2 Busy seasons in 1 year? (Audit/big 4)

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  • September 10, 2016 at 9:32 pm #833038
    Brittany
    Guest

    Soo just started working found out my main client has a 3/31 year end. Everyone has said we would be pulled on to a 12/31 client too. Would therefore be in busy season from January- May

    I was wondering if anyone has experienced this before. Are you compensated? Bonus? Does it look better or makes no difference? Does HR become more flexible with you around the year? Is it as bad as it seems?

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  • September 10, 2016 at 9:45 pm #833053
    Valar Dohaeris
    Participant

    Yes. This is common at my Big 4 office. We aren't compensated any differently other than the opportunity to receive company paid meal, but most engagements provided lunch/dinner during busy season. I don't think you receive bonuses during your first two years unless it's like a spot bonus. We have some clients with a 6/30 and 8/31 year-end. The folks on those audits are also on 12/31 year end audits. Maybe it looks good during round table reviews.

    During my first year, I had a busy season from Jan-May. First three weeks of Jan was spent on an SEC component audit with a 12/31 year-end. The next 7 weeks was on an SEC filer w/ a 12/31 year-end. The next 4 weeks was a private audit w/ a 12/31 year-end. The next 6 weeks was a private audit w/ a 12/31 year-end. From Jan to Mar, I was scheduled for 5 11-hour day work weeks.

    BEC - 85
    AUD - 81
    REG - 84
    FAR - 7/24/16

    September 11, 2016 at 8:31 am #833176
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Oh yes, 2 in 1 year isn't uncommon at all. Though really, I wouldn't call Jan – May 2 in 1 year. I'd consider Jan – Apr to be standard busy season, so Jan – May is just an extra month tacked on. Of course, that's coming from more of the small-firm perspective, where tax and audit both influence busy season. My experience is solely in tax, where Jan 1 (or a bit earlier if you have people needing last-minute estimates to make last-minute moves in Dec) through Apr 15th is heavy busy-season, but then Apr 15-30 was payroll quarterlies, and May there was a state thing, so basically the 6 weeks after Apr 15th was a lesser-busy-season. Then sometime between Aug 15 and Sep 1 (depending on how many corps extended and were last-minute), a mini “busy season” started till Oct 15th when all extended returns were filed.

    I haven't worked the audit side, but the auditors I have worked with from a private accounting side have talked about not having a down time and/or having more than one busy season. Especially now, since my employer has a 6/30 end, so our audit is in August, and always outside of the busy season for our auditors…but they've always got more going on than just us through the summer. Sounds like for their firm, Jan – Apr is a bit busier, but not much different from most of the year.

    September 11, 2016 at 4:54 pm #833449
    Mehow
    Participant

    I just started in Big Four firm and I'm on a busy season client starting tomorrow and my main client's busy season in January. I don't think you'll get paid more, that's just the business we are in. I'm sure it will make you look somewhat better on your performance reviews.

    FAR = 86 4/22/16
    BEC = 80 6/01/16
    REG = 07/26/16
    AUD = ?

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