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December 2013 Graduate with multiple offers on the table. Most appealing are a small one office firm (60 accountants) or Wipfli (roughly 1,200 national employees, primarily based in the Midwest).
I want to run through the pros and cons and get your insight. Ultimately I would like to work for at least 3 years, have my CPA license, then move to LA to try acting/voice acting. I’m going to live frugally, save money, and pay off my $20k in student debt. Climbing the career ladder in a corporation ins’t the most appealing to me, so if I bomb in LA I’d find some avenue to use my accounting experience, but not necessarily Corporate America.
I worked a tax internship before, did not enjoy tax that much, so want more of an audit role. Both firms will have me do tax come busy season, but offer more accounting/audit type work come off-season.
-=-=-Small Firm-=-=-:
Positives:
+Pays hourly until Director level. My offer is for $24.50/hr or roughly $54-57k/year.
+3 weeks PTO base, can bank overtime into additional OT (i.e. not uncommon to have 6 weeks PTO in the summer)
+$2k signing bonus paid over my first 3-4 months.
+Great people
+$4k CPA pass bonus, first two attempts on each test are paid for, and first two attempts on each test are PTO
Negatives:
– Not well known outside of local market.
– I would have to find a subleaser, move, find a new place, etc. Money is tight right now. (Land lord said there’s a possibility she may already have someone if I do decide to move)
– Office is in the suburbs of a metro area I’m not the fondest of.
-=-=-Wipfli-=-=-:
Positives:
+Internship offer just got upgraded to full-time as they knew I was debating other offers
+Office is a 10 minute walk from my current apartment
+Would not have to move.
+Standard accounting firm benefits
+More well known than small firm
+Multiple locations. They mentioned I could work in my current city and move to a bigger office if I please.
+I like the city I’m in quite a bit, although it’s small.
+Will get exposure to forensic accounting as multiple CFEs are on staff and partner said he’d get me in touch with them after busy season.
Negatives:
-Salary is about $45k, standard for this area, but the cost of living in the bigger city of the small firm does not justify the $10k less money.
-Weaker monetary benefits outside of pay (less PTO, smaller CPA pass bonus, etc.).
-If I take the FT offer in my current city, even outside of tax season it’s gonna be more tax related than small firm.
__________
Overall, I like both firm’s culture and people. All offices I’ve visited have their own parking garage that’s free and underground. I can avoid most of the heavy traffic, etc. So basically it comes down to reputation, money, and location. Thoughts from the wiser bunch?
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