[waffle_house]

I am currently employed with one of the largest oilfield services companies in the world currently located in Houston. As everyone knows what is happening with the oil and gas market things have turned for the worse. Basically no promotions or raises until gas prices start rising and business gets better. I love it here because of the flexibility and how close it is to my home also the pay isn’t bad. My original plan was to stay here and climb the ranks up toward manager one day but right now I just feel stuck because I do not have much to do throughout the day and feel as though I’m not being utilized and a fear of being laid off since they’ve already laid-off a ton of people the last few months.

So this brings me to this situation, I currently have another offer but it is a financial internal auditor from another company down the street. They are going to offer 20% more than what I’m currently making but this job requires travel internationally. I do not mind traveling but I do have a wife and a baby at home which I fear this could potentially cause problems later. Do you guys feel as though this career jump is worth it? Does internal auditing provide other opportunities later? Does anyone have any personal experience working as an internal auditor? Also, should I just stick it out where I’m at instead and hope for the best?

AUD - 80
BEC - 75
FAR - 84
REG - 76

Exams started Sep 2014 -Exams done Mar 2017

Texas CPA

I put in work, it was evident

[Anonymous]

You and your wife need to talk this out and decide how much time you are willing and able to spend apart. Is this regular, frequent, lengthy international travel, or is it short and sporadic? If you're going to be gone for extended periods, would your wife be able to go with you or at least visit? Would the travel be a permanent part of your job duties or just a temporary thing? Arguments over your absence will always come back to the fact that it was something you chose rather than something you were ordered to do (because, presumably, your current job isn't asking you to leave the country as a normal course of your job duties.).

As someone who is in love with a military officer, take it from me … being separated from the person you love is very, very stressful. The lack of time together is one thing (it's made somewhat easier with Skype and email), but small issues often become big problems when you're facing them on your own. I would imagine this is ESPECIALLY true when there is a baby involved.

Yes, internal auditing experience provides a lot of opportunities, but it's all for nothing if you end up losing your family over it. Make sure that your wife is on board and that you both have the full story regarding the travel requirements.

[law0915]

If anyone sees this post, please see my recent post here: https://www.another71.com/cpa-exam-forum/topic/public-accounting-at-30-advice?replies=24#post-694090

REG 77 Feb14
BEC 13*, 79 Aug14
FAR 64**, 76 Nov14
AUD 89 Feb15

*Exited exam after first testlet
**Only studied F1-F6 out of 10 Becker chapters

Licensed Arizona CPA

[ruggercpa2b]

@law getting into Big 4 as an experienced hire can be tricky if you don't have experience. However, I would look at the job postings and see what do they want in an auditor that already has experience and then try to highlight the experience you have now on your resume. It will take time and work. Sometimes they will bring you on as entry level and tell you that you dont have audit experience and need to learn the firm's audit methodology. You just have to keep trying and applying to everything you see out there.

I made the jump to Big 4 at 33 and stayed for 2 years and finally left in December. I got an 18% increase when I left. It might be harder to get more money at Big 4 starting out because you dont have the experience you are looking for. I have known people that took paycuts to come to Big 4.

Do your research and see how much they are paying someone at entry level and then know what you should be asking for. I would not jump at the first offer. The least they can say is no and you take that offer. When I graduated from undergrad my GPA was a 2.5. When I interviewed I told them that I was in school full time and I was working full time. Don't sell yourself short for not having a high undergrad GPA.

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

AUD - 1/6/18
FAR - TBD
REG - TBD
BEC - TBD

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[law0915]

My friend just got hired at Deloitte and they're giving her like $55k out of college as an audit assistant. I'm actually interviewing for industry positions where I could potentially go from the $53k to $70-80k. Why would I want to go to stay at what I'm at for another 3 years when I could get an almost $30k bump, missing out on a potential $100k increase over 3 years. I want to be at $65-70 if I do audit, higher for another corporate job. Thanks for your suggestion. I was tempted to go to a “meet the firms” night hosted by my alma mater. I just need to get out of this job that I'm underpaid at and to a company that values the CPA and wants to pay people for having it.

REG 77 Feb14
BEC 13*, 79 Aug14
FAR 64**, 76 Nov14
AUD 89 Feb15

*Exited exam after first testlet
**Only studied F1-F6 out of 10 Becker chapters

Licensed Arizona CPA

[law0915]

Our controller came from McGladrey..It would be dumb to ask him to try and get me in considering I'd be leaving his team. He's a CPA and understand the need/want to go into public, however I'm not sure this would be a good strategy informing him I'd want to leave. Possibly bring it up casually as in if he recommends I go into public when I'm licensed?

However, then what? I'd leave public in 3 years only to come back as a Sr. Accountant?

REG 77 Feb14
BEC 13*, 79 Aug14
FAR 64**, 76 Nov14
AUD 89 Feb15

*Exited exam after first testlet
**Only studied F1-F6 out of 10 Becker chapters

Licensed Arizona CPA

[Allergic2CPA]

@OP

I think I might know what company it is. You can request to be moved to a more complete segment, join committees, create or be involved in special projects.

As for job instability…well it is what it is. Just make sure that if this is the deal breaker, then don't move to an industry where you'll encounter the same cyclical issue.

Best of luck.

FAR 46*, 77
AUD 70, 79
BEC 67, 82
REG 75

Texas License July 2013

Used Yaeger lectures based on Wiley textbooks

*Studied less than two weeks, forgot I had purchased NTS.

[Allergic2CPA]

@law0915

What is your ideal finance role? In what way would big4 help you achieve that?

I'd personally go big4 to audit manufacturing and energy companies and gain supervisory experience. Attempt to get a supervisory role afterwards or some type of financial analyst role.

It sounds like you need to figure out what you want to do and how to best achieve that.

My problem is that I have job you typically get after big4 in industry, don't have public accounting exp., and my current salary is in the high 60s…so why pay me that when you can just get some new graduate and pay them over $10k less? This is just to match my salary…forget about getting a 10% increase from my current salary.

FAR 46*, 77
AUD 70, 79
BEC 67, 82
REG 75

Texas License July 2013

Used Yaeger lectures based on Wiley textbooks

*Studied less than two weeks, forgot I had purchased NTS.

[Anonymous]

@Rugger – that is exactly what happened to me. I have been auditing sales and use tax for almost three years. Had an interview with a larger firm, they told me that it didn't count as audit experience, and that if I was hired, I would be starting out as entry-level.

[Author]

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