Required: Lifting 25 lbs. of Nothing

I have alerts set on LinkedIn for Controller and Assistant Controller jobs. In the past few years, I have noticed an increasing number of companies posting physical requirements for accounting work.

One came up that read "Physical Requirements: This position requires you to sit, stand and perform general office functions. You may also be required to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally. Bending, stooping and reaching are also frequently required."

As someone who has chronic pain, this makes me angry.

As someone who has hired and worked with people who have disabilities, illnesses, injuries, are pregnant, or are in their 80s and 90s, this seriously pisses me off.

Why should people be dissuaded from applying for accounting work when they only rarely must lift up to 25 lbs.??

 

At first, it looks to me like a barrier to entry for anyone who can’t lift up to 25 lbs.

Then I said, maybe I’m too cynical and there is an actual legal requirement for this. Like a CYA for companies who don’t want to pay worker’s compensation on the occasion an employee lifts a heavy box and hurts themselves.

But the more I looked into it, it was what I thought at first. That companies don’t want to hire certain employees.

 

I found that the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics has categories of the type of work and requirements for lifting weights. Most office jobs are classified as “Sedentary” which they define as requiring a strength level based on the weight and duration of lifting and carrying. Sedentary work requires the lifting or carrying of up to 10 lbs. seldom or occasionally, negligible weight frequently, and no weight constantly. Also sedentary work is met when no more than one-third of the workday is spent standing. More fun details here. 

The types of jobs they classify as sedentary include personal financial advisors, computer programmers, insurance agents, budget analysts, and billing and posting clerks. So, billing and posting clerks (Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable most likely) are in the sedentary category and they are the ones, in my experience, that deal with large piles of invoices and backup documents.

Then, which jobs require lifting and carrying up to 25 lbs. you ask? Well, that is the next category, classified as “Light Work” which the US BLS defines as seldom and occasionally lifting and carrying 11-25 lbs., 1-10 lbs. frequently, and negligible weight constantly. These jobs include: hairdressers, restaurant hosts and hostesses, waiters and waitresses, teachers and instructors, dental assistants, and phlebotomists. There is no way that our accounting jobs require us to lift the paper equivalent of the trays of plates and glasses a waiter or waitress must lift and carry after every single table. And there is no way we are standing and bending (even with a sit/stand desk), the hours a dental assistant does.

 

OK, at this point you might argue that this particular job was posted by some really old-school company that keeps banker's boxes of old, dusty paper files and binders in the basement or warehouse. I used to have to dig through such boxes in the 1990s and early 2000s. Even then, someone delivered them up for us. I have lugged boxes of files as an auditor but that was before everything was “paperless.”

No, my friends. Without giving away too much information, the business that posted this job in this 2020s paperless world is a cryptocurrency company! Less than 10 years old! The job description goes on and on about how they love to create efficiencies and how they are so non-traditional. Yeah OK, keep thinking that...

So, why the hell do they expect that their Accounting people should be able to lift and carry up to 25 pounds?

Job postings like this one signal to certain job seekers not to even bother applying; that they will not be an ideal candidate for the job. Basically, if you are disabled, pregnant, old, or even have a sports injury, they don't want you. And they even have the nerve to include an "Equal Employment Opportunity" paragraph directly after. I am not kidding.

Accounting jobs should NOT be restricted by lift and carry requirements. This is so completely ridiculous. Think about it – People who start off being able to lift up to 25 lbs. will eventually grow older, get pregnant, get injured, or sustain an illness. It is part of life. But guess what? We can still do accounting work!

Back to School Supplies for Accountants

Schools started on Long Island last week and NYC this week. How can you tell? The increase in traffic, of course! It is also getting cooler these days and I have such an urge to buy school supplies. There's something about fall and school supplies! Why leave all the fun to the kids? Yes, Accountants – You should have some new supplies this fall! 

OK, notebooks and other supplies may be considered low-tech compared to your cell phone, tablet or laptop. But I find people pay more attention when taking notes in a notebook as opposed to a laptop. Don’t you hate giving a presentation to a conference room of people who are typing away on their laptops? You hope that they’re taking notes on what you’re saying, but they are more likely responding to an e-mail. How about when you are explaining how to do something to a colleague and they just stare at you and nod? Fast forward 3 hours later, and they completely forgot everything you said. To prevent them from asking you a million questions via e-mail, rip out a page from your notebook and give it to them to take notes. 

Wise people have said that you retain more information when you put a pen(cil) to paper, and the science now proves it. Check out this article entitled “Attention, Students: Put Your Laptops Away” which references a number of recent studies that prove this theory. 

5 Reasons to Take the CPA Exam Right After College

If you recently graduated from college/university, I want to congratulate you! Well done! Are you starting a new job this fall and would rather do anything but study in your spare time? Do you want to take a short break from studying since that’s what you have been doing for most of your life? Well, despite all that, it may make more sense to take the CPA Exam sooner rather than later.

