[tr7111]

I’ve been in public accounting about 8 years now and every year it only becomes more and more obvious what a crap profession this is.

The pay is awful, the work is boring, and you get to see people making money because they chose the right profession by being an overpaid doctor or a stock hustler.

I know i’m bitching and moaning but I honestly wish i had a time machine to go back and never get my mba or my cpa license and study medicine or something so I can be part of their protected cartel.

Since I don’t have a time machine handy is there any way to get out of this horrible “profession” and into something that actually has advancement opportunities and good pay? I’d like to not make the last 10+ years of my life be a total waste and find something that I can at least leverage my education with. I realize my “experience” is mostly transposing numbers into a computer screen and totally worthless.

Any thoughts? Before you try to convince me how wonderful accounting is and how good the pay is, don’t bother. I’ve been in this joke of a “profession” long enough to see how little hope there is.

I’m seriously considering working as a farm hand and chucking hay bales for a living because it would be a more rewarding and pleasing job than this awful horsesh**.

[Martin]

Who else thinks Trump is an asshole with a very low IQ and small hands?

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[Spartans92]

I may disagree with Trump but I do not think he has a low IQ. HAHA.

BEC- PASS

[makiu]

@OP
you should try to a general construction business; you hire a good estimator, get your company qualified and start throwing bids. When I said construction, look into real estate development, property management, leasing etc.
I have a good friend of mine working for Hotel Developers and his bonus performance was 100K last year. Just do your search. Also try real estate sales. New home builders will pay you at least 3% commission for every buyer that close any business with them. Just do the math ;5 closings @400=2M x 3%=60,000. You can do this on a part time basis. The cost of a real estate license is about $200.00. Is a good profession and the sky is the limit. Go for it!
Wish your best and remember that money is made and is just a matter to go and get it….

[makiu]

@martin
Hi como te va con REG, wish your best. Life is so great once you become a CPA….

[Missy]

Without getting all preachy your happiness or discomfort are a decision. Some of the happiest people I know don't have a pot to piss in or worse, face serious health issues. Some of the most miserable people have good health and all the material things you could dream of. Me? Smack dab middle class, same credentials as you and three times as many years in accounting. I'm one of those extreme couponers, do all my home improvements myself, and brown bag my lunch except once a month get take out. There's not a thing I'd change.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Son]

tr7111, I honestly think it would be very difficult for you to change fields because you're likely pulling over 100K right now and starting salaries in other fields for you would be way below that. Also, think about this: my biggest worry is that I might have missed a number that might cost my client a couple millions or, worst case, billions of $. But as sucky as that it, I don't have to worry about making someone disabled or kill them like my doctor sister does (and this is a possible for them even if they do everything by the book). Another point I wanted to make, in 2015 the median HOUSEHOLD income in the States was $51,939. Even Maryland, the highest-ranked state in this respect, only had $70,004 in median income. That should tell you something about your compensation and how you're doing better than most.

The hard truth is that I can train a monkey to do 80% of what the tax department in my public accounting firm does (or, as I often do, write a script to just automate those processes). So, while we may feel that we're entitled to a lot more just because we work with huge numbers in our jobs, realistically there are thousands and thousands of people lined up to take our jobs, and the demand drives the price (read: salaries) down. Everyone goes through this shitty phase when we hate our jobs now and then; maybe you can make a switch into industry and find some more motivation or exciting new areas to learn and work on there. In any case, I wish you luck in dealing with this!

AUD - passed
REG - passed
BEC - passed
FAR - passed

[Skynet]

Don't you just hated it when Accountants don't recycle but rather toss their CPA Review books in the Garbage? : (

[happygal]

Before going to the shrink try meditation or a kickboxing class, that may be a more cost efficient way to channel your frustration. I really hope things get better for you.

[Martin]

makiu, I'm almost done with Reg, so how does it feel to be a CPA? Are you as depressed as tr7111?

Skynet, what was easier having sex with Megan Fox or passing the CPA exam?

Spartans92, he does sound like a third grader.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[Skynet]

Martin -Megan Fox was easier. At least it was in my dreams : p

[makiu]

@Martin
Is all about Networking, and who do you know. I'm bless that in my early career I spent some time in the real estate business and saw the whole picture of $$$$. Now that I'm license is all come down to negotiations.

Study tip for REG, try to get Gleim product, it won't hurt.
Wish your best!!
Makiu, CPA

[Martin]

makiu, thanks.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[EuroAddict]

I wonder how this whiny little bi**h is doing today.

All I can picture is Artie Lange “waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! I'm stuck in something I chose and won't move on. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”.

-----------------------------
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.

[REG-FTW86]

Reading this is good. It's okay to vent, I appreciate it. Especially since I'm considering moving into public accounting. I like to hear first hand experience unfiltered. I've been in your shoes before but in a different role (non-accounting). I get it.

The fact is if you are not happy doing what you are doing then you need to start planning your exit. Working as a farm hand is not bad if it makes you happy. Will that be fulfilling? You know the old saying, “Some people are so poor, all they have is money.” Riches come in many different forms. I'm still young in the grand scheme of things. I have not worked a day in public accounting and am heavily considering it. I'm scared because I read things like this and really don't know what it's like. I don't have the opportunity to intern so I have to go off of hearsay. I hear a lot of people complain but then I realize a lot of people do it for the wrong reasons so I have to be careful and take it with a grain of salt. I know someone personally who is very successful in the field and is very happy.

Best of luck.

Regulation For The Win!

FAR 57, 62, 77
BEC 70,77
AUD 54,78
REG 66, 62, 7/29

FAR.BEC.AUD.AUD.BEC.FAR.FAR.REG.REG

Roger CPA Review / Ninja MCQ Supplement

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time - Thomas Edison

[Martin]

I think the problem with the OP is something similar to what my sister in law is facing right now. She just finished her Bachelors in teaching with a 3.95, and since her GPA is so high, she is now thinking about pursuing something more challenging since she knows she is capable of doing better things with her life and make more money. I dont love Accounting, but Im happy cause I know my limits. I know I would have not been able to pass the MCATs to become a doctor, and I know it would have sucked to take the boards every 10 years. This is like telling an Accountant that he has to take and pass the CPA exam every 10 years. I wanted to be an international airlines pilot, which is something less challenging than Accounting, but the pilot hours were just too expensive.

Through God all things can happen!

“You never fail until you stop trying.”
― Albert Einstein
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people;as I grow older, I admire kind people.
“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

FAR= 72-84
Audit= 73-82
BEC= 74-75
Reg=77

[Author]

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