[kma0505]

Hey all,

I’m hoping that everyone goes through this question in their mind during the first year of being in public accounting, and I’m not the odd man out.

Background is…graduated with my BS last year, immediately started working at a local CPA firm (7 employees, I’m the ONLY staff accountant). I had no previous accounting experience. Obviously, this is now my first busy season with the firm, and I literally feel like I cannot do ANYTHING right. Every return I do, I get a LONG list of review notes (directly from the partners, mind you, because the chain of command is the partners and then me…there’s no one else doing returns). I’m at the point now where I feel like if I can’t even do a relatively simple return correct, maybe this really just isn’t for me. I mean, does anyone go into public accounting and just immediately hit everything out of the park? I just feel like my “well you just have little experience” time frame is running out. There’s tension and frustration in the office, which is difficult to deal with being such a small firm.

Not to mention working 60+ hours a week and studying every single free moment I have is starting to take a toll on me. I’m just really contemplating if this is even worth it anymore. Any thoughts/similar situations?

REG: 78 (OCT 2013)
FAR: 79 (FEB 2014)
AUD: TBD
BEC: TBD

[Wolfchicken]

I have been feeling the same way as you. I did two tax seasons as an intern. After my second tax season, I was started to feel a little better, but I just got hired at a different firm this fall as an auditor and I feel way out my element. I have no idea what I am doing, and usually come home crying everynight. I can't sleep because I am so stressed about it. I hope it gets better like they say….

BEC - PASS
FAR - PASS
Audit - PASS
REG - PASS

[Wolfchicken]

I have been feeling the same way as you. I did two tax seasons as an intern. After my second tax season, I was started to feel a little better, but I just got hired at a different firm this fall as an auditor and I feel way out my element. I have no idea what I am doing, and usually come home crying everynight. I can't sleep because I am so stressed about it. I hope it gets better like they say….

BEC - PASS
FAR - PASS
Audit - PASS
REG - PASS

[Wolfchicken]

I have been feeling the same way as you. I did two tax seasons as an intern. After my second tax season, I was started to feel a little better, but I just got hired at a different firm this fall as an auditor and I feel way out my element. I have no idea what I am doing, and usually come home crying everynight. I can't sleep because I am so stressed about it. I hope it gets better like they say….

BEC - PASS
FAR - PASS
Audit - PASS
REG - PASS

[megasaurus]

What you're feeling is completely normal. Everyone goes through it. I remember feeling the same way when I started (I'm in tax as well) and thinking they would fire me for sure because I was so dumb. Which was a really weird experience for me since I had always been a good student. Now that I'm a senior this is the speech I give to all my staff and interns when we start working together….

The expectation is that you will make mistakes. If everyone came in the door knowing how to do everything perfectly, then we would all be partners, and who would be there to make them feel important? No one. This is going to rough at first because I know that you (like I was) were a high performer in school and are used to getting 100% the first time. This job will not be that way. And that's OK. What IS important is that you're open to learning and going through the process, because going through the process is what will reinforce the technical concepts and help you improve. And you will improve. You will be amazed at the quality of work you produce in 6 months compared to today. As long as you have a good attitude and will see the process through you will be successful.

I usually toss in that I still get review comments, as do my managers above me. We are all learning and will continue to learn and grow. That's how an apprentice model works.

I hope this helps somewhat. Good luck to you!

[megasaurus]

What you're feeling is completely normal. Everyone goes through it. I remember feeling the same way when I started (I'm in tax as well) and thinking they would fire me for sure because I was so dumb. Which was a really weird experience for me since I had always been a good student. Now that I'm a senior this is the speech I give to all my staff and interns when we start working together….

The expectation is that you will make mistakes. If everyone came in the door knowing how to do everything perfectly, then we would all be partners, and who would be there to make them feel important? No one. This is going to rough at first because I know that you (like I was) were a high performer in school and are used to getting 100% the first time. This job will not be that way. And that's OK. What IS important is that you're open to learning and going through the process, because going through the process is what will reinforce the technical concepts and help you improve. And you will improve. You will be amazed at the quality of work you produce in 6 months compared to today. As long as you have a good attitude and will see the process through you will be successful.

I usually toss in that I still get review comments, as do my managers above me. We are all learning and will continue to learn and grow. That's how an apprentice model works.

