[mady_cs]

Shortly after starting my job at a hospital, I realized that I was not going to be doing the amount of Accounting I was trained for in school. I understand that we won’t be using everything we learned, but it seems like my job duties deal more with tying procedure codes to different things, than anything else. Of course, there is month end closing and reconciliations. I really do not like how myself and the other “non-manager” accountants only deal with the expense side of things. Unless I make it to a much higher position, I will not be touching revenues. Furthermore, if closing time falls around a holiday, it does not matter you will be working. I have been so disillusioned. I don’t know why but I had this romanticized idea about what my accounting career would be, and now I just go home feeling down everyday. Has anyone else worked in this environment, or gotten out of it? Any advice please!

Wiley CPAexcel

FAR - 4/02/16
REG - 5/26/16
AUD - 66
BEC - TBD

[fsugirl2005]

That sounds like a snoozefest. What is the title of your position?

And yes, I've had that type of job before. The position was titled “Controller” and I was led to believe that I would reviewing accounting procedures and putting new ones in place. I did nothing of the sort and was very let down during the first week. That job lasted for 10 months before I was layed off and the company was restructured. Turns out, those people were full of crap at that job…very unorganized bunch.

REG - 78
FAR - 79
AUD - 76
BEC - 75

I have been on this journey off and on for over 10 years. I think it's about time that I wrap this up.

AUD - 10/21/16 (75----07/2010 expired)
FAR - 10/28/16
BEC - 11/2016
REG - 01/2017

Using Gleim CPA Review, Ninja Audio, Ninja Book

[Anonymous]

I actually just left my job at a major nonprofit hospital. I worked in public for about five years, and then left to go be a senior accountant at a hospital. It was awful – the work was boring, people had no motivation to be anything more than they are (which I could not comprehend), and I honestly just felt like I was never actually doing any work. The way that the work is given out is weird as well – I had the same problem you mentioned – I would see the expense side of one of the hospital's subsidiaries, but I wouldn't work on anything else with that company. Instead I would be responsible for some A/R reports for another subsidiary, so I felt like I never got to see the full picture or see anything through. If I stayed there I would never have learned anything that would allow me to move up in my career. I had five years of public experience, worked as a bookkeeper for almost six years before that, and am almost done with the CPA exam, and they had me sitting there footing financial statements each month. I felt like an overpaid intern and I definitely took a step back in my career going there. And I agree with the month-end closing occurring around holidays, and the company not caring. I live in the Northeast and we had a bad snowstorm one Saturday during busy season (they work Saturdays during the audit) so they told everyone that they had to work Sunday instead of Saturday. A few individuals complained in the office stating it was their holy day and the Assistant Controller told people to their face that he did not care and that they couldn't possibly be spending the whole day in church so they have no excuse to not come to work.

I lasted five and half months before I quit – now I'm actually back at my old job in public (which I never thought that job would be better than working in private) and I'm happier.

[michaelabs22]

Interesting. I am currently the CFO of a non-profit school and am enjoying the work, but was contemplating switching into a non-profit hospital setting eventually. The long term career trajectory seems higher, but from the sound of it the work seems awful, especially for the first few years? Has anyone had enjoyable experiences in a non-profit hospital, or climbed the ladder there so to speak that could elaborate on their experience?

A - 10/28/12 - Passed!!!
B - 11/20/12 - Passed!!!
F - 11/12/13 - Passed!!!
R - 02/01/13 - Passed!!!

Work Experience - Done!
Ethics Exam - Boom! Done!

RI Licensed CPA.

[Dog pounder1977]

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!! I work at an RV and Marine Dealership and thought the same thing about the accounting job. Once I was told during the interview that I would be working with A/R's A/P's and Inventory and Reconciliations, I thought to myself “Man I am really going to do exactly what I was taught in school” but boy how wrong was I. I am grateful and appreciative for my job but I hate it and will be leaving next year after I get the famous “2-3 years experience” you always see on job postings.

Anyway, I am still young only 24 but am definitely preparing to get my CPA by 2017. Bachelor's will be finished in August this year, MAcc completed by 2017 but I am thinking about doubling up just to complete it sooner. I will also study for the CPA next year while studying for my MAcc. This is definitely not the type of accounting I want to do and I will refuse to sit here and suffer doing this petty mess. I suggest you do the same and get out of that situation you are in otherwise you will remain miserable and upset while going to work which far too many people choose to do in life.

One day I will face that exam.

[mady_cs]

Thank you everyone for the responses! I thought I was alone in this situation. Currently, I am a Staff Accountant and this is my first job in the Accounting field. Is it worth it to just stay and get the one year experience while I work on my CPA? I really don't think I can handle a couple of years of this.

Wiley CPAexcel

FAR - 4/02/16
REG - 5/26/16
AUD - 66
BEC - TBD

[Anonymous]

mady-

Make sure your experience even qualifies. Qualifying experience varies from state-to-state. Some states require attestation (audit) experience for licensure.

[TheGuyCPA]

My girlfriend works in hospital accounting, and what's even worse for her is their accounting department is in the basement, meaning no windows or sunlight!!! I know that people do get promoted very quickly in that environment though because of high turnover.

FAR - 80
REG - 78
AUD - 88
BEC - 84

State of Illinois Licensed CPA as of September 2015

[mady_cs]

@billbrasskey fortunately in Florida all around accounting experience is good enough. I just need to make sure that I work under a CPA that can sign off on that one year experience.

@theguycpa it's funny that you mention the basement because our HR department is coming back to our hospital, and so, they decided they want to be where Finance is located, and it looks like we'll be moving to the basement shortly.

Wiley CPAexcel

FAR - 4/02/16
REG - 5/26/16
AUD - 66
BEC - TBD

[Author]

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