[Anonymous]

Or have some sort of actual weekly limit in terms of hours. Not only in accounting/finance, but in so many fields employers simply hire one individual for two jobs. Does anyone else feel this way? It’s pathetic when I work until 1 am some nights for no overtime. I feel like I’m being used.

[taxman89]

its one of the highest paid fields period. out of school you get paid more than just about any other major. The exception might be IT but there you are usually working as a contractor and still have consistent certs you need to get. Want to know why quitting 3 mons into a job looks bad? it shows that A, you had no clue what salary meant and were blown away by having to work 50(!!!) hours. or B. you did know what you were getting into and just decided to leave your former coworkers in a lurch.

“The problem is the employer has much of the power” that is because you are providing THEM with a service that is easily replaceable. lets look at some basic supply and demand economics shall we (because that is all a job/employee is). Entry level accounting is paid more than other entry level jobs (like say an entry level marketing position) because accounting is a more technical field (therefore less supply of accounting majors vs marketing. less supply=higher demand/salary). however withing that starting salary range if you end up on the high end you are going to be expected to be putting in more hours (higher salary=higher demand for the job=easy to be replace (ie they dont care about your feelings/work life balance)

on the other end of the scale are the companies and government jobs that work a hard 40 but pay you like crap (they are on the high end of the worklife balance=higher demand for their job=can get away with paying you less)

obviously there are exceptions (high worklife bal and high pay and low worklife bal low pay).

At this point in our career we are most price takers but the good thing about accounting/tax/audit is that as we become more specialized and technical we become less and less price takers and the talent pool shrinks (demand for us increases) and what we are able to demand also increase (in salary/worklife bal/ w/e)

anyway…this is prolly a convoluted mess that no one will understand but bottom line is you can always change jobs (prolly shouldnt during busy season or after 2 weeks as kbin pointed out) but esp in accounting you can always find another job, you are just going to h ave to give other things up to get the less hours (sal/location/ w/e)

anyway….my convoluted, long winded $.02

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[taxman89]

some perspective

if you make :

25K you are in the 48th percentile of all income earners

30K 55th percentile

35K 61st percentile

40K 66th percentile

50K 75th percentile

55K 79th percentile

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[taxman89]

some perspective

if you make :

25K you are in the 48th percentile of all income earners

30K 55th percentile

35K 61st percentile

40K 66th percentile

50K 75th percentile

55K 79th percentile

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[jopa16]

I have yet to meet a person who makes really good money(aka, over 60k/year) and works only 40 a week.

REG 2/26/14 - 90
BEC 4/08/14 - 92
FAR 5/31/14 - 90
AUD 7/09/14 -

[jopa16]

I have yet to meet a person who makes really good money(aka, over 60k/year) and works only 40 a week.

REG 2/26/14 - 90
BEC 4/08/14 - 92
FAR 5/31/14 - 90
AUD 7/09/14 -

[I'm, Ron Burgundy?]

There are exempt and non-exempt employees. In my city, CPA firms have come under serious legal fire for their “abuse” of exempt employees. In fact, employment law firms are targeting CPA firms for the way they work their people during tax season. As a result, CPA firms are now converting their employees who are not CPA's from salaried positions to hourly positions with overtime. This is a huge double edged sword for CPA candidates who now get overtime for the extra hours worked but also see the way the CPA's in their offices, who recently have been licensed, are now being completely taken advantage of all for a salary that actually comes out to less money in the end. It doesn't provide Candidates much incentive to getting licensed. However, this is only true, like in any profession, when you are working for someone else. If you can pull 60-80 hour workweeks while getting no incentive from your employer and you have a CPA license, then it's time to hang your own shingle and put in 60-80 hours working for yourself and truly harvest from your investment.

Just my $.02

"If you're going through hell, keep going"
- Winston Churchill

"I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost over 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot, and missed. I've failed, over and over and over again in my life. And that is why, I succeed."
- Michael Jordan

BEC: (54), (72), 80 (losing credit on 02/02/15 - nervous)
AUD: 78
REG: (74), 91
FAR: (71)

[I'm, Ron Burgundy?]