See, I made the mistake of pushing off serious studying for the CPA Exam during my first year working at a CPA firm. In the early 2000s, there were lots of layoffs in the Finance industry in New York, and this included CPA Firms. It became extremely important to have as many billable hours and not much “unassigned time.” I could not afford to lose this job and spent my free time asking Seniors for work that they needed help with instead of studying. I figured I could “wing it” on some parts and study hard later when things slowed down.

As the years went by and my personal and professional responsibilities increased, it grew more and more difficult to study. I kept trying though – passing parts, failing others. I took breaks from the Exam. This process started to repeat over and over again. If I knew then what I know now, I would have tried to find a balance between work and studying very early on in my career.  

If you sit for the CPA Exam soon after graduating, you may be able to avoid these 5 things that are currently working against me:

I Still Hate BEC

***2016 Update is here***

Four years later and…

I’m still not a CPA.

BEC kicked my butt again and I lost all my credits back in 2012. I seriously hate BEC. If BEC could be slapped across the face, I would give it a firm backhand.

I’m still not a CPA. And I don’t care.  

Where I’m At…

Growing up, I would spend New Year’s Day journaling about the year that passed and what I wished for the upcoming year. I would write anywhere from 5-10 pages. Even though I have stopped journaling some years ago, I still like to reflect on and learn from the past and plan for the future.

Although a little late, this is my 2012 New Year journal entry and lets you know where I am with the Accounting and Non-Accounting areas of my life.

With the CPA Exam

I took FAR back in October when I was about to lose the last conditional credit I had left. I got a 70 and all my credits had expired. I was forced to start at Square One again and signed up to take BEC in April. BEC has changed and now includes writing in addition to the multiple choice questions, making it even more challenging. I have started a self-study plan using the 2012 Wiley textbook and may add a Cram course in March. I plan to blog regularly on my study progress even if it’s a paragraph.

I’m Back!

I want to apologize to my readers because I haven’t posted in a while.

For a little more than a month, I put in long hours at work due to a special project, severely limiting the amount of free time I had. I dedicated any extra time to studying for REG, but it was really difficult. Those hours weren't quality study hours since they were first thing in the morning while I was half asleep or late at night when I should be sleeping.

Two weeks before the CPA Exam, I was so frustrated that I began to debate whether I should even bother taking REG and wrote:

As I am sitting on an evening train home from work on Friday night, I am having a difficult time focusing on REG. I am so frustrated that I’m using the loose leaf scratch paper I was solving REG questions on to write this post to vent.

I never got a chance to post it, but it was good to let the frustration out through writing. I decided to commit to studying so I could pass REG. I started doing more questions and made a lot of progress.

I was on a roll, so of course something had to happen to derail my efforts. I sustained an eye injury at the worst possible time for studying but the best for work. It prevented me from making that final push to study at the end and from sitting for the Exam. The timing was fine at work because I was helping lead training sessions so I had a nice break from the computer.

I am fine now and since that project at work has wound down (at least for the time being), my work hours are more normal. Hopefully, my brain will resume thinking creatively so I can write more often.

Even MBAs Can’t Find Jobs

After sadly putting aside countless job postings that require the applicant to be either a CPA or MBA (or sometimes both) and complaining on this blog about how unfair it was (I felt my work experience should out-weigh the fact that I don’t have either yet), I found something interesting.

I stumbled upon a collection of blogs on the Wall Street Journal‘s website called Laid off and Looking where 8 unemployed MBAs write about their difficulties in finding a job.

From a quick scan of their bios, I saw that one of the job-seekers was a former CFO. The CFO wrote that companies were turned off by the fact that he had worked at too many places in his 28-year career. How ridiculous that they thought 5 companies were too many! Companies go through so many transitions (being acquired, CEO changes) that sometimes create turnover in top executive spots. The hiring company shouldn't have dismissed this person because of something like that.

I think the rest of us that are unemployed may run into the same problem in the future. Right now, people understand the situation because of the economy and the job market. But I don’t think employers will be as understanding in a few years.

If someone was laid-off after working at a company for 1 or 2 years, will it look like the person was job-hopping? What if the same person found a job at another company and that company had layoffs after 6-8 months? – sadly, I have seen this happen to quite a few people. Will this situation cause a potential employer to question our loyalty?

It’s fine if you can get in the door and explain your situation during an interview. The problem is, if your resume is rejected, you won’t even have that chance. What do you think?

Still Waiting...

Just in case you were wondering, I'm still waiting to hear back about that job and my Audit grade. Hopefully, my grade will be posted this week.

Waiting in Agony

I am waiting for 2 things – my Audit grade and a potential job offer. One is driving me insane and the other has become an afterthought.

Surprisingly, the wait for the job offer is what’s killing me (I actually had to make a note in my planner to remember to check my Audit grade). Usually, I desperately want to know if I passed or failed on a part of the CPA Exam. I can’t focus on studying for the next part I’m taking because I check my grade a hundred times a day. This time I gave the test my best shot and whatever happens, happens.

