[Anonymous]

Hey everyone,

I’m a first year working in external audit in Big 4 in the greater nyc area, and to put it frankly, I hate it. I’ve been assigned to a new client for about 3 weeks now, and everything I’ve done has been a train wreck. From control wlakthroughs to substantive testing, I’m not getting it at all. Aside from the client being new and not having PY workpapers to go off of, I don’t feel like the team likes me. It takes me a very long time to do everything and I’ve had to work this weekend to get caught up (it’s only interim, and not busy season)

I don’t know who to turn to for advice, as no one in my immediate family has worked in the field. I feel horrible about myself,

I hit the snooze button everyday and dread waking up, and I usually don’t get home until 9 (commute is long and having to stay late doesn’t help). I have anxiety attacks thinking about going into work tomorrow. To be honest, I want to cry when I get home at night, but I don’t want my parents to be upset.

I did well in college, graduated with honors from a good business school, interned with the big 4 firm I work with now, got inducted into the business honors society, the whole nine. Since I’ve been on this client, I feel like an idiot most of the time and question everything I worked so hard for in school.

I really want to put in my two weeks notice and go back to college and do an MS in accounting or something business, and finish up the cpa. I really don’t think public accounting or auditing is for me, but I don’t have the experience to land a job in industry right now. My parents tell me to stick out until a job offer comes my way, but at this rate I don’t think I can make it, I feel like I’m losing touch with who I am as a person, I haven’t felt like me since I started.

Any advice? Will quitting only 3 months in come back to bite me later on in my career? Is there a way I can tell HR I wanted to go back to school without it making it look like I hate the job?

I would never be open in this forum about my life, but I really don’t know who to go to.

[mla1169]

I would never quit a job until I had another lined up. Even if you're not dependant on the income, a gap in employment on a resume is far more troublesome to an employer than a 3 month stint at a Big 4. Anybody whose not completely clueless understands what BobRoss said above, not everybody is cut out for big 4. As a hiring manager if I saw 3 mos at Big 4 IMMEDIATELY followed by another position I wouldn't give it a second thought.

You don't know how long it will take to find another job. I've been looking for about 6 months while I am working full time.

I'd start getting my resume out, but hold off on giving my resignation.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[tough_kitty]

Thank you, mla1169 for this post! I don't understand all those people telling him to quit – it's easier said than done. The guy will quit, won't find the next job for another 6 months or so and will be blaming this forum for wrong advice!

In my opinion, quitting a job without having an alternative plan lined up would be really disrespectful to the parents. They raised you, gave you education, they expect you to be on your own now because you can! Instead, you want them to keep supporting you financially over & over because you can't or don't want to change your attitude and be responsible for yourself as a true adult should be…. I'd understand if you couldn't find a job due to bad economy but you already have a great job others can only dream of! Quitting it would be the biggest mistake… But hey, that's just my opinion. You may agree or disagree. The decision is YOURS.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Thank you, mla1169 for this post! I don't understand all those people telling him to quit – it's easier said than done. The guy will quit, won't find the next job for another 6 months or so and will be blaming this forum for wrong advice!

In my opinion, quitting a job without having an alternative plan lined up would be really disrespectful to the parents. They raised you, gave you education, they expect you to be on your own now because you can! Instead, you want them to keep supporting you financially over & over because you can't or don't want to change your attitude and be responsible for yourself as a true adult should be…. I'd understand if you couldn't find a job due to bad economy but you already have a great job others can only dream of! Quitting it would be the biggest mistake… But hey, that's just my opinion. You may agree or disagree. The decision is YOURS.

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[mla1169]

Kitty, yes. I would FLIP on my 20 year old son if he quit a job without having another one lined up. Most parents would handle it better than that but its a lesson in maturity/responsibility that I wouldn't take lightly.

And yes, my own son has often talked about quitting his job. Not cool.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Kitty, yes. I would FLIP on my 20 year old son if he quit a job without having another one lined up. Most parents would handle it better than that but its a lesson in maturity/responsibility that I wouldn't take lightly.

And yes, my own son has often talked about quitting his job. Not cool.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[henryv]

I've also talked to my parents of quitting my job, RIGHT AFTER I found another one.

Tough kitty is correct. Think of it as an insurance.

FAR - 92 02/2013
AUD - 90 05/2013
REG - 85 10/2013
BEC - 80 12/2013

I'M DONE. THANK YOU LORD!

[henryv]

I've also talked to my parents of quitting my job, RIGHT AFTER I found another one.

Tough kitty is correct. Think of it as an insurance.

FAR - 92 02/2013
AUD - 90 05/2013
REG - 85 10/2013
BEC - 80 12/2013

I'M DONE. THANK YOU LORD!

[Never_Give_Up1]

If you are just in your first few months you need to stick it out. Unless you just don't like the travel, working with different clients, and would rather be in a cube.

Look, in audit, it is a different beast. It normally takes someone 8 months to 1 year to start grasping things on how everything fits together and why you do the things you do. Some pick it up after 4-6 months but that is not the standard.

