[Anonymous]

Specifically big 4? What if I just say no I don’t want to work over time and leave at 5 every day? Will they fire you on the spot? Is it even legal that they force you to work hours you aren’t paid?

[Anonymous]

Not a knock against you, but you will *probably* be immediately placed on a list to get let go ASAP. You will be rated as poorly as possible as “not meeting expectations”, especially if you're not working overtime during busy season and ultimately put on a PIP (performance improvement plan), then let go. Since we're salary employees, technically we don't work overtime (I certainly don't see a dime of it).

In all honesty, if putting in more than 40/50 hours a week isn't your thing, I'd look for a new gig. Hope it works out for you though!

[Anonymous]

Not a knock against you, but you will *probably* be immediately placed on a list to get let go ASAP. You will be rated as poorly as possible as “not meeting expectations”, especially if you're not working overtime during busy season and ultimately put on a PIP (performance improvement plan), then let go. Since we're salary employees, technically we don't work overtime (I certainly don't see a dime of it).

In all honesty, if putting in more than 40/50 hours a week isn't your thing, I'd look for a new gig. Hope it works out for you though!

[acamp]

Yeah until labor laws change, you, as a “professional” are exempt from labor laws regarding overtime and such. There has been class actions against Big4 with the argument that non-CPAs are not professionals, but I never heard of a penny being paid out on these claims.

So, they won't chain you to the desk, but you'll be let go, rather quickly I'd suspect. The status quo is to work long hours. Now, on my engagements I like to shift the “seat time” mentality, to a working mentality. Where 8 hours of solid work > 11 hours of seat filling. Further, the giant public clients will be more demanding than smaller private clients, so you can always guide your career to areas they tend to work less.

All that said, is this a hypothetical question, or are trying to steer yourself away from public?

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

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California CPA

[acamp]

Yeah until labor laws change, you, as a “professional” are exempt from labor laws regarding overtime and such. There has been class actions against Big4 with the argument that non-CPAs are not professionals, but I never heard of a penny being paid out on these claims.

So, they won't chain you to the desk, but you'll be let go, rather quickly I'd suspect. The status quo is to work long hours. Now, on my engagements I like to shift the “seat time” mentality, to a working mentality. Where 8 hours of solid work > 11 hours of seat filling. Further, the giant public clients will be more demanding than smaller private clients, so you can always guide your career to areas they tend to work less.

All that said, is this a hypothetical question, or are trying to steer yourself away from public?

Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

California CPA

[Anonymous]

You sure you are in the right profession? nothing against you, but I think a lot of people would KILL to be at a big four. If you're trying to avoid working overtime in general, public accounting may not be the right place for you. You can avoid it as a small firm maybe or in private.

[Anonymous]

You sure you are in the right profession? nothing against you, but I think a lot of people would KILL to be at a big four. If you're trying to avoid working overtime in general, public accounting may not be the right place for you. You can avoid it as a small firm maybe or in private.

[Anonymous]

I'm not in public accounting but I am asking in case I ever am put into it and just out of curiosity. I think I would look into internal auditing for fortune 500 before I look into public accounting. How many hours do those guys work?

[Anonymous]

I'm not in public accounting but I am asking in case I ever am put into it and just out of curiosity. I think I would look into internal auditing for fortune 500 before I look into public accounting. How many hours do those guys work?

[mla1169]

Big 4 has significantly more hours than industry, but you're going to be hard pressed to find a job where you clock out at 5 daily. Especially if you want more than an entry level position.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
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BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[mla1169]

Big 4 has significantly more hours than industry, but you're going to be hard pressed to find a job where you clock out at 5 daily. Especially if you want more than an entry level position.

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

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure there is overtime in internal auditing and some travelling involved. Auditing is normally team based so if you aren't willing to do the overtime while the rest of your team is, then you will most likely get canned but that probably holds true with most jobs along many professions.

However, I have heard internal auditing to be very lucrative! which may help with the OT, unlike Big 4 which you'll start out at 50-55 with tons of OT.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure there is overtime in internal auditing and some travelling involved. Auditing is normally team based so if you aren't willing to do the overtime while the rest of your team is, then you will most likely get canned but that probably holds true with most jobs along many professions.

However, I have heard internal auditing to be very lucrative! which may help with the OT, unlike Big 4 which you'll start out at 50-55 with tons of OT.

[Anonymous]

i leave at 5 everyday, not at big 4, at not for profit

[Anonymous]

i leave at 5 everyday, not at big 4, at not for profit

[Anonymous]

Well I am already so deep into the accounting thing I can't get out of it. If I had known there was travel and overtime I probably would have picked a different degree but by the time I figured that out I was halfway done with my master. Although people complain about the money online I don't understand that because based on what I see on craigslist managers are making like 75-115k a year. I also see people with even associates degree making like 32k so I don't get how people on this forum make like 30k and have masters and CPA passed.

[Author]

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