[MaLoTu]

I have been mostly interested in audit because of the client interface aspect, but I am thinking about applying to a small firm that is hiring for tax accountants. The job description says that they do various types of tax work and that it is oriented towards consulting.

I feel that I would really enjoy the consulting aspect, especially if I can really help people take care of their tax burden.

However, I am not sure what type of career path will be provided by going into tax?

I find all areas of accounting at least fairly interesting. I am the type of person who loves to do things well and I feel that I would like tax or audit so long as I could see myself mastering it in the longrun.

Any suggestions or advice?

[Thrawn]

Tax is more fulfilling imo, you won't have as much face to face interaction with clients early on in your career, but once you are a senior or higher you will be with clients much more frequently and they will actually be happy to see you because you are helping them out. Wheras in audit you will be the dreaded auditor they have to deal with. The day to day audit work (especially in SOX) is very dull too. The only real reason to go into audit is if you want to be a controller or other sort of GAAP accountant later on in life.

BEC 87 Feb 14
REG 84 Apr 14
FAR 82 Nov 14
AUD 86 Feb 15

[Anonymous]

Go into tax if you want to do taxes for the rest of your life.

Go into audit if you want to have exit opportunities to actually have a fulfilling job for the rest of your life.

/thread

[kleon52]

Go into tax if you want to work in the same office every day

Go into Audit if you want to work in a different location (client site) every 2-12weeks.

REG: 80
AUD: 82
BEC: 83
FAR: 83
Finished Feb 2015, 5-6months

Ninja MCQ for AUD, BEC, & FAR

[EuroAddict]

I have done both at entry levels.

Audit pros:

– meeting new people

– travel

– we got spoiled with food 🙂

Audit cons:

– travel

– checklists checklists checklists

– same testing at each client

– checklists

Tax pros:

– not having to travel

– Hours not dictated by a senior (on audit you left when they tell you to leave).

– No 2 returns are the same.

Tax cons:

– Did you study REG? Nuff said. lol

For the person who said do tax if that's what you want for your life and audit if you want to branch out. Idiot.

-----------------------------
BEC - 77, 03/2015 (first try)
FAR - 79, 05/2015 (second try)
REG - 83, 12/2015 (first try)
AUD - 84, 03/2015 (first try)

I got 99 problems but the CPA ain't one.

[MaLoTu]

I might give it a chance. I am only applying … that is obviously in no way a guarantee that I will get the position, lol. I am attracted to the consulting end of it. They do opinions, compliance, planning, and other specialized tax issues. It sounds like they are all consultants.

I would love to get into SEC compliance/reporting … I do not even know where you would begin with that. Any ideas? It would have to be in a position that is at a public firm as most industry jobs require public accounting experience for their SEC positions.

[Anonymous]

Pick what interests you most.

At the end of the day, it's all just one big rollforward.

[Anonymous]

Funny I had that exact conversation today at work with one of my Senior VPs who is retiring. She advised me to look into auditing vs. tax because of the exposure it provides you to different types of businesses and most importantly – people. A great way to create a network of people that have influence and could offer you high level jobs if they like your skills.

What she stated she did not like about tax was that you may work on getting ready all you want and then the congress does not pass that law 🙂

She got her CPA over 40 years ago and has always been in very high level roles. She is also my mentor and I will be looking into auditing after I receive my CPA license.

(ironically, I do not think I passed AUD so getting ready for a re-take…lol)

[MaLoTu]

I can find something interesting about any area of accounting. I think I would be least happiest as a book keeper. I am a little less fascinated with financial audit because of the book keeping element it has. I am maybe geeky in the fact that I like compliance stuff, I love internal controls, I didn't mind REG I just thought the questions/answers were unfairly worded, I like BEC so far and I finished school hating cost accounting! I think I did not learn it well and it was frustration.

[nika_cpa]

With tax career there is a huge opportunity to have your own company and clientele. With Audit career you will always be supervised at some level:)))

Becker self-study, Wiley Test Bank and books, Becker final review. NINJA MCQ bank and NINJA notes for BEC only!

AUD - PASSED!
FAR - PASSED!
REG - PASSED!
BEC - PASSED!

[MaLoTu]

I went ahead and applied. Don't know what will come of it :-/ I guess I believe that I will end up with the right job for me.

[Author]

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