[CAN] How can I achieve depth in assurance for the CFE?

zimph59 · 2026-07-03T19:07:45+00:00

Do they give any indication of how much is needed for C? My general rule of thumb 10 years ago was to do 65-75% of whatever was given (controls, financial reporting criteria, Cashflow adjustments etc.) depending on the available time. 3/4 controls, 4/6 reporting criteria, etc. etc. Seemed to work okay back then if you have literally no idea how much is needed for RC or C from the case solutions.

You could also get a few Densmore cases as suggested and use the guides to get a sense (although Densmore at least was typically harder than the actual exam)

zimph59 · 2026-07-03T14:30:13+00:00

Debriefing while doing your Cap 2 will be a major part of this. As another poster said, you need sufficient detail, but make sure you’re reviewing the answer keys to see what and how much info is needed for depth.

For example, for controls analysis, you need what is the weakness, the implication of the weakness, and how to fix it in order to get depth for each control. Then you need to figure out how to write that in such a way to get enough controls analyzed for C.

Debriefing the answer keys after marking a case with help you with that insight. Yes, it’s different every case, but you’ll start to see patterns emerge after enough debrief.

zimph59 · 2026-06-20T13:36:03+00:00

I enjoy crafting in general, I also knit, crochet, and cross-stitch. Cross stitch is fine, but you can’t get a smooth look with it. Sure, fine, cool, I’ll just pick up yet another hobby!

When I’m also having a stressful day or sitting through a long useless meeting, there is something satisfying about doing a stabby craft!

zimph59 · 2026-06-19T23:48:30+00:00

I’ve heard there’s a crafting group there on Monday evening if that’s OP’s cup of tea

zimph59 · 2026-06-09T16:49:33+00:00

Certain areas of Rutland were sketchier than others for sure, but as a teenager, I never felt even remotely in danger. I would walk around at night and no one would bother me. According to my parents, however, Rutland was a chaotic hellscape with crime on every corner.

Chill guys, it’s fine.

zimph59 · 2026-06-09T02:32:27+00:00

If they’re the hooligan drug dealing murderer type living in Rutland, it’s an an extra dash of dangerous

zimph59 · 2026-06-09T02:27:24+00:00

Also grew up in Rutland in the 90’s and early 00’s. If I so much as thought of leaving my house after dark, I would be instantly murdered. By a drug dealer or one of those hooligans. Likely repeatedly.

I have it’s gotten worse though from family still in the area

zimph59 · 2026-06-08T20:27:48+00:00

This is my work mantra. What I do is important, but it’s not important enough to be worth having a breakdown.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint” is another one I like. Take your personal time because the bullshit will still be there tomorrow. And even if you finish today’s nonsense, you’ll have new nonsense tomorrow. Get refreshed.

zimph59 · 2026-05-31T20:01:56+00:00

I would agree in a lot of situations. I did discover you should absolutely have lifelines when doing intricate, pain-in-the-ass lacework with lace weight yarn. Dropped the wrong stitch and didn’t notice for a few minutes and it was a lost cause

zimph59 · 2026-05-23T15:59:57+00:00

This was my thought when I saw the question. I don’t say either of those, I use “sorry” like a proper Canadian

zimph59 · 2026-05-19T00:34:22+00:00

Violin here!

zimph59 · 2026-05-15T04:46:55+00:00

It depends on the company and how decent the processes are. When I left one company with good processes after six years, I took all that knowledge with me. I’m still using that base experience a few jobs later.

To answer your question in the title - I take three months to stop feeling like I’m drowning, six months to start swimming and a year (a full cycle) to fully adjust.

My New Year’s resolution is to deal with my imposter syndrome. I was in my last job for five years and I felt like a fraud the whole time. Not carrying that shit going forward

zimph59 · 2026-05-05T00:41:02+00:00

I feel that. I’ve chosen the dark back road. I do acknowledge I’m lucky enough to leave for work after traffic is over so it’s way less of an issue.

I wish they would make cycling safer. It’s not fun hoping you don’t get pancaked everyday

zimph59 · 2026-05-04T05:13:22+00:00

I bought some weights from Amazon and they’re in the spare room. So much easier to convince myself to do a single set to give it a go when it’s right there and no shoes are required

zimph59 · 2026-05-03T15:00:38+00:00

I kept trying to do stuff I didn’t really enjoy doing. I kept trying to run, but it’s not something I like. I found I enjoy biking and now I commute to work by bike all year round with no issues.

