[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.

[Doc_Shades]

Taxman, I don't mean to come off as confrontational at all, but I think you are off base.

This: “its one of the highest paid fields period. out of school you get paid more than just about any other major. ” is incorrect.

We just had this discussion in another thread and I don't want to beat a dead horse, but just in my wider social circle there are numerous other mid-20 somethings who make much more than the typical 40-55k starting salary for public accounting. Many of whom don't even have a college degree. A friend of mine with a similar amount of education/background – masters from the same school and a professional certification for speech therapy – got a job paying 70k plus straight out of school, and now makes low 100s 3 years later.

Your post about the pay percentiles is also off base because it doesn't take into consideration the fact that only 30% of the population has a college degree, only 10% has an advance degree, and probably a much smaller percentage than that has a certification similar to the CPA.

About becoming the “1% of accounting/finance” people, again no offense, but this is fantasy. It seems like all of the 22-23 year olds in my accounting program thought it was a sure shot they are going to become a big 4 partner, CFO, or somehow get into investment banking/private equity from public accounting and be making hundreds of thousand a year by the time they are 30. It's about as likely as becoming an astronaut and joining the NBA.

[Doc_Shades]

Taxman, I don't mean to come off as confrontational at all, but I think you are off base.

This: “its one of the highest paid fields period. out of school you get paid more than just about any other major. ” is incorrect.

We just had this discussion in another thread and I don't want to beat a dead horse, but just in my wider social circle there are numerous other mid-20 somethings who make much more than the typical 40-55k starting salary for public accounting. Many of whom don't even have a college degree. A friend of mine with a similar amount of education/background – masters from the same school and a professional certification for speech therapy – got a job paying 70k plus straight out of school, and now makes low 100s 3 years later.

Your post about the pay percentiles is also off base because it doesn't take into consideration the fact that only 30% of the population has a college degree, only 10% has an advance degree, and probably a much smaller percentage than that has a certification similar to the CPA.

About becoming the “1% of accounting/finance” people, again no offense, but this is fantasy. It seems like all of the 22-23 year olds in my accounting program thought it was a sure shot they are going to become a big 4 partner, CFO, or somehow get into investment banking/private equity from public accounting and be making hundreds of thousand a year by the time they are 30. It's about as likely as becoming an astronaut and joining the NBA.

[teeteenounouche]

Doc_Shades, I remember the pipe dreams they sold us in college…

Florida:
AUD: 73, 81! Thank you Lord!
BEC: 73, 77! Thank you Lord! and WTB
REG: 71, 82! Thank you Lord! and A71
FAR: 72, 78! Thank you God and my Mommy in Heaven!

CPA Excel, Ninja Notes & Audio, Wiley Test Bank, CPAreviewforfree

[teeteenounouche]

Doc_Shades, I remember the pipe dreams they sold us in college…

Florida:
AUD: 73, 81! Thank you Lord!
BEC: 73, 77! Thank you Lord! and WTB
REG: 71, 82! Thank you Lord! and A71
FAR: 72, 78! Thank you God and my Mommy in Heaven!

CPA Excel, Ninja Notes & Audio, Wiley Test Bank, CPAreviewforfree

[UHC2005]

@san – Thank you for the funniest thing I've read all day.

Using Ninja MCQ, NINJA Notes, Audio, Flashcards and BLITZ, and 2014 Wiley Text

FAR - (61,63)
AUD - (68)

Keep Calm and RTMFQ

Accountant, what is best in life? To crush your MCQs, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their SIMS!

[UHC2005]

@san – Thank you for the funniest thing I've read all day.

Using Ninja MCQ, NINJA Notes, Audio, Flashcards and BLITZ, and 2014 Wiley Text

FAR - (61,63)
AUD - (68)

Keep Calm and RTMFQ

Accountant, what is best in life? To crush your MCQs, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their SIMS!

[Doc_Shades]

@CPAintheCA, I think we are seeing Stockholm syndrome in action.

From wikipedia:

“Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with them. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness.[1][2] The FBI's Hostage Barricade Database System shows that roughly 8% of victims show evidence of Stockholm syndrome.[3]”

[Doc_Shades]

@CPAintheCA, I think we are seeing Stockholm syndrome in action.

From wikipedia:

“Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with them. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness.[1][2] The FBI's Hostage Barricade Database System shows that roughly 8% of victims show evidence of Stockholm syndrome.[3]”

[taxman89]

Doc shades – there is no way you could be confrontational enough to annoy/offend me lol 😀

This: “its one of the highest paid fields period. out of school you get paid more than just about any other major. ” is incorrect.

I could totally be off base on this. in my personal (limited) exp i am higher paid than most of my classmates (and i dont have a masters). Even tho it is true in my case (apparently not is yours), i def could be off. but in general accounting/aud/tax were higher paying (maybe not right away but usually 10 yrs down the road)

“Your post about the pay percentiles is also off base because it doesn't take into consideration the fact that only 30% of the population has a college degree”

yeah agree but it was mostly just to remind everyone that we are better off than most people (even though we worked our a$$es off to get here)

“About becoming the “1% of accounting/finance” people, again no offense, but this is fantasy”.-thats why its the 1%….most people dont wouldnt even want it if they COULD get it.

anyway….i will readily admit that everything i say could be total bull$#@ (:D) but its just what i have seen. I do think this site is super helpful for people to try to determine if they are getting shafted at their workplace, whether it be in pay or hours/benefits

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]

Doc shades – there is no way you could be confrontational enough to annoy/offend me lol 😀

This: “its one of the highest paid fields period. out of school you get paid more than just about any other major. ” is incorrect.

I could totally be off base on this. in my personal (limited) exp i am higher paid than most of my classmates (and i dont have a masters). Even tho it is true in my case (apparently not is yours), i def could be off. but in general accounting/aud/tax were higher paying (maybe not right away but usually 10 yrs down the road)

“Your post about the pay percentiles is also off base because it doesn't take into consideration the fact that only 30% of the population has a college degree”

yeah agree but it was mostly just to remind everyone that we are better off than most people (even though we worked our a$$es off to get here)

“About becoming the “1% of accounting/finance” people, again no offense, but this is fantasy”.-thats why its the 1%….most people dont wouldnt even want it if they COULD get it.

anyway….i will readily admit that everything i say could be total bull$#@ (:D) but its just what i have seen. I do think this site is super helpful for people to try to determine if they are getting shafted at their workplace, whether it be in pay or hours/benefits

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

[jeff]

My advice: do some hard, manual labor for a weekend…help a buddy roof a house or something…tear out a driveway…etc.

It adjusts your perspective on what you do for a living…at least it does me.

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[jeff]

My advice: do some hard, manual labor for a weekend…help a buddy roof a house or something…tear out a driveway…etc.

It adjusts your perspective on what you do for a living…at least it does me.

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[taxman89]

so now working OT on salary is not only slavery but if you dont think its slavery you must have stockholm syndrome…lol

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]

so now working OT on salary is not only slavery but if you dont think its slavery you must have stockholm syndrome…lol

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]

jeff….worked as an electrician in HS (laying cement is by far the worst construction job…..i would last about 2 days doing that) and in the Cafe through college……this is way better even at the 60th hr of the week

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

[Author]

Replies