[Maverick]

I graduated in May with an bachelors in Accounting and my specific firm only has 40 people but my firm is considered a top 100. We recently had a person quit and now they have me doing Payroll. I feel like a bookkeeper but I am not sure if it is just my ego writing checks that I can’t cash.

[alloverit]

There's nothing wrong with getting some bookkeeping and payroll experience. Don't underestimate how valuable that type experience can be. Having just graduated, your firm is unlikely to throw you into the deep end of the pool.

However, it should just be for cross-training purposes. I'm a new CPA and I still have 5 full-time payroll clients, plus another 3-4 that are after-the-fact payrolls at quarter end.

I'm not sure what you were told when you were hired, but as long as you don't ONLY do payroll and bookkeeping, try to look at it as one more reason you have value. Even if you are given some clients that are difficult (disorganized, late, rude, etc.) try to look at it as a way to increase your value to the firm. Not everyone can handle difficult clients.

In short, be an employee that is on-time everyday and has a positive attitude. Then, you can always leave later if the position appears to be a dead end type job.

[ML]

@Maverick I agree with what @Alloverit said. When I started my internship at a local public accounting firm I started with filing client folders, answering phones, preparing envelopes and scanning papers and etc. Nothing to even do with accounting for the first 4 or 5 months. After that I was slowly able to ease into client document preparation, basic tax return input and by the end of the first year full on tax preparation, bookkeeping, financial statement preparation and etc. What is important when you first grab a job and you don't have any prior experience is to definitely not let your ego get in the way and just try and pick up as much as you can to gain experience. You will quickly find that what you learn from that experience will become invaluable to your resume. You also have to remember to be proactive and try to expand your duties. Don't always assume that what you get on your desk to do is what management only gives you. Don't be afraid to approach them and ask for more work if you finish what you have. Once you get that 1-2 years of experience in, that alone will open up plenty more opportunities for you.

FAR - 7/31/14
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"These are the precincts of pain. A goddess lives here. Her name is victory." - Unknown

[Adam]

Do you know how to run an audit on your own? Can you handle complex tax issues by yourself? If not why are you upset about doing entry level work?

Trust me learning to make appropriate adjustments from the front end will help you recognize errors when doing taxes and working on audits..

As far as payyroll goes its hit or miss where you work..I have tried to avoid it since its low margi nbusy work..but its still good to know for advisory purposes in the future.

[Author]

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