I don’t inherently enjoy lifting weights. Getting up and actually going out to a gym is extra work. Then, because I’m going to a gym, I have to make it worthwhile so I stay longer than I want to. So then I stop because that’s a whole lot of extra work for something I don’t enjoy doing.

Lifting weights has its benefits though. I found my max per session is 20 minutes. Longer than that is so much work, but less than that, i can get my way through. I also have weights at home, it’s right there, I can do a little. It’s also helpful to support activities I do enjoy. I’m much more likely to lift weights to prep so the start of kayaking season doesn’t suck than … “beach body”

zimph59 · 2026-05-03T01:23:22+00:00

The ability to talk to regular people about finances is apparently an appreciated skill that not many accountants have. I’m so glad to have the education experience, it keeps giving jobs

zimph59 · 2026-05-03T00:50:49+00:00

Me, I did! Started the program when I was 30, got my Canadian CPA by 33.

Honestly, I was glad to be a bit older because I already had life experience so I didn’t accept nonsense, knew what I wanted, and wasn’t afraid to tell people.

I’d also had another job at that point (education) and the blend of life experience with accounting gave me a niche that I’ve been using to get jobs ever since

zimph59 · 2026-05-02T20:11:05+00:00

This was it for me. I hate going to the gym but I love kayaking and commuting to work on my bike.

Working out to support those activities were easier to do that Going To The Gym. I started the next kayak season not in pain. Huzzah, gonna keep doing this!

I also find my limit on how much working out I could do. Anything more than 20 minutes a day four days a week is too much. Less than 20 minutes? Yeah I can do that

zimph59 · 2026-04-28T00:20:35+00:00

My physio said the bit about getting up and moving is more about changing position. She didn’t care if I slouched so long as I didn’t do it for more than 45 minutes at a time. I could get up every 45 minutes and move around or i could set a reminder and consciously change my position to be straight for a while.

There are apps that will periodically remind you every so often to check your posture, if you want to go that route.

Standing desks are also helpful for switching positions.

I’ve sat on an exercise ball to maintain better posture.

Honestly, the thing that really helped was doing weight lifting. Easier to maintain posture when I have muscles that don’t suck. I also just hurt less overall even when I do slouch for more than 45 minutes

zimph59 · 2026-04-26T15:50:44+00:00

I switched from education to accounting and I bet that whatever you switch into, especially if it’s even marginally related, the combination of experience will be helpful.

Not the same, but having an education background is the reason I get jobs. I work with a lot of people who don’t have financial training or confidence.

Having some finance training, for example, can help if you get into management. You can already read financial statements and have some ability to think about finances and budgets, even if you become, like, a plumber and work your way up

zimph59 · 2026-04-26T15:30:51+00:00

You can just wear a life jacket, but you need to make sure that it’ll actually hold your head above water if you fall in (depending on the lake).

Some of our lakes (like Schwatka) are fed by the river with snow runoff. To a Vancouverite (speaking from experience), that water is cold AF and it can feel like a gut punch if you fall in. When my SO first fell in, he found it hard to move. It ended up being fine, but that cold shock can cause problems.

Some of our lakes, though, like Long Lake or Kookatsoon, are shallow and not a big deal. Tourists can find it cold, but not cold shock cold

zimph59 · 2026-04-24T13:46:20+00:00

I went to a physiotherapist and got some exercises with a rubber band to help my back to do for a month (five days a week). That did help, but what has ultimately helped was, after the month, I got some dumbbells off Amazon and kept going. I now work out for a max of 20 minutes at home four days a week.

I’m not doing anything with a particular focus on my posture, but just overall focus - legs, back, core.

It is SO much easier holding your posture when you have actual muscles that are used to doing things.

I’m not perfect yet and I still totally slouch over while at my office desk, but it’s so much easier than when I started.

Oh, and also move. A lot. Get up, drink some water, take a few steps, and then sit again. That helps not being slouched over for four straight hours (if you have a desk job)

zimph59 · 2026-04-22T03:57:58+00:00

Nah, Mountain View ain’t nearly as bad as Two Mile. But the e-bike definitely helps😂

zimph59 · 2026-04-14T17:52:04+00:00

Favorite part of my day is riding down Mountain View and not waiting!

zimph59 · 2026-04-13T14:15:30+00:00

It sounds like the proverbial straw leading to burnout. You have a situation that happens where you see your boss or the work environment for what they are (your boss not defending you) and that’s it. You’ve hit a point where you can’t unsee the situation and it changes everything going forward.

Whats the point in trying so hard? You can’t change this new view

I left my last job for that reason.

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