[PinkButterfly]

Hello All!

I am seeking career advice! Any help would be appreciated.

I’ve been studying for the audit portion of the CPA exam. As I’ve been studying, I realized that I’d like to pursue a career in audit.

I have 3 years of experience in the brokerage industry as an accountant. I started interning at a brokerage company. After graduation, I was offered a position as an accounting analyst. Two years later, I was promoted and joined another group within our accounting department. I’m a senior accountant now and it’s been about a year since that promotion. The job pays well and the bonuses are nice, but I’m willing to go for a pay cut to actually start enjoying life.

I enjoy what I do but the hours are really taking time from my life. All I do is work and work.. I average 60 hours a week and 70 during the monthly close process. During the weekends, I study for audit which I’m really enjoying (I’m not being sarcastic)! 🙂

I ran into a neighbor of mine today. She asked me if I was new to the neighborhood! I’ve been living across the street form her for about 3 years now!

Also, the people I interact with the most are the “night shift” workers at my train station. We have become good friends. Oh and the guys that mostly ask me out on dates are people from work (which I don’t date) and the people I see during my commute, including the workers which I prefer not to date. Yep that’s how bad it is. Anyway sorry I’m ranting now!

With that said, I’m looking for a career that does not involve insane number of hours and a rewarding area such as audit. I don’t mind the “busy seasons.”

Is it too late for me to purse an audit career? I’m 27 years old and don’t have any audit experience. Actually, I did intern as an internal auditor intern at one point in college. I doubt that would help though!

Will my chances of joining a public accounting firm increase if I have my CPA? Any suggestions/advice?

Sincerely,

Stressed & Single forever (if I continue to work where I work)!

[PinkButterfly]

Haha! Well I'm glad my story has inspired a possible relationship advice thread. I’ll be sure not to give advice.. Although I have a cute story to share..

One day I was on the train heading home.. a guy sat next to me… I was studying for Audit and I guess he noticed and asked me if I was studying for the CPA. I glanced over at him and noticed he was studying for FAR. Lol! It was meant to be!

He asked me out for coffee to “discuss” the CPA. I should have said yes but I was too shy!

A missed opportunity.. Anyhow the moral of the story is, take a risk once in a while. 🙂

[T-rex]

@letsfixthis,

I imagine things must be tough with a significant other. I don't have one, nor do I have any children, and yet I struggle to find time for anything other than work and this exam. I'm envious of those who get to study for this exam without jobs (assuming they are being supported financially some other way), kids, or significant others. I really hope they take advantage of their free time to get through this exam ASAP. It only gets harder as life becomes more complicated.

I'm looking forward to getting this over with!

AUD - 95, BEC - 85
REG - 85, Rawrrrrrr FAR - 88
Used Becker for all sections.
CA candidate not residing in CA

[thechamp26]

Smith – I was referring to a big public firm, maybe you were suggesting a small, local, firm? In larger firms, there are a few different kinds of staff & seniors, 1st year and experienced. Presumably, if you get promoted from 1st year staff to experienced staff, it's because you are efficient and excel within the firm. Experienced staff are more valuable because they know how to get work done quicker, resulting in a higher billing rate.

Again, at an entry level position (in a larger accounting firm), a CPA license isn't treated as gold just yet because they figure everyone will get the license sooner or later. They WILL, however, expect that you at least have the hours and have a plan to pass the exam. When you get up to senior level, I'm sure the license because a lot more important.

[jelly]

It depends on where you want to go and what you want to do with your license and work experience(s).

There's a lot of hours in public accounting, probably not too different from you experience now (except during a few quiet months here and there) and the pay is so-so when you start out. The upper salary tiers in public accounting and otherwise exist for the “rainmakers” or sales people who can bring in clients & business.

Internal audit is usually reserved for mid and large organizations; $100MM in revenue is a good starting point benchmark. Larger revenue amounts, especially those in the billions, often imply multiple subsidiaries and multiple locations as well, so there can be a fair amount of travel, and burnout is common. There's less travel for government agencies, however, keep in mind how public sector entities operate (or don't).

Nearly everyone who's studying/studied/passed has the same experiences and advice – your social life and everything else pauses until it's over. I felt like a broken record, babbling away about the parts and test dates everytime I guiltily saw my friends, until it was over.

Couldn't pass again!

[Anonymous]

@pinkbutterfly…I think its great that you enjoy auditing, but if your are looking for a job that has less stress and a better quality of life, public accounting is NOT it!!! I worked in public accounting at a large firm for two years, and there was NEVER a week I worked less than 50 hrs. It was ALWAYS more, and up at 75-80 during busy seasons. Plural! Usually firms specialize in industries with offsetting fiscal year ends, this keeps you busy all year round. and if you have any public clients, then its even more work because you have all the quarter end reviews too. Not to mention the travel. Why kind of quality of life is there when you spend weeks on end living out of a suitcase and never eating a home cooked meal?

Look into internal auditing, particularly at a large company in the brokerage industry (since thats where your accounting experience has come from). Internal auditors do all the same procedures as external auditors in addition to other kinds of compliance and operations testing. But the hours are more steady, qualify of life is better because you arent traveling. and you can leverage your work experience as an accountant at a brokerage firm because they want their internal auditors to have experience in the industry.

[Author]

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