CAT = Certified Accounting Technician.
Well, lately, I've been noticing that really, just a reality check, all those CPAs who have previously worked for auditing firms are the ones who get the great, great job offers. Well kudos to them, it is really so damn hard to work in the audit field. Greedy partners, nasty senior associates, annoying and prickly staff, and un-cooperative clients. LOL (Do I need to capitalize on the shortcomings? Haha) Therefore, I get the idea why they deserve the almost-250% increase in salary when they transfer to a big, multinational company.
Then there goes the question: What happens to CPAs like me who didn't go through that audit-thingy???
Well, some CPAs don't want to work/did not opt to work for an audit firm for several reasons....
1. They're breadwinners, therefore, the 15,000 basic salary is not enough to put food on the table
2. They don't want to get wrinkly and nasty at an early age, as the "hassles" and "problems" in an audit environment can really take a toll on someone's brain cells, skin health, and sanity.
3. They want a bigger salary. Almost everyone wants this, eh?
So, what happens next???
As of now, there are a lot of BPOs and Shared Services Centers that offer very competitive compensation packages for CPAs. Great, really. But there's a question on the "stability" (especially for the BPOs) of these. And these BPOs/Shared Services Centers will, someday, reach the "death" of their business cycles (probably the cost of maintaining the services here is already the same, or worse, is becoming "more expensive" as compared to having it back on their home country, so eventually, the companies will have the get back the "outsourced" services...ergo, no job for yah). So the sure path to go is to go CORPORATE...and MULTINATIONAL.
So for CPA yuppies like me who didn't go through all that auditing hulabaloo thing, how are we supposed to compete for a great-paying job in the future???
Either you make sure that while working for that shared services company, you get promoted as, at least, a team leader or a process manager...
...or you get an MBA, CIA, CMA or CAT so that you'll add something up on your arsenal. Hahaha....or probably enroll at a law school para CPA-lawyer. Bigtime LOL (bigtime rin sa kunsumisyon at tuition fee...hehe)
And based on my case, I will evaluate each option...
MBA: Master of Business Administration. I've always wanted to take MBA studies since college. I ALMOST enrolled for MBA courses last April 2009. I changed my mind when I saw the subject matter -- majority, if not all, of the subjects are Business-Administration subjects! Damn, I dunno why but I am not made for BA. I am not interested. Ergo, a big "X" for MBA.
CIA: Certified Internal Auditor. Even if I don't have internal audit experience, I think since I am licensed I can still take on this challenge. However, the tuition fee is in dollars. And I haven't got any moolahs (and neither my parents). Ergo, a big "X" for CIA.
CMA: Certified Management Accountants. A bigger X. This one's more expensive than CIA. Huhu
Law. Damn, I've always wanted to have "Atty." at the beginning and "CPA" at the end of my name. But this takes too much work -- I suck at debates, I hate debating with others (I am a firm believer and follower of "kung ayaw mo, huwag mo" and "the hell I care about what you think, I won't waste my time convincing you" principles.), I haven't got any money, and I definitely can't work while studying law (unless I want to murder myself). Ergo, big, bold "X" again.
CAT. Certified Accounting Technician. Not bad. But still pretty expensive. 3 Levels, 8,500 each level (last year 7,000 per level lang yung ka-barkada ko, sayang yun 4,500 na nadagdag! Rarr). You gain one title per level, and when you happen to pass all 3 levels you get the "CAT" title. 4 saturdays per level -- 3 sessions discussion, 1 session for exam. Payment includes exam fees, handouts, and SNACKS. At sa hotel pa. I don't have cold, hard, cash pero pwede naman ang credit card. Haha. Isa-sacrifice ko na yun.
So kukunin ko na kung ano yung kaya kong kunin....
At isa pa, when my kabarkada (CPA and CAT) and I applied at this certain company, mas napansin agad yung resume niya, dahil nga although CPA ako, may isa pa siyang title. Reality bites.
Oh well, gotta work on this na!!! Go Project Y!!!
But I still have to work on my Project X (aka lipat-trabaho para mas mataas ang sweldo) soon before I can start my Project Y.
Now I'm inspired to work, work, work and study, study, study. ^_^
Labels: A CPA's Life, God is good -- All the Time, Me-Myself-and-I, Scholastic Raves, The Yuppie Strikes Again