Generally, the interview process goes by quickly – I like your company, one of the recruiters I’m working with (or I) sends you my resume, you like my resume and ask me to come in for an interview, we meet, then we decide if we are right for each other. The first interview is like a blind date where both sides want to put their best face forward and at the end of the first meeting conclude if this connection should go any further. Even though we both look good on paper, you might not like me or I might not like you. Yes, it is possible for a job candidate to reject a job (instead of the other way around). I understand it’s not a job candidate’s job market, but I still believe you should be happy with the company and the people you would have to work with.

This job is a different story because I feel like I invested so much into interviewing, in terms of effort, time and money. I wanted to guarantee I would get this particular job. I had to endure 3 interviews (with long waits between each) and bring my “A game” each time. I had to purchase a 3rd business suit and travel into the city (both pricey when you are unemployed). But the most work was on practicing how I could convey to them that my skills and experience are what they are looking for. No more being humble and letting my resume speak for itself; I had to sell. I was determined to be THE candidate.

When you go on an interview, you have to show the interviewer, who may be your potential employer, that you really want to work there (without sounding desperate) and that hiring you would be the best decision they ever made. In order to project this, you have to convince yourself first. On the train ride to the city, I would read my notes on the company and have conversations with myself (in my head, not out loud). I would ask myself what my strengths and weaknesses are. I would then come up with a “30 second pitch” summarizing what I bring to the table and how I can help them with the challenges they are facing now and in the future.

As I stood outside the building before each of the 3 interviews at this company, I told myself “I have to work here. I NEED to work here.”

Hopefully, they will feel the same way.

Those 3 Letters Strike Again!

I have been sick the past few days (thankfully not with the swine flu), so I didn't get a chance to post.
Earlier this week, I had yet another interview with a company I have been interviewing with for what seems like an eternity. I am not complaining because I am fortunate for this opportunity, especially considering the current state of the job market. However, it seems like such a prolonged experience compared to the last time I was looking for a job.
Of course, the dreaded subject came up at this interview – “The only thing I don’t see on your resume is your CPA license.” Here we go again; they like me, but can’t justify hiring a non-CPA for the position. Those 3 letters didn't matter that much when I was going on interviews a couple of years ago (some of my then would-be bosses didn't have their CPA licenses either and weren't even planning on taking the Exam).
Well, to this I respond that I am currently taking the Exam: passed one, sat for one last week, taking another in 3 weeks, and hope to pass by mid-summer. I had to make it crystal clear that I would be a CPA very soon after they hired me. The interviewer then looked at my resume again and asked if I have all the requirements for my license. He seemed relieved when I noted that all I have to do is pass the test because I already have my 2 years of public experience.
Maybe (at least) one of the other candidates is a CPA and my lack of a license would take me out of the running for this position? It is a shame if that happens because a person’s experience and personality should mean more than those 3 letters. We will see what happens. How is your job search going?

Required: CPA or MBA

Why must almost every Accounting Manager or Assistant Controller job require a CPA or MBA certification as a prerequisite to even be considered for the position? I understand that companies are seeking qualified individuals, but doesn't experience count as a qualification anymore?

I was the FASB and tax go-to person in a previous job as Accounting Manager; asked to advise in situations affected by new or complicated accounting pronouncements or how to handle the accounting or tax consequences of new business transactions (like dealing with VAT after the purchase of a UK trading business or creating a model for hedge effectiveness testing). I have run countless monthly accounting closes (yes, run; not just prepared the JEs). So why would anything change after I pass the CPA Exam and get my license? I would still possess the same knowledge through EXPERIENCE.

I don’t even bother applying to jobs where a CPA or MBA is “required.” I will, however, apply to jobs where those qualifications are “preferred.”

Are any other CPA candidates out there looking for a job and are you frustrated that your resume isn't getting a response to a job whose description you know is a perfect fit for both sides and you suspect it’s because you don’t have your license yet? Please share your story!

Rejected

“Although we were impressed with your background, we have decided to pursue another candidate.”

Ugh. Those words are like a dagger to my heart.

I feel like I just got dumped. By e-mail. Yes, e-mail. No phone call or letter. It was by e-mail.

How could it be? I thought we were a perfect fit. You wanted someone who can do A, B and C? I have done A, B and C at my previous jobs with fantastic results. You wanted someone who can help with D because your Cost Accounting person left? I have knowledge of D since I have a manufacturing company background. You wanted someone that fits in with your team? We had a great conversation and similar backgrounds and personalities.

Maybe the other candidate you chose to pursue was more entertaining during the interview and thus a better fit? Maybe he/she has an MBA or a CPA which I lack? Maybe he/she‘s requested salary range was lower than mine?

No matter how much I rack my brain, I will never figure out the answers to these questions. I will never know what went wrong.

The one thing I CAN take away from this experience is that no matter how “perfect” everything seems on an interview, it isn't a sure thing until you get that phone call/e-mail with an offer letter.

Please feel free to share your experiences interviewing in this tough job market.