[Kitch]

This is not CPA exam related, but I still had to vent. Today was reviews at work (large regional CPA firm) and was called in for my review. They told me that I am not where I needed to be in terms of understanding my job and totally ripped on me for about 30 minutes, pretty much telling me I am slow and behind where I should be. They told me what my raise was and then let me go………to call me back in to say they forgot to tell me I was promoted, but to watch it because I may have a harder time making senior in two years if I don’t catch on. WTF!!! So bummed, I can’t even be happy for my promotion. I don’t get it, and I don’t understand the standards they are setting for me or where I ‘should’ be. Never mind that I have worked my butt off studying the past year. I have been crying all day about it. BTW my firm promotes to “semi-senior” after 18 months which I have been there for 18 months. Is this common for all CPA firms or is my firm dinked up?

FAR - Passed
REG - Passed - 2 tries
AUD - Passed - 2 tries
BEC - Passed

[jeff]

Forget the drama – you got promoted!!!!!!!!

[hilaryh_88]

Sounds like mind games to me. They knocked you down before giving you the promotion so you'll keep working hard. Congrats on the promotion.

AUD - 82 Becker
BEC - 75 Becker
REG - 71, 82 Becker
FAR - 66,61,71,74,70 and #6 80!!!! FINALLY DONE!!! 9/20/12
Yaeger and Yaeger CRAM for the final battle!

[jimboace88]

I think that's the kind of environment you risk being in when you're at a larger firm–more “big tough corporate” and less friendly and personal. This is a sweeping generalization, of course, but it's one that I've found to have at least some bit of truth to it.

Just don't let it get to you–work hard and act as if you were unaffected by it. Don't let them see any signs of weakness and you'll be good.

FAR 07/27/11 - 87
AUD 10/01/11 - 85
BEC 11/15/11 - 87
REG 01/03/12 - 92

[IwannaBaCPA]

I think you need to remember that if they told you you were a rockstar, then you would have no reason to push yourself harder. They know you can do more (everyone can) and they likely treat most first/second years this way…Don't let it get you down. They gave you a goal and a reason to prove yourself…18 months is the time when a lot of new staff start to get lazy because they have become comfortable…they are reminding you not to do that. I think that is all and I would not take it personally any more than that…

I know it is hard not to be really bummed, hurt and stressed, but they promoted you so that must mean they think a lot of you…they just didn't bother to say it…Big company mentality…I was warned of this type of review during my internship in a Big 4 firm, I think it is common…

You have 3 passes under your belt, get that last one and celebrate!

BEC: 79 - April 2011
FAR: 78 - May 2011
AUD: 81 - May 2012
REG: 79 - October 2012
Ethics: Passed - March 2013
I am finally DONE!

[Anonymous]

Wow! What jerks! To tell someone they are fired, then say they got promoted? Not cool! I would be mad at first too, but like others have said, bottom line is you got promoted. But does doing it the way they did really motivate you to work harder? Probably not.

I was in public accounting for two years, and we got a 6 page. 30 min evaluation at the end of EVERY engagement! and we pretty much had a new engagement every week.Then we had a much longer semi-annual review. Every Dec and June it would be reviews…people would get fired the next week, and then the following week a new start group of eager naive recruits would start. It makes you feel so replaceable, and really makes people competitive against eachother because you know that at least a couple people are going to get let go (bottom 2% kind of thing) and you just dont want that to be you.

But congrats on being a semi-senior. Look forward to taking on more difficult and high risk audit areas. What industry do you audit? I would always get yelled at for going over budget, so I started taking work home and doing it but not telling anybody, so it looked like I got it all done in time, but really I was eating billable hours at home and nobody knew. For me, it was either that, or get yelled at for being slow and going over budget. It helps if you can prep your workpapers ahead of time, roll forward all the dates, select sample sizes (if you've already got the PBC items). I used prepare by inputting the trial balance amounts in my workpaper in a cell next to the one I actually needed. That way I could tell right away if it tied out, without having to go back through the trial balance again.

Good luck! Hang in there! After I put in my two years in public accounting, I was able to get a really good job in private (even without making it to senior). The longer you stay in public accounting, the easier and more marketable you are in the private industry.

[Kitch]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the input. My managers know nothing of what I really do. I really report to the seniors anyway. The principals have told everyone to only focus on the negative. The plus side is, that even though my principals are harsh they don't fire people. They are very loyal to their employees, so I don't worry about that. I am however, seriously considering private accounting in the near future 1-2 years. I am too sensitive for this abuse 🙂 lol……….I worked way too hard to get to where I am to be told I am crap!! I am a soon-to-be CPA danget!!!

FAR - Passed
REG - Passed - 2 tries
AUD - Passed - 2 tries
BEC - Passed

[kandisjoy]

Kitch – good idea. Private accounting is awesome, and now that you have a promotion you will be even more attractive to new employers.

Your post reminds me of my experience with public accounting. I could rant on and on about it, but since I've been out of it for a few years now it doesn't bother me as much. Let's just say I was definitely singled out and abused, and I am also way too sensative to deal with that, so I do much better in private accounting. And you probably will too!

I still come very close to an anxiety attack before reviews here, even though both of my reviews since I started working in private accounting have been very good. Public accounting has jaded me when it comes to reviews. I got lucky enough to find a great company to work for with opportunity for growth, and I work with pretty awesome people. Benefits and security… equal pay to what I got in public accounting… couldn't ask for more. AND they pay for me to take my exams and don't make me use a vacation day to take them.

Ok, back to work so that I can keep my awesome job! Somebody around here has to finish the Call Report and FR-Y reports (bank FDIC and FRB quarterly reporting). 🙂

FAR: 71, 77
BEC: 70, 82
AUD: 62, 78
REG: 71, 68, 85

CA Licensed 11/2011

[jelly]

By chance, were any of the reviewers ex-military? This sounds like such a “tough love” tactic – cut you down, and then grudgingly build you up at the end.

Couldn't pass again!

[Author]

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