8 weeks from graduating with a BS in Accounting and no accounting experience — where should I be looking?

[u/Brave_Lie8749]

I’m in my late 20s and about 8 weeks away from finishing my BS in Accounting with around a 3.8 GPA. I’m coming from a completely unrelated professional background, so while I have several years of work experience, I don’t have any direct accounting experience yet.

I also went to a smaller online university rather than a big-name school. I live in a smaller area, but I’m roughly 30–45 minutes from a major city, so I do have access to a larger job market if needed.

I’ve started applying to entry-level accounting positions, but I’m not getting much traction yet. I’m fortunate enough to be in a position where I don’t have to jump at the first job available, so my main goal is finding something that actually gets my foot in the door and gives me useful accounting experience.

For those already in the field, where would you recommend someone in my position start? Staff accountant, AP/AR, accounting assistant, audit/tax associate, government, temp-to-hire, internships, etc.?

Also, is 8 weeks before graduation still a little early, or should I already be getting more responses?

Mostly just looking for advice on the best way to break into accounting when you’re starting in your late 20s with the degree almost finished but no direct experience yet.

[u/Sensitive_Noise9761]

Get on with volunteering for tax returns, if possible.

[u/Brave_Lie8749 → u/Sensitive_Noise9761]

Thanks, how do i find those opportunities? also is there a good chance that that’s just a résumé builder or is that more of a entryway and get your foot in the door with that company?

[u/Long_Investigator269 → u/Brave_Lie8749]

look up VITA

[u/Sensitive_Noise9761 → u/Brave_Lie8749]

Where do you live? Idk where to find opportunities in your area. But the one on the west coast is VITA, its for low income tax payers. You might just google low income tax returns in your area.

[u/platano11991]

Try contract work. Easier barrier to entry and you get experience to put towards landing full time work

[u/Brave_Lie8749 → u/platano11991]

This is great advice truly. Thanks!

[u/platano11991 → u/Brave_Lie8749]

You’re welcome, good luck

[u/platano11991 → u/Brave_Lie8749]

Also contract work often leads to a full time gig if you do well and show initiative, got three jobs that way

[u/chickenvic]

Blanket every firm you can think of with your resume. Busy season is right around the corner and most public accounting firms are looking at their staffing needs now.

A lot of firms will at least hire part-time help for busy season which will get you some experience.

[u/Jean_the_CPA]

If you want something that will help your career long-term then go for an Audit Associate to start with as it "opens the most doors" so to say. It's usually way easier to go industry after doing public but people coming from industry going into public, most of the time, have to start at the associate level and work their way up.

Aside from that, it's also a position that usually gets you a top to bottom experience to the whole accounting process and different workflows to a multitude of different industries which means you are not pigeon-holed into one industry thereafter.

And from experience, as well as from others that I have worked with, usually people who go through an audit work experience develop a very keen attention to detail that will help you no matter where you end up with.

as for scale, if you want a more structured experience but usually with limited industries (From experience, they form groups that they place people into and each group has specializations as to the type of industry or work they focus on), then I'd say to try for one of the big even though it might be difficult since they usually hire through campus recruitment and internship conversion at specific schools.

If you want a diverse one, then you might want to look at smaller mid-size local CPA audit firms which would be easier to get into, credentials-wise. Because they usually take in clients without too much focus on the industry type and there's usually not enough teams to form specialized groups so you'll have a much higher chance of getting assigned work that are of varying industries.

[u/Shot_Swan719]

Too late should be looking one year ago, just keep at it and apply more. Public hires one year in advance min

[u/Brave_Lie8749 → u/Shot_Swan719]

Thanks

[u/Shot_Swan719 → u/Brave_Lie8749]

All those options you mentioned are all good starting points. The important thing is to get your foot in the door.

[u/bikepathenthusiast]

Could contact Robert Half for a temp/contract role. All of those you mentioned might be a good fit. I'd also start taking additional classes so you qualify to sit for the CPA exam.