I hope this helps somewhat. Good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

i'm in the same boat as you and i'm a lowly accounting assistant right now though I do everything that a staff accountant does. We're talking a timeline for my promotion but as of now i feel like a failure at everything but you need to have tough skin about it and correct yourself. Especially with accounting you have all these past CPA people and this TYPE A business personality, all these people that got everything ‘perfect' the first time (even these people lack something in a department). You obviously have something to bring to the table that they want and believe in. It's easy to get discouraged but stay in your lane, and learn from your mistakes. Don't take it personally. I'm not someone who is naturally good at everything, but i'm someone who will put in the work and find out how to do the things the so called ‘perfect' employee does and also what I notice they lack in.

I think this will be a defining moment for you. They know they're giving you all those review notes, and if you obviously seem discouraged, they're gonna notice. Good luck and I think you'll be fine

[Anonymous]

i'm in the same boat as you and i'm a lowly accounting assistant right now though I do everything that a staff accountant does. We're talking a timeline for my promotion but as of now i feel like a failure at everything but you need to have tough skin about it and correct yourself. Especially with accounting you have all these past CPA people and this TYPE A business personality, all these people that got everything ‘perfect' the first time (even these people lack something in a department). You obviously have something to bring to the table that they want and believe in. It's easy to get discouraged but stay in your lane, and learn from your mistakes. Don't take it personally. I'm not someone who is naturally good at everything, but i'm someone who will put in the work and find out how to do the things the so called ‘perfect' employee does and also what I notice they lack in.

I think this will be a defining moment for you. They know they're giving you all those review notes, and if you obviously seem discouraged, they're gonna notice. Good luck and I think you'll be fine

[MintsRGood]

@OP Don't worry. They know you are new and that you very well may f*** up everything you touch for the first few weeks! I have a new junior staffer who thought they were hot stuff when they hired in and now looks like they are going to cry when they get my review comments back! What you are experiencing 100% normal so don't beat yourself up. I do the bulk of the technical work paper reviews at our firm and the experienced accountants sometimes get more notes then my newbies do. I'm the senior at our place and I still get review comments from the owner. It's process of constantly striving for improvement.

I'll give you the same advice I gave my new junior at the beginning of the year: We all know that you are fresh out of school and have no clue what you are doing…that's OK! The help function in our accounting and tax software is your new best friend. The master tax guide is now your new bible. Embrace it! If you get stuck, use the resources you have available to you and if that doesn't work then ask for help. When you do ask for help, take notes and make sure you actually understand before you walk away. When you receive review comments, make it your goal to never make the same mistake twice! If a review comment is unclear or you don't know how to fix it, ask the reviewer when they don't look crazy busy to point you in the right direction. New mistakes are a byproduct of the learning process but habitual mistakes are the result of carelessness. I much prefer new mistakes as it shows you are growing!

Keep your head up, OP! You were hired for a reason. Don't be afraid to grow!!!!

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[MintsRGood]

@OP Don't worry. They know you are new and that you very well may f*** up everything you touch for the first few weeks! I have a new junior staffer who thought they were hot stuff when they hired in and now looks like they are going to cry when they get my review comments back! What you are experiencing 100% normal so don't beat yourself up. I do the bulk of the technical work paper reviews at our firm and the experienced accountants sometimes get more notes then my newbies do. I'm the senior at our place and I still get review comments from the owner. It's process of constantly striving for improvement.

I'll give you the same advice I gave my new junior at the beginning of the year: We all know that you are fresh out of school and have no clue what you are doing…that's OK! The help function in our accounting and tax software is your new best friend. The master tax guide is now your new bible. Embrace it! If you get stuck, use the resources you have available to you and if that doesn't work then ask for help. When you do ask for help, take notes and make sure you actually understand before you walk away. When you receive review comments, make it your goal to never make the same mistake twice! If a review comment is unclear or you don't know how to fix it, ask the reviewer when they don't look crazy busy to point you in the right direction. New mistakes are a byproduct of the learning process but habitual mistakes are the result of carelessness. I much prefer new mistakes as it shows you are growing!

Keep your head up, OP! You were hired for a reason. Don't be afraid to grow!!!!

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Author]

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