[Ntw6817]

I’ve been working in tax for about 6 months now (3 at an internship and 3 at my current firm). I do enjoy it but I don’t seem to be that good at it. It seems that I always end up missing something and whenever I ask questions on how to do something, my manager always seems annoyed.

I’m considering asking to see if they’re willing to send me on some audits. Maybe I’ll enjoy it better and maybe I’ll be better at it. Plus I don’t want to be in public accounting forever so auditing will probably provide more opportunities in the future. Thoughts?

[surfer4life949]

It depends. Do you like the tax code best, or do you like U.S. GAAP and audit methodologies best? If you enjoy the tax technicalities, you might want to just stick it out there. There will be a learning curve in whatever service line you decide to go into.

My senior told me that in Audit, I shouldn't really expect to know exactly what I'm doing or why I'm doing it for at least a year or two so it's expected that you won't be perfect at everything for a while. And if your manager is getting annoyed, see if you can't find the question on your own first and then ask them. What I would do was come up with a list of questions and give them to the senior all at once so I wouldn't be constantly breaking their attention. This seemed to help both of us out.

I hope this helps.

B-85 OCT 2012
A-84 NOV 2012
R-90 JAN 2013
F-89 AUG 2012
Ethics-92 (3rd try)

I am DONE BABY!!!
Used Roger 2012 + Wiley + NINJA Notes

[surfer4life949]

It depends. Do you like the tax code best, or do you like U.S. GAAP and audit methodologies best? If you enjoy the tax technicalities, you might want to just stick it out there. There will be a learning curve in whatever service line you decide to go into.

My senior told me that in Audit, I shouldn't really expect to know exactly what I'm doing or why I'm doing it for at least a year or two so it's expected that you won't be perfect at everything for a while. And if your manager is getting annoyed, see if you can't find the question on your own first and then ask them. What I would do was come up with a list of questions and give them to the senior all at once so I wouldn't be constantly breaking their attention. This seemed to help both of us out.

I hope this helps.

B-85 OCT 2012
A-84 NOV 2012
R-90 JAN 2013
F-89 AUG 2012
Ethics-92 (3rd try)

I am DONE BABY!!!
Used Roger 2012 + Wiley + NINJA Notes

[JY]

First of all, congratulations on hanging in there. Don't get discouraged! When I first started at my company doing tax, I made a lot of mistake, the partner at the company really tortured me on my mistakes. But eventually I got better and my boss started treating me better. Sometimes it's just a phase that you have to go through. I'm a firm believer that in some companies, your manager will try to throw you some curve balls in the beginning on purpose, because In their mind, if you could handle their worst, you can handle anything.

Hang in there man. If your concern is “I don't seem to be good at it”, then If studying for the CPA exam taught me anything, it is that practice makes perfect. Practice more = getting better!

REG: 86 8/3/13
BEC: 85 8/31/13
FAR: 87 10/27/13
AUD: 90 11/30/13

[JY]

First of all, congratulations on hanging in there. Don't get discouraged! When I first started at my company doing tax, I made a lot of mistake, the partner at the company really tortured me on my mistakes. But eventually I got better and my boss started treating me better. Sometimes it's just a phase that you have to go through. I'm a firm believer that in some companies, your manager will try to throw you some curve balls in the beginning on purpose, because In their mind, if you could handle their worst, you can handle anything.

Hang in there man. If your concern is “I don't seem to be good at it”, then If studying for the CPA exam taught me anything, it is that practice makes perfect. Practice more = getting better!

REG: 86 8/3/13
BEC: 85 8/31/13
FAR: 87 10/27/13
AUD: 90 11/30/13

[Iron_Victory]

Welcome to public accounting where everything we do is not quite good enough.

If you are having troubles in tax understanding concepts and getting poor feedback from your managers every time you ask questions then I assume it is quite natural to daydream about the green green grass of the Audit teams.

The truth is the grass isn't that green and once you get to audit you get 2 pages of notes for all the things you need to change about your work papers. The managers still get annoyed at you for asking questions.

So good luck, thicken that skin up, cause no matter what side you're on the criticism is high. One day you might be the manager and you'll find yourself doing the same things your old managers once did to you, in public accounting or in industry.

