total jobs On AccountingCrossing

99,857

new jobs this week On EmploymentCrossing

504

total jobs on EmploymentCrossing network available to our members

1,476,631

job type count

On AccountingCrossing

Moving Into Public Accounting - What You Need to Know

11 Views
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
Did you know that by moving back and forth between two areas, corporate and public accounting, it's possible to boost your salary? It takes the right kind of experience and credentials, and you have to be smart about it, since many people find they have to deal with a pay cut when they move to the world of public accounting. That's because accountants without any public experience have to start at an entry level salary. The lack of technical experience will unfortunately influence even your existing levels of professional experience.

Experienced corporate accountants who don't already have their CPA will get a slightly higher pay rate than accountant right out of college, but they often find themselves making less than accountants who've been working in the field for the same amount of time, but have a CPA and some public accounting experience. That's because your credentials make a difference.

If you're thinking about making that leap, you do have to remember that you have to go in at a salary that's equivalent to that earned by the people already working at your prospective firm. That means that if you currently have a salary lower than the firm's members are making, you'll get a pay raise, but if you make more than they do, they're under no obligation to match your current pay. After all, the amount of relevant experience you bring with you is an important point, and most corporate accountants don't have a lot. However, if you've worked in public accounting before and want to come back, capitalizing on your experience can help.



What if you don't have your CPA but want the advantages that come with it? Find out if you have the education required to be a CPA in your state and try to sit for the exam, then get the required experience. Passing that exam could help you have a better chance of convincing a public firm you're the person they want to hire. After all, they want someone who's going to stick with them after they put in the effort of training you, rather than someone who's going to run back to the corporate world as soon as something better comes along.

They're going to want to know why you want to take what could be perceived as a step back or sideways, rather than a step forward. If it's because you didn't realize what a public accounting background could do for you, or you got bored in your old job and want more diverse clients, or because you want to specialize in a field that requires shifting into public accounting, they'll be happier to hear those responses than they will answer that you can't find a job in the corporate world. If you don't have a CPA or the education to get one, or you aren't sure public accounting is for you, think before you leap. However, it can be a really rewarding switch.
If this article has helped you in some way, will you say thanks by sharing it through a share, like, a link, or an email to someone you think would appreciate the reference.

Popular tags:

 colleges  accounting  exams  accountants  salary  CPA  employers  thinking  experiences  professionals


EmploymentCrossing was helpful in getting me a job. Interview calls started flowing in from day one and I got my dream offer soon after.
Jeremy E - Greenville, NC
  • All we do is research jobs.
  • Our team of researchers, programmers, and analysts find you jobs from over 1,000 career pages and other sources
  • Our members get more interviews and jobs than people who use "public job boards"
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you will land among the stars.
AccountingCrossing - #1 Job Aggregation and Private Job-Opening Research Service — The Most Quality Jobs Anywhere
AccountingCrossing is the first job consolidation service in the employment industry to seek to include every job that exists in the world.
Copyright © 2024 AccountingCrossing - All rights reserved. 21