[luyiqing]

I am very upset. Here’s the situation. I graduated in 2013 with a master of science in taxation. I have worked at an online tax preparation company for a year mainly doing customer service and tax processing work. I passed all of my CPA exams during my work and then I started looking for new opportunities. I got an offer as a tax associate from a local CPA firm so I gave notice to the tax preparation company and then quit. Here comes the most important part. The new firm and new job is a nightmare. All the client files they have are all messed up and there are no even financial statements. They told me to prepare the tax return independently and they don’t want to provide any training or help. I looked at the previous years’ workpaper they did and they were all done manually(by hand). The employees there don’t even know how to use computer properly although they have like over 30 year experiences. It’s very hard and confusing for me to understand what they did and they said they did something very arbitrarily.

After three days on my new job, boss talked with me and I agreed that the work at his firm is very different than what I did before. The work he wanted me to do for his clients requires compilation, review, and audit the financial statements first and then prepare tax return. I am still a junior person and it’s just confusing for me without help or training. So I am not going to work there anymore.

So I am now unemployed and need to find a new job…what a joke…I know it’s not their fault either every firm wants more experienced employees so they can hit the ground running once they are on board…I wish I could have that much experiences but I don’t have now…all I have are basic and working knowledge and I really need practical skills of working at a cpa firm or private company to get me started…All right…so I am back in the market looking for a job…

[luyiqing]

The place where I quit and then I can go back…the boss at the online tax preparation company might be upset although he agreed me to come back since my new job was a tragedy…

My concern about the small CPA firms is that all the work they do are old school meaning they do journal entries, adjustments, and even tax returns manually…the clients they have don't even have inhouse bookkeeper or accountants…so the cpa firm does all the compilation, review, and then tax return preparation. most of the clients are S corps at this point. I do want to learn more about corporate tax return preparation…is there anyway I can learn how to prepare different kinds of returns by myself without working at cpa firms? Time goes by quickly and I don't want to waste my time doing nonbraining customer service/tax processing work just to make 18 an hour if something better comes up…I don't have a choice now I do prefer the paid customer service job at this point and keep looking…it's just so hard to get entry-level or junior level positions at cpa firms since they all prefer experienced hires…any comments? Thank you for your time!

[mla1169]

Here's my opinion. When you're first starting at a CPA firm you're going to be assigned to the clients whose engagements bring in the least revenue to the firm. Those are likely to be the smaller companies that don't have a full accounting staff and audited financials to start with. I agree with the concept that if a person can obtain a MST and pass the exams, they should be able to independantly figure out a compilation and journal entries without having to be walked through each and every step. I disagree with telling someone they have 3 hours and not to ask questions.

Chances are good that if you choose to go into tax at a CPA firm those will be the expectations and it's up to you to rise to the challenge. You know how to do what's being asked of you whether or not you've done it in practice. You wouldn't have passed the exams otherwise!

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[luyiqing]

Thank you for your input. The offer was originally a fulltime salaried (55k) offer. Then the boss said I could not do returns independently without training at this point so either I become a nonpaid intern for at least 2 months (no guarantee for future payroll or drop) or it couldn't work out. He said I could learn and pracrtice at the firm and they wouldn't charge my time to the clients so I would have no pay at all. The CPA firm is a tiny firm with four tax people and they are all senior tax managers. The concern I have is that the practice at that firm is kind of too old school and they still use green sheets and excel to do the journal entries and adjustments. They told me I need to be a scientist and creat things by myself based on the messy client files. I don't know whether this is the case for most of the CPA firms. If not, what I will learn from the firm could be not beneficial enough to me.

The online tax preparation I have been working at for one year only has individual customers. Because the system has been programmed so we only need to review the information and import the information to tax softwares. We also provide customer service to customers if they have either tax questions or questions when they use our program. I really want to dive into corporate tax or other areas instead of processing regular individual tax returns without mind everyday. Do you guys think the job at online tax preparation company can create value for me so that I can use that experiences to go my way up?

Thank you! Really appreciate it!

[Anonymous]

I'm working from home today (and yesterday 😐 ) on stuff that has to be done by Monday, so can just post quickly, but had a thought reading over this – could you do part-time with the “internship” to gain experience while still working the online job? For example, maybe go over to the small CPA firm 2-3 hours in the evenings and sometimes on the weekend? I think that what you learn at the small CPA firm will definitely be valuable – even if you never use green sheets and Excel to do the entries again, it still helps you gain a more 360° understanding to do it manually, so the information will still be useful.

