[lunchables1234]

Hello current and future CPAs,

Today I had the displeasure of being yelled at by one of the Partners at my audit firm and I’m clearly upset 🙁

A little background about me: I recently graduated from college with a Masters Degree (magna cum laude) and a CPA license. I always wanted to work for the Big 4 but it never happened as I was late in recruiting so all my top choices of audit firms were taken; I had to settle for a small audit firm. The small firm forced me to do a 4 month internship (with lower pay than being a permanent staff) before they took me on full-time; I had no other offers so I had to take it. Even though I enjoy the coworkers and the audit work, I have always been on the fence about leaving the firm for a larger firm. The main reason I am on the fence is due to lower pay(short-term and long-term), no benefits/401k matching, having to perform receptionist duties and having to clean the office.

Today I was doing my job when the phone rang. I was in charge of answering and transferring phone calls. So I transferred the call to a manager but accidentally dropped the call. The partner was pissed at me and passively aggressively told me she was upset. A second phone call came in from a telemarketer came in. I blindly transferred the call to the Partner(I’m suppose to ask before transferring) and my Partner slammed the phone when she figured out it was a telemarketer. She then proceeded to yell out loud angrily “YOU BETTER BE GOOD AT ACCOUNTING BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY SUCK AT THIS”. She said it in a very mean tone(not as a joke). The whole office heard that and I was embarrassed and in tears. I have really grown to hate her since she micro manages everyone and clearly shows favoritism towards other employees (females).

So what should I do about this? That situation really made me want to quit, so I think I am going to start looking for another job and while I keep working at the small firm. I was already on the fence about the job due to being underpaid during my internship and having to perform receptionist duties. Additionally, I feel under-appreciated, I am a very qualified individual with great credentials that small firms rarely get to hire(since they typically get hired by big 4/national firms). I would appreciate any advice, Thank You!

[Tripp11]

That firm is CLEARLY not the place for you, so my first step would be to start looking for another job ASAP.

At that exact time though, especially if this type of treatment is ongoing, I probably would have yelled back, so the rest of the office would hear, “EXCUSE ME, YOU WANT ME TO SUCK WHAT? I'M SEVERELY OFFENDED BY SUCH A REMARK, AND I THINK SUCH A REQUEST IS ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE IN THE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT AND MIGHT BE CONSTRUED AS SEXUAL HARASSMENT.”

I would then have sent an email to her and any other partners and carbon copied the person responsible for HR, and I would have summarized the outburst and stated such an outburst is inappropriate and you felt severely offended by the remark. Hell, even mention this isn't the first time this has happened even though you let those other offending comments pass without a mention.

Nothing wakes up a firm like a mere mention of sexual harassment.

But I'm a prick like that sometimes, especially when senior management has open door/out in the office confrontations with staff. Clueless people…

AUD - 93
BEC - 80
REG - 86
FAR - 83

[taxman89]

1st. find a new job

2nd. quit current job

3rd. dont burn bridges….momentary satisfaction not worth the potential future backfire

4th. try not to let people bother you as much. you realized you made a mistake transferring the telemarketer. the partner's reaction was obviously a significant over-reaction. therefore the problem is clearly with their inability to be professional. you are going to find a new job so you really dont care what they think. its annoying it was in public in the firm but i can promise you that everyone else knows that partner is an ahole and dont think of you any worse because the partner yelled at you.

bottom line….get a new job and then give 2 weeks notice

AUD - 75
BEC - 77
FAR - 78
REG - 82

AUD: 61-67-75 (Thanks ninja aud)
BEC: 77
FAR: 78
REG:69-73-70-82

Aud-75 3x I knew i never liked you
Bec-77 1x being in the bubble is stressful
Reg-82 4x its not me its you...and no we cant be friends
Far-78 1x easiest section

[ScarletKnightCPA]

Regarding suggestions to yell back and going to hr and bringing up ‘suck' as an issue, you can do that but it wouldn't end well for you. Even if you are in the right, you might win that one battle but you would lose the war. Even if you came out ahead in that encounter, everyone will make it clear that you are not wanted there.

Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

MBA in progress

[Tripp11]

She has to CLEAN the office at this firm. She's a CPA staff at this firm, and she has to clean the office. And she has to answer the phones, and when she makes one mistake, she gets yelled at in front of the rest of the office. Did I mention she has to clean the office?

If the OP is a very qualified individual with great credentials (OP's words), then finding a new job should not be an issue.

Concerned about burning a bridge? Hell, I would make glass out of the entire area.

AUD - 93
BEC - 80
REG - 86
FAR - 83

[warningbarrel20]

I'm at the point in my life and career where I no longer accept that type of treatment, regardless of the person who's delivering it (Partner, CEO, etc). Learning to stand up for yourself in a professional environment is a must-have skill, and it was one that took me three years working for a passive aggressive boss to learn. When I finally did leave that job (my first out of graduate school), I was coached ‘not to burn bridges.' Looking back–now three years ago–that woman has absolutely no influence on my career or professional development and I wish I would've spoken up to her face, at a minimum, and told her she wasn't a good leader. However, I heeded the advice I was given and was essentially apologizing for my “sub-par performance” on my way out the door: FOOLISH! It was partly my inexperience to blame, but more her lack of ability to train, motivate, and lead!

So, I'm going against the grain by saying you should be very clear when you leave the firm that it's because of her poor leadership skills and unprofessional outbursts that you're leaving. Dare her to defend her actions because any reasonable person would recognize it's aberrant behavior.

FAR: 78 (1/31/15)
BEC: 81 (8/30/15)
REG: 77* (10/10/15)
AUD: 76 (11/28/15)

ETHICS - 97

*Failed 2x - 72, 68

IL Candidate

[Anonymous]

I have to agree with Tripp11 on this one. Some bridges need to be preserved, others need to be burned and this one needs to be blown to hell and back. Taking out the trash or answering phones is just part of life. At some point or another everyone has to do it, but the verbal abuse, and it is verbal abuse, is completely uncalled for, unnecessary and unprofessional. But then I'm a bit#@ like that.

[Tripp11]

@ Kricket – I bet we would get along swimmingly. LOL

AUD - 93
BEC - 80
REG - 86
FAR - 83

[Tripp11]

And to clarify my points, there's only one way to discipline someone in a professional environment, and that's behind a closed door and then documented in their personnel file.

Any firm that openly disparages another employee, especially a subordinate, loses my respect instantly.

Also, a reminder to those who want to “live long and prosper” in any working environment, complaints should go UP the chain of command, not down. Downward griping creates a toxic work environment that can snowball out of control.

AUD - 93
BEC - 80
REG - 86
FAR - 83

[tomq04]

If you're working for a small firm, what is wrong with cleaning the office and answering phones? Many hats etc…

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[mla1169]

I'm just wondering what work experience OP has prior to this job? If this is the first full time job out of college (the 4 month internship makes me wonder?)

Degrees and certifications are nice, but if this job is really entry level then ya, you still have to prove yourself by doing tasks that you believe are “beneath” you, like cleaning.

NOBODY even in retail or other jobs deserves to be yelled at like that. Thats not a right you earn with education but a right you earn by being human.

But i always worry especially with newly minted CPAs and grads that their belief of things like “I have credentials that small firms rarely get to hire” is perceived by their employers. I tend to think it is.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[ScarletKnightCPA]

Regarding the cleaning the office being below you. In smaller shops, the owner will often clean and vaccum himself. If this firm is small, having the staff clean up is understandable.

Being yelled at is not acceptable, true. But there is not much you can really do about it except explain how you feel in a professional manner.

Beyond that, you are going to have to weigh the pros and cons of your actions. Will the gains from yelling back at her give you more gains than losses? If you gain nothing except temporary satisfaction then there is no reason to do it.

Far: 76 (Wiley Test Bank)
Aud: 77 (Wiley Test Bank)
Reg: 61, 76 (Wiley book, Wiley Test Bank)
Bec: 86 (Wiley Test Bank)

MBA in progress

[Author]

Replies