[HustlinHustlin]

For those of you who left the public accounting world what were your reasons when going through interviews? Also, for those of you who were fired from public – how did you ever get rehired by other firms/companies?

These are my worries today. I had a poor performance evaluation lately so getting fired is a threat now. I also would like to go into private accounting but am afraid my boss will be less inclined to sign off on my hours after I leave the firm and really don’t have time to search for jobs on top of studying. I’m just stuck and want to hear from others’ experiences who have been through the same thing.

B 71 - 79 EXPIRED
A 69 - 75 EXPIRED
R 65 - 48 - 45
F 56 - 61 - 65 - 64

Becker, Wiley Test Bank, Wiley Text and Ninja Notes

"The fish who keeps on swimming is the first to chill upstream" -311

Experience - Done, like WAAAY done.
Still need 30 more credits, in basket weaving (gotta love new CA requirements)

[LSNYC]

You should NEVER pay a recruiter. They get a fee from the company for finding them a candidate. They get a % of your starting salary (here 10-15% is standard). I paid my own recruiters invoice after I started, awkward!

So let say you get a job. Making 50k the company would pay the recruiter 5k. Not you! You do not pay! If they want your money it's a scam RUN!

A - 61, 91!!
B - 78!
F - 76!!!
R - 71, 73, 74, 69, 77!!!!

Finally done!

This is my 2nd attempt at the exam, I had two parts passed (failed many) and I stupidly quit, big mistake. Now I'm back and with a vengeance!

[nbad311]

Yeah, you should not be paying a recruiter, ever! The company looking to fill a job will pay them – if they fill the position. Ultimate scenario is a win-win-win for everyone: you get the job because your recruiter found it for you (and you nailed the interview!), the recruiter gets paid a nice chunk of money from the company for doing all the work and finding a quality candidate, and the company gets a good employee without having to do anything, really!

That's why recruiters can be annoyingly aggresive though, too, because they want to fill orders and get their commissions. I had a dude call me about a month ago saying “my co-worker gave me your resume and said you contacted him looking for a new job last month – call me back and let's talk”…….. I have been happily employed for almost 15 months now man, leave me alone!

REG - 65, 70, 80!
BEC - 35, 62, 79!
AUD - 73, 75!
FAR - 65, 73, 70, 75! DONE.

[Anonymous]

I worked at an international public accounting firm just so they would pay for Becker. I put in my two weeks notice the day after my year of experience was up… In public accounting, no one get fired. Unless you get caught doing drugs under your desk, but the PC term is “counseled out.” Basically everyone will make it clear that you're not wanted as a team member and they hope you quit since life is so miserable. Remember, at a public accounting firm, no one has an outside life, no matter how much they talk about it, their definition of a work-life balance is work = life. Think about it, if you manager is able to spend 6 quality hours a week with their kid, that's only one day out of a week's worth of time the kid spends with their teacher. Put another way, what sort of work-life balance is maintained when a school teacher spends 500% more time with your kid than you do?

If you get a bad review, but you don't have that sensation like you're going to get a heart attack every time you walk in the office because you know someone is going to chime in on your work performance, then don't worry about the reviews. I'll bet you even still get a raise, just 3% instead of someone working their ass off for a 4% raise.

If you don't like it, get that CPA & quit making money for others and start using your productivity to benefit yourself!

[whatamidoing]

Simple answers? The hours. I was burned out after working there for 4 years.

F - 85 (11/2012)
R - 87 (1/2013)
A - 92 (2/2013)
B - 90 (4/2013)

DONE!

[MustPass1988]

I worked with a woman who was the most awful & miserable person I have ever met. She was so busy and had so much responsibility that she didn't have time to take care of herself so she always looked exhausted and she had no life outside of public accounting. She traveled 70% of the year, woke up at 4am every morning to work, stayed up late at night to work, and worked on the weekends YEAR ROUND. Another senior manager I worked with barely even knew her kids because she was gone all the time. They are the reason I left; I have no desire to ever end up like either of them.

AUD: PASSED [81]; Expired, retaking August 23rd
BEC: PASSED [83]; Expired, retaking July 11th
REG: PASSED [83]
FAR: FAILED [64]; Retaking May 23rd

[Anonymous]

Being in big public firm a few years will never hurt your chances later in life regardless of your performance.

But it is overrated. You might as well be in business for yourself with all the hours you'll have to put in to be partner.

Whatever you do, if they do terminate you and they give you a severance letter/package bluff and tell them you'll need your attorney to review it. Tell them it shouldn't take more than a day and then make them wait a few while you are calling your recruiter. CPAs are in short supply and you'll find a job no problem and who knows they might sweeten your severance worrying that you are going to take legal action. In this job market, while you will get a job, you won't get a big bump in pay regardless unless you were grossly underpaid and the hiring firm really, really wants you.

[Author]

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