The Vancouver Accounting Experience. The Accounting Career Podcast.

This is the holiday season edition of the Vancouver Accounting Experience! In this final podcast episode of the year, I have a really insightful chat with Rameez Nathu, a Partner at Johnsen Archer LLP. We chat about a broad range of topics including the job market, student recruitment, firm culture, the benefits of working at a medium-sized firm, and much, much more! I think there are some great insights in this podcast for students and aspiring CPAs about what working at a medium-sized firm like Johnsen Archer in Surrey, British Columbia is like.

I recently met some college students through their university's local accounting club and mentorship program. I'm always excited to chat with students because they're extremely excited about their future careers and always receptive to the advice I have. I've made plenty of mistakes in the past and had to change who I was to become successful in life. In addition, I changed careers in my mid-thirties and began my accounting career in the Big 4. So, as a result, I have plenty of advice to give! Listen to the podcast to hear my top 3 pieces of advice to students.

Some CPA students have the opportunity to challenge one or more CPA exams. If chosen to do so, they may write a CPA course exam only and obtain an exemption from having to take the PEP course module. This is an opportunity for some new immigrants to Canada who are already qualified accountants in their home country. The question is whether one should challenge the exam? That was the question posed to me by a student who reached out to me for some advice on challenging the exams. Listen to find out more as we discuss the multiple considerations and much more.

3 weeks ago I ran a poll on LinkedIn asking what accounting students and aspiring CPAs were worried about entering the fall season. To my surprise, most were worried about passing the CFE/CPA exams. Should you be worried about the CFE exam right now? Absolutely not! You should be worried about getting an accounting job and honing your soft skills (interpersonal, communications and presentations skills) that will help you get that job interview. 

Not everyone can become an entrepreneur. I know I've tried, but through trial and error and a bit of self-awareness, I know I'm more of a follower and advisor than a true-bred entrepreneur, although I do have an entrepreneural spirit and tendencies, which is what makes me a good business advisor - at least I think so. When I met Jay, I thought he was one of those natural business people who are young, bold risk-takers, so I was surprised he was interested in the CPA program. There's nothing wrong with trying things out really - there's no right or wrong answer, especially if you have time on your side. The moral of this podcast is to go with what feels right at the time!

In this podcast episode, I speak to a career changer who is wondering if changing careers to pursue his CPA means giving up his past experience and starting from scratch. If you change careers to pursue your CPA will you be taking a step back? You could be, but not necessarily. One person's pursuit might be another person's folly. But, that should not stop you from pursuing your career dreams regardless of how old you are, your job, or your education. What you need is the right research and information to make a more informed decision. Listen in to find out how!

Are you planning a Big 4 public practice career? Are you going through fall recruit? Then, I know this podcast episode is for you. I share my thoughts on how to get noticed, how to talk about yourself, how to network, and how to gain rich personal experiences that will set you apart from your competition. It's the summer and your research and preparation need to start now! 

Vivian is an aspiring CPA who reached out to me on LinkedIn to ask my advice on the best timing to complete his 10 prerequisite courses in order to qualify and enter into the PEP program and officially begin his CPA journey. Timing is important, yes, but I don't think it's crucial. It's best to have a good work-life balance and ready to go once his public practice job begins. Then you need to be mentally and physically ready to crush it in public practice and get the most out of the unique experience. I share lots more advice on the podcast so be sure to tune in. I really wish Vivian all the best in his pursuits and I hope you all get some value from this podcast.

Are you an accounting student or aspiring CPA worried about how you're going to cope with your CPA studies and exams? According to my LinkedIn poll, this was #2 of the top worries for accounting students and people looking to kick start their accounting careers. How am I going to balance my work with studies, exams, family, hobbies, stress, and wellness? Well, on this podcast, I give you my thoughts on how you can manage your CPA studies and exams and still stay sane and well balanced: 1) Put in the hard work; 2) Organize yourself, and 3) Communicate what you need from the people in your life and their expectations from you.

Are you an accounting student or aspiring CPA worried about how you can or will find the right job for you? According to my LinkedIn poll, this was one of the top worries for accounting students and people looking to kick start their accounting careers. What job will be a good fit? What if it's the wrong job? Will the job add to my career progression or hold me back? Well, on this podcast, I give you my thoughts on how you can go about finding the right job for you: 1) Do your research; 2) Network and ask questions, and 3) Go for it! Listen now to find out more.

In this podcast, I chat with Chetan, who is looking to change careers, start the CPA program, immigrate to Canada, get into entrepreneurship and buy a house one day! Noble aspirations indeed. Of course, there can be problems, obstacles, difficulties along the way but if you begin your journey with gratitude for what you have instead of what you don't have, then everything else in life, including starting an accounting career, is easy! Real easy!!

My guest Manson Ng - Senior Tax Manager at a Vancouver public accounting firm - joins me on the podcast to talk just about everything and anything: working from home during the pandemic, making mistakes, learning from them, empathy, compassion, resiliency... whether or not there's a perfect career path?! and whether you should even go for public practice!? but most importantly... Happiness! Because isn't that what life is all about?

