I was laid off in late 2008 and still am. Though something may happen next week.
After being laid off I thought what better time to study and sit for the CPA exam. I knew in this environment I needed all the credentials I could get. So I started my studies in 2009. I really poured the work into it. Studying up to 20 hours per day and for days on end. Then every so often I would just crash and sleep 12 hours straight or more. All this time I would be applying for jobs as well.
Right off the bat I committed a huge error. I used outdated books and failed my first 3 exams before I realized the issue. What's that old saying, Penny wise and pound foolish. Well that rings true. I used the last outdated manual to pass the REG section. I did supplement it with information from the web though. Then I ordered three shiny new books and clicked off the remaining 3 exams afterwards.
I kept stats of my practice exams and what sections I had the most trouble with. I did over 15,000 practice questions and went through each manual 3 times. I was driven! I passed my last exam in August of 2010 and received my congratulatory letter, dated October 1, 2010.
So now all I had to do was get my Work Verification form completed by a CPA who was familiar with my work. I never have experienced such frustration. One of my professors said he would do it and never did in spite of many emails to that end. A guy I worked with told me several years ago he would sign it. Turned out he wasn't a CPA. Then another guy who said he passed the CPA exam couldn't do it because he never applied for his license. One manager I had was a CPA but I didn't trust her. She called me into the office one day just to tell me She controlled my career. That's no good. Besides I believe a person controls their own career. I just couldn't give her that power over me.
Then I contacted a professor who said he couldn't do it because his license was in another state. After some research I found out he could. So I contacted him and showed him the rules that allow that. Turns out his license had expired as well.
Then I put some thought into and realized I had worked for another CPA at a temporary assignment. It took some deep thought but I remembered his name. So I contacted him. He said he wasn't comfortable with performing the work verification and was a bit curt. He didn't understand the process and didn't want to take the time to do it. I just said I didn't want him to do something he wasn't comfortable with and let it go. You can actually notify the board if someone refuses to perform the work verification. However, there may be some repercussions. Not sure what they would be but perhaps a bad note in your files. So I moved on.
Then I read the state law regarding who can do the work verification report. As it turns out the CPA firm that audits your company can do it. I contacted the firm. To my surprise they listened and asked for the rules. I attached the rules and emailed them along with a link to the site. That got me a call back. They asked that I contact the Auditing manager at a certain time. I do that. He's unavailable. I call 3 times as instructed that day. Never got to him. He leaves a message on my phone the next morning to call him on his cell. I'm ticked at missing that opportunity. So I call his cell. No reply. I call again no reply. I then call him at his office the next week. No reply.
I then call a former controller and ask if she could remember any of the Accountants' names that audited us. She couldn't except for an Internal Auditor. I vaguely remembered him. She gave me his name and number.
So I call him, instant voice mail. I call him 3 more times over the course of week. The same thing, instant voice mail. This guy is about my last hope. He is an Internal Auditing manager at a huge company and travels the world. I figure maybe he's out of the country. I call the number again after another week passes. Once again voice mail. Then I thought let's google the guy and see what comes up. Well his name appeared along with 3 others that had similar names.
I go through each name until I find his name on LinkedIn. There he had his work history. Among them was the place I worked and better his current employer.
So I look up his current employer's number in his state of residence. Then there's another hurdle. There were about 10 or more numbers for that employer. I try the first 3, two went to voice mail and one was a fax. I give up for a bit.
A couple of days later I think I'm going through ever number in that states phone book until I get a real person. So I mentally set in for the long haul. I get to the 5th number on the list and get a real live person. I ask for the internal auditing manager. She rings him and I'm actually in touch.
The guy actually turns out to be quite cordial and listens to me. I can't believe it. I tell him the reason for the call. He thinks well of the controller that I worked for as well. He then asks for the rules regarding the Work Verification report. So I send them to him and highlight the ones that apply. Further I send him the link to the rules on the web. He asks why I hadn't gone to the current controller. I tell him because I didn't trust her since she thought she controlled my career. He never questions my statement.
That was two Fridays ago. I want to call every day but I hold off until last Friday. Then that same Friday I get an email from the lady that had hired me saying she was contacted by the former Auditor to complete the work verification form. I can't believe it. Someone finally followed through. A few minutes later I get an email from the Internal Auditor with a copy of the form attached. You could see the that it had been stamped by a Notary Public. He said he had mailed it to the State Board. That was just last Friday. I think maybe in a couple of weeks I will get something from the State Board.
Yesterday I received a letter from the State Board saying I had been approved for my CPA license. That was only 5 days after the letter was mailed! I cannot express in any way, shape, or form the incredible release of tension and frustration. I received a ton of emails and made many phone calls to family and friends.
My former controller sent this to a mutual friend announcing my status.
For your information ?
Ron Bennett is now ?Mr. Ronald Bennett, CPA?!
