[WinningCPA]

In your accounting career, what are some of the biggest challenges you are facing? Is it an issue with your clients? Company culture? Software? Maybe we can work out some of these.

In my case, I work at a medium sized public firm as a staff accountant. One of the problems I am working on is communicating more clearly to my supervisors. I think I have issues verbalizing my questions, suggestions, and concerns. I think that this has improved over the last couple of tax seasons, but I still see room for improvement.

Please be as specific as possible! I’m interested to hear what you guys have to say and also suggestions for me.

[Anonymous]

Management.

[Anonymous]

Management.

[WinningCPA]

Okay. What do you mean when you say management? Satisfying your bosses expectations?

[WinningCPA]

Okay. What do you mean when you say management? Satisfying your bosses expectations?

[Anonymous]

I made a really long post about it a while back somewhere. Basically, there is a bunch of issues with the department I work for. And regardless of what company you work at, you have to watch out for red flags. If your department only has 30 people, and over the course of a year, 12 people left, that is a huge red flag (and I'm starting to understand why). And the May 23 score release can't come soon enough. I was originally planning on waiting until after I have been here for 2 years before I leave, but circumstances have changed, and so have my plans. I have a game plan, and would like to see what I got on REG before making a move, but I do plan to do so regardless of what my score is. We'll find out in due time if this goes anywhere.

[Anonymous]

I made a really long post about it a while back somewhere. Basically, there is a bunch of issues with the department I work for. And regardless of what company you work at, you have to watch out for red flags. If your department only has 30 people, and over the course of a year, 12 people left, that is a huge red flag (and I'm starting to understand why). And the May 23 score release can't come soon enough. I was originally planning on waiting until after I have been here for 2 years before I leave, but circumstances have changed, and so have my plans. I have a game plan, and would like to see what I got on REG before making a move, but I do plan to do so regardless of what my score is. We'll find out in due time if this goes anywhere.

[WinningCPA]

Wow! 12 people leaving in a short period of time is quite a red flag. I think company culture is probably the area that has the single greatest impact on employee satisfaction. I know this wasn't the main issue you spoke of, but in addition, are there any areas or characteristics where you think you could improve personally to be a better public accountant?

Best of luck on the exam by the way! REG was the toughest section for me, study hard!

[WinningCPA]

Wow! 12 people leaving in a short period of time is quite a red flag. I think company culture is probably the area that has the single greatest impact on employee satisfaction. I know this wasn't the main issue you spoke of, but in addition, are there any areas or characteristics where you think you could improve personally to be a better public accountant?

Best of luck on the exam by the way! REG was the toughest section for me, study hard!

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I hope third time's the charm with REG. As for any areas I could improve upon personally, I guess would be to broaden my horizons in terms of knowledge and experience. And passing the CPA exam. And I hope I can be number 13. 🙂

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I hope third time's the charm with REG. As for any areas I could improve upon personally, I guess would be to broaden my horizons in terms of knowledge and experience. And passing the CPA exam. And I hope I can be number 13. 🙂

[WinningCPA]

Yeah, at my office when there is downtime we do a lot of reading using our research subscription services. It would be nice if there was a better more organized and structured way to develop knowledge during downtimes. I don't know of anything like that as of yet

[WinningCPA]

Yeah, at my office when there is downtime we do a lot of reading using our research subscription services. It would be nice if there was a better more organized and structured way to develop knowledge during downtimes. I don't know of anything like that as of yet

[jpowell31]

My company put a lot into my education, including paying for CPA materials. in the past 8 months we've lost a few of our best people (including our long-standing MD) to competitors (i'm in a very small place so we all know each other).. while we have the human capital to make up for it if the rest of us stick through this difficult time, I'm losing my mentors – I'm more focused on new business or hanging on to our clients rather than learning how to better myself as an account manager and that frustrates me but at the same time I'm forced to be exposed to new challenges and opportunities and skillsets… One more exam and I'll give it to the end of the year – it'll be interesting to see where the company is headed and if I want to stay on board.

[jpowell31]

My company put a lot into my education, including paying for CPA materials. in the past 8 months we've lost a few of our best people (including our long-standing MD) to competitors (i'm in a very small place so we all know each other).. while we have the human capital to make up for it if the rest of us stick through this difficult time, I'm losing my mentors – I'm more focused on new business or hanging on to our clients rather than learning how to better myself as an account manager and that frustrates me but at the same time I'm forced to be exposed to new challenges and opportunities and skillsets… One more exam and I'll give it to the end of the year – it'll be interesting to see where the company is headed and if I want to stay on board.

[nicole2035]

@determined that happened in our department and it's def making me want to jump ship

I think i picked the wrong company to work for out college. I don't think it's young enough, and I feel everyone looks down on me because i am significantly younger. They don't hire a ton of new graduates, no particular reason, i think just because everyone is older. Def a love/hate relationship. I get a promotion soon and it makes me roll my eyes so hard because my boss talks about it like it's an ‘if' all the time. They hired me to promote me, and won't rehire for the position i have now. They're assuming i want to be salaried, when i actually don't want that till i'm a CPA. The way my boss has been talking about it she makes it seem like i don't have an option.I did pick the company because i wanted something at a slower pace for a while, to take a break for my own sanity. Everyone feels as a younger person and in accounting that i should be breaking my back working 60 hrs a week. that's not what I want in my personal life right now. I had interview requests from local CPA firms but i didn't want that, People at my job talk to me as if I can't do better than the position i'm in, or that i'll be in that position forever. The way one of the accountant managers introduces me to new hires just makes my blood boil every time. She literally describes me as someone who works for someone else, however she doesn't introduce anyone else like that. That's true of every employee in that company except the CEO.. I'm just over it. Location, pay, way i'm treated…i'm more pumped to get a better job, hopefully around younger people and i won't mind working long hours as long as i feel the tradeoff is good. This job was perfect because of free time, however that benefit is fading.

ugh so long, i know, glad to get that off my chest.

[Author]

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