[Anonymous]

I just started in public accounting at a Big 4 in September, and I despise it more than I thought ever possible. When it first started I instantly didn’t like it but I brushed it off and said it was just because it was new. But no. My team is terrible as in they are just not interesting people or even that nice, the work is tedious and boring, we were originally only getting 20 minute lunches until the other staff 1 and I said something when asked what we disliked about the engagement, there is little to no guidance on EVERYTHING and the hours are just stupid. I just hate it. I mean I knew the hours would suck but now that I’m a week and a half into busy season they truly suck, and I just don’t get why I’m putting myself through this, or why anyone does. It’s stupid. And for what, some tick marks?! I wanted to stay until I made senior at the minimum, now I don’t even want to stay until the end of this week. I know l know, this experience will do wonders for me eventually, but I just don’t care. Why do I want to suffer now?? Can someone, anyone, say a little something positive? I knew I wasn’t going to like this job all that much, I just didn’t want hate it, and I certainly didn’t want to hate it this much. Thanks for listening to me vent! It’s been a really bad day.

[Anonymous]

I know that feel.

Welcome aboard.

It might get better =)

[Anonymous]

I know that feel.

Welcome aboard.

It might get better =)

[lsp2361]

So I've recently heard that it's hard to find a job if you are tax and trying to get out of public accounting. They were saying it is easier to get a job if you did audit work than if you did tax work. Has anyone experienced this? What type of job did you switch to?

I'm currently in public accounting doing tax work (probably will give it two years), but I'm thinking about doing something in the banking industry??

BEC 80
FAR 86
REG 80
AUD 73, 68, 72, 90!!

DONE!!!

[lsp2361]

So I've recently heard that it's hard to find a job if you are tax and trying to get out of public accounting. They were saying it is easier to get a job if you did audit work than if you did tax work. Has anyone experienced this? What type of job did you switch to?

I'm currently in public accounting doing tax work (probably will give it two years), but I'm thinking about doing something in the banking industry??

BEC 80
FAR 86
REG 80
AUD 73, 68, 72, 90!!

DONE!!!

[Anonymous]

@lsp — I'm not in tax and in fact, still work in public accounting, however, I can't IMAGINE that this is true. If I'm running a business, one of the first people I want to hire is the guy who is going to increase my bottom line through proper tax planning. Dollar for dollar, I'd rather incremental decrease in taxes paid than incremental revenue (which I still have to pay taxes on!). I think you'd be in good shape going to private, however, instead of just doing returns, I would make a conscientious effort to try to get experience doing tax consulting or tax management strategy, as that's the kind of experience I would want from someone whom I might hire to be a part of my team. Don't know if it would actually work that way, just what my thought process would be if I were the CFO.

[Anonymous]

@lsp — I'm not in tax and in fact, still work in public accounting, however, I can't IMAGINE that this is true. If I'm running a business, one of the first people I want to hire is the guy who is going to increase my bottom line through proper tax planning. Dollar for dollar, I'd rather incremental decrease in taxes paid than incremental revenue (which I still have to pay taxes on!). I think you'd be in good shape going to private, however, instead of just doing returns, I would make a conscientious effort to try to get experience doing tax consulting or tax management strategy, as that's the kind of experience I would want from someone whom I might hire to be a part of my team. Don't know if it would actually work that way, just what my thought process would be if I were the CFO.

[Anonymous]

Like “I'm Ron Burgundy?” I also work at a small firm (20 employees) which does audit, and love my job. It gets stressful and yeah people get on your nerves now and then, but overall well worth it, and the partners are great. I'll admit I have it pretty good.

Remember if you are a CPA or plan to become one, you have decent job prospects everywhere. I respect the “power through” advice, but at some point you must decide how much it's worth to be miserable every day and have the life drained out of you — this is your life we're talking about. Time is precious.

[Anonymous]

Like “I'm Ron Burgundy?” I also work at a small firm (20 employees) which does audit, and love my job. It gets stressful and yeah people get on your nerves now and then, but overall well worth it, and the partners are great. I'll admit I have it pretty good.

Remember if you are a CPA or plan to become one, you have decent job prospects everywhere. I respect the “power through” advice, but at some point you must decide how much it's worth to be miserable every day and have the life drained out of you — this is your life we're talking about. Time is precious.

[mrogovitz]

I worked in tax accounting at a big 4 for a year. The experience was a waste. On year did absolutely nothing for me and I couldn't find work as a tax accountant to save my life. That was back in 2010 so maybe things are different now. But the lesson I learned was that you want to stay at a big 4 until your at least a senior. If you're good enough to make manager than stay until then. I wouldn't quit until you have another job lined up.

