[Phishphish55]

Hi everyone!

I am currently a senior1 / 3rd year auditor at a large regional (Top 25 US) public accounting firm in NYC. Currently I am finding myself hating my job (not a huge surprise) and I’ve obviously noticed my lack of quality of life. I’m ALWAYS working and therefore have very little time to study for my CPA exam, or to do anything else for that matter. I used to be productive on the weekends but now I LIVE for getting too drunk and for sleeping in – have to do that while I’m young right?

Anyway – I am currently interviewing for new employment for other reasons. 1) I am currently in NonProfit and Government industry and while that is a perfectly good industry and I picked it I do not see myself being a Controller or a CFO of a nonprofit 2) There is no promotion schedule at my firm – people have been stuck at my level for 3 years while doing the work equivalent to a higher position without being promoted and without the pay. While I am a good worker,always do well on reviews and probably will get promoted quickly – the morale on the promotion front at this firm is so low and I am being worked to the bone – all year round.

What is the best path for me to go here?

1. Go to a slightly larger, top 8 accounting firm and get into another industry (I would prefer Financial Services and they’ll want me to do NFP) and suck up the robot-lack-of-hobbies lifestyle til I make Manager and go on to better pay and better hours

OR

2. Go into wealth management at a family office and get great experience in accounting for investments, trusts, estates etc. which would mean better hours and better pay RIGHT NOW and could eventually lead to a Hedge Fund job.

Any advice would be helpful on what these career changes could mean in the long wrong and opinions are greatly appreciated 🙂

BEC - 8/28/12
REG - 10/1/12
FAR - 11/26/12
AUD - 11/28/12

[Keely]

It sounds like you already know what you want to do. Why don't you just do what makes you happy? I just posted on this forum about not wanting to go into a large accounting firm because, frankly, I don't see myself in public accounting for very long. I am currently not working (just studying for CPA), and I don't have any PA experience, but if your quality of life is suffering that bad, I would look for something else. Everyone has to put in hard work to get places, but there's no rule that says you HAVE to work at a huge firm and slave away your younger years. Do what YOU want to do.

BEC: (4/2012) 88
AUD: (5/2012) 91
REG: (8/2012) 82
FAR: (1/2013) 78 🙂

VA CPA #42010

[Author]

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