Any accounting ppl ???

[civic_ek4]

I will have my B.Mgt degree majoring in accounting in april. I don't know which accounting designation to go for. Any comments?? I would like to work in the industry for awhile before i make the decision. Where/how do i look for those opportunities??

[max_boost]

There are so many accounting positions, I think it would be easy to find a job. Off the top of my head, try the ones below.

www.calgaryjobshop.ca
www.monster.ca

[Shaolin]

CA if you want to do audits, tax stuff
CMA if you're in oil and gas
CGA - oil and gas.

CAPPA - if you're going into oil and gas.

CA's usually become controllers.. but that doesn't mean CMAs won't become controllers..

You need to get into a CA firm in order to do your CA,

IE. D&T, MNP, KPMG to name a few.

I'm assuming you have work experience as well from co-op program?

[civic_ek4]

The situtation is, my program doesn' t have any co-op programs. I don't have any actual experience and I am not in Calgary. So I would like to do some type of accounting work before i decide. But as of now i want to go CMA.

[R-Audi]

Lethbridge hey? Personally I would go CMA to get in with Oil and Gas, but its really a personal preference.

Unrelated, been on Beyond long? There are a few of us from UofL around here...

[Weapon_R]

How does one enroll in the CA program? How long is it?

[R-Audi]

I belive you typically do your 'articleing' (sp) through an accounting firm. I have two friends who are working for acounting firm doing it right now. They got hired out of University, and completing their CA working as an accountant

[civic_ek4]

Yeah, go through the program and hopefully you will get hire. One of my friend didn't even finish and she got a job with a CA firm in Edmonton doing auditing. It's all about luck and your mobility.

[SI-vic]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
How does one enroll in the CA program? How long is it?

You can enroll at Mt.Royal.
To enroll, I think you need some experience and some accounting schooling.
I believe the CA is approx. 1year?
dont quote me on that though.....

I'm glad that my family is filled with family owned business... I'll be doing some of their taxes for awhile until I save enough to open my own firm with my friends (thats the PLAN)

[civic_ek4]

So anyone want to get me a job in an accounting firm?????????????

[t3rry]

accounting is somehting i'd liek to get into as well, but unfortunatly i cant afford the cash or time for schooling

[Shaolin]

if i remember correctly you have to be articling for a CA firm in order to do your CA.. therefore if you don't get into a CA firm, you can't do your CA..

i could be wrong though.

and the articling is 2 years i'm pretty sure.

[RiCE-DaDDy]

I heard CA in the long run makes the most $$$

but they work you like a dog when you starting out and the pay isnt that fair

I also heard CFA is looked down upon unfairly

[civic_ek4]

CA makes pretty good coin when you actually have it, you would make a whole lot more if you are a partner in the firm.

I don't think CFA is close in this topic, Chartered Financial Analyst.(IMO)

[Shaolin]

CFA/CSC stuff are definitely a different thing.. CA firms will give you about 2Gs a year when you do your articling, but they're sponsoring you to do your CA stuff.. that's why you won't get paid as much.. CA's do make good money because they're usually the ones chosen to become controllers.. but that doesn't mean CMAs or CGAs don't get the chance to become controllers either.. you just have to be good at what you do.

[luder]

You need a degree in order to get into the CA program and have to have certain courses with a minimum GPA. The program itself consists of 5 10 week modules 1 2 week module and a final exam, the whole thing usually takes about 1.5-2.5 years to complete.

[hockeybronx]

Hey man check your PM

[gcycheun]

CA is the toughest of the designations to get and the most recognized as they set all the accountng standards in Canada.
CMA is not exclusively Oil and Gas as there are many CA's in oil & gas. CA will give you the widest range of opportunties but is the toughest to get in. Most firms recruit only from University campuses and not MRC or SAIT.

CAPPA is not a designation - it is a course you can take if you want to be a production accounting

CA students usually make less than CMA students approx 33k compared to 40k but CAs pay will jump at about 5-10k a year on avg till you reach $90k

[rsxxxcutie]

If you haven't secured a job with a CA firm through campus recruiting, it is extremely difficult to do so outside of this process, especially with the big 4 firms, your only chances of getting a ca articling position would be with a small firm.

Salaries for people going into an industry job will be higher for the first year but you will be at par probably in the second year of your ca articling since the raises are much higher than in industry depending on your performance, you will be making what individuals in industry make in your second or third year.

Also, CAPPA is not a professional designation, it is a course at SAIT that anyone with half a brain can pass but you can make some decent coin becoming a production accountant but you have to be prepared for mindless data entry work. You can enroll in CAPPA with just a high school education. If you want to move up in a company, you will also have to get a designation on top of this, ie your CMA or CGA before you can land a higher level position.

I think that you should look for an industry job and then pursue your CMA or CGA and get the company to pay for it if possible, most companies will do so if you make a decent business case for it.

by the way, gcycheun, get back to work, it's busy season, you should be chargeable for at least 60 hours, you should not have time to post on this board or even go on the internet for that matter

[civic_ek4]

thanks for all the great informations but i got a job with RBC as a tellar. It sucks but atleast i got my foot in the door.