[cslatkin98]

hey guys. so this is my first post/topic but I have been lurking this forum for years. So I have graduated with my Bachelors in Accounting at 23 and now I have 15 months of public accounting experience under my belt.

I was just looking to get some advice on if anyone thinks it would make me a more well-rounded, more highly paid accountant if I left public (currently, i am doing a great job doing the books for 30 clients a month but the experience is starting to bottom out/diminishing returns).

does anyone think it would be worth it maybe to look for a job in private or another job alltogether so that I could continue to learn new things? (i love how in the beginning of jobs you learn so much ya know..)

just looking for opinions from you guys.

[MaLoTu]

I would say move out of accounting services and do audit or tax. I think audit will give you more exit opportunities. Thebookkepping experience you have along with 2-4 years in audit at a good sized firm should provide you with a good foundation for private industry. Private industry will not help you be more well rounded … if anything you will go from keeping the books of 30 clients to keeping the books of 1.

[Meg267]

If you're looking for well rounded experience, I agree with @MaLoTu, try auditing. I work in private and my boss confirmed for me this week that candidates that have public auditing experience is the Cadillac of experience, as it makes them more well rounded and better suited for upper level positions.

[Recked]

I am not sure about where you work, but my path started with data entry/bookkeeping/write up, and then transitioned to taking those financials that I created into preparing the tax returns for those entities, first in a supervised support fashion, and then transitioned to direct contact with the client if additional information was needed or questioned needed to be asked. Now, if the clients need consultation or tax advise, they call me directly. If you are concerned about where you are headed at your local firm I would suggest you speak with your boss and see when you can move up/beyond the data entry. Unfortunately this would probably mean you get to train your replacement, but that will leave you with more time to handle other more complicated tasks.

If your current employer only sees you operating in your current role for the foreseeable future it might be best to consider other options, but I would try to stay in Public and progress towards higher responsibility assignments.

[NeedsA75]

I've always worked in private since graduation (almost 10 years ago) and will never work in public at this point.

Since updating my resume, I'm currently interviewing for accounting manager positions. Its true that some job postings want public experience so I'd get it out of the way when you are fresh out of school if you are going to do it.

But honestly, by the time you are in a position to make Controller or some other higher level position in industry I'm not sure how meaningful the 2 years you did in Audit 10-15 years ago is. Nonetheless, it looks good on your resume but don't see it as a roadblock to get to a higher level (as opposed to a lack of CPA designation).

[se98]

I have never worked in public and have managed to do well enough for myself, but, I always feel like my colleagues who did work in public have an edge on me. I think this primarily stems from the exposure to different companies, industries, and ways of doing things, that make them more able to consider that there might be more than one way for us to get to a desired outcome. If you have a good opportunity to get some experience in public accounting, I would take it. Just my 2 cents.

FAR 84
REG 7/2016
BEC 8/2016
AUD 10/2016

[NeedsA75]

I would have always had to take a pay cut to transition to public (and work a shit load more), so it never made sense for me to make that jump.

That being said, if I had to do it again I may have gone into public for a few years straight out of college when I was making 45k

[Missy]

Depends on your end goal. Too often on this forum people get all wrapped up in laying out a career map with no destination in mind. So to me the question of public or private, audit or tax is like going to a travel forum and asking “should I fly or drive?” To where?

My end goal always was to be a big fish in a very small pond. Never wanted to be part of a 30 person accounting department in a publicly traded company, always wanted to be in charge of a small two-five person accounting department in a small privately held manufacturing company. Public wasn't a prerequisite nor was a cpa license but the job market is competitive and most candidates exceed the minimum requirements for a position do the cpa made me competitive with other applicants.

But if you see yourself as a senior or manager in a large publicly traded company you'll be competing against candidates with audit experience so I'd try to get that.

Start with the end goal then back into the path to it.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Anonymous]

“My end goal always was to be a big fish in a very small pond. Never wanted to be part of a 30 person accounting department in a publicly traded company, always wanted to be in charge of a small two-five person accounting department in a small privately held manufacturing company.”

@Missy, thats what I do now. 🙂 With no public experience.

[Author]

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