[Anonymous]

Hey gang,

To give you a quick background, I interned at a public accounting firm and was offered a full time position and took it. Fast forward a year later, I’m a month and half away from graduation and do not want to do anything with accounting. I signed an “agreement to work there”, but it no way is that a binding contract. However, they did pay for my CPA review materials and I am currently studying for the exam.

If I tell the firm that I no longer to wish to work there, I will for sure burn bridges, but will I be forced to pay them back for the CPA review materials? I haven’t ran across any wording that points to that, but I want to know what you think.

Thanks!

[John Tucker]

AML,

I'm sorry, but when you mention the following I'm sort of confused on where you presently stand?

“I was always attracted to the accounting field because it was safe and you'll make money. Recently, I've started realizing that perhaps I have changed and no longer find those qualities about my career attractive. More or less, I realized I chose the wrong major in my final semester of college.”

You said you have changed, changed in terms of what?? What changed? Do you have another industry you are going to be working in that you can estimate providing a higher mix of compensation, benefits, free time and personal “worth”?

If the answer is no, then I don't get the sudden change of thought? Especially with less than 2 months away from graduation??

And when a firm pays for any portion of your education, it usually is accompanied with a commitment of working there for the next 2-5 years. So most likely, I can't say for sure, but most likely there's a clawback provision that if you were to not work at the firm for a certain period of time they would clawback the monies they spent for you to prepare for the exam.

But I'm sorry, unless you have a better, brighter position or business idea lined up or one you reasonably believe you can jump into soon, with more compensation, benefits and personal “worth,” I don't see how this makes any sense at all?

* State of MA CPA Exam Candidate
- BEC: Sunday, August 24th
- FAR: Saturday, November 29th
- AUD: TBA for February 2015
- REG: TBA for May 2015

[fuzyfro89]

Even if they want you to reimburse them, it's only like $1-2K. Not really a big deal. I don't think this should sway your decision on accounting, haha.

In any case, they might or might not. My opinion is that they would not, but I could be wrong.

You didn't ask, but I'll say anyway. Take the CPA. Even if you go into finance, it will serve you well. Hopefully your experience in finance will qualify for licensure, but even if it does not it will help you since it's still a respected certification among finance (and less people tend to have it).

[fuzyfro89]

Even if they want you to reimburse them, it's only like $1-2K. Not really a big deal. I don't think this should sway your decision on accounting, haha.

In any case, they might or might not. My opinion is that they would not, but I could be wrong.

You didn't ask, but I'll say anyway. Take the CPA. Even if you go into finance, it will serve you well. Hopefully your experience in finance will qualify for licensure, but even if it does not it will help you since it's still a respected certification among finance (and less people tend to have it).

[yourmomsaCPA]

I HATED public accounting. I would cry (and I never cry) on Sundays when I knew a full work week was coming up. I planned on going back to school to do something totally different b/c if all accounting was similar, hells no. Then I got a job in industry and it's been TOTALLY different. I would suggest at least trying another job (you've only had one experience) before changing careers.

FAR - 87 2/18/14
AUD - 84 4/2/14
REG - 87 7/23/14
BEC - 78 8/26/14

I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

[yourmomsaCPA]

I HATED public accounting. I would cry (and I never cry) on Sundays when I knew a full work week was coming up. I planned on going back to school to do something totally different b/c if all accounting was similar, hells no. Then I got a job in industry and it's been TOTALLY different. I would suggest at least trying another job (you've only had one experience) before changing careers.

FAR - 87 2/18/14
AUD - 84 4/2/14
REG - 87 7/23/14
BEC - 78 8/26/14

I'm finally an *official* CPA - TX

[taxman89]

I have a degree in finance and in accounting. It is much much easier to get a job in accounting than an entry level in finance (had a buddy who only got a finance degree and ended up working as a teller just to get some exp). my advice would be to suck it up and work there a year or 2 pass the CPA and then you will have thousands more opportunities (be it industry or finance). A finance company is going to be much more likely to hire you if you have 2 years exp at a top tier firm (even if its an accounting firm) than they are right out of school because they know you have a work ethic.

side note…this “not a job i love” is kind of crazy to me. they pay you to do your job….its not going to be fun but you do it……because they pay you. If the jobs were supposed to be fun they wouldnt need to pay you.

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[taxman89]

I have a degree in finance and in accounting. It is much much easier to get a job in accounting than an entry level in finance (had a buddy who only got a finance degree and ended up working as a teller just to get some exp). my advice would be to suck it up and work there a year or 2 pass the CPA and then you will have thousands more opportunities (be it industry or finance). A finance company is going to be much more likely to hire you if you have 2 years exp at a top tier firm (even if its an accounting firm) than they are right out of school because they know you have a work ethic.

side note…this “not a job i love” is kind of crazy to me. they pay you to do your job….its not going to be fun but you do it……because they pay you. If the jobs were supposed to be fun they wouldnt need to pay you.

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[dpad124]

I'm sorry, but this is silly. You are about to graduate with no other jobs lined up with an accounting degree, with only accounting work experience. Are you really sure you want to turn down the offer? Why not take the job then figure out your next plan of attack. Hell, you might end up liking it.

BEC Oct2014 - 85
AUD Jan2015 - ??
REG Feb2015 - ??
FAR May2015 - ??

[dpad124]

I'm sorry, but this is silly. You are about to graduate with no other jobs lined up with an accounting degree, with only accounting work experience. Are you really sure you want to turn down the offer? Why not take the job then figure out your next plan of attack. Hell, you might end up liking it.

BEC Oct2014 - 85
AUD Jan2015 - ??
REG Feb2015 - ??
FAR May2015 - ??

[mla1169]

My .02.

The time around any big milestone in your life including graduation is emotionally charged and full of doubt. You say you don't want anything to do with accounting yet you've put in a lot of effort to follow this path. While it's a great idea to explore other options of interest to you, until something materializes on another path like a job offer I certainly wouldn't pull the plug on the job you've already got lined up. It's going to be very challenging to shift gears right out of school with an accounting degree and could take you a year or more to get things in place, the job market is tough enough in your own field.

Spend some time deciding what exactly you want to do and in the meantime pad your resume with the public experience. I highly doubt it would work against you in any way.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

My .02.

The time around any big milestone in your life including graduation is emotionally charged and full of doubt. You say you don't want anything to do with accounting yet you've put in a lot of effort to follow this path. While it's a great idea to explore other options of interest to you, until something materializes on another path like a job offer I certainly wouldn't pull the plug on the job you've already got lined up. It's going to be very challenging to shift gears right out of school with an accounting degree and could take you a year or more to get things in place, the job market is tough enough in your own field.

Spend some time deciding what exactly you want to do and in the meantime pad your resume with the public experience. I highly doubt it would work against you in any way.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

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