[Anonymous]

Could you please share your thoughts on Pros and Cons of working for IRS vs. Public.

Would it be easy to come back to public after working for IRS for a while?

[Anonymous]

I am an Enrolled Agent so I often work with the IRS to solve the issues of my taxpayer (or nonpayer as the circumstances fit). I've noticed that the IRS has significantly upgraded the quality of their staff (at least the customer facing staff) but let's be real, it is still the government. You are going to be working with a lot of people who just don't give a darn and the stigma comes with it. The place is full of lifers who just don't care.

If I were an employer…unless I was a CPA looking for specialization…I would look twice before hiring a gov't worker.

CPAPending

[Anonymous]

Thanks CPAPending for your input.

[jeff]

I am the only active admin on the site … Posts removed … Let's be nice.

AUD - 79
BEC - 80
FAR - 76
REG - 92

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS)
NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE | Another71

[Anonymous]

Definitely get a second opinion though because circumstances may change things in your situation. I just generally have an overall dislike for the government….I'm surprised that Geithner hasn't yanked my Treasury Card for some of the things I have typed about him and it! 😀

I can only go on my direct experience based on my Sister in law who worked for the Gov't. She had a full time job (since left it) but said one day “I don't know how you all do it…having to be at the office all day everyday”. Talking about my wife and I. She seems to favor the Italian way of working which is to come in late, work a few minutes, take a break, lunch followed by spending the day sipping tea at a roadside cafe and then leaving early. So that's my experience.

There must be some really specialized back alley jobs in the IRS which would curry favor in the private sector….so if you are considering that route by all means go for it. But I think that if you are an auditor or general employee of the IRS, you would be at a disadvantage. If nothing else, what are the odds that a 45 year old Manager Interviewer has not been audited in their life or had some bad experience with the IRS. They may take it out on you.

Definitely investigate, it might still be something you want to do.

[Veronica75]

I worked for the IRS as a revenue agent straight out of college. I stayed about 8 months but was traveling alone to people's homes or businesses to audit their returns. I decided to quit after a man I was auditing, in his home, with his cigarette smoke, turned red in the face when I explained my report. As a young woman, I will admit I got a little scared. I packed up my laptop and told him we'd be in touch. Ugh. I also work in Austin and the building that the plane flew into was my old building. Wow. Let's just say I was glad I had quit a couple years prior. Scary. My experience was decent otherwise, and there are plenty of positions that aren't field agents. They sent us to training and the benefits were great – I had to walk away from a decent amount of time off and a good health plan when I left. The people that are lifers are no fools – it's a great deal, but I wanted different opportunities.

@CPApending, I don't agree. I've never had an interviewer hold the IRS position against me. That's not reasonable. If someone wants to do that, then they probably have another streak of crazy and you wouldn't enjoy working for them. I personally prefer to work somewhere that values my work/personal life balance. Also, after being in corporate accounting and internal audit for the past few years, there are plenty of people that embrace your sister-in-law's laid back routine. There are people here who get paid big bucks and miss deadlines and never show any work product, with no consequence. That crap happens everywhere you go, not just the government.

I've never worked in public, but I've heard lots of stories. My friends working crazy hours and being a slave to their seniors or managers. Not for me. The IRS will pay a lot less I'm sure, but with better hours. You have to decide what you want now and what you want in the future. There are companies who won't look at you if you don't have big 4 experience on your resume, but I've always managed to find a job.

Good luck with it!

FAR - 79 (2x)
AUD - 81 (expired), 77!
REG - 74! omg (3x) 87!!!!!!! I'm done! OMG!
BEC - 81 (4x)

[Anonymous]

I can't speak for the IRS (from what I've heard it's not a pleasant place to work) but I do work for the federal gov't. I only work 40 hours a week, I make an excellent salary (many make six figures), I do get alot of time off and will have a great pension when I retire. But I also work very hard and so do most of my collegues. Would I give that up to make a measly $20k more in the private sector? No chance in hell… I'm know I'm never going to be a $200k plus partner at some firm either and that's fine with me.

Lets be honest here. The stereotypical “lazy” gov't employee are most likely to be found at the lower end jobs. Ones that might not require a college degree and jobs all of us on this forum would not be looking for. Would you typically think of NASA engineers or FBI agents as being lazy bums? They're federal employees too.

[Minimorty]

“Posts removed.” Dang, looks like I missed some fun. Did someone take offense to my “incompetent” comment?

I do a lot of work with gift and estate taxes. Almost all of our clients are high net worth individuals. I have been involved in close to 100 audits and I cant remember one single time where the IRS agents could tell their head from their ass.

Federal workers are overpaid (https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/01/are-most-federal-workers-overpaid-cbo-says-yes/252246/), have too much job security (https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-07-18-fderal-job-security_n.htm), and most of the what government is involved in should be handled by the private sector.

[Anonymous]

Did you even read the article???

Let me help you:

“A high school graduate earned 36% more compensation than an equivalent private sector worker…. If you had a professional degree or doctorate, you made an average of 18% less in compensation.”

Now which category do you think an IRS agent with a CPA would fall in?

And too much job security? That's because of unions which are nothing more than a legalized mafia. They take money out of your check every month for “protection”. They are not exclusive to federal workers….

[Minimorty]

1. I said federal employees. I did not single out IRS agents.

2. You are sorely mistaken if you think most IRS agents have professional degrees or a doctorate. Most only have a bachelors degree.

[Anonymous]

I could careless, I don't work for the IRS.

You think their incompetent? That's your opinion…

FACT: They are not overpaid for a bachelor's degree (with or without CPA) working in the tax field.

(And many DO have a masters or MBA)

[Minimorty]

“I couldn't care less” — Not “I could care less.”

“They're” — Not “their.”

You lose all credibility when you don't know the difference between the two.

Also, just because you state something is a fact, doesn't make it so. Do you have anything to back it up?

[italianCPA]

Only the thought of working for the IRS already gave me anxiety….

FYI: my last conversation with the IRS (half hour ago):

IRS: “What form did your client file?”

Me: 1120

IRS: “Is your client an individual or a corporation?”

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

[Anonymous]

Original poster…..I think our little debate here should clarify the issues for you.

It really doesn't matter whether Gov't employees are lazy bums or the best workers in the world. Whether the stereotype is realy or false.

Consider the subset of society represented on this board as representing what 10-15 prospective employers' HR/hiring managers. Knowing what you know from the reactions here, would you want IRS experience on your resume? Maybe yes, maybe not.

But the arguments here prove what you were seeking to know.

[Minimorty]

@italian – lol. That's classic. So typical.

[Anonymous]

@Veronica…..I understand. I know some good people who are Government workers….no doubt.

But by and large, most government workers make more than private sector, have benefits they expect to continue and generally…how shall we put it….want a work schedule that ‘values their personal work/life balance’. Where I come from, a job which values your work/life balance is called PART TIME! 😀 In any event, when those people come to the private sector, they do nothing but complain because things weren’t as it was in the Gov’t job. Kind of like northerners who move to the South and then complain about the people’s driving, weather, heat, humidity, etc.

Just my two cents.

[Author]

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