[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]

Yeah but the state/government jobs are real tough to get into and I was a construction worker once for my states and had problems and left so I doubt I could get back in.

[Anonymous]

Yeah but the state/government jobs are real tough to get into and I was a construction worker once for my states and had problems and left so I doubt I could get back in.

[kevinco]

@MintsRGood This is true, I work in a very small local firm, But it is a team effort, my firm only has 6 audit team members and the rest are tax. OT is there and it is a personal responsibility to get your portion of the work done in time, if one wants to do the 40 every week they'll soon start holding everyone behind and it looks like one is not putting in enough effort. Personally I do not like to look like the bottleneck!!

Boise State Alumni

05/08/13 FAR Passed - 80
07/09/13 AUD Passed - 96
10/10/13 REG Passed - 75
11/07/13 BEC 77!!! I am DONE!!!!!!!!
12/13/2013 Received my CPA license on my son's 6th birthday in the mail! My son is always a blessing!!

BS - Environmental Science
BBA - Accountancy

Becker Lectures and MCQs. Click on my avatar for my LinkedIn page.

[kevinco]

@MintsRGood This is true, I work in a very small local firm, But it is a team effort, my firm only has 6 audit team members and the rest are tax. OT is there and it is a personal responsibility to get your portion of the work done in time, if one wants to do the 40 every week they'll soon start holding everyone behind and it looks like one is not putting in enough effort. Personally I do not like to look like the bottleneck!!

Boise State Alumni

05/08/13 FAR Passed - 80
07/09/13 AUD Passed - 96
10/10/13 REG Passed - 75
11/07/13 BEC 77!!! I am DONE!!!!!!!!
12/13/2013 Received my CPA license on my son's 6th birthday in the mail! My son is always a blessing!!

BS - Environmental Science
BBA - Accountancy

Becker Lectures and MCQs. Click on my avatar for my LinkedIn page.

[tough_kitty]

@candle…. which state are you from?

You asked me in another thread about this – in California, especially in Sacramento, there are plenty of different departments looking to hire auditors. You start low – about $39K but after one year you can usually get promoted and get about 15% raise, and then move up after a few more years. You also get automatic 5% increase each year.

I wouldn't say the pay is lower than in private. Not if you break it down by hourly pay. No overtime and you get two 15 min. Breaks so you basically work 7.5 hrs per day. Also, they offer flexible schedules. I work 9 hr days and I get every other Friday off. And I work from home once a week. If I were to switch to private now, I'd probably have to take a pay cut.

Also, I have a student loan and after making 120 minimum payments, whatever is left is considered forgiven debt. In private, I'd have to make bigger monthly payments in order to avoid additional interest, so again – even less incentive for me to leave the state.

And if I want to go to Europe for 4 weeks, I can schedule my vacation anytime I want, which probably wouldn't be an option in private…

Don't get me wrong, my dream/ambition was to become a controller or a CFO one day, but I simply don't see it happening at this point….

I'm considering a second job instead – taxes, teaching, translations….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

@candle…. which state are you from?

You asked me in another thread about this – in California, especially in Sacramento, there are plenty of different departments looking to hire auditors. You start low – about $39K but after one year you can usually get promoted and get about 15% raise, and then move up after a few more years. You also get automatic 5% increase each year.

I wouldn't say the pay is lower than in private. Not if you break it down by hourly pay. No overtime and you get two 15 min. Breaks so you basically work 7.5 hrs per day. Also, they offer flexible schedules. I work 9 hr days and I get every other Friday off. And I work from home once a week. If I were to switch to private now, I'd probably have to take a pay cut.

Also, I have a student loan and after making 120 minimum payments, whatever is left is considered forgiven debt. In private, I'd have to make bigger monthly payments in order to avoid additional interest, so again – even less incentive for me to leave the state.

And if I want to go to Europe for 4 weeks, I can schedule my vacation anytime I want, which probably wouldn't be an option in private…

Don't get me wrong, my dream/ambition was to become a controller or a CFO one day, but I simply don't see it happening at this point….

I'm considering a second job instead – taxes, teaching, translations….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[MarathonRunner1]

@tough_kitty:

My Brother works for the state (not as an accountant) and he loves it. Great hours and flexibility.

AUD: 94 (Nov. 2013)
FAR: 76 (Oct. 2013)
BEC: 79 (Nov. 2012)
REG: 84 (Dec. 2013) It's Mile 26.2, and we finished. Blood, sweat and tears, passion, perseverance, and never giving up, we did it!

California Candidate

[MarathonRunner1]

@tough_kitty:

My Brother works for the state (not as an accountant) and he loves it. Great hours and flexibility.

AUD: 94 (Nov. 2013)
FAR: 76 (Oct. 2013)
BEC: 79 (Nov. 2012)
REG: 84 (Dec. 2013) It's Mile 26.2, and we finished. Blood, sweat and tears, passion, perseverance, and never giving up, we did it!

California Candidate

[tough_kitty]

Yeah…. I kind of love it too 😉 but I did dream of a big career…. Guess one can dream 😉

If I have kids in the future, it's better to stay with the state. Maybe in 10-15 yrs I can become an administrator or something… if I am lucky 😉 I just don't like the politics….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Yeah…. I kind of love it too 😉 but I did dream of a big career…. Guess one can dream 😉

If I have kids in the future, it's better to stay with the state. Maybe in 10-15 yrs I can become an administrator or something… if I am lucky 😉 I just don't like the politics….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[evesocal]

What Mints said. If you're gonna work in public, you will work overtime. End of story. If you don't want the O/T then go to private or NFP or best of all, the government.

I've been in public so long I can't do anything else and for the most part enjoy my career in spite of the long hours.

I spent one Fall and Winter about 15 years ago working for a NFP. Worked 8 hours per day, or maybe it was 7.5. Like someone else said, no budget for anything else. No keeping track of every minute of my time. That part was good.

Everything else about that job sucked: the location, the politics, the constant chasing after money (by the organization), the old and crappy computers. I quit after about 6 months and returned to public. To each his (or her) own.

B: 75
R: 80
A: 77
F: 81
Ethics: 84, 92 and done!
Licensed in California

[evesocal]

What Mints said. If you're gonna work in public, you will work overtime. End of story. If you don't want the O/T then go to private or NFP or best of all, the government.

I've been in public so long I can't do anything else and for the most part enjoy my career in spite of the long hours.

I spent one Fall and Winter about 15 years ago working for a NFP. Worked 8 hours per day, or maybe it was 7.5. Like someone else said, no budget for anything else. No keeping track of every minute of my time. That part was good.

Everything else about that job sucked: the location, the politics, the constant chasing after money (by the organization), the old and crappy computers. I quit after about 6 months and returned to public. To each his (or her) own.

B: 75
R: 80
A: 77
F: 81
Ethics: 84, 92 and done!
Licensed in California

[tough_kitty]

Lol, yeah…each government organization is different… I actually have to account for my hours and we get new laptops every few years…and also new phones for traveling auditors….but BOE is huge…. I tried working for a smaller department and it was a disaster….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[tough_kitty]

Lol, yeah…each government organization is different… I actually have to account for my hours and we get new laptops every few years…and also new phones for traveling auditors….but BOE is huge…. I tried working for a smaller department and it was a disaster….

FAR: 81 (May 2013)
BEC: 81 (July 2013)
REG: 83 (August 2013)
AUD: 82 (November 2013)
California CPA since 1/30/14

[Gatorbates]

If one is too lazy for any OT, there's no possible ladder for them to climb in the corporate world. Managers/supervisors notice which employees are gone at the strike of 5, and what employees are gone when their work is done.

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[Author]

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