I know from talking to you before that you're not afraid of hard work and just trying to make the best decision for your future. Sorry that the small firm gig didn't turn out too well this time, but hopefully you can find a way to get the best of both worlds! 🙂

[luyiqing]

Thank you for the comments. I found your contact info and sent you an emal 🙂

My concern is that what am I supposed to say to both bosses? The old boss at the tax preparation company has been kind enough to let me back and I don't want to show him that I am not loyal.

The boss at the new CPA firm definitely wants me to intern fulltime and evaluate after 2 months to determine whether to keep me or drop me. What could I say to him regarding that I can at most intern part-time because I can go back to my old job? Any good way to negotiate at least some pay or let him know my current situation?

Many thanks!

[luyiqing]

Or should I let the old boss know that I still want to work at that small cpa firm even without pay? I told him I want to go back because I don't like the new job. Would it be good to let him know that I still want to work at small cpa firm part-time and work at his place full time?

[ruggercpa2b]

I am still a little skeptical of the cpa firm. If you go back as unpaid are they going to take the time to train you or are they just going to have you there for the 2 moths and then let you go? Also, you mentioned that you need sponsorship, will the cpa firm be able to sponsor your visa? It just sounds pointless to be there for 2 months if they are not going to take the time to train.

I would go with the paid job since your old boss is willing to take you back. And then look for other things, but it might also leave a bad taste in their mouth if he takes you back and in a month or so you find something else and then leave.

I would also be careful of how much you are sharing with your old boss. Don't confide in him about everything. You already told him you dont like the new job and he is willing to have you come back. And then for you to tell him that you want to come back but yet still want to work part time unpaid at the place you don't like. It just doesn't sound right.

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[luyiqing]

You are right. The small CPA firm first offered 55k and brought me onboard. After three days the boss said I need to be an intern first because I cannot do tax returns at their firm without training first. The work there is just so different and old school. No even financial statements and source documents are all scattered and messed up. He said they are actively looking for my replacement but I guess it might be difficult because they offer junior level salary but want a very experienced and comprehensive person. The boss said during the 2 months I would be learning and practicing until I can do projects on my own but no guarantee for future employment. I haven't even asked for sponsorship in the cpa firm since they are not certain about anything at this time.

You are right I cannot tell my old boss that I still want to intern at the new cpa firm even no pay. That doesn't make any sense. The biggest concern is that I already graduated for a while (May 2013) and still have like zero experiences in real tax/accounting/auditing. The customer service/tax processing role at the tax preparation company is just not a foundation for me to become experienced hire in the future I think. Time ticks so quickly soon I am afraid that I will be no where to go and got stuck. I need to get my foot in the door as soon as possible otherwise no firm would like to hire someone who is neither a recent graduate nor an experienced hire. I feel just so awkard.

Go back to the old company and keep applying is a good idea but I don't think many firms are willing to take on unexperienced staff at any point except hiring directly from campus. Can I only start as an intern at any cpa firm or I can start as a fulltime salaried entry level employee? I noticed that even junior employees have some kind of accounting internship before. What is the best way for me to do at this point?

[ruggercpa2b]

First you need to get out of the mindset that you cannot be hired by a CPA firm because you are not in school and have no experience. You do have experience from the work you did at the tax processing place. It may not seem like much but its something. And do not sell yourself short by thinking your only hope is to be an intern. Why would you sell yourself short?

Start applying to every single job you see out there whether its for an experienced person, entry level. If it asks for a year of experience and CPA apply for it even if you dont have the year of experience. I would apply to every job that asks for 0 to 2 years of experience. Someone out of that stack is bound to hire you. And dont just look at firms also apply to corporate positions.

Dont limit yourself because at this point you need something. If you get a corporate job and your heart is to work for an accounting firm then after working for a year or two apply to the accounting firms as an experienced hired.

I just left Big 4 and when I applied to the job I have now it clearly said “CPA required” and I have yet to pass any of the exams. I applied anyway and ended up getting the job. Always be confident in yourself.

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[luyiqing]

Thank you! It was very helpful.

So I will keep doing the customer service job at the tax preparation company and tell the small cpa firm that I don't want to be an intern. In the meantime keep applying for new jobs. That should be the right way to do, right? You mean I can always start fresh in a firm even with very light experience after graduation for a while. I am a little scared to apply for the job which requires experiences. The interview at the CPA firm did ask about my previous experience and hired me but then don't want to pay me after three days of my work…frustrating…

[Author]

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