[Anonymous]

i am starting to feel that diversity is not appreciated in the world of accounting, aside from the big 4, i don’t think smaller firms even care. from what i’ve seen, probably 95% of firms i’ve interviewed with (probably about 20 different firms large and small) all promote a homogenous culture. every firm i see the same kind of half dead, robotic, soulless eyes and fragile, unathletic, unhealthy groups of accountants and i wonder what the hell. accounting is not an industry to be proud working in.

they hire people who they think they can manipulate into working longer hours and performing more work for less pay. they hire people who aren’t necessarily the best, but people they think they can use up and spit out if they feel like it. people who are friends of the current employees to promote yet an even further office of second-hand individuals who think they are special in life just because they can come to work and perform the work of a highly trained monkey.

accountants are not much but tools, implemented to carry out mechanical, lower-level tasks, and may receive a promotion in the future if they are well behaved. i am close to my boiling point, luckily i still plan on finishing this exam and more actively pursue my dreams of entrepreneurship which is already underway. this is exactly why the accounting industry flies under the radar and is not in the public spotlight, because they have unorthodox hiring practices and are unethical in nature.

sorry but as an active cpa candidate who has a substantial amount of relevant experience as well as operative business experience and a number of other accomplishments socially, academically, and professionally, i have seen much behind the scenes of a lot of firms to put the pieces together myself and expose what i’ve described here. i am not arrogant nor am i stressed out, accounting is and always will be a field for second hand individuals who are extremely sheltered and never could make much out of life except reading books and pursuing a career that would earn a higher average salary than others and in turn give the false impression that they are elite and a better human being.

of course there are a few exceptions to the norm, but very few. no need to counter my arguments here, more than likely if you feel the need, you probably have been offended that you fall into this category which has already been thoroughly verified by my own firsthand scientific reasoning and observations.

/end truth

[mla1169]

So why do you spend time here, if you have nothing in common with accounting type people? I can tell from your post history its not about the studying itself….so if theres no camaraderie, why bother?

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

i'm not lashing out on anybody, i'm here because i am studying my ass off just the same as anybody else here for the cpa exam (which i even passed a portion of at my previous position). if people want to know the truth about how the general accounting industry is, there you have it, wise words from dumguy_cpa.

if you are offended by any of the content, then obviously you feel its necessary to lash out at myself which isn't my intent. everyone hears about “ohh accounting is so great, we make great money, great benefits, blah blah blah”. i'm just sharing another perspective, of which i could probably write an entire novel on to be honest.

apologies to those who are feeling a bit sensitive, but mucho apprecioso to those who understand

[Anonymous]

Yeah, there are “accountants” like the ones you're describing. And there are businesses that hire such professionals (with a high school diploma / associates degree and a few years experience).

But there are also other companies. You may even be considered largely underqualified for some of their staff positions.

[mla1169]

I hope you don't think I am offended by your perceptions. I can tell you I've got years more firsthand experience in the workforce than yourself and imagine your lack of experince in the workforce contributes to your misconceptions. In fact I think its cute that you've dubbed yourself some type of expert in the short time you've enjoyed the workforce 🙂

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[jeff]

A couple of questions:

1. Why do you not capitalize the first letter of each new sentence? You passed BEC so maybe this isn't a big deal now, so never mind.

2. Why so condescending if you've only spent a few months in the “real world” and dropped out?

[Anonymous]

@Jeff

1. funny, in fact i'm so arrogant i'm not going to answer that

2. i did not drop out, i lost my job because although i did my work, efficiently and well under budgeted time, i did not fit in with the culture. and i have pictures of the other new hires as well as some of the others (seniors/supervisors etc) that shows just how second-hand and unprofessional they looked. and sorry but it was a painstaking few months working there and going out to dinners with them. its an international firm and these people were not people who hardly represented that, it was embarrassing to have to sit through dinners and engagements with them.

@mla1169

feel free to express yourself, i don't know you personally and obviously you don't like my point of view and my decision to freely express it. it could be possible you have more experience because you are very smart and a great business professional, but from the past firm i've worked for and from what i've seen and experienced personally, most upper management and more experienced accountants are the ones who have not much else to do in life but pursue some sort of certification that they think will entitle them to more money and make their life happier, let the world of accounting suck the life right out of them and wait around for a promotion.

anybody else want a piece of me? meowwwww

[jeff]

Did you pass AUD on 5/30? I just noticed your sig.

[Anonymous]

oh and jeff, just to further elaborate….my gripe is not that i lost my job (i am happy to be out of that hellhole) but the fact that i have been invited to several interviews since, and having to explain why i was at that position for a short period of time. its a lose-lose for me. and from this point, i am ready to just take it off my resume and look as if i've never had a public accounting position yet. which i think i'm young enough to still pull that off and be offered an entry-level position.

accounting is not for me, entrepreneurship/sales/persuasion is more appropriate, but that does not mean i am incapable of working in large public accounting firms.

just imagine going to school, working hard, graduating and being offered a position with a large firm right after school and having experienced such a poor work environment personnel-wise. its a lot more dynamic than just being frustrated, but i feel i've been blacklisted in my locale, and even though i gained a lot of relevant experience from the short period of time i was there and technically still a “university hire”, from the looks of it theres not much one can do except pass the CPA exam and hope things change.

[nearly_there]

Sorry to here about your experience dumbguy. Sounds like you really hated it.

Guess I was fortunate to end up at a very friendly office of a Fortune 500 instead of a firm.

FAR - 85 November 2011
AUD - 81 January 2012
REG - 68 March 2012
BEC - 86 April 2012
REG - 92 July 2012

[Anonymous]

nope AUD has to be retaken, and i can attribute that to myself for various undisclosed reasons, but i'm not concerned with not finishing the exam. if one of the firms i've interviewed with would just offer the position so i can expense the fee for examination, AUD would be passed in a heartbeat.

i have to be financially conservative unfortunately since i have been living downtown near where my office used to be, no longer earning income (previously $58K) and now living off of school loans. ridiculous

[Anonymous]

some want to make me out as the bad guy, but just as i've described, the personnel was unprofessional and my co-workers were not the least bit qualified any more than myself. its a clear fact in details which i am not going to get into for the sake of anonymity.

the underlying issue is if you agree with jobs being given as handouts to promote “diversity” and/or “a cohesive environment”, you are one of the problems with society.

[Anonymous]

what the fuck lmao.

oh man..thanks for the laugh dumbassguy!

[Kim4]

Dumguy – (not being snarky here at all) – may I suggest the book, “how to win friends and influence people”? Unless you are planning to start your own business and create your own work culture, you are going to have to learn to play nice and get along with other people in your office.

Most adults I've worked with do not take to condescension very well.

FAR -- 90
AUD -- 95
BEC -- 82
REG -- 92

DONE!

[Anonymous]

You cannot change a corporate culture. You may be able to influence it in a positive way. You have to be a very strong and positive role model.

[Anonymous]

@Dumguy might I ask you ethnicity since you mentioned diversity in you post?

[Author]

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