ASWA members can access articles of interest in the "Four Points" categories of Accounting & Auditing, Controllership, Leadership and Tax.  All you need to do is click on the category of interest on the compass icon to the left and enter your username and password.  This month's "Four Points" articles include... Read more >

Certification: Is the Pain Worth the Gain?  It’s a question that many of us have asked ourselves.  When I came out of college in 1996, there didn’t seem to be as many certification options as are now available, or maybe I just wasn’t aware of them.  I know now that every time I have added letters after my name, more doors have opened for me.  I sat for and passed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam in 1996 as a single mom of four children while I was working at Ernst & Young.  I have found that I can only tolerate that much pain if I know it’s going to end soon; so I absolutely immersed myself in preparation.    Read more >

Having just returned from another invigorating Joint National Conference (JNC), I am excited about the future of the American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA).  As always, I had the opportunity to chat with many of my fellow ASWA members, and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing each person’s story – who they are, what they do, why they love ASWA, etc.  As I spoke with more and more people, it drove home the realization that ASWA is the home for all women accounting and finance professionals.    Read more >

Since this month’s issue of The Compass is focused on certifications, I thought it would be helpful to remind you of the ways in which ASWA supports certifications for our members through our relationships with other organizations.  Read more >

I am proof that if you have the desire and determination you can pass the exam that is known in the professional industry as the most grueling exam in the world.  How can I make this claim?  I can because I passed the exam later in life while working full time, having adult responsibilities, and moving past unforeseen roadblocks, known as life, that just seem to pop up when you least expect them.  Read more >

Certified Public Accountants can expect generous salary packages.  The Payscale CPA chart shows the average salary ranges of accountants who hold a CPA designation.  First-year CPAs entering the job market can expect an average salary of $40,000 to $50,000 per year.  Those with five to nine years can earn between $50,000 and $70,000.  And those with over twenty years of experience can earn in excess of $100,000. Read more >

We have all heard the saying, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.”  Well I choose to defy that phrase.  What happened in Vegas should be shared.  No secrets, no lack of sharing.  Let’s go for full disclosure.  After three days of excellent educational sessions, networking and meeting wonderful exhibitors and sponsors, we come back to our chapters with an amazing amount of knowledge and experiences to share with everyone. Read more >

I have just returned from the Joint National Conference (JNC) and have many people to thank for their support of The Foundation.  We had a very busy three days presenting the Foundation Awards and a session on Financial Literacy, collecting donations for The Shade Tree (shelter to homeless and abused women and children in crisis), passing out applications for our CPA review course and certification scholarships, and fundraising.   Read more >

This section of The Compass provides National and Regional level information to members.  This month, look for information regarding ASWA's LinkedIn Group, the remembrance of a longtime member and more. Read more >

This section of The Compass provides important and timely information to chapter leaders.  Highlights from this month's Corner include updates from the 2009-2010 National Membership, Communications and Chapter Partnering committees and more. Read more >