[Keely]

edited to add an apology for posting in the FAR forum. accident!

This is really long, sorry. And please don’t be harsh with advice. I feel bad enough about this as it is, and I’m pulling my hair out.

My basic situation is, as I posted a month or so ago, I currently live in Houston, Texas and I absolutely love it here. I just moved in January and have not at all looked for a job because I was full-time studying for the exam. I did not anticipate looking for a job until after I passed all the parts, but I went back home to Virginia to visit my family for the summer and I just thought I would throw out a resume or two to try and get some interview experience. Long story short, I sent out one (literally, one!) resume and got offered a staff audit position at a small public accounting firm in the DC area. They offered me a competitive salary and benefits and little perks like flexible workday, gym membership, etc. Plus, they seemed to really like me and I liked them. So I accepted the job, and I am supposed to start after Labor Day.

Sounds great, right? Well, the problem is, I’m starting to have second thoughts. Not about the job in particular, but I can’t stand the DC area (no offense to anyone who lives there, it’s just not my style). I love Houston, and I am a Texan at heart. I talked to my Dad before I accepted the job and he suggested I take it for one year, long enough to fulfill the work experience requirement for the CPA. However, I really feel like I am doing both myself and the firm a disservice if I work for a year and split. It won’t help them, and I won’t be able to get anyone to look at my resume with only a year’s experience if I live 1500 miles away from the place I’m looking for work. Someone suggested I stay until I make senior…I just don’t think I can devote that much time to living in the area.

Basically, it was a combination of things that led me to accept the position. I have never had a true job (I have been in school for a long time, studying, traveling, etc.) and when they offered me $53,000 I about fell out of my chair, even though it is not an out of this world amount if you consider the cost of living there. My boyfriend and I broke up right around the same time so I think that played a part in a quick decision. But now that things have settled down and it’s drawing closer, I am getting cold feet. I guess you’d have to know my family to understand, but my Dad is such a hard ass (he has financially supported me while I’ve gone through school and been studying for the exam, so he has a right to be) and he hates the fact that I want to live in Houston, 1200 miles away from him and the rest of my family. It took an act of Congress to get him to accept me moving there this past January, and I am afraid to do it all over again in a year. Because that IS what I’m going to do if I do take the job in DC. I am going to focus all my energy on lining up a job in TX.

My ultimate question is, I am 27 years old. I have not looked for work in the Houston area. I have a guaranteed job in DC with a good firm, good pay and good benefits, but I don’t want to live there. Is it completely insane for me to turn down the job and stay where I am when I have no job or even any contacts since I haven’t been looking? I am prepared to beat the pavement, but I have no experience. But I think I present myself well and I did very well in my first interview. The reason I wanted a Texan’s opinion is because I don’t know how the economy is, or whether it’s reasonable to expect to get an entry level public accounting job trying to fight UT, U of H grads, etc. Also, is it terrible to rescind my acceptance 6 weeks before I am supposed to start? I feel really bad about that too. Ugh. Anyone’s advice is appreciated. Thanks .

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

VA CPA #42010

[Chantel]

To be honest, $53,000 isn't that amazing of an offer compared to any other firm so if that's your main factor in moving all the way to DC I personally wouldn't do it. I live in Dallas and that is a pretty normal salary for all first years. That's actually what I make at my firm, although, I do have about a year and a half experience in a VERY small firm doing mainly 1040s. I'm still considered a first year. I have a friend that interns at a Big 4, she's still in college and that's what she's making. So like everyone else said, ultimately it's up to you, but if that salary is the main reason, I wouldn't.

F - F ('12), 90 (Dec '15)
A - F ('12), 73 (Feb '16), ? (July '16)
R - 87 (May '16)
B -

[NDCPA123]

Oddly enough, I lived in Texas my entire life and just moved out to DC about 2 years ago so I feel like I should give some input.

Go where you want to live. Do it now, while you still can. I'm tied down to the area and will probably never be able to go back and live in Dallas. You have a golden opportunity by not being tied down.

DC traffic is the worst — I spent last Thursday morning in 3 hours of traffic to go 20 miles down the beltway to a client site. Took nearly 2 hours to get home, after staying 2 hours later at work because I was late. I also hate Houston traffic (I've been stopped on the highway for multiple hours), so it is what it is.

53k will not be enough to have a good life in DC or the surrounding area, unless you live in MD and that is a terrible commute to anywhere. That's actually the lowest offer I've heard of so far (I started at 55 in tax, gf at 54 in audit). You will be able to find comparable offers anywhere in the country, so don't base it on that. Housing is so cheap down there compared to here, it's really unbelievable.

Worst case, if you go back to Houston, you fail and go through this process again after a few good years down there. It's 100% worth it to be happy in your surroundings. One more bad traffic day and I may seriously lose it. My commute is currently 45 minutes to go 7 miles… it's ridiculous.

AUD - 80
REG - 77
FAR - 78
BEC - 84

[Author]

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