Arturo
Best place to work as a CPA
i was just wondering where is best to work as a CPA #accounting #cpa
13 answers
Alessandra Dube
Alessandra’s Answer
Hi Arturo - That is a great question and one that comes to mind for a lot of people when trying to figure out where to start their career. There are so many great accounting firms out there and each one has their own reasons for why you should work for them! I would encourage you to research large and small accounting firms to learn about their culture, values, client base, etc. to see if it is somewhere where you could see yourself working. Try to come up with a few things that are most important for you to have at the firm you want to work for (ie. a particular client base, the people who work there, the culture, work/life balance, technology, etc.). I would encourage you to meet/talk to, if possible, as many people at different companies to learn about why they chose that particular firm to work for. Further, make sure you are keeping in mind when you do choose where you want to work that it provides you growth in your career. Goodluck!
Alessandra - Your answer is great. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with Arturo! At this moment there are more than 1k unanswered questions so I want to encourage you to keep going! So many students will benefit tremendously from hearing from you. Keep up the great work!
Jordan Rivera, Admin
COACH
thank you for your help
Arturo
Michael Afshin Khazaeli
Michael Afshin’s Answer
If you can get interviews with Big 4 firms that's likely the best place to start since it looks great on your resume to get a few years at one of the Big 4.
As far as which accounting firm, people will say things like "look at the culture of the firm" but that's pointless (especially within the Big 4) because each office and each group within the same office will have a different culture. For example, my group has a different culture than other tax groups in our office, and the audit groups have an even more different culture.
The best way to decide is to apply to as many firms as possible and interview with people from the office/group you're going to be joining. Remember that these are the same people you will spend more time with than anyone else in your life (8+ hours a day). Don't focus so much on what you'll be doing, but with whom you'll be doing it with. I've found that's more important than the day to day tasks themselves.
Michael Afshin recommends the following next steps:
thank you for your help
Arturo
Jennifer Anderson
Jennifer’s Answer
Sabeeka Jafry
Sabeeka’s Answer
Ryan Scripter
Ryan’s Answer
Hi Arturo, this is a great question. Of course this is very subjective based on personal preferences, however, in general, based on my own experience and discussions with others in the industry, the popular route for CPA's is to start at a Big 4 Accounting Firm. The big 4 consists of PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG. This is the more traditional route for students. However, there are numerous other regional firms that offer similar types of work on a smaller scale.
Shiyoung (David) Ryu, CPA
Shiyoung (David)’s Answer
There are a lot of good comments to your questions by other professionals but I also want to share my experience as a CPA. I have worked at the manufacturing industry as a cost analyst with my CPA license. As a CPA, I could understand the cost flows more easily than other co-workers and, as such, could get good evaluation in my team. Now, as an auditor, my background and knowledge learned from CPA study help me a lot to communicate with clients and co-workers in various accounting situation. The point of these stories is that you could use your knowledge and experience as a CPA into various business field without border. I could surely say that you could get benefit as a CPA in every business field.
Brandon Adkins
Brandon’s Answer
The best place to work depends on your preferences and what you want out of your career. I would consider the following in making your decision:
Size of the company
Salary
Location
Hours worked per week
Travel
Work life balance
Opportunities for Advancement
Line of Service
After considering these factors, I recommend that you look up the different firms and when you interview, keep these items in the back of your mind to ask.
Iman Shehemi
Iman’s Answer
But all in all, you can go in tons of different directions with a CPA. I would first try to narrow down your personal goals!
MaryAnn Muller
MaryAnn’s Answer
You have a lot of options. I suggest you look into the requirements of becoming a CPA (it's been a while since I've looked). You will likely need to spend some time in a public accounting firm in order to get your license. Within public, you have firms in all sizes. The bigger firms tend to have you specialize earlier than the smaller ones but there could also be more opportunities for rotations or transfers to other teams/offices. Talk to as many CPAs as you can about the type of firms they work for - attend any career fairs and talk to a variety of firms and consider joining accounting associations that will put you in contact with CPAs.
Jim Grace, CPA
Jim’s Answer
Jim
Hi Jim! Thanks for your answer. Could you add some details about why this would be a great place to be a CPA?
Alexandra Carpenter, Admin
Mackenzie Adams, CPA
Mackenzie’s Answer
When you become a CPA, you have a lot of options of places you can work. I think one of the best places to start out is at one of the Big4 accounting firms. Working at the Big4 firms provides you an opportunity to gain a lot of experience in a short period of time. You work with a lot of very intelligent people that do a great job of coaching you and help to set yourself up for success. If you need any help with where to start, would suggest there. Aside from the big4 there are many other regional accounting firms and businesses that you can put your license to use. It really depends on your preferences and what you're passionate about!
thank you for your help
Arturo
Michael Maloney
Michael’s Answer
Carla Harris
Carla’s Answer
The best place to work as a CPA depends on your desired career path and what your work preferences are. As noted in a number of the other responses, starting your career in public accounting, particularly with one of the Big 4 firms, is a great starting point. Determining the right firm for you will be based on your own values and style to find the right fit. Public accounting firms are evolving a lot in the space of flexibility, work life balance, and are constantly evaluating their benefits packages to meet the needs of today's professionals.
There are a number of other options outside of the Big 4, though, like a smaller regional or local CPA firm, working in corporate or non-profit organizations in an accounting or finance role, starting your own business, etc.