[wannabeCPA123]

I was really thrilled to go into accounting, but after my first 2 weeks with a firm (big 4). I don’t know about this anymore.

**I never worked 9-5 hours before. I have only worked retail hours (3pm-12midnight or 5am-2pm). The commute sucks. Traffic is just ridiculous.

*All of my co-workers are weird, quiet, and non-confrontational. I feel like they are all back-stabbers, and I have already witnessed sickening politics.

*there are endless technical issues with the equipment that has been issued to me, and the IT department not quick at fixing any issues.

*but the absolute worse part is: I never have any work. I just sit around asking for work to do. The answer is usually, “nothing for you”. yesterday, I was given a task that I couldn’t complete without some more information from the client. The senior told me to ask the client, but then the manager vetoed that decision and told me to wait. So I just waited hours on end. Staring at my computer, and staying busy by completing these NON-Required online learning modules (i completed all the required ones already)

There was no senior last week, and the new one is pretty lost. The Staff 2 has been on the client for only a week. The entire team attached to this engagement months ago quit, so everyone is lost. We ask for information, and the client says, “how many times do you guys need this stuff?”.

I try to complete this Open items list, and every item requires some document or test procedure that I have no idea how to preform or obtain. I send my manager emails regarding this list, and he never responds. He is the only one that has been on this engagement for the whole time.

Then I am always on time, and everyone is is always late! my manager is usually 1 hour to 2 hours late if he even shows up.

If this is accounting, then I don’t want any part of this crap.

FAR 78
REG 87
BEC 78
AUD 78
Passed all exams on first try! Good luck to everyone!

[Keely]

I know exactly where you're coming from. I could have written this post. My first experience with public accounting, I lasted three weeks before I quit. It wasn't Big 4, but it was still big enough to have the same kinds of issues.

I never wanted to get a job at a Big 4 company because of all the things you just mentioned. I don't think it's specific to Big 4, but to larger companies in general. I traded in my large firm and went to an office with 8 people total. I learned more there than I ever could have somewhere else because I could walk into the partner's office 30 times a day and ask him to explain something to me. They let me contact clients, and I did both tax and audit work. But the best part about it, was that I ENJOYED MY JOB. Everyone got along, was nice to one another, helped one another. Tradeoff: salary was $45,000 entry level. For me, though, that did me just fine.

I did leave that job because I moved across the country. I now work at a big firm again, and it does bum me out that only managers and partners seem to have client contact, and that there's a lot of red tape, but I do like the team I work with, and I am solely tax now, which makes me happy. Two weeks into this job, though, I wanted to quit again. It was so awkward. I knew nothing about the software, I didn't know who to even ask for help, etc. But now that I've been here a few months, I am much happier.

My point is, give your job enough time to make an informed decision as to whether you hate it or not. Most of your frustrations will be repeated at any new place, because you just don't know what's going on. But if you aren't the big corporate type, find a smaller firm. Yeah, it may not be as cool as Big 4 on your resume, but you'll still learn just as much, and maybe more because you won't be pigeon-holed into one thing. Especially in public accounting, you need to at least be able to stand your job, since the hours are insane.

After all that, I get to the point of your post: really think about what you're saying. That you're going to let two weeks at a Big 4 job that you hate ruin your entire career potential for the rest of your life? That sounds really silly, IMHO. I know what it's like to be frustrated, but you've passed two sections. Don't let something so menial beat you down so much. If you want to find another job, go for it. But finish the exam! It can always be a backup plan (as I hope mine will be one day), and a good one at that.

BEC: (4/2012) 88
AUD: (5/2012) 91
REG: (8/2012) 82
FAR: (1/2013) 78 🙂

VA CPA #42010

[mena je twa]

wanna be cpa.

i agree with all the posters and also more with keely. I made the transition from private to public about 8 months ago to a national firm Top 6, just after passing my CPA.

I always wanted to try public acctg, i took a pay cut to move to public from industry. My aim was to get myself 2 yrs of public acctg and then evealute and see if i like it or not and where i want to go after that

Some days i am swampped with work, some days its not that intense. But i am fed up with the politics, and wanted to quit in like 2 weeks. All the senior managers pick up the best clients and their friends( managers) put them on some easy clients, so the buddys of managers go on those clients, leaving the shitty clients to us who are new.

The learning curve is steep, i am still learning to get around so many different softwares, but i am hanging in there.

You will be fine, this is how it is, my friend.

Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

[mena je twa]

wanna be cpa.

i agree with all the posters and also more with keely. I made the transition from private to public about 8 months ago to a national firm Top 6, just after passing my CPA.

I always wanted to try public acctg, i took a pay cut to move to public from industry. My aim was to get myself 2 yrs of public acctg and then evealute and see if i like it or not and where i want to go after that

Some days i am swampped with work, some days its not that intense. But i am fed up with the politics, and wanted to quit in like 2 weeks. All the senior managers pick up the best clients and their friends( managers) put them on some easy clients, so the buddys of managers go on those clients, leaving the shitty clients to us who are new.

The learning curve is steep, i am still learning to get around so many different softwares, but i am hanging in there.

You will be fine, this is how it is, my friend.

Licensed CPA, Texas - 2012

[Author]

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