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Im not searching for a new job but an acquaintance reached out about a similar role at a similar energy company.Turns out 2 ppl threw my name in the hat. I looked into it and the position was posted 2 weeks ago.Their director wants to meet.I bet pay is one of the first things to be discussed so that no one’s time is wasted.Am I crazy for not wanting to entertain it for less than 20-25% base pay increase?Is it selfish to ask for more? I’m sure most salary conversations end in negotiation anyways?
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Rising Star
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My mst was my ticket to public accounting specially the big four
Folks that were already in the big four side I think the mst helped them pivot into industry roles
Mostly the connections I made there
Rising Star
There’s no point to additional education unless it opens a specific door.
For example, getting a JD is ONLY worth it if you want to practice law.
Getting an MBA is worth it if you want to pivot to a job that requires it.
In your case an MST generally doesn’t open a door and since it’s not free, I wouldn’t do it.
Not really much of an important factor.
Only degree I see adding value would be a jd
Chief
I can assure you my criminal procedure knowledge helps me 0.
I found earning my MST to be extremely valuable. It strengthened my technical knowledge base early in my career, with the coursework being much more relevant than my undergrad coursework.
CPA is the golden ticket for any accounting-centric roles.
Only get MST if you see yourself becoming a professor at a later point in your career.
The professor who told me this was speaking in general terms, so I assumed he meant any university at the time. This was about 13 years ago. But he was a professor at Saint Joseph’s University
Since everyone’s consensus is pretty much the same about MST not being worth it after having a CPA, why then would big4 and mid-tier firms put “MST preferred” in their job postings?
CPA is golden. From what I’ve experienced most of the companies that require CPA manage tax in-house. Companies that don’t, prefer the Master or experience.
Chief
No point to it whatsoever. And from a JD, no point in that either unless you plan to practice law. The CPA is good enough for any goals you have, including partner.
When I was at KPMG they hired senior managers without and directors with EA. In my experience your connections helps you more than any certification and degree.
If you've been working for a while, it might not make a major difference. Practical hands-on experience is more valuable than a degree.
No one cares
Unless you plan to use tuition reimbursement and get it for free (or reduced), don’t bother. No one is asking about it. Even for exit ops your CPA is more attractive.
MST much more valuable than CPA in Tax if outside public accounting.
Why lol?
I only got mine to qualify for my big 4 offer.
Big 4 has been my launchpad and I’ve considered going PhD to be a professor when I retire but through this thread I found out I won’t need to.
Only thing I’ve been considering recently is MBA vs CPA but at my current company I won’t need either to progress.
I got my MST years after I became a CPA and I'm very glad I did. I felt like it gave me better context than my experience alone had given me. The combination of the two really helped both my overall understanding and my career. My prior firm required an MST for Tax Director and above.
Having said that I also didn't pay my tuition, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. All I had to do was invest my time. I probably wouldn't have done it if I had had to pay out of pocket. I could have maybe swung the $20k half, but there's no way I could have paid the full $40k.