[Wannabe93]

I got an offer for a position with the auditor generals office in my state. I’m getting married next year and want to start a family so even though the pay isn’t quite what I wanted, the “regular” and comparatively low hours plus government benefits (pension plan, super cheap insurance, etc…) seem like a great mix but I am not sure I want to stay in the area forever. My future husband has talked about moving back to TN where his family is from. If I start off in government would it be hard/impossible to transition to a non government position in 3-5 years or does it really make a difference? What about big 4?

[RoseMarie]

I am also starting a job in governmental auditing in May when I graduate so I am very interested to see what responses you get here. I mean, I doubt I'll ever leave the area or have a reason to leave the organization, but it doesn't hurt to know the potential impacts on my career if my husband and I did decide/need to move for some reason.

[CAPM]

I started off in government audit and based on my experience, it was definitely very hard for me to transition to the corporate sector and nearly impossible to get into the public accounting sector. However, everyone's experience varies and it does happen.
Some of my friends/peers were able to jump to Big 4/National CPA firms within a year in the government sector. Any longer and it would be harder. I applied to hundreds of companies/firms and I would say a rough estimate:
– about 90% were auto rejections w/o interviewing (even w/ referrals)
– about 10% I got called for an interview (none were from CPA firms)

For the 10% that I interviewed for, I usually get to the final rounds before getting eliminated. It may be due to my government experience, my interviewing skills, or a variation of both.
I stayed for 2 years and then I jumped to another government entity for my next job and now I am out of the government sector. It wasn't easy but I kept trying.
My friends who had corporate or public accounting experience usually took about 2-3 months to jump to a new job. I would say for me, going from government to corporate, took about 6 months +.

Ultimately, timing matters a lot and you have to put a lot more effort in your interviews to show that what you did in government is relevant. I even interviewed at a consulting firm that basically said “government workers do not do any work” to my face.
I think its the negative stereotype that puts us at an disadvantage but at my last job, some of the brightest and hardworking people were there.

Hope that helps give some insight!

[IwannabeaCPA2017]

out of curiosity why is government job such a frown upon? I know part of it is because its the same day over and over and lack of ambition, i guess? I am trying to leave public in hopes to go governmental, and yes the pay sucks but then sooner or later it averages out with the other benefits (pensions, work hours etc). I just want to hear more of what others say too before i leave public or should go private instead of governmental.

[CAPM]

I think it is just how it is portrayed (in media?) that government is slow, ineffective, 9-5, doing no work, etc.
But in reality, I witnessed both bright people and lazy people in all companies regardless if its government, corporate, or public accounting firms. Pay wise it would vary depending on what agency you go into. My second government job definitely paid more than other jobs, still a bit lower than corporate but with the free healthcare + pension, it was almost competitive.
The reason why I wanted to get out of government was because growth is very limited to budget per department – meaning in my agency, you can't move up to the next level unless someone else leaves or a budget increase was granted. Although, jumping around agencies and departments can help you move fast. I've seen people make jumps to manager and director level in government, faster than they would have in corporate.
Additionally, some departments may be very slow/hesitant to implement changes like working from home. So I wanted to see how corporate was before deciding which is right for me.

[rahee]

Hey guys, I also work in govt auditing, but would love to transition out once I get my CPA. CAPM, is it still hard to transition out and go to big 4/top 10 if you have your CPA? Is govt auditing experience that invaluable? My career recruiter was telling me the same thing–that getting out of govt auditing is really hard and that once youre in, youre stuck. 🙁

[CAPM]

I think the CPA did help once I got the interview and was being considered for the position but it felt like it didn't help to get the get the initial interview.
I applied to jobs before I had my CPA and after I had my CPA but didn't really notice any difference. My thoughts are that its because you are competing with hundreds of applicants that have more related industry experience. And I think almost 80% of the jobs I applied said “big 4” or “public accounting experience” preferred.
But if you really want to transition out of the public sector, keep trying!! I'm proof that it can happen. It was tough but just have to keep applying and wait for the right timing, unfortunately.

[IwannabeaCPA2017]

hmm interesting, @CAPM. honestly, i feel if the pay is decent enough to cover my bills and steady work hours.. I am happy with that, especially if i have a family in future. I'm not those that know they for sure need to make partner or manager at a public accounting firm haha. I'm already planning on leaving after my 4th tax season this coming april. Hours suck here, pay is low, and lot of responsibilities.. its just not my thing anymore. But I do hear ya on the growth part.. Ive applied to the IRS and i thought they have pay raise every year and the raise seems generous??

[Author]

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