Navigating the Transition to Public Accounting: Seeking Guidance After Passing the CPA Exam

Hello readers,

I recently achieved a significant milestone by passing all sections of the CPA exam and earning the required 150 credits. My professional background includes experience as a Financial Analyst and an Operations Analyst in logistics, roles that honed my skills in planning, reporting, and data management. I’m adept at working with data and have a strong command of tools like Excel and Power BI.

My goal is to pivot into public Accounting, with the aim of establishing a long-term career in the United States, where I am currently residing in Texas. However, I’m encountering some obstacles in my job search.

Many firms seem to have specific prerequisites that are proving to be barriers for me, such as:
– A U.S. Accounting degree, and
– At least one year of public accounting experience

Unfortunately, I do not meet these criteria, which has made it challenging to secure interviews, despite my willingness to consider positions with a salary around $60K and my openness to relocating for the right opportunity.

Pursuing a master’s program is currently not feasible for me, especially as I have a dependent to support.

I am reaching out to the community to see if anyone has navigated a similar career transition. I would greatly appreciate any tips or insights on how to break into the public accounting field without the typical local credentials or prior experience. Your guidance could be invaluable in helping me overcome these hurdles and find a path forward in my career.

Thank you for any advice you can share!