AUD: Attempt 1: 60; Attempt 2: 78
BEC: Attempt 1: 75 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 80
FAR: Attempt 1: 74; Attempt 2: 74; Attempt 3: 78
REG: Attempt 1: 76 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 68; Attempt 3: 80

Finished 11/01/2013!!!

[mrogovitz]

I worked in tax accounting at a big 4 for a year. The experience was a waste. On year did absolutely nothing for me and I couldn't find work as a tax accountant to save my life. That was back in 2010 so maybe things are different now. But the lesson I learned was that you want to stay at a big 4 until your at least a senior. If you're good enough to make manager than stay until then. I wouldn't quit until you have another job lined up.

AUD: Attempt 1: 60; Attempt 2: 78
BEC: Attempt 1: 75 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 80
FAR: Attempt 1: 74; Attempt 2: 74; Attempt 3: 78
REG: Attempt 1: 76 (lost credit); Attempt 2: 68; Attempt 3: 80

Finished 11/01/2013!!!

[futureCPA12]

@almostthere My advice to you would be to stay with the Big 4 for a little bit and then try and switch into a midsize firm. The Big 4 has a certain mentality about it that isn't right for everyone. From what I've heard, they work you like dogs and the low level staff are basically treated like a number. There are plenty of nice midsize firms that are focused on being a good place to work and retaining their employees. Of course public accounting isn't for everyone either, but the good thing about accounting is there are so many options available to transition into another realm (ie. private, government, etc.).

AUD - 92
BEC - 81
FAR - 76
REG - 89

Never give up!

[futureCPA12]

@almostthere My advice to you would be to stay with the Big 4 for a little bit and then try and switch into a midsize firm. The Big 4 has a certain mentality about it that isn't right for everyone. From what I've heard, they work you like dogs and the low level staff are basically treated like a number. There are plenty of nice midsize firms that are focused on being a good place to work and retaining their employees. Of course public accounting isn't for everyone either, but the good thing about accounting is there are so many options available to transition into another realm (ie. private, government, etc.).

AUD - 92
BEC - 81
FAR - 76
REG - 89

Never give up!

[fuzyfro89]

@ISP.. I don't have any specific examples, but I've gotten some of this type of message from people in Big 4 tax. Once you're in tax, you have a specialized skill set. Good if you like it and want to stay in the field, but not so good if you want to branch out and try something different. Of course, the best people can sell themselves into anything, but typically it's harder to sell someone with tax experience, even Big 4, as someone who understands financial statements very well, who can consult on business processes, etc.

I wish I understood taxes better from a financial analyst (my current job) role. In an ideal world, I would do about 2 years of tax work (staff level), 2 years of audit work (staff level), and then transition to some consulting role or industry job where I can use my really well rounded background and understanding of almost the entire P&L to operations and decision-making.

[fuzyfro89]

@ISP.. I don't have any specific examples, but I've gotten some of this type of message from people in Big 4 tax. Once you're in tax, you have a specialized skill set. Good if you like it and want to stay in the field, but not so good if you want to branch out and try something different. Of course, the best people can sell themselves into anything, but typically it's harder to sell someone with tax experience, even Big 4, as someone who understands financial statements very well, who can consult on business processes, etc.

I wish I understood taxes better from a financial analyst (my current job) role. In an ideal world, I would do about 2 years of tax work (staff level), 2 years of audit work (staff level), and then transition to some consulting role or industry job where I can use my really well rounded background and understanding of almost the entire P&L to operations and decision-making.

[Anonymous]

@ISP I wouldn't say that it's “hard” to get a job in tax leaving public accounting…the opportunities are certainly more limited than they are for the auditors as the skill set for auditing is more general and not specialized…thus making it more applicable for more jobs. Auditors tend to leave for a wide variety of roles, internal audit positions, accounting manager roles, senior accountant roles, CFO/Director roles, all depending on what level they leave the firm at, however, most of these positions are not available to those on the tax side of the firm. My friend who started at the same time as me in my firm left as a senior, went to a public company to work as a senior in their tax department doing state returns for them…then she eventually left there and is now an accounting professor at a small college. You could work for the IRS, you could work for a not for profit, you could work for a public company in their tax department, all depending on what sort of specialization you choose after starting…but yes, the opportunities are certainly more limited you likely will not go be an internal audit director, or accounting manager having only done tax…but I don't think that makes it hard to get a job…your public accounting experience is still valued just as much as it would be on the audit side…it's just valued in a smaller population of job openings…hope that helps!

[Author]

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