“What’s your course?”
“Accountancy.”
“Are you a CPA?”
Typical conversation. All Accountancy grads are of course expected to take the CPA board exam. So, right after graduation, I followed the expected path and went to Manila with my classmates to review for five months before taking the board exam.
I had never failed any major exam I ever took in my life at that point, so I of course expected to pass, even though I spent less than half of my time in review actually reviewing. The CPA title is prestigious with good reason – it is not easy to attain. You can only get it with a lot of hard work, diligence, and patience in studying – all those things I do not have.
Though I have been an honors student all my life, I was never good at studying. My lifelong technique has always been to listen to my teachers and then cram right before an exam. But cramming is something you can’t do for the CPA board exam.
So when I couldn’t find my name on the list of board passers, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had always passed before, even for exams I didn’t study for. When I left the area, dazed, I saw my friend Cate beckoning me to help her comfort our other classmates who had failed. Imagine her shock when I too burst into tears. Everyone else couldn’t believe I hadn’t passed.
I couldn’t sleep well that night. It was like getting my heart broken all over again, only worse, because at least when you get your heart broken that’s nothing to be ashamed of, but this – this was a big deal. How could I possibly face anyone in my hometown now?
I actually had to go to Davao City just to get over the pain. When I had healed I moved back to my hometown to pursue a job which I ended up leaving because it made me miserable, and I found myself in Makati City.
My friend Chu said there were openings in the auditing firm where he worked. Now everyone knows that auditing firms are the breeding place for CPA’s. So I worried that I wouldn’t get hired because I had no such edge.
Yet I could not ignore what my heart was telling me. So I went and applied with two of my CPA friends. The three of us all took the exams for IT audit and in the end who do you think passed?
The non-CPA. Me.
It was at that moment that I started getting my ego back.
Still, I had plans for retaking the exam, because of all the annoying people who keep asking the loaded questions I first mentioned in this story. Their questions always made me feel inadequate, incomplete, and dumb.
Also, my heart was telling me something eversince I started applying for jobs in Davao… P&G, P&G, P&G.
P&G was my dream company, and I thought the only way they would hire me was if I had the title and enough experience.
Still untitled and 9 months in KPMG later, I applied online, took the exam with another CPA friend, and who do you think got called for a panel interview with the boss of the entire P&G Asia?
The non-CPA. Me.
I got hired less than a week later.
Still, I borrowed my bestfriend’s books and planned to enroll in weekend review classes until one day, when a few of us were talking about one one of our common friends who is a CPA, who had been asked by his friend to operate a fog machine. “How dare they ask a CPA to operate a fog machine?” one of my CPA friends commented with an eyebrow raised.
Something in me snapped. So if you’re a CPA you can’t be humble anymore? It was at that moment that I swore to myself that I would never take the board exam again. A title does not render you above everyone else.
But what sealed the deal was this next event. One of my friends failed the board exam even after the second take, and everyone could tell she was very depressed. Yet the next day, they found her in high spirits. So they asked her why.
She told them, “Dee did not pass the board exam but look at her now, she’s a sucess! So I can be too. It’s not about the title.”
When that story made its way to my ears, I got teary eyed. I was actually being held in high esteem for not passing that freakin board exam. I was suddenly a role model. Imagine that.
“What’s your course?”
“Accountancy.”
“Are you a CPA?”
“Nope.”
“Wow. And you’re in P&G? You must be really good!”
Now that’s real certification right there.
Well put Lilac dear! Yes, it’s REALLY NEVER about THE "title". It’s not even if one graduated a "-laude" or not. The real measure is how you establish yourself in your chosen field. Take my sister for example, she is not yet a licensed Engineer because she got hired right after college and did not get the chance to review and take the exams, especially now because she is occupying major position
hey!!! i can empathize why you feel that way, and yeah, i agree, kahit na may title ka, di ka pwedeng magpakumbaba. siguro rin, what makes the fall painful is the fact that people have high regard for you even before taking the exam. but life’s crazy and it’ll eventually go your way!!!! :D<BR/><BR/>i hate it when people box you in these positions and titles, and when something deviates that point
i agree, na kahit na may title ka, di ka pwedeng magpakumbaba — disagree dapat yan. hehe
Hey Heids!<BR/><BR/>I guess the reason why we always thought that way was because we we grew up in a school which emphasized that we need to be great to be successful. But I guess we proved them wrong, diba? We can be who we want to be and as long as we put our best in doing it, we will surely be successful 🙂
wow, i didn’t expect that this post would solicit a lot of reactions. <BR/><BR/>thanks phoebe & gio for agreeing with me that a title is not tantamount to success.<BR/><BR/>and kay, you’re right. success is relative. as long as you’re happy, that’s success right there.
I love the write up as much as i love you (sympre charing lang ung dependent clause sa statement na to…krkrkrkr) pero i love it because from an existentialist’s point of view (eto na naman ako) you have successfully loaded 300 pesos…este u have successfully outlined the essence of your existence…which should be OUR goal…oo dude. seryoso naman ako paminsan-minsan…<BR/><BR/><BR/>"
hei, napadaan lang ako s site mo at i was really inspired by you 🙂 im here s australia ryt now and i applied s p&g for a graduate postion 🙂 dream company ko din un e 🙂 pro dito n ako s australia mag eexam 🙂 i hope i could make it also 🙂
matt, thanks. coming from a "great brain" (according to yen) like you, it means a lot.<BR/><BR/>chai, wow…i’m actually planning to migrate to australia by next year. what’s your email add? can i email you?