[Thinkingbig828110]

Hey guys! I’m new to the forum and to the accounting field. I will finish with my Bachelors this Summer. I was contacted randomly by a very small accounting firm (1 CPA/Owner and 1 other accountant in the process of getting his CPA), and offered a paid internship. I was very clear that I had no experience at all. He said he understood that and was looking for “Fresh Talent.” I accepted the position and began working. My position requires me to Reconcile accounts of Small businesses such as gas stations, bakeries and small markets. It has been hell, to put it lightly. He very rarely has time to sit with me or give me an guidance. Monday he piled 2 very large stacks of paper on my desk and said he wanted them done by the end of the day. Nothing had been started, so it required me to do everything from entering bank statements in Quickbooks, to payroll, to Reconciling, A/R, A/P…it was a mess. I completed 99% of it, but he wasn’t available to help me that day, and I asked the other accountant and the bookkeeper and neither knew what to do?? So yesterday he pulls me in his office and tells me I’m not meeting his expectations, not cutting it and what took me 2 days to do he could have done in 2 hours. I explained again that I had never done this, it was all new to me, and apologized. I told him I asked others for help with the ONE problem I had and they weren’t sure what to do. So he proceeded to call the person I asked into the office and embarrass her for not knowing either.

So my question is…Is this normal for an internship? My idea going into this was that I wouldn’t be expected to perform at the same level a CPA with 20 years of experience was performing. There is a Huge learning curve, that I’m sure all New Graduates go through? I thought that I would have some sort of guidance, and it would be understood that I am learning and would take longer and need help. Any advice?

[CPA soon]

A$$hat LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Kricket I'm LOLing in my chair at work.. my colleagues are probably like what the heck.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[CPA soon]

That's the case with almost any small business owner, you will find the training you want at a decent size corporation. They go slowly and give you the time you need to grasp things. Be glad it ended.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[CPA soon]

That's the case with almost any small business owner, you will find the training you want at a decent size corporation. They go slowly and give you the time you need to grasp things. Be glad it ended.

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[Anonymous]

I have worked at a very small firm with only 5 people and now I work at a Big 4, so I have perspective on both ends. In a small firm you will not receive formal training. Its typically just not in their budget, so you will learn as you go. However, the owner HAS to be available to answer questions or it just doesn't work. It sounds like in your experience the owner had unreasonable expectations. He was trying to get cheap labor and didn't want to pay the price required to get an experienced hire, which it sounds like he needed.You should not assume all small firms are like this. In my experience that is not the case.

Not surprisingly, the larger firms do have more training but it will either be online or in a group. You will not get the one on one training that you can receive at a small firm. Obviously in your situation this was not the case, but typically you will have personalized “training” at a small firm where the owner/CPA answers your specific questions. This can be very beneficial.

[Anonymous]

I have worked at a very small firm with only 5 people and now I work at a Big 4, so I have perspective on both ends. In a small firm you will not receive formal training. Its typically just not in their budget, so you will learn as you go. However, the owner HAS to be available to answer questions or it just doesn't work. It sounds like in your experience the owner had unreasonable expectations. He was trying to get cheap labor and didn't want to pay the price required to get an experienced hire, which it sounds like he needed.You should not assume all small firms are like this. In my experience that is not the case.

Not surprisingly, the larger firms do have more training but it will either be online or in a group. You will not get the one on one training that you can receive at a small firm. Obviously in your situation this was not the case, but typically you will have personalized “training” at a small firm where the owner/CPA answers your specific questions. This can be very beneficial.

[Sparky]

Sounds like my first public accounting job. I worked in a small office with two partners and one other accountant who only had one year of experience. I was given no instructions on how to do anything. My boss was a horrible man who would scream at us all the time, called me stupid (I had a 3.8 GPA) and required 60 hour workweeks from January 1 through April 15. I'm not an emotional person, but he made me break down in tears at work plenty of times. I left after 6 months and never listed it on my resume. I avoided working in public accounting for several years after that, but have now been happily employed by another small CPA firm for the past three years. It's a completely different environment at my current job. That is not a normal work atmosphere. He's just a jerk.

