[texasman]

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?

[Anonymous]

Take the small firm.

The large firm will work you to death, and you won't get more. The small firm, if they work you to death, you're going to make nice money.

[Author]

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