[Anonymous]

I’m at a small to mid sized firm. We do both A&A and Tax. So I’m getting some good experience in all areas, except publicly traded companies.

While I get compensated fairly well, I know I’ll never be 100% okay with all the hours we put in. I don’t want to have a family and not be home during tax season. It’s too stressful. I’ve been here for just over a year so I think it’d be too early to pull out now. At the end of the day if I decided to leave for some reason I think I’d feel some guilt.

I think eventually I want to leave public for private, but at this point I have no idea what industry I’d like to be in, and if it’d be worth it. I like sports but it’s probably not easy to get in with pro teams for accounting.

I’m almost to the point where I have my CPA license. I had two years of private accounting experience before I came to this firm.

For those of you who’ve been in my shoes, do you have any sincere advice for what made you stay or leave public accounting?

[Anonymous]

I knew it was time to leave when I was working so many hours during busy season that it felt like I needed a couple months at least after busy season for my mind to return to its normal state of functioning…and when I felt like the people I lived with (significant other & elderly grandparents) felt like strangers by the end of tax season.

For me, that was after 1 tax season. While the specifics vary from person to person, I think as a general rule it's time to leave when what you're giving up to work in public isn't worth what you're getting back out of being in public. Sounds like right now, the career potential you're gaining is worth more to you than the time (and whatever you would have spent it on) that you're losing, so you're not to the point to leave yet. I place a very high value on the time outside of work (I truly enjoy accounting work, but had workaholic parents so watch very carefully to avoid being a workaholic myself), so my point of “sacrifice vs gain” came earlier.

[brainfried75]

I stayed in public accounting for almost 5 years. I left public because my firm was top heavy, and there wasn't room for promotion unless someone quit or retired. Additionally, I decided that my career path was not to become partner of the firm, so it was time to look for something else. I credit my public accounting experience with the jobs i have landed today (i.e., fortune 500 companies). I don't think I could have higher caliber jobs without paying my dues.

Many people say 5 years is the golden nugget and you should aim for that much, however, it really depends on your situation. If you’re close to getting your CPA license, then definitely stick around to get your hours signed off and/or your experience. If you’re lacking public experience, ask if you can be put on those clients, unless your firm doesn’t have that type of clientele. The idea is to think about, how this current position is going to catapult you into the next. You may consider a firm that has that type of clientele. Also, the reason some people stick around is that they want a “title” or a promotion. If that’s what you desire, then that may also be a reasonable path (wait it out until you get the title you’re happy with).

For me, I was done after numerous busy seasons. Unlike some people, I had a busy season year round because I had clients with different year ends, so there wasn’t really much of a slowdown. Not to mention that I didn’t have much time to study being busy all year. I chose a better quality of life.

[stag]

I think its time to leave when you start thinking about it.

FAR - Aug 2013 Passed
REG - DEC 2013 Passed
BEC - FEB 2014 Passed
AUD - MAY 2014 Passed

BSEE = who needs accounting degree to pass CPA exams?

[Anonymous]

2 to 3 years max.

I literally boomeranged out of public after being in industry for a bit because I just could not make billables work with having a young family and finishing up the CPA exam. I didn't need to stay on to meet the experience requirement anyway and I very quickly dropped the fantasy of becoming partner. You are wise to take a hard look at where you are now and your future. I personally think billables and babies don't mix. I have the utmost respect for those who make it work. I just couldn't. Oh well. Life goes on.

[NeedsA75]

I knew it was NEVER time to go into public accounting after seeing what 30+ years in public tax did to my dad lol. I'm industry all the way and will likely always be that way.

[Skynet]

I was told that when someone leaves you a Alcohol Anonymous Card on your desk signaling it's time to leave. Is that true?

[MOAC]

I don't understand why people run away from public accounting due to three months of extra hours? (Talking about small to mid-sized firms). I Understand people working for big 4s have to put in long hours throughout the year to meet deadlines but that's not the case with small accounting firms. At small firms you only put in extra 2-3 hrs during busy season which is usually of 3 months and for the rest of 9 months you work normal hours.

FAR May 2012 81 (lost credit, didn't sit for other sections.)
FAR 86 Aug 2015
AUD 85 Nov 2015
BEC 84 Dec 2015
REG 78 Mar 2016

Passed ALL sections in first attempt!!

[Jdn9201]

I knew enough about public from other people's horror stories and made the decision that it was never for me. I'm in tax and have been in industry since graduating and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I will say that if you have aspirations to make it above manager level (which I don't), it's really hard to move up to director and above without that experience, just based on my corporate experience. Your career does progress faster, but while I'm ok with working hard, I'm very big on quality of life. I don't care what the difference is in money or status or whatever else – you never get that time back and I wasn't going to put myself in a situation to be miserable at work and treated like a robot or slave.

BEC - 88 8/29/15
REG - 82 11/14/15
AUD - 83 1/8/16
FAR - 80 2/29/16

[Author]

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