There are exempt and non-exempt employees. In my city, CPA firms have come under serious legal fire for their “abuse” of exempt employees. In fact, employment law firms are targeting CPA firms for the way they work their people during tax season. As a result, CPA firms are now converting their employees who are not CPA's from salaried positions to hourly positions with overtime. This is a huge double edged sword for CPA candidates who now get overtime for the extra hours worked but also see the way the CPA's in their offices, who recently have been licensed, are now being completely taken advantage of all for a salary that actually comes out to less money in the end. It doesn't provide Candidates much incentive to getting licensed. However, this is only true, like in any profession, when you are working for someone else. If you can pull 60-80 hour workweeks while getting no incentive from your employer and you have a CPA license, then it's time to hang your own shingle and put in 60-80 hours working for yourself and truly harvest from your investment.

Just my $.02

"If you're going through hell, keep going"
- Winston Churchill

"I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost over 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot, and missed. I've failed, over and over and over again in my life. And that is why, I succeed."
- Michael Jordan

BEC: (54), (72), 80 (losing credit on 02/02/15 - nervous)
AUD: 78
REG: (74), 91
FAR: (71)

[taxman89]

the incentive of the getting your CPA is not to work 100hrs for 50K like you do when you start. the incentive is to be the partner on the golf course drumming up business for the firm making 500k. you pay a price at the start for better opportunity in the future. we do crappy hours to start for the same reason we take this dam test. if you dont want to put in as much in the beginning you wont get as much out in the end. (ie i went straight to industry. we just hired someone from a big 4 as a manager (she had 6years exp). since i went straight to industry (only 50-60hr weeks) there is no way i will be manager in 6 years but the big 4 person sacrificed more in their first 6 years than i will so they deserve it.

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[taxman89]

the incentive of the getting your CPA is not to work 100hrs for 50K like you do when you start. the incentive is to be the partner on the golf course drumming up business for the firm making 500k. you pay a price at the start for better opportunity in the future. we do crappy hours to start for the same reason we take this dam test. if you dont want to put in as much in the beginning you wont get as much out in the end. (ie i went straight to industry. we just hired someone from a big 4 as a manager (she had 6years exp). since i went straight to industry (only 50-60hr weeks) there is no way i will be manager in 6 years but the big 4 person sacrificed more in their first 6 years than i will so they deserve it.

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[I'm, Ron Burgundy?]

Agreed Taxman, there is a big picture here with getting the license. In every profession the new guy always gets the shaft, but the harder you work the more it pays off in the end. But you have to have a vision and a goal, not get stuck in a rut and feel boxed in. Too many CPA's have that and feel defeated and burnt out. However, by keeping your eye on the prize, it will get you to your overall objective.

"If you're going through hell, keep going"
- Winston Churchill

"I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost over 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot, and missed. I've failed, over and over and over again in my life. And that is why, I succeed."
- Michael Jordan

BEC: (54), (72), 80 (losing credit on 02/02/15 - nervous)
AUD: 78
REG: (74), 91
FAR: (71)

[I'm, Ron Burgundy?]

Agreed Taxman, there is a big picture here with getting the license. In every profession the new guy always gets the shaft, but the harder you work the more it pays off in the end. But you have to have a vision and a goal, not get stuck in a rut and feel boxed in. Too many CPA's have that and feel defeated and burnt out. However, by keeping your eye on the prize, it will get you to your overall objective.

"If you're going through hell, keep going"
- Winston Churchill

"I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost over 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot, and missed. I've failed, over and over and over again in my life. And that is why, I succeed."
- Michael Jordan

BEC: (54), (72), 80 (losing credit on 02/02/15 - nervous)
AUD: 78
REG: (74), 91
FAR: (71)

[NYCaccountant]

I work 40 hours a week and make over 60K. But I live in NYC, so I don't make a lot of money. Hence the fact that I'm always broke!

FAR - 93
REG - 87
BEC - 84!!!!
AUD - 99!!!!!! CPA exam complete.

[NYCaccountant]

I work 40 hours a week and make over 60K. But I live in NYC, so I don't make a lot of money. Hence the fact that I'm always broke!

FAR - 93
REG - 87
BEC - 84!!!!
AUD - 99!!!!!! CPA exam complete.

