CPA practical experience
A practical experience is required in order to become a CPA, and though this requirement must be taken seriously, you can rest assured that the job market offers numerous opportunities to those who follow the CPA Order regulations.
Practical experience or job? Be wary
The CPA Order of Québec, as well as medium and large firms, use the term practical experience to refer to professional experience that must be completed in order to receive the CPA designation in Quebec.
But be careful as to the wording used when communicating with smaller-size companies or firms:
- Professional experience undergraduate level: Use the words practical experience or summer job.
- Professional experience graduate level: Choose instead the wording job in accounting.
Otherwise, you risk being misunderstood and missing out on an interesting opportunity.
Obligatory practical experience
In order to obtain the CPA designation, a 24-month internship that meets the CPA Order of Québec requirements must be completed.
There are two practical experience categories that correspond to routes.
- CPA practical experience with public accountancy permit. This practical experience must be pre-approved by the CPA Order of Québec.
- CPA practical experience: all other profiles. These are the controller, tax specialist and consultant, for example.
If you opt for the practical experience without the public accountancy permit, you can choose from the following options:
- Pre-approved CPA practical experience with employers listed in the CPA Order of Québec directory (advanced search);
- CPA practical experience with verification of experience. In this case, you are not limited to applying at companies or firms listed in the Order directory. The Order will authorize your request based on the examination of your application and supporting documents. For more information, visit the page Practical experience declaration process on the site of the CPA Order.
At what point during your studies?
Some students begin their practical experience after the 2nd year of their BBA (in the summer term).
They generally continue during the winter term of the D.E.S.S in professional accounting – CPA (regular stream).
Other candidates begin or end their practical experience after the PEP or D.E.S.S., or even after the Common Final Examination of the CPA Order of Québec (CFE).
Getting credited for the internship in accounting at the BBA
Students enrolled in the professional accounting specialization have to successfully complete all the required courses. If they choose to have an internship credited, it will be considered on a non-program basis. They will have to complete the internship before the end of their BBA program. The credits cumulated in this way will not be counted towards the 90 credits required for the diploma.
Find an internship
On your own
Many candidates aspiring to enter the accounting profession find an internship through their own means.
If you want to proceed in this manner, you will have to do a traditional job search.
You could, for example, go through the directory of pre-approved practical experience programs (with or without public accountancy permit) of the CPA Order of Québec.
Moreover, networking activities with firms and companies take place throughout the year. To make sure you don’t miss out on anything, stay informed:
- CPA Committee’s Facebook Page
- The My Career events calendar
Finally, you can participate in the pre-recruitment meetings organized by Career Management Services throughout the year. These events are geared towards all fields and, on occasion, accounting.
CPA Practical Experience with Verification of Experience
If you opt for the CPA practical experience with verification of experience, you do not have to apply with the companies or firms listed in the directory of pre-approved practical experience programs. The Order will examine your application and supporting documents to authorize your practical experience in this organization. For more information, visit the section Practical experience declaration process on the site of the Order.
Visit the My Career portal
You can view numerous job opportunities on the job search and internship site of Career Management Services. Companies looking to recruit HEC Montréal students place their ads on this site. Don’t forget to configure one or more “job alerts”.
Annual Event of the CPA Order of Québec
Each fall, the CPA Order of Québec organizes a networking event in Montreal: the Future CPA Recruitment Event – industry and public sector. The participating companies offer jobs and practical experience opportunities in accounting (non- audit).
CPA Recruitment
As a general rule, all the practical experience opportunities during the recruitment event are pre-approved. Most are CPA auditor (public accountancy), but some can also be CPA without public accountancy permit: consulting or taxation, etc.
You will find the list of firms that are recruiting along with the practical experience opportunities on the Facebook page of the CPA Committee.
CANDIDATE PROFILES IN DEMAND
Employers are very demanding. They prefer particular student profiles from among those candidates with whom they have already established contact during networking events or activities:
- High GPA
- Actively involved in university and in their community (student associations, volunteer work, competitions, for example)
- Dynamic (various achievements: hobbies, sports, studies, etc.)
- Team spirit
We have noted that mainly BBA and D.E.S.S. students are recruited. Other students would be better to contact companies, as well as firms, that are not participating in CPA recruitment.
IN THE FALL
Many firms come to HEC Montréal to recruit internship candidates.
- Candidates are offered visits of firms
- Big cocktail event for all the participants
- Deadline by which you have to respond to offers
This recruitment event is mainly for:
- BBA students starting their 2nd year of university, internship the following summer
- BBA students starting their 3rd year of university, winter internship one year and a half later
- Sometimes D.E.S.S. and PEP students, especially for an internship in the following winter
IN THE SPRING
Some of these firms invite students to various networking events: cocktail events, information sessions on summer activities, visits of firms, etc. This recruitment event is mainly for 1st year BBA students.
To find out more about these recruitment activities and when they take place, visit the Facebook page of the CPA Committee on a regular basis.
Application documents
CPA Recruitment
To prepare a quality document:
- CV and cover letter – CPA recruitment (in French)
- CV CPA – Example1 (in French)
- CV CPA – Example2 (in French)
Outside of CPA Recruitment (Firms)
To solicit work in firms and businesses, use the CV and cover letter. Students aiming for the CPA designation should adapt their CV by including the following information:
Undergraduate Level:
Career goal: become a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) in Quebec
Graduate and Post Graduate levels (registered with the Order):
Candidate to the accounting profession
Order of Chartered Professional Accountants of Québec
Your LinkedIn Profile
Students aiming for the CPA designation would benefit greatly from creating a LinkedIn profile and keeping it updated. Be sure the information (designation) that appears on your CV, is the same as that appearing in your profile.
Useful resources for everyone
- CPA internships – Info session (in French only)
- Communicate effectively in interviews – Workshop
- Business etiquette – Workshop
- Job search assistance – One-on-one meeting
- Preparing for an interview – One-on-one meeting (in French only)
- Create your LinkedIn profile
- Effective use of LinkedIn
- InterviewStream – Interview simulation software
The CPA Committee can also help you with your internship search. Consult the committee’s Facebook page.
USEFUL RESOURCES BASED ON YOUR CHOICE
CPA Recruitment (September and October)
- Preparing for CPA recruitment and the CACEE form (in French only)
- CPA meeting – Info session (in French only)
Finding an Internship on Your Own
- CV and Letters
- Job Search and Networking
- CV and LinkedIn profile revision clinic (in French only)
- Job search and using LinkedIn – Workshop (in French only)
- Job and internship opportunities on the My Career portal
HEC Montréal cannot guarantee the accuracy of information exchanged on accounts other than its own official accounts.
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