The number of students that obtained an interview with a public firm compared to the number of students that applied for a CPA position is significantly less. These ratios continue to be consistent throughout the process right down to getting and accepted offers. That simply means many students did not obtain their goal to get an interview let alone an offer. Some students are already reeling from this experience and are wondering what they should do now and/or next.

Here are some suggestions:
1. Don’t Panic – do not calculate the absence of an interview/offer to your value or ability to be a successful accountant, do not press the ejection seat on your dreams to be a CPA, do not buy into the idea that you can’t obtain a position with a firm in the future, and so on…
2. Get Feedback – Look for opportunities to connect with your network or your reviewers and get feedback on what you can do better in the future. This is not always possible but valuable when obtained.
3. Next Year – If you are eligible for the CPA Campus Recruiting in 2014 then begin your plan now to engage firm staff in the New Year, talk to applicants that were successful, research at a deeper level, improve your application (letter), hone your interviewing skills, improve your grades, prepare to give the process more time and be more intentional about each and every component of the process (networking, application, GPA, interview, follow up)
3. Create Plan B – If you are not eligible for campus recruiting next time around or are simply not interested in going through the experience again, begin the process of connecting with the marketplace and create/secure your own opportunities by identifying CPA training offices, other firms that did not come to the campuses to recruit, industry companies that hire CPAs and create a plan to connect with them (use the Sauder Career Success Cycle resources)
4. Contact your Career Consultant dapcareersupport@sauder.ubc.ca to help make a proactive career plan if you need it!

Good luck!