I’m a .com

Study When You Can, As Much As You Can

It’s still pre busy season at my new job and I use every second to pound the books for the REG part of the CPA exam. My colleagues’ wonder where do I find the strength to study so much and I try to explain to them that with 3 parts of this horror behind me I know what exactly drives me. It’s knowing how much you have to cover and when you get busy with work your

I shared with Maggie, the other night, how I studied so much of the business law chapters in one day and for so long that I felt nauseated. After a few hours of the dry material I felt overwhelmed and hot, I was shy by a dozen pages to finish the chapter. I felt physically ill and ready to vomit from effort. No realizing my surroundings, I stood up from my chair and almost mowened in frustration. Then, realizing the cubicles surrounding me, I sat down embarrassed. Thank god no one noticed me. I set down and thought about the treasure of having the time now and the perspective of not having time to even get a drink of water. I set down and I murmured to myself out laud - “You can do it Milen, You have to do it!” I sat down and I finished the 6th chapter out of seven!

I’m into Public Accounting!

Originally, when I graduated and moved to NY, at the end of April of ‘06, I desperately tried to get a job in public accounting. I wanted public accounting because my accounting teacher, Don May, had told us that PA will give us the best training and will help us become CPAs. As I’ve already shared on here, I started my job search while still on Cape Cod, back in March ‘06, and applied at about 50 CPA firms in NY; alas without a luck. I suppose god’s will was for me to go into corporate accounting. After 2,5 months without being paid I took a job with AboveNet Communications and my work there was my first year of accounting experience. While working at AboveNet I was exposed to people who had PA experience and other people who have heard the story, which was always the same - “If you go to a big CPA firm, like one of the big 4, you’ll be treated like dirt, you’ll travel like crazy, and will be at work till 11pm” all of which horrified me.

I wasn’t able to get into PA because the CPA firms hire entry level employees in only one of two ways: 1. of campus or 2. by an internal referral. Since my Suffolk University campus was in Boston, MA I missed that vehicle of PA entrance and since I didn’t know anybody working in accounting let alone in PA, I was out of luck there too. In all fairness, after the initial 4-5 moths I loved my job at AboveNet, but kept my ears perked and eyes open to new opportunities. I was determine to complete at least a year at my current job, and when I started preparing for the CPA exam things fit perfectly.

On a slightly different note, in a few occasions I’ve been told, in one way or another, that I have an angel looking over me. A couple of people called it just that - an angel, other referred to it as luck. Non of them implied that I get things served on a silver platter, eveyone said that I worked hard, staid focused, and never missed opportunities, and yet I was blessed with a peculiar luck. I agree and I’m grateful. Just when I was feeling comfortable in my life and job at AboveNet, in May ‘08, “something” made me call Jenny (we used to work together and used to joke that when I’m ready to make the move, I should send her my resume so that she can make a referral on my behalf at J.C. Cohn) to find out that the NYC office has already filled all of their entry level spots for an year ahead, meaning that they weren’t hiring till end of 2009, gasp! Thankfully the White Plains office was still looking for people to start in Oct ‘08. I interviewed with HR and a couple of different partners of the firm and was offered a job. Knowing that I’ll be changing jobs so many months ahead I was able to give a whole month notice at my current at the time job, plan my trip so that I could attend Annie’s wedding and spend 6 weeks with my family.

The rough part was coming back in the afternoon on Monday, Oct 13 ‘08 and having to be in training next morning in Roseland, NJ at 8:00am. But you know what? It’s all glorious history now - Today is Saturday, Nov 8, ‘08 and I’m home happily blogging about it. I’m done with initial training for work and am looking ahead. I love my new place of employment - people are super nice, there is plenty of training, it’s close to my house and the gym, and we’re encouraged to study for the CPA exam. Speaking of the CPA exam I’m using, as advised by all of the old dogs, every second to study and am 4/7 done with the materials for my last part - Regulation (Federal Taxation and Business Law). I’m waiting for my next paycheck to schedule my exam date for the end of Jan ‘09, which will beautifully fit with beginning of crazy, busy tax season!