[nicole2035]

I’ve been working this position that is a hybrid of clerical and staff accountant work. I’m a new graduate, and the idea was to promote me to staff accountant in about a year from hire or sooner, but it depended on when i was ready.

I’ve been at this job for a little less than 5 months and my boss blindsided me with a meeting to talk about that promotion. She’s drafting up everything to submit it to the appropriate managers, but i don’t want it. The biggest factor she keeps talking about is how i will be salaried. I don’t have a care to be salaried, there’s no benefit to that for me. Sure the new title of staff accountant will look good on my resume and i think give me more respect at work, but it’s not important to me right now trying to jump the hurdle of the CPA exam.

However i’m scared to voice my concerns right now. If i do it too soon then they may feel they need to hire someone else and get rid of me. I’m not sure if being hourly as a staff accountant is possible because i’m the only hourly person in our department.

The whole process is going along much quicker than I expected. I thought I had at least another 6 months to prep myself. While she was going over her draft plan i saw an email from one of our HR directors sending her pay scales for the promotion. I just want to put myself in the best position possible, but at the same time, i’m new working full time in an office environment and i have no idea how to go about this. Such an odd position because I feel like she’s moreso asking for my hours to change not my job duties. I think she would abuse me being salaried over the other staff accountants she manages, because they don’t work as closely with her. That’s what she did with the last few accountants she managed and they all quit or switched departments.

I seriously need help. How would you go about this?

[Anonymous]

I would tell her that you appreciate the confidence that she is putting in you by being ready to promote you so soon, but that you hadn't anticipated being promoted so soon and really wanted to focus on the CPA exams before increasing your work hours too much. I would follow that up with asking what hours she would expect of you long-term, and then if you could either stay hourly or limit your hours short-term until you get the exams behind you. If you are concerned that her long-term expectations of your time wouldn't be agreeable to you, then this could allow you to extend the time that you're working reasonable hours with a valid reason…and then by the time you get the exams behind you, you'll have a few more months of job-history, so if she wants you to work more than you're willing to work you'll have a bit more going for you when you start to look elsewhere. 🙂

[Anonymous]

I would tell her that you appreciate the confidence that she is putting in you by being ready to promote you so soon, but that you hadn't anticipated being promoted so soon and really wanted to focus on the CPA exams before increasing your work hours too much. I would follow that up with asking what hours she would expect of you long-term, and then if you could either stay hourly or limit your hours short-term until you get the exams behind you. If you are concerned that her long-term expectations of your time wouldn't be agreeable to you, then this could allow you to extend the time that you're working reasonable hours with a valid reason…and then by the time you get the exams behind you, you'll have a few more months of job-history, so if she wants you to work more than you're willing to work you'll have a bit more going for you when you start to look elsewhere. 🙂

[fuzyfro89]

It's two different topics you need to talk to her about.

1) The promotion and pay increase. Take it. You deserve it.

2) Let your manager know about your plans to take the CPA exam and how they may (or may not) be willing to support your efforts. Maybe work 4-day weeks, 11-12 hrs/day? Maybe longer 2-3 hours on M/T/W so you can leave earlier on Th/F?

If she resists any mention of being flexible, then I would take the promotion and start looking elsewhere. My fear is that if you decline, then your mgr will need someone to fill that position and even once you are done with the CPA, then you may not have a position to be promoted into.

[fuzyfro89]

It's two different topics you need to talk to her about.

1) The promotion and pay increase. Take it. You deserve it.

2) Let your manager know about your plans to take the CPA exam and how they may (or may not) be willing to support your efforts. Maybe work 4-day weeks, 11-12 hrs/day? Maybe longer 2-3 hours on M/T/W so you can leave earlier on Th/F?

If she resists any mention of being flexible, then I would take the promotion and start looking elsewhere. My fear is that if you decline, then your mgr will need someone to fill that position and even once you are done with the CPA, then you may not have a position to be promoted into.

[pikachu]

You should take the promo as fuzy says. Your manager believes in you. You should believe in yourself. It will be good for your resume, salary history, experience. Tell her about the CPA though.

FAR: 2/23/14 77 (1 month studying)
AUD: 5/25/14 68
AUD: 7/13/14 72
AUD: 10/12/14 72
I GIVE UP

[pikachu]

You should take the promo as fuzy says. Your manager believes in you. You should believe in yourself. It will be good for your resume, salary history, experience. Tell her about the CPA though.

FAR: 2/23/14 77 (1 month studying)
AUD: 5/25/14 68
AUD: 7/13/14 72
AUD: 10/12/14 72
I GIVE UP

[Author]

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