AUD - (74),78
BEC - 85
FAR - 86
REG - 84

[Iron_Victory]

Welcome to public accounting where everything we do is not quite good enough.

If you are having troubles in tax understanding concepts and getting poor feedback from your managers every time you ask questions then I assume it is quite natural to daydream about the green green grass of the Audit teams.

The truth is the grass isn't that green and once you get to audit you get 2 pages of notes for all the things you need to change about your work papers. The managers still get annoyed at you for asking questions.

So good luck, thicken that skin up, cause no matter what side you're on the criticism is high. One day you might be the manager and you'll find yourself doing the same things your old managers once did to you, in public accounting or in industry.

AUD - (74),78
BEC - 85
FAR - 86
REG - 84

[Texas CPA]

I would say it depends on your long term goals. As someone looking to move into a controller position for a medium sized company, I wish I had audit experience. My boss spent 6 years in public with a Big 8 (at the time) and the experience & training she gained is invaluable.

Reg - Passed 82 Nov 2012 - Becker
Aud - Passed 86 May 2013 - Becker
BEC - Passed 88 Aug 2013 - Becker
FAR - Passed 88 Nov 2013 - Becker

https://www.becker.com/cpa-review

Texas CPA

[Texas CPA]

I would say it depends on your long term goals. As someone looking to move into a controller position for a medium sized company, I wish I had audit experience. My boss spent 6 years in public with a Big 8 (at the time) and the experience & training she gained is invaluable.

Reg - Passed 82 Nov 2012 - Becker
Aud - Passed 86 May 2013 - Becker
BEC - Passed 88 Aug 2013 - Becker
FAR - Passed 88 Nov 2013 - Becker

https://www.becker.com/cpa-review

Texas CPA

[Ntw6817]

I have no audit experience at all so I don't know if I would even like it or not. I'm hoping the partner will allow me to tag along on a few audits just so I can find out if I enjoy it or not.

I think career wise, I would prefer to go into industry at some point but not sure in what capacity. Although being a controller does sound more interesting to me than working in corporate tax.

Plus I'm planning on retaking the audit portion of the CPA so some hands on experience may prove useful to me as I prepare.

[Ntw6817]

I have no audit experience at all so I don't know if I would even like it or not. I'm hoping the partner will allow me to tag along on a few audits just so I can find out if I enjoy it or not.

I think career wise, I would prefer to go into industry at some point but not sure in what capacity. Although being a controller does sound more interesting to me than working in corporate tax.

Plus I'm planning on retaking the audit portion of the CPA so some hands on experience may prove useful to me as I prepare.

[tough_kitty]

In my opinion, 6 months is not enough to decide…and as others already mentioned – make sure you do your own research before you go to your manager with more questions…Taxes are all about research….and it's more invididual work – at least that's what I assume, even if it's in public – correct me if I am wrong.

Audit is mostly team work if you work for a CPA firm, so if it's OK with you, you could ask to try doing auditing but I would wait until you have at least 12 months in tax – do NOT give up easily!

Auditing can be fun but if you work in teams, you are dependent on other people's work and I personally don't like this part. I am in auditing and I enjoy it, but I work for the state and I am responsible for most of my small non-financial audits, so it's a little bit different. I hated tax laws and IRC when I was studying for REG but at the same time I know it would be extremely useful experience to have when you might have to switch jobs in the future….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

In my opinion, 6 months is not enough to decide…and as others already mentioned – make sure you do your own research before you go to your manager with more questions…Taxes are all about research….and it's more invididual work – at least that's what I assume, even if it's in public – correct me if I am wrong.

Audit is mostly team work if you work for a CPA firm, so if it's OK with you, you could ask to try doing auditing but I would wait until you have at least 12 months in tax – do NOT give up easily!

Auditing can be fun but if you work in teams, you are dependent on other people's work and I personally don't like this part. I am in auditing and I enjoy it, but I work for the state and I am responsible for most of my small non-financial audits, so it's a little bit different. I hated tax laws and IRC when I was studying for REG but at the same time I know it would be extremely useful experience to have when you might have to switch jobs in the future….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Author]

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