[MaLoTu]

Especially moms?

I really want to pursue the auditing field. I have an 8 year old son and a 10 year old son. I am pretty far along in my interviews with a popular mid-size firm. The job requires a lot of travel (40%). My husband works and he also has a job with long hours. I love two houses away from my parents and my husbands mom and sisters are very near also. So I have a great support system.

How do you make it work?

[ahugemistake]

Having family close by is how we made it work too. During busy season I was barely home, and my wife and other family members basically were there to take care of our kids who are very young (2 and 3). Luckily my wife works a 40hr/week job so it was manageable.

The last firm I was at had clients all over the state so I would have to leave for a week and come back the next weekend, and I know I didn't like that but, the firm I am at now has all the clients in the same city and we work from the office most of the time. So if you are not favorable to travelling don't get stuck in it, search for an office in a big city if you live near one.

FAR - 78*
AUD - 66, 79
REG - 73, 76
BEC - 79

[MaLoTu]

The office will be in SF and they have clients all over the country and in Canada. I don't love the idea of traveling because of the kids, but I feel that in auditing it isn't really avoidable… If I want to work at a bigger firm that has diverse work.

Thank you for your response. I don't know how people do it without family!

[Dantrick]

My husband travels for his job and luckily since I stay home with the kids now I can travel with him, on our expense but if he is gone for a week it is nice to go and the kids are too little to be in school. My husband says sometimes it is a nice break from the kids to travel, lol, which is probably true cuz our kids are little and their whining can drive someone crazy. I think kids remember more if you are there for the important events then if you were there every night to tuck them in, it is just not possible and I would imagine a little break from kids make you love and treasure the moments with them just that much more. The saying goes, “absences makes the heart grow founder.” Kids need breaks from us parents too.

[MaLoTu]

Thank you, Dantrick. My kids are obviously in school, but I thought that my mom or my husband could travel with the boys for a day or two to the clients location to be with me during summer break (when necessary). I truly feel that we will find a way to make it manageable. My husband has worked for his employer since 1999 and he has some flexibility to take time off. I have been a stay at home mom for some time. I taught for 4 years to put the boys through private school at the beginning of their starting school. However, before that and for the past year now I have been home. I am really ready to have a career that is meaningful to me. I hate the thought that I can't have the best of both worlds!

[Dantrick]

I have three boys under three. I can't get back to work fast enough!!! Seriously though my goal was to pass the exams by the time my youngest was two, right before next tax season in 2016. Since I haven't passed one yet, I am getting nervous that I won't make that goal. I recently told my husband I would have to travel for work and the poor man almost had a heart attack, thinking he would have to care for all three boys by himself. I do it all day, I think he can manage. Plus I think a little break will refresh mommy.

[MaLoTu]

It gets easier as they get older.

[Anonymous]

Dantrick, can't imagine having 3 boys under 3, me and my husband at each other's throats with just 1 boy under 3. You must be very organized.

At this point I really wish I was travelling!

[ahugemistake]

oh cool Malo I'm in SF too! I work at a big firm and have only rarely heard anyone going out of the bay area to audit clients, and even if they do its for a few weeks at a time, and completely optional. The only thing is that they expect you to work at least 60 hours in the busy season including some saturdays so it can wear you down.

I hope you get into a good firm here, let me know if you are interviewing at any big ones.

FAR - 78*
AUD - 66, 79
REG - 73, 76
BEC - 79

[mommyof3texans]

I am an internal auditor with a large company and travel between 30-40%. I have a 15, 12 and 5 yr old and really my husband is a godsend since we don't have any family around. We are fortunate that my husband can work from home a lot and my 15yr does a lot around the house and helps with the youngest.

BEC - 02/21/15 - 82
FAR - 05/29/15 - 82
AUD - 07/09/15 - 93
REG - 11/14/15 - 80

All done!!!

[MaLoTu]

@ahugemistake – I will let you know which firm as soon as they make their decision on who to hire … I am actively interviewing so don't want to disclose it just in case. I will have another interview on Monday. But, I will say it is one of the largest mid-sized national firms, not one of the Big 4.

@mommyof3texans – You are fortunate that your husband has flexibility to work from home. How do you find your schedule otherwise, when not traveling? I am hoping that (and get the perception that) the team I work with will help me as much as possible, so long as I am able to get my work done.

[Author]

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