First of all, why would this Blog post even interest YOU? Well…
- You may be a person who participated in the Public Practice Recruiting (PPR) but have a genuine interest in Industry – but to ‘hedge your bets’ you decided to give campus PPR at try but without success so far.
- You may be a person who decided to go through PPR with an intention to learn and leverage this experience to go through recruiting again in 2021 with a better understanding of the process, and a few networking contacts in the bag.
- You may be a person who did not understand the recruiting process extensively and were totally caught off guard when you found out about how important networking, academics and a quality application truly are.
- You may be an international student feeling like you were overlooked due to your immigration status, language issues or limited local experience.
- You may have done everything right during this year’s PPR and are left completely surprised that even after meeting firm staff, having virtual coffee meetings, doing online assessments, showcasing strong academics and feeling pretty good about it all…you did not get an offer…or maybe not even an interview!
- You might be feeling like this was your only chance to be a CPA and now that the door has seemingly closed for this year, you are wondering what to do now and if you can EVER achieve your goal to be a CPA through other avenues.
- You might be thinking your education is still not enough and now you are thinking about an MBA to give you the edge you need to start your career in a public firm.
- Or, you may have just started DAP and are already feeling overwhelmed by the fact that it seemed like enough o begin a new education program, in a new discipline….and now there are recruiting activities, competitive application processed and (gulp) networking!!!
Well, all of these and more are good reasons to keep reading!
It is important to understand that PPR is a fabulous opportunity to begin your career with a public accounting firm but it is not the only way to reach that goal. In addition, out of the hundreds of students participating in PPR each year, only a small percentage of students actually secure positions with the 16 or so firms that come to campus year by year.
So…what to do you wonder?! Well, with my 16 years of experience helping students to successfully land positions in their new field of accounting, I have a few things to help you along your way…
1. There is often an opportunity to go through the PPR a second time. If this interests you, then you will need to still be participating in the DAP program next year during the Spring or Fall PPR to be eligible to receive invitations to campus PPR events. If you will still be in school, and this option interests you, then you should build on the relationships that you have developed this year and begin networking with them in as this year wraps up, in January and throughout the Winter/Spring so you get a jump start on the upcoming recruiting activities and networking that officially starts again in May. What you have learned this year will go a long way to helping you have success the next time around. (PS – If you are will be an DAP Alumni by then, you can still apply to company website postings directly. Alum are hired each year by firms.)
2. Consider approaching other “approved path training offices” that did not participate in the campus recruiting this year. You can reach out to them proactively or simply apply to postings at will. These companies represent other excellent sources for meaningful career experiences, the experience verification hours needed and other support required to complete the CPA.
3. Consider working outside of the Lower Mainland in a rural community or even outside of BC? For example, there are opportunities in the Prairie Provinces that may be worth looking at. Go to the various firm websites and look for these postings. Some of these applications are due currently and will often be filled following the PPR activities here at UBC and throughout the year as both company demand and capacity allows.
4. Does working close to home and/or in your community sound attractive to you? Consider locating medium and small firms that are not “Pre-approved training offices” but still offer an opportunity to get firm experience and provide the Experience Verification (EV) you need to complete your CPA designation requirements. Be sure to become familiar with the Practical Experience Requirements (PER) to better understand this process and contact CPA BC to learn the process for EV.
URL: https://www.bccpa.ca/become-a-cpa/cpa-practical-experience-requirement-per/
5. Consider pursuing the Industry pathway. Included in Industry are also other large private companies, government agencies, non-profits, education institutions and crown corporations. There are also a few “pre-approved path training offices” in Industry that you will find on the link provided in point 1., but there is always the option of working in Industry with oversight from a mentor that can verify your work experience to meet the CPA requirements. Company directories like the Business in Vancouver – Book of Lists is a great place to look for companies in every sector, but there are many more resources you can use to locate the ones that interest you. The resource department of your local library or DAP online resources on Canvas are invaluable for this. Then you will need to reach out to them proactively to add value with your new education, skills and experience, and present to them your desire/need to learn at the same time and provide documentation for the same. Understanding how the mentoring process works is very helpful.
URL: https://www.bccpa.ca/become-a-cpa/cpa-practical-experience-requirement-per/mentees-mentors/
6. If the CPA designation has never really been your focus, then there may be other options for you. The Advanced Certificate in Accounting and Finance (ACAF) is a certification that can also provide you with approved credentials to move your career ahead and to market to potential employers.
URL: https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/cpa-canada-advanced-certificate-in-accounting-and-finance
The ACAF also provides you with the option to continue with your CPA path later if you so choose. Be sure to do some research about the best education institution to choose to build on your ACAF after completion.
7. For those looking for an alternative education pathway to complete your CPA, there is still another option worth considering – MPAcc. During summer months you can participate in a Graduate program which provides PEP module training and the 30 months of experience needed to proceed with completing final modules through CPA PEP and to prepare to write the CFE. Be sure to do some research about the best education institution to choose pursue then MPAcc. to t become acquainted with application deadlines which are well in advance of starting dates.
a. You can secure a job using your new DAP education, networking and applications without pursuing your CPA designation right away. During this time you can complete the required experience to support your desire to gain permanent residency in Canada. The International Student Association is a great place to gather information and learn the process to settle and pursue residency in Canada and in BC. (Be sure to verify your specific path with an Immigration Consultant or Lawyer.)
URL: https://students.ubc.ca/international-student-guide
b. If language is still an issue for you, taking the components of English training that you require could really help you with future job searching and career progression. Sometimes it is simply business vocabulary that you need, accent reduction, intonation, business writing skills or simply more English conversation to help you improve to have strong oral and written English skills to market your language proficiency.
URL: https://cstudies.ubc.ca/courses/power-pronunciation/wd112
Of course each student will have their own reasons for doing any of the above, so make the choices that reflect the best pathway for you. The sooner you act, the better!
To further discuss any or all of these options and/or to set some personal goals, meet with a Career Consultant. There are additional things to consider and strategies worth using to support any of these directions and to both target and land your eventual career goal!
Good Luck,
Russell
Russell Garrett is the Owner of Protocol Business Solutions, a Certified Career Consultant and your DAP Career Coach. Russell will be delivering the Fall/Winter Career Workshop Series from September – November to prepare DAP students for their overall job search training and to help those planning on Public Practice Recruiting in 2021. Russell also collaborates with the Business Career Center to support joint DAP and BCom career initiatives including Public Practice Recruiting preparation workshops during Spring and Fall recruiting periods. Russell is also available to DAP students for scheduled online coaching appointments registered for through COOL or random online career coaching appointments set up through email.
Contact Russell at dapcareersupport@sauder.ubc.ca.