[Study Monk]

I am kind of shocked you guys attacked the slavery guy. He was just using a term to emphasize and maybe exaggerate the work abuses that take place in this industry. Granted we are at will employees with reasonable pay, but that does not mean people aren't being taken advantage of. Students out of college know they need to put in long hours, but many of them think that they will be working 70 hour work weeks, because many reasonable firms provide these hours. Then some firms choose to push them to 90 to 100 hours leaving them with the following two options:

1) Stay and be miserable for a few years and wait until you qualify for a better paying job that treats their employers reasonably or,

2)Leave the job that treating them horribly, only to look like they were at fault and have some personal flaw

Public accounting can be interesting work and could be a desirable profession in the long-term, but unfortunately some firms are choosing a culture that promotes high turnover with poorer service in exchange for higher profits. If the industry adapted and was able to retain a higher amount of their employees the quality of service would me much better for their clients. Instead many firms choose to fuel their companies with interns and recent grads who are used up in a manner that forces them to pursue private accounting. I believe firms should have a maximum amount of hours that they are allowed to work a person and I believe the partners should create reasonable and thoughtful budgets to make sure they will not be taking on to many clients. In return they will retain more senior accountants and have a more efficient work force that will also bring down the amount of hours necessary during busy seasons.

There is something wrong with an industry where new hires go into a job knowing they are planning to leave after a few years. Many firms could retain their employees by offering more paid vacation time and paying time and a half. I believe overtime pay would encourage more productive work and a better work environment. The reality is that public accountants should make significantly more than the private accountants who are working 40 hours per week. Until the compensation of public accountants is higher than their private counterparts than no reasonable person should blame a person voicing his concerns about the work place conditions of many public accounting firms.

The reality is even 80 hour work weeks can be bad on a humans health, and no employer should be allowed to put an employees health in jeopardy. Leaving these firms before you “pay your dues” can leave you unemployable making it very hard to exit a firm who is pushing you beyond reasonable healthy limits. Moreover many firms leave many employees to feel exploited and emotionally drained. It's kind of like slavery if you think about it 😉

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Study Monk]

I am kind of shocked you guys attacked the slavery guy. He was just using a term to emphasize and maybe exaggerate the work abuses that take place in this industry. Granted we are at will employees with reasonable pay, but that does not mean people aren't being taken advantage of. Students out of college know they need to put in long hours, but many of them think that they will be working 70 hour work weeks, because many reasonable firms provide these hours. Then some firms choose to push them to 90 to 100 hours leaving them with the following two options:

1) Stay and be miserable for a few years and wait until you qualify for a better paying job that treats their employers reasonably or,

2)Leave the job that treating them horribly, only to look like they were at fault and have some personal flaw

Public accounting can be interesting work and could be a desirable profession in the long-term, but unfortunately some firms are choosing a culture that promotes high turnover with poorer service in exchange for higher profits. If the industry adapted and was able to retain a higher amount of their employees the quality of service would me much better for their clients. Instead many firms choose to fuel their companies with interns and recent grads who are used up in a manner that forces them to pursue private accounting. I believe firms should have a maximum amount of hours that they are allowed to work a person and I believe the partners should create reasonable and thoughtful budgets to make sure they will not be taking on to many clients. In return they will retain more senior accountants and have a more efficient work force that will also bring down the amount of hours necessary during busy seasons.

There is something wrong with an industry where new hires go into a job knowing they are planning to leave after a few years. Many firms could retain their employees by offering more paid vacation time and paying time and a half. I believe overtime pay would encourage more productive work and a better work environment. The reality is that public accountants should make significantly more than the private accountants who are working 40 hours per week. Until the compensation of public accountants is higher than their private counterparts than no reasonable person should blame a person voicing his concerns about the work place conditions of many public accounting firms.

The reality is even 80 hour work weeks can be bad on a humans health, and no employer should be allowed to put an employees health in jeopardy. Leaving these firms before you “pay your dues” can leave you unemployable making it very hard to exit a firm who is pushing you beyond reasonable healthy limits. Moreover many firms leave many employees to feel exploited and emotionally drained. It's kind of like slavery if you think about it 😉

I spoke to an ancient wise man who sent me on a mushroom induced journey through an ancient forest to find the key to passing the CPA exam. A talking spider monkey told me to throw the last of my drinking water in the dirt to find what I was looking for. So I followed his instructions and the following message appeared in the soil:

"Do 5000 multiple choice questions for each section"

[Author]

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