I'm finishing a BM in music education next semester, and have already completed a minor in business administration. I don't want to teach music in the long term, and for a long time I have considered pursuing a masters in accounting after teaching a few years full time. However, I've recently considered just completing the requirements to sit for the CPA exam. I'll be graduating with about 160 credits and fulfill the business course requirements for my state. I need an additional 10 classes in accounting courses. It would be more cost effective to go straight for the cpa, but with a bachelors in music and minor in business, would public accounting firms be willing to hire me to achieve that one year work requirement?
USA CPA certification without a BS in accounting
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You can always apply for a job and hope to get hired but I believe you can use an internship as work experience and if you're only looking for 1 year experience it might be in your best interest to work for very little money.
I would apply for an internship NOW to one of the big 4. That experience will get you hired very easily.
Big 4 accounting firms - Work like a dog, good pay. Gain experience in Big Corp Accounting and Auditing
Mid Size Firm - Work hard, also good pay but not as good. Gain Experience in everything. Big to Small Corp, Payroll, Sales Tax. Maybe auditing.
Small Size Firm - Work hard but strict hours (9 - 5) , bad pay. Experience in mostly small Corporations (and all other entities), Personal Taxes, Payroll, Sales Tax. Some offices do Estate taxes and specialty accounting. Rarely ever any auditing. (If you want your own office, go this route and struggle for a year and learn, soak everything in).
What do you want?
Run your own practice? Work for someone with no headache of running a business?
Definitely start at the Big 4. Stay there for a few months, 6-12 would be ideal. Then transition to one of the other 2.
P.S. I didn't mention it but you work like a dog anywhere during tax season.
Good Luck,
Jay
I would apply for an internship NOW to one of the big 4. That experience will get you hired very easily.
Big 4 accounting firms - Work like a dog, good pay. Gain experience in Big Corp Accounting and Auditing
Mid Size Firm - Work hard, also good pay but not as good. Gain Experience in everything. Big to Small Corp, Payroll, Sales Tax. Maybe auditing.
Small Size Firm - Work hard but strict hours (9 - 5) , bad pay. Experience in mostly small Corporations (and all other entities), Personal Taxes, Payroll, Sales Tax. Some offices do Estate taxes and specialty accounting. Rarely ever any auditing. (If you want your own office, go this route and struggle for a year and learn, soak everything in).
What do you want?
Run your own practice? Work for someone with no headache of running a business?
Definitely start at the Big 4. Stay there for a few months, 6-12 would be ideal. Then transition to one of the other 2.
P.S. I didn't mention it but you work like a dog anywhere during tax season.
Good Luck,
Jay
I do want to start off at one of the big four and work my way up to working for a company like Goldman Sachs. Landing an internship with the big four right now seems out of the question with my background. Typically, big four interns are current accounting majors, econ, or business related majors. If I take the additional accounting courses and the cpa exam, would this be sufficient background to apply?
Thanks!
Thanks!
That's why I said apply now, though. They want interns that are still students and applying now will get you an internship next year. Their waiting lists are long. Go to the career counseling or whatever there is at schools and see if they can get you an interview or something.