Stoppping Accountancy exams - Career Prospects????

shaykay

Hi Guys,

I am studying the CPA accountancy exams and only have two left to sit. I sat one of them yesterday and I don't think it went that well and its touch and go whether I passed it or not. It's the fourth time I've sat that paper and I honestly just don't think I can sit it again. I pretty confident in passing the next one on Friday. If I pass Friday's and fail yesterday's I'd only have one exam left to pass before I qualify.

Worst case scenario I don't pass either. I was thinking of just leaving them and maybe going back to finish them in a few years. I'm 27 nearly 28 and just sick of earning a trainee wage, I'm of the age now where I feel I should start earning some decent money. I've seen jobs advertised which I am more than qualified for that are around the €40k mark and all you need to qualify for them is a business degree.

My question is, has anyone been in the same boat and just packed them in? What do people think my career prospects would be like? I have friends in financial roles that are not qualified accountants and earn good money. It's not all about money but there are certain limitation's in life when you earn below a certain limit.

Anyway guys any advice would be appreciated.

Jim2007

Many people feel this way after an exam especially accountants, it's our nature to plan for the worst outcome! So I would not over think it for now, just concentrate on the up coming exam.

In general I would say that if you are passionate about your career in accounting, then you owe it to yourself to do everything possible to get qualified, if on the other hand you are not interested in it, then I would not hesitate to kick it to the curb and go do something you are interested in. But at the same time, you've come this far and it would be a pity if you did see it through now.

In my own case I worked for one of the big four and had more or less decide going into the final year that accounting was not for me. My mentor, one of the senior partners took me aside and persuaded me to finish - he pointed out to me that in an accounting firm, we tend to undervalue the qualification because everyone has one, but out there (mean industry) they were not so common and thus valued. So I hung there did the extra year and resigned within a couple of days of getting qualified.

I've done a lot of different stuff over the past 25 years, very little of it to do with accounting, but I've never regretted finishing of the qualification - it gives me a level of credibility I would not otherwise have.

VONSHIRACH

I was 30 when I sat my first accountancy exam and after a few years when I got married I had just one exam to pass, having narrowly failed before I got married, but passing the other 2 final acca ones. One exam is a lot better than 3 to pass and after work I would come home, eat and do 3 or 4 hours study every evening. You need to nail this remaining exam, stick it out for one more push. You can always move laterally into other sectors careerwise after you pass. Also you shouldn't be finished adding to qualifications either at 28 years old.

smcgiff

Is there a limit to the amount of times you can take final CPA exams? I thought it was 4 then you lost any of the final 4 you passed to date?