[Anonymous]

Hey everyone,

I’ve been in public accounting for about 3 years now. I’m currently an experienced audit associate, but I’ve been performing senior level work for at least the last year now mainly due to staffing issues. I’ve been offered a job in industry as an accountant that I’m seriously considering taking. I feel like I’ve accomplished what I set out to accomplish in public accounting. I’ve gotten to work in a couple of different industries, mentor and manage staff, and work with different clients. I’m up for promotion to senior associate (which I’m certain I’d be getting), but it would just be more of what I’ve already been doing. The only difference would be that I would have the senior title. One thing driving my decision to leave is that all my clients are banking clients. I don’t mind auditing banks, but I never want to work for one. They merge too much, and I’d always be worried about job security. The longer I stay at my firm, the more I’m going to get pigeonholed into having banks as my only exit opportunity. I’ve been thinking of some of pros and cons of taking the job over the last week:

Pros:

Greater than 15% bump in pay compared to my current salary (pay would be similar to what I’d make as a senior; if not, a little more)

No travel (it’s not uncommon for me to be out of town in a hotel for 2-5 weeks straight at my firm)

No more busy seasons (a 50 hour work week is considered long at the new company; 70 hours weeks were common this busy season with the occasional 80 hour week)

More work-life balance (the work-life balance at my firm has been getting increasingly bad over the last couple years because of staffing issues that are not being addressed by the partners)

Not in the banking industry (will be in manufacturing, which is the first industry I ever audited)

Opportunity to move around internally and see different segments of the company

Company will pay for masters degree

The company has a profit sharing plan (15% of my salary which fully vests after 6 years)

Cons:

I’d be doing the opposite of what I’ve been doing my entire professional career (actually doing the books instead of auditing them). Auditing is all I know.

Having to learn manufacturing after working primarily with banks the last 2 years

Passing up a promotion with my current firm

Starting at the bottom of the food chain with the new company

Leaving the people at my current firm (I love the people I work with)

Passing up higher-level exit opportunities down the road by leaving before senior

There were a couple of other opportunities that I came across in my search, but this one seemed like a really good fit and the timing worked out well (my last audit is issuing on Monday and I’m wrapping up some review work for a public client). After this busy season ended in March, I had that feeling that I’ve topped out and that I was ready to move on to other opportunities. It’s almost May, and that feeling hasn’t changed.

Sorry for the long winded post, but I just want to make sure that I’m not losing my mind and that I should pursue this opportunity. I realize that I’m the only one that can answer that question, but I wanted to post the question to the Another71 community for some feedback. Thanks everyone!

[Anonymous]

If you are getting pigeon holed and you do not see an opportunity to grow or obtain new skills then you should consider other opportunities.

I left Auditing as a senior a well and moved to industry. So far its been a good move that I made as i got to learn new things and move up the corporate ladder as well as move to various industries (Software, Certification and now Bio Tech)

[mimi86]

I feel like i could have written this almost word for word. Just completed my third busy season and about to be promoted to Senior, but don't feel as though the experience i would be getting is relevant to what i want to do long-term and the fear of being pigeon-holed is real. On the other hand as you stated there is the risk of losing out on better exit opps if you leave before Senior level and higher.

At this point i've come to the conclusion that staying for the exit opps at the risk of being pigeon holed into an industry you won't enjoy is not worth it. However, make sure that this opportunity is truly a better option than staying put for the short-term.

[waffle_house]

Stick it out one more year under senior title. I know it might suck but at least you'll have senior under your belt and better opportunities in industry.

AUD - 80
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Exams started Sep 2014 -Exams done Mar 2017

Texas CPA

I put in work, it was evident

[Anonymous]

@mimi86: I definitely think this option is a good one. Not getting pigeonholed is more important to me than having the senior title. If I stayed until senior, maybe I'd be able to go into info industry as a Senior Accountant instead of just Accountant, but I think I can definitely work my way up to Senior Accountant after a couple of years.

@waffle_house: I'd agree with you if I was auditing the industry that I wanted to go into industry in. That's not the case here. I feel that if I became a senior auditor in the banking industry, it would make it a lot more difficult to get out of banking. As in my response to mimi86, not getting pigeonholed is more important to me than having the senior title. I think I can definitely work my way up to Senior Accountant after a couple of years at the company that offered me the job.

[Anonymous]

Leave but don't take the first opportunity that comes across your doorstep. I see a lot of ppl get fed up with public and leave for the first alright opportunity that they come across – when if they actually took a couple months and worked with a couple of different recruiting firms in their area, they'd get even better offers. Your goal should never be to find another job ASAP unless you are unemployed ;).

[Anonymous]

@Anonny: There were a couple of other opportunities that presented themselves. I could've went to another accounting firm with less travel or a company that runs casinos throughout the country (but their financials were pretty bad). I've been doing my homework on this for the past month or two. My philosophy always was that if I find a good opportunity, that's great. If not, I still have my current job.

[Author]

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