If you're an accounting student or aspiring CPA, I think there's a ton of value here on the podcast - think of it as food for thought - for you, as you begin your exciting journey to joining the profession. Enjoy!

The path to your CPA designation is a long and tough road. In this podcast, I share 3 tips to stay focused and motivated through those long, tough, and stressful times when you lose focus and need a push: 1) Find your happiness 2) Where is your North Star? 3) Don't compare to others.

Accounting students and aspiring CPAs: If pursuing a career in tax has ever crossed your mind, then this podcast episode for you! Steven Flynn, partner at Andersen Tax, LLP (www.andersentax.ca) joins me on the podcast to talk about tax careers, why he loves it, what makes a good tax accountant, and much more. If you're the type of person who loves a challenge and applying a blend of analytical, logical and strategic thinking, then a career in tax might be the perfect fit for you... listen to find out!

My guest on this week's podcast is Jason Tiessen, CFO of Westbow. 12 years ago, he made a career change into accounting and has never looked back. It's an extremely rewarding career and I couldn't agree more. I've invited Jason on the podcast to share his experiences, why he loves accounting so much, and more!

In this episode of the Vancouver Accounting Experience podcast, I have a chat with Mohit, who is in the middle of a career change and wants to know if not having a business degree in accounting or finance will be a disadvantage. Will the lack of a business degree set you back? The simple answer is no! In fact, I think it's an advantage. Listen to find out why.

You've finished university, gotten your first job working as an accountant and you've started your CA/CPA professional designation courses. Now, what do you do? There's no time for relaxing because the real work begins now! Remember these 3 important steps to pursue: 1) networking, 2) professional development, and 3)career opportunities. Do NOT hold back. Be fearless and seek out the career that you want.

Beginning your career in public accounting definitely has its advantages. There's a lot on offer that comes with working at a public accounting firm: the prestige, the opportunities, the support and the experience. However, with these advantages, comes a lot of competition for only a limited number of open positions each year. So you'll need to prepare, do research, and practice for your chance to get noticed and ultimately get hired. In this podcast episode, I have a conversation with Muib, in which I break down everything he needs to do to put himself in the best position possible to be successful in fulfilling his career goals - to work at a public accounting firm.

Why did I change careers? Why did I choose accounting? How did I know it was the right choice for me? How did I make the decision? Was it the right decision?.. Believe it or not, I get these questions all the time. So if you're thinking about them - it's completely normal - I'm here to help. In this podcast, I chat with my guest, Echo, about the career choices I made that brought me into the accounting profession. I hope that in sharing my experiences, I can help Echo to come to her own career decisions. I think there's value here for lots of people out there thinking about getting their careers started, or re-started.

Omar reached out to me on LinkedIn and asked if I had any advice on whether he should pursue an MBA or CMA (Certified Management Accountant) certificate. So in typical Accounting Coach and Mentor fashion, I invited him to chat on the "Vancouver Accounting Experience" podcast! For all you accounting students and aspiring CPAs, I hope you get a lot of value out of this one. For those of you who are confused as to whether you should take a course, a program or a designation, I hope this conversation will give you some ideas to move forward.

Are you an accountant or CPA looking for a specialization? The Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation could be for you! Steve Wilson, President of the Vancouver Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, joins me on the podcast to discuss the CFE credentials. Who is the designation for? What does it take to succeed? What makes a good fraud examiner? What is the profession like? Whether you're an accountant looking to gain an edge in your career or looking to begin a new career, I think there's a lot of great insights from Steve on what a career as a fraud examiner is like. 

In this episode of the Vancouver Accounting Experience podcast, I'm on a Q&A call with Gaurav, whom I met via LinkedIn. I listened and I offered my two cents -- that's it! I hope it brings some good ideas to all the job seekers out there looking to launch their accounting careers during these tough economic times. I think the core question is this: "How can I stand out from the crowd when there's so much competition for a limited number of public accounting positions?" I think this episode offers a ton of value for those of you looking for an advantage as I'm sure lots of people can relate to Gaurav and have similar questions. 

Billie-Ann Woo, President of the Rodde House Museum joins the Vancouver Accounting Experience to talk about the benefits and challenges of serving on a board of an NPO. And there's even an open position (as of recording) on the board of directors at the Roedde House as the position of Treasurer - perfect for a CPA - is available. Serving on an NPO board is a commitment that is as challenging as it is rewarding. There are many opportunities to gain experience in a variety of skills from governance to leadership, budgeting to communication and interpersonal skills. Billie-Ann discusses what one can expect from volunteering at the Roedde House and much more.

This podcast is from a recent Facebook Live event hosted by your very own Adrian Law, Accounting Coach and Mentor and host of the "Vancouver Accounting Experience". I think there's a ton of value here if your an accounting student or aspiring CPA. I get into my past experiences from public practice and the BIG 4, my training, recruitment, why I left to join industry, what you can do to stand apart from the crowd, and much, much more!

A bright, young man and SFU student, named Gurinder, reached out to me on LinkedIn and asked if I had any tips on the Big 4. I invited him to chat on the "Vancouver Accounting Experience" podcast. Why? Because that's what we do here. He took the initiative to reach out, ask and I answered. For all you accounting students and aspiring CPAs, I hope you get a lot of value out of this one. Enjoy!

Simply put, this podcast is a big one! The first-ever two-time guest on the podcast, Christine Woodington, rejoins to share her experiences working in industry and brings a ton of value in the form of tips and advice, from job hunting to jump-starting your accounting career and much, much more. If you're an accounting student and an aspiring CPA, this is an important podcast you do not want to miss! 

Happy Canada Day Accounting Nation. If you've ever wanted to know more about I.T. audits and the CISA designation, this is the podcast for you! Jonas Kwong, CPA, CISA, CIA, Senior Internal Auditor at Teck Resources joins me on the podcast to share his valuable insights and experiences. We talk about his career path, IT audits, what it takes to obtain a CISA, spot prawns!! and much, much more!

Ever wanted to know what I do as Financial Reporting Manager? Whether you're a high school student interested in accounting, an accounting student at university, or already in the CPA program, you'll need to research your career options. I always recommend speaking to as many CPAs as possible to inquire about their work, their likes and dislikes; perhaps ask about job shadowing or performing an informational interview (performed virtually during Covid-19). In order to kick off your research, I thought I'd describe the work that I do and explain what a day in the life of me looks like. 

In this episode of the Vancouver Accounting Experience, Christine Woodington, CPA, CGA and Chair of the CPABC Vancouver chapter joins me to chat about the benefits of volunteering. There are lots of different ways that CPAs (both students and qualified members) can get involved and volunteer. Whether it's through your local chapter, volunteering as a CPA mentor or just representing the designation as an ambassador, there are many rewarding opportunities available. We also talk about Christine's other talents and much, much more!

The last two weeks have been a tumultuous time. In fact, the last three months have been tumultuous, but the heartbreaking death of George Floyd and subsequent protest and riots have compelled me to speak out and express my thoughts on everything that's happened. This podcast is just one accountant's thoughts, views and message on what all of us can do to change the world one conversation at a time.

In this episode of the Vancouver Accounting Experience podcast, I answer the number one question that I seem to get: "Should I?" For which, I have a very simple, universal answer. This is a short podcast but an important one I think as there must be a reason this question keeps coming up!

This is a 2 x Adrian podcast! A long weekend (Victoria Day in Canada) calls for a relaxed "fireside chat' as Adrian Dastur, Vice-Chair of the CPA BC chapter in Tri-Cities/Ridge Medows joins Adrian Law, host of the Vancouver Accounting Podcast. Nothing too serious as Adrian & Adrian talk about tips for aspiring CPAs, speaking foreign languages, growing up in another country, immigrating to Canada, living and working with Covid-19, and much, much more!

In this episode of the Vancouver Accounting Experience podcast, I'm on a Q&A call with an Accountant/CPA candidate to listen, answer his questions on careers moves, and offer my two cents. The question of whether someone should leave their current comfortable, well-paying job for better career opportunities comes up all the time! A very common question. So I think this episode offers a bunch of value as I'm sure lots of people can relate and have similar questions. Enjoy! :)

Like many, aspiring accountants can have a lot to worry about. Balancing school, exams, work, and family is tough. Managing expectations and pressure from our parents, peers, and managers is even tougher.

This is exactly why we need to slow things down and talk about mental wellbeing. What is mental well-being? What should we be aware of? What are some indicators of potential imbalance? In this podcast, I chat with Anita Van Rooyen, Chief Confidence Hacker from ConfidenceHackers.com and Sam Chor of UJ Hostels (Uncle James Hostels) to talk about confidence and mental wellbeing awareness. This is an important episode, so please join me in learning from Anita and Sam's experiences and expertise.

I'm sick! Don't worry it's not that virus - just a bad cough -- but enough to make me contemplate our life and times living with the COVID-19 pandemic and crisis that is affecting everything and everyone. I get into talking about working from home, getting the munchies, the rise of Zoom, social distancing, poor public behaviour, the lack of sport and most importantly, having the proper perspective during these challenging times. 

With the global lockdown, a lot of you will have extra time on your hands. What better way to spend the time than to start thinking about the upcoming CFE! With this year's CFE (Common Final Examination) just over five months away, I thought I'd share with you my tips on study prep for the CFE and case writing based on my own UFE (CA legacy exam) experiences.  I even give a quick tip on what you can get started working on right now. Hint hint: it's got nothing to do with accounting.

My CPA mentee Jane Zhang joins me on the podcast to talk about her experiences as a fairly new professional accountant working in industry. Jane talks about how her co-op job reinforced her interest in an accounting career. She also shares her advice for accounting students and explains why it's so important to have a hobby!