To be successful in audit you need to be asking questions, and lots of them. You also need to be learning management assertions and what applies to what you are doing.

You are testing cash, what is the goal? Is is existence, is it occurrence, is it cut off, is it classification, is it disclosure, what are you doing and how do the assertions apply to it will help with each area you are testing. With cash you want to know existence so you get a bank statement or have a confirm sent to them.

Once you get the assertions down and how they apply to each area of testing it will start to click as to why you are doing what you are doing. That is the most basic level of the audit, once you have the assertions down and how they apply to testing, then you will start to get into the bigger stuff and understand how you determine what is most important.

The one thing with big 4 though, you are doing TONS of test of controls. Why do you test controls? You are seeing if what controls they have in place are operating as described. If they are it lowers your risk and lets you do less audit work. But if the controls are not adequate or are not operating effectively then you will have more testing that you need to do. Why do you test controls so heavily in big 4? Because when a company is generating revenue in the billions they would have to screw up the accounting so bad on something so large for it to even matter on a material level. That is why the emphasis is on testing controls. If their controls are good, then we can assume they will catch any error that may arise.

FAR - 81
REG - 81
AUD - 82
BEC - 81

Ethics - Done
State License Exam - Done

License - Licensed CPA in Utah

[Never_Give_Up1]

If you are just in your first few months you need to stick it out. Unless you just don't like the travel, working with different clients, and would rather be in a cube.

Look, in audit, it is a different beast. It normally takes someone 8 months to 1 year to start grasping things on how everything fits together and why you do the things you do. Some pick it up after 4-6 months but that is not the standard.

To be successful in audit you need to be asking questions, and lots of them. You also need to be learning management assertions and what applies to what you are doing.

You are testing cash, what is the goal? Is is existence, is it occurrence, is it cut off, is it classification, is it disclosure, what are you doing and how do the assertions apply to it will help with each area you are testing. With cash you want to know existence so you get a bank statement or have a confirm sent to them.

Once you get the assertions down and how they apply to each area of testing it will start to click as to why you are doing what you are doing. That is the most basic level of the audit, once you have the assertions down and how they apply to testing, then you will start to get into the bigger stuff and understand how you determine what is most important.

The one thing with big 4 though, you are doing TONS of test of controls. Why do you test controls? You are seeing if what controls they have in place are operating as described. If they are it lowers your risk and lets you do less audit work. But if the controls are not adequate or are not operating effectively then you will have more testing that you need to do. Why do you test controls so heavily in big 4? Because when a company is generating revenue in the billions they would have to screw up the accounting so bad on something so large for it to even matter on a material level. That is why the emphasis is on testing controls. If their controls are good, then we can assume they will catch any error that may arise.

FAR - 81
REG - 81
AUD - 82
BEC - 81

Ethics - Done
State License Exam - Done

License - Licensed CPA in Utah

[vanadium3]

@LIFO

I know a person who quit after 6month working in private. Seems fine to me.

I stopped working in B4 audit after a year and is now in smaller firm doing taxes. Feeling much better now.

From an economical point of view, you want to have another job before you quit. And big 4 people are well.. let's just say everyone you work with have their own problems and no one will just hand held to make someone's life easier. because eventually you'd have to deal with everything anyway. think of it as they are trying to be tough on you to prepare you for what's ahead.

Now personally, I want you to do whatever doesn't kill you at the moment. If you think you can last until another job without taking a huge toll on your health then stick it out. If not, it's better to do something else. You'd be much happier.

I know right? this isn't what we signed up for. 🙂 feel better!

CPA

[vanadium3]

@LIFO

I know a person who quit after 6month working in private. Seems fine to me.

I stopped working in B4 audit after a year and is now in smaller firm doing taxes. Feeling much better now.

From an economical point of view, you want to have another job before you quit. And big 4 people are well.. let's just say everyone you work with have their own problems and no one will just hand held to make someone's life easier. because eventually you'd have to deal with everything anyway. think of it as they are trying to be tough on you to prepare you for what's ahead.

Now personally, I want you to do whatever doesn't kill you at the moment. If you think you can last until another job without taking a huge toll on your health then stick it out. If not, it's better to do something else. You'd be much happier.

I know right? this isn't what we signed up for. 🙂 feel better!

CPA

[foreseeableCPA]

Would you guys personally care what your firm would say if you quit in December? Or would you think of it as making a choice that benefits yourself and that makes you happy?

CPA - Class of 2013
CIA - Class of 2016

[foreseeableCPA]

Would you guys personally care what your firm would say if you quit in December? Or would you think of it as making a choice that benefits yourself and that makes you happy?

CPA - Class of 2013
CIA - Class of 2016

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think for now I am just going to take it day by day, and see where i am after my next engagement (I am only on this client for another week). It seems like you do need at least a year under your belt, and if that is the case, i will try and fight through it!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think for now I am just going to take it day by day, and see where i am after my next engagement (I am only on this client for another week). It seems like you do need at least a year under your belt, and if that is the case, i will try and fight through it!

[Author]

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