[Anonymous]

Hey everyone,

I’m a first year working in external audit in Big 4 in the greater nyc area, and to put it frankly, I hate it. I’ve been assigned to a new client for about 3 weeks now, and everything I’ve done has been