[jacobpreis]

Hello All,

I was offered a position as a controller/bookkeeper within a family run firm in the wholesale meat department industry. The pay and hours are fine, but there are two issues, both of which the owner was up front about. The first is that the position was available b/c the previous controller, who was there for 20 years, had a falling out with the owner, as the owner put it, the controller forgot he wasn’t the boss. The second issue is the G/L is essentially all entered manually. He did say that he would want to go electronically, but for now the entries are hand written into a journal. Do you think these are valid concerns?

[mla1169]

I've found it a big challenge. I got fired from a controller job at a small company 2 months ago. Not a lot of small private companies are hiring controllers around here. I'd be happy as a senior accountant at a larger company but they're skiddish some think I'd be unhappy with a “step down”, others have concerns that I haven't held a senior role in a large publicly traded company. And management at a larger company almost always requires public experience which I don't have nor an inclined to go in entry level with staff the same age as my kids 😉

I really tap dance around the current salary issue–I've tried the “I've researched salaries for similar positions in the area and trust this position is in the range I've found”, and I've tried “of course I consider total package which includes insurance, vacation and 401k in addition to salary” but most insist on a figure.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[TNIRISH]

My advice – run do not walk away from this guy. Small company, nepotism, and highly resistant to change. You are either going to be stuck or fired at some point in time. If you just have to have the money, then do what you got to do, but this is not a great destination.

[TNIRISH]

My advice – run do not walk away from this guy. Small company, nepotism, and highly resistant to change. You are either going to be stuck or fired at some point in time. If you just have to have the money, then do what you got to do, but this is not a great destination.

[CPA soon]

That sounds more like an accountant “do it all” job, usually a controller is responsible for a few people (AP, AR, Finance, Payroll), anything other than that, they are bribing you with the fake title. They probably will work you to death as a staff accountant

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[CPA soon]

That sounds more like an accountant “do it all” job, usually a controller is responsible for a few people (AP, AR, Finance, Payroll), anything other than that, they are bribing you with the fake title. They probably will work you to death as a staff accountant

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[Anonymous]

I have no opinion on this thread. mla1169 is in a much better position to help the OP, but I had to comment to tell @CPAsoon, I freaking LOVE your signature!!! “This exam is starting to piss me off.” The BEST!!

[Anonymous]

I have no opinion on this thread. mla1169 is in a much better position to help the OP, but I had to comment to tell @CPAsoon, I freaking LOVE your signature!!! “This exam is starting to piss me off.” The BEST!!

[CPA soon]

Haha 😀 you know it Kricket! I have had it with this piece of ****

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[CPA soon]

Haha 😀 you know it Kricket! I have had it with this piece of ****

FAR - 71, 68, 74, (8/31/14) 78 ✔
REG - 67, 71, 71, (10/18/14) 78 ✔
BEC - (11/29/14) 86 ✔
AUD - 73, (4/4/15) 86 ✔

I can't believe this is over! 2 years and 3 months..

[yourmomsaCPA]

Are you currently employed? If not, is there a lot out there?

If owner guy isn't willing to do even QuickBooks, I would give him the deuces. That's just being stubborn b/c it's not THAT expensive.

FAR - 87 2/18/14
AUD - 84 4/2/14
REG - 87 7/23/14
BEC - 78 8/26/14

I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

[yourmomsaCPA]

Are you currently employed? If not, is there a lot out there?

If owner guy isn't willing to do even QuickBooks, I would give him the deuces. That's just being stubborn b/c it's not THAT expensive.

FAR - 87 2/18/14
AUD - 84 4/2/14
REG - 87 7/23/14
BEC - 78 8/26/14

I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

[impska]

I don't see the problem. A job is a job and as you say – you're desperate. You don't need to make a career out of this. The guy says he's willing to go “electronic”. So no big deal. If they're running it on paper, then they can run it on Quickbooks.

The real reason they haven't upgraded is probably that they had a guy in there 20 years who had been doing it on paper for 20 years. Tell the boss that you'll accept the job on the condition that you set up Quickbooks on Day 1.

The firing of the last guy sounds iffy – but don't put 20 years in. Put 1-2 years in and don't worry about it.

Just last week I was handed a big fat envelope and when I looked inside it was a manual general ledger with pencil and paper. I didn't even understand what I was looking at, at first.

My reaction was basically, “Does… not… compute…”

Actually, it really didn't… nothing added up right.

REG - 94
BEC - 92
FAR - 92
AUD - 99

[impska]

I don't see the problem. A job is a job and as you say – you're desperate. You don't need to make a career out of this. The guy says he's willing to go “electronic”. So no big deal. If they're running it on paper, then they can run it on Quickbooks.

The real reason they haven't upgraded is probably that they had a guy in there 20 years who had been doing it on paper for 20 years. Tell the boss that you'll accept the job on the condition that you set up Quickbooks on Day 1.

The firing of the last guy sounds iffy – but don't put 20 years in. Put 1-2 years in and don't worry about it.

Just last week I was handed a big fat envelope and when I looked inside it was a manual general ledger with pencil and paper. I didn't even understand what I was looking at, at first.

My reaction was basically, “Does… not… compute…”

Actually, it really didn't… nothing added up right.

REG - 94
BEC - 92
FAR - 92
AUD - 99

[musicamor]

I would be very wary about accepting this position. Don't let the desire to go computerized fool you. It will likely be met with a lot of opposition – people will not want to change. May end up being a lot more work than it's worth. You wouldn't want to have that kind of stress in a position like this. I would advise you not to take it.

Texas CPA - licensed in 2012!!!

[musicamor]

I would be very wary about accepting this position. Don't let the desire to go computerized fool you. It will likely be met with a lot of opposition – people will not want to change. May end up being a lot more work than it's worth. You wouldn't want to have that kind of stress in a position like this. I would advise you not to take it.

Texas CPA - licensed in 2012!!!

[Author]

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