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I’m looking for some guidance on possibly switching from public accounting to industry. For background– I graduated in May 2019, joined a top 25 regional firm as an audit associate in August 2019, and finished the CPA in November. I chose a regional firm because I was convinced I’d have better work-life balance that at a Big 4. Turns out, not only do we regularly work 60+ hours/week, but we also have busy season 7 months of the year (due to having a significant number of NFP clients and EBPs along with for-profit) and significant non-billable expectations (e.g. volunteer hours, college recruiting). Additionally, I’ve been miserable at the firm because I don’t fit in with the culture, and office politics are extremely strong. I don’t enjoy audit work and don’t feel like it uses my skill set. I’ve tried to make the most of my first year– I’ve been involved with college recruiting, office event planning, mentoring new staff, etc. I also spend a lot of time in networking and community involvement stuff, and recently brought in a client referral source. I exceeded the first-year goals and have been told I’m on the track to senior. I do feel like I’m learning a lot. But I’m miserable and don’t enjoy the job at all. I feel drained all the time and don’t have much energy to hang out with family and friends or do things I enjoy. I’ve been casually looking at jobs for a while and, after applying for my CPA license, finally gave the okay for recruiters to submit my resume for a couple industry positions. One job (a senior accountant position at a midsize personal loan company) has moved faster through the interview process than I thought. I’m starting to question whether I should move to industry. I’ve heard the longer you stay in public, the better your career prospects… but I don’t really have ambitions to be a controller or CFO. I’m pretty sure I’d be happier in industry, but am I limiting my career? Should I stick it out in public until I absolutely can’t anymore? Would appreciate input from those who have switched from public to industry. Thanks in advance!
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