AUD 78
REG 80
FAR 78
BEC 85

[Sparky]

Sounds like my first public accounting job. I worked in a small office with two partners and one other accountant who only had one year of experience. I was given no instructions on how to do anything. My boss was a horrible man who would scream at us all the time, called me stupid (I had a 3.8 GPA) and required 60 hour workweeks from January 1 through April 15. I'm not an emotional person, but he made me break down in tears at work plenty of times. I left after 6 months and never listed it on my resume. I avoided working in public accounting for several years after that, but have now been happily employed by another small CPA firm for the past three years. It's a completely different environment at my current job. That is not a normal work atmosphere. He's just a jerk.

AUD 78
REG 80
FAR 78
BEC 85

[Anonymous]

@Sparky – See my post above for the appropriate term for any boss/supervisor that would call an employee stupid.

I've seen both sides of the good boss / bad boss situation and I can say that I learned so much more from the good bosses. When I was 18 I had one boss that chased me around a conference table. I managed to get out of the building, but left my purse inside. My dad went in and got it for me and he brought me a check for 2 weeks pay as well. I don't know what went on, nor do I want to know. I had one boss that called me everything but a child of God and I lasted lasted all of 3 weeks on that job. I pointed out to her that my father nor my husband talked to me like that and I certainly wasn't going to take it from her. Some people just aren't leaders. Leaders make good bosses/supervisors. Those that can't lead need to get out of the way.

[Anonymous]

@Sparky – See my post above for the appropriate term for any boss/supervisor that would call an employee stupid.

I've seen both sides of the good boss / bad boss situation and I can say that I learned so much more from the good bosses. When I was 18 I had one boss that chased me around a conference table. I managed to get out of the building, but left my purse inside. My dad went in and got it for me and he brought me a check for 2 weeks pay as well. I don't know what went on, nor do I want to know. I had one boss that called me everything but a child of God and I lasted lasted all of 3 weeks on that job. I pointed out to her that my father nor my husband talked to me like that and I certainly wasn't going to take it from her. Some people just aren't leaders. Leaders make good bosses/supervisors. Those that can't lead need to get out of the way.

[Mathgirl7]

It sounds like what your boss was really looking for was cheap labor. No that is not normal they should be training you.

AUD - 2/1/2014 - 92
BEC - 2/8/2014 - 79
REG - 5/17/2014
FAR - 5/21/2014

CA Ethics Exam - Passed

[Mathgirl7]

It sounds like what your boss was really looking for was cheap labor. No that is not normal they should be training you.

AUD - 2/1/2014 - 92
BEC - 2/8/2014 - 79
REG - 5/17/2014
FAR - 5/21/2014

CA Ethics Exam - Passed

[Sparky]

I've also had my share of both good and bad bosses, and I've had to remind myself that I've learned something from every one of them. Sometimes that lesson is how NOT to treat your employees. Remember what they did wrong and don't ever let yourself repeat their mistakes. The bad ones have definitely made me appreciate the good ones a lot more.

AUD 78
REG 80
FAR 78
BEC 85

[Sparky]

I've also had my share of both good and bad bosses, and I've had to remind myself that I've learned something from every one of them. Sometimes that lesson is how NOT to treat your employees. Remember what they did wrong and don't ever let yourself repeat their mistakes. The bad ones have definitely made me appreciate the good ones a lot more.

AUD 78
REG 80
FAR 78
BEC 85

[Iron_Victory]

If you took a survey of small firms interns/entry level employees I'm sure this is a common story.

Employment is a choice. If you don't like working for him, leave.

AUD - (74),78
BEC - 85
FAR - 86
REG - 84

[Iron_Victory]

If you took a survey of small firms interns/entry level employees I'm sure this is a common story.

Employment is a choice. If you don't like working for him, leave.

AUD - (74),78
BEC - 85
FAR - 86
REG - 84

[Author]

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