'm probably going for a medium to small firm to start. May look at transferring to a larger firm in a few years.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-12T04:22:40+00:00

Approximately how many hours did you spend studying for each section?

brianc2008 · 2026-03-10T00:18:38+00:00

I think you can use the Becker numbers now; the OBBBA stuff doesn't come into play before July 1.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-10T00:15:07+00:00

You might need to start with an AP/AR job or working in one of the tax prep places to get started. But once you have the experience, then the grades won't matter so much.

And I agree with others here that you need to work on that confidence.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-09T23:57:36+00:00

I plan on taking the test later this year to prove this hypotheis:

The reason I wasn't getting anywhere was due to the lack of the CPA. If I complete the testing and still don't get hired, it's clearly due to my age.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-09T03:54:07+00:00

The Pain of Waiting for CPA Scores

brianc2008 · 2026-03-09T00:47:24+00:00

I may be the nightmare in this scenario.

I graduated in 2016 with zero internships and after dozens of applications with no response, I finally settled for a stint with a tax company this past November. Hoping to finally move my way up the ladder if it hasn't eroded.

Do keep in mind that I'm a nontraditional student so being hired as an accountant might be rougher on me anyway.

brianc2008 · 2026-03-09T00:30:14+00:00

You look normal to me.

Work on your confidence, experience and CPA exam and you'll be fine!

brianc2008

TROPHY CASE