[mh161]

So I hear all the doom and gloom about the job market in LV. But how is it for someone who has a college degree and some related experience? Will having these things help me land a job faster? I'd imagine I have an advantage over someone coming in with no work history or skill set.

About me: I have a bachelors and 4 yrs experience working as an accounting assistant. Planning to get my masters in Accounting and eventually pass the CPA exam. Will relocate to Vegas with my wife who already has a job lined up. We have no kids and her salary is sufficient to support us until I find something.

Also, if anyone has any leads of accounting positions I would love to hear about them.

[von949]

Just curious to know where you have been getting your information from. Not saying you are wrong.

Also, what kind of research have you been doing already?

Most of the regular posters in this forum could possibly post a couple pages worth of job/career info pertaining to the job market in Vegas(or in general). Its not because they live in Vegas. Its because of the research involved.

As far as the "doom and gloom" you been reading...Have you been reading this thread?

http://www.city-data.com/forum/las-v...obs-vegas.html

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by mh161

So I hear all the doom and gloom about the job market in LV. But how is it for someone who has a college degree and some related experience? Will having these things help me land a job faster? I'd imagine I have an advantage over someone coming in with no work history or skill set.

About me: I have a bachelors and 4 yrs experience working as an accounting assistant. Planning to get my masters in Accounting and eventually pass the CPA exam. Will relocate to Vegas with my wife who already has a job lined up. We have no kids and her salary is sufficient to support us until I find something.

Also, if anyone has any leads of accounting positions I would love to hear about them.

There are one or two accounting positions every week in the Review Journal classifieds. And with that career, monster.com and indeed.com can help. Accounting and nursing seem to be completely recession proof.

Now if Congress ever passed a tax code that could be understood by the average American, that could change.

[SportyandMisty]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

...Now if Congress ever passed a tax code that could be understood by the average American, that could change.

Tax accounting is a completely different field from financial accounting & from cost accounting.

[Willy702]

What is an accounting assistant and why were you doing it for 4 years? Finance and accounting openings certainly exist but its a rough market for relocating folks. You are facing plenty of competition from both available local talent and people streaming in from elsewhere. You should find something modest eventually, definitely helps you can survive without the paycheck right away.

[aggrofish]

Originally Posted by mh161

So I hear all the doom and gloom about the job market in LV. But how is it for someone who has a college degree and some related experience? Will having these things help me land a job faster? I'd imagine I have an advantage over someone coming in with no work history or skill set.

Depends, sometimes guys with no experience coming staright out of college, especially with a degree like accounting, are already trained, work for less, have no baggage, are cheaper, etc.

About me: I have a bachelors and 4 yrs experience working as an accounting assistant. Planning to get my masters in Accounting and eventually pass the CPA exam. Will relocate to Vegas with my wife who already has a job lined up. We have no kids and her salary is sufficient to support us until I find something.

I'm assuming your degree isnt in accounting otherwise you'd probably have taken the CPA exam straight out of college. If your degree is in accounting why the masters? It's not going to make you any more money in that field.

It also really depends on what type of accounting you're doing. Managerial or financial? Private or public?

I initially was paying my CPA $75 an hr 2 years ago, now he's working for $35. CPA/Attorney/PCAOB Auditor.

[702Scott]

Well I've been lurking a while but wanted to jump in. As an accountant, a few observations:

@aggrofish: The CPA exam requires 150 credit hours of college. Accounting degrees are around 120 hours, therefore biz schools created the Master Accounting (MAcc) degree (30 hours) to fill the gap.

@MH161: Las Vegas has a small but active network of accountants. Google the local organizations: Nevada Society of CPAs, Institute of Management Accountants and Institute of Interal Auditors and attend the networking meetings. Nevada has different CPA experience requirements than most states, so public accounting is pretty much the only way to get a Nevada CPA license (other than the four year programs of the Gaming Control Board, IRS, Nevada System of Higher Ed and Legislative Council Bureau). Las Vegas employers (especially casinos) value local experience more than education (rightly or wrongly), so you may find yourself in a crappy job to start. Also, it's not recession proof. Many of my friends are out of work and/or moved to happier grounds, but it's not impossible. Just change your mindset, it won't be quick and I doubt it will be like your other experiences.

Also, If you are doing a MAcc, do it at UNLV when you get here just because employers recruit heavily from there and almost nowhere else.