There are several characteristics that make up a successful CPA Fall Recruiting application. The GPA is only one of those, albeit an important one. The keys to a successful CPA Recruit are as follows:
- Networking
- Preparation
- Strong Overall Application
- Cover Letter Content
- Academics/GPA
- Interviewing
- Follow up
Let’s take a brief look at each one of these layers…
1. Networking
Relationship building is each candidate’s opportunity to build rapport with a specific firm as well as any other staff connections they may make. When meeting firm staff at various events including coffee meetings, information interviews, office hours and during other opportunities to connect, candidates have occasion to create, build and maintain relationships. Networking is a chance to display conversational abilities, firm knowledge and interest, differentiation, fit and of course client interaction skills. Firm reps have been known to say that they will not interview candidates that have not made a strong connection with them. Thankfully networking skills can be learned and practiced during the CPA Recruit experience. So, make your plan and stand out. It is in your own power to do so.
2. Preparation
Preparing is largely an exercise of research. Being ready to talk to firm staff about specific firm information, service lines, training programs, internal programs, specializations, firm culture and values are all discovered through research. It does not take firm staff long to identify if the person they are talking to truly knows who their firm is and if they have displayed an acute interest in the firm by their efforts to prepare to have meaningful discussions and ask great questions. Strong candidates research each firm they will be applying to on more than just a surface level. They dig down beyond home pages and questions like, “What is a day like in your firm?”. They learn the nuances of each firm in order to make subsequent network connection more significant, prepare specific cover letters, create interview questions, display specific interest and perform follow up with firm staff when feasible to do so. Preparation will also make those butterflies in your stomach fly in formation like geese.
3. Strong Overall Application
Candidates have an opportunity to add further value to their connections with firm reps and increase their impact and brand when a great application follows great connections. The quality of the application page, the education information, the visual branding of the documents, the attraction and quality of the resume and of course the specific and compelling content of the cover letter round out a “strong” application. Doing your homework now to make sure your application is strong is worth every effort. Standing out in this arena is done in bytes. You decide how many bytes they get.
4. Cover Letter Content
There are many opportunities to stand out with a great cover letter. Candidates have one page to convey their story, showcase their strengths, prove any connections with firm staff, display firm knowledge and to differentiate themselves. Consistency of voice and tone are important also as each candidate creates flow and displays believable confidence. This all begins with an opening first paragraph that does not waste time with the “please consider me” or “I am interested in this position” approach. A more attractive start engages the reader quickly with compelling information about specific connections with the firm, passion for the company, or some intrinsic highlight about themselves that raises the interest of the reader.
5. Academics/GPA
All would agree that specific accounting knowledge is critical to doing the job and proving competency in any given field, but we all must concede that a good GPA does not translate to a good employee. A high GPA could garner some real interest, but there must be more to the candidate than academic success. Many accountants found success in the field with building their accounting knowledge on an unrelated degree. However, during the CPA recruiting most interviews and job offers are given to those between the 75%-85% range. Some on either end of this range also have success largely due to the other components mentioned in the other points in this blog. With competition being so high in CPA recruiting, you just simply must have the whole package to end up in the approximate 20% of candidates that are eventually hired. Work hard, bring your grades up, retake courses if necessary and do your best…with the knowledge that your GPA alone will not result in career success.
6. Interviewing
For those who make strong connections through networking, this is an opportunity for firms to talk specifically around the skills and experiences you have, and to also verify what you have told them and portrayed during in person connections. Giving candidates a chance to answer open-ended questions allows students to speak about what they believe is most important to their interviewer and the firm. Responses to these questions tell something about what you know and have learned just simply by the approach and content used to answer them. Additionally, interviewers are looking for real experiences and indicators of successful performance which are brought to the forefront by asking behavioural questions best answered with specific examples and results. Each interview stage will have varying experiences which may include some overlaps as different people may ask the same things. Sometimes the interviews are more like conversations and seem to be more about the firm than the candidate as firm reps try to attract students and hold their firm up as the best choice to pursue the CPA designation and further an accounting career. Preparation, practice and performance are the three keys to success.
7. Follow up
The strongest connections are developed by having more than one contact with firm staff. Utilizing follow up strategies that are within the expected CPA recruiting etiquette can help candidates stand out and be remembered. A timely email, card, LinkedIn message or other contact can keep a candidate front and centre in a firm rep’s mind. Looking for ways to do this in a meaningful way without overwhelming people is a delicate balance. Effort to connect with people without asking for something takes forethought and preparation. This is where personal connections and second level research provide candidates with facts that can be used in these moments. Appropriate follow up is often part of what rounds out a complete job search and adds value to recruiting arenas where the smallest things elevate candidates above the crowd.
At times students are so caught up with the GPA alone that they do not perform a quality and diverse approach to CPA recruiting. There are many pieces to getting noticed and eliciting an invitation to interview and subsequent job offer. Just as a quality fabric is made up of many threads, a good CPA recruiting approach is also made up of many strands and a GPA is one of those threads and not the fabric itself. So, no time to rest on your laurels…time to get to work and perform a job search you can be proud of no matter the result.
Good luck!
Russell Garrett is the Owner of Protocol Business Solutions, a Certified Career Consultant and the DAP Career Coach. He also collaborates with the Business Career Center to support BCom career initiatives from time to time. Be sure to attend all the CPA Recruiting workshops which are posted on COOL for registration. Russell will be delivering the CPA Application Workshop for DAP and BCom students on July 27th. Russell is also available to DAP students for online coaching appointments set up through email requests and in-person coaching when posted in COOL. Contact Russell at dapcareersupport@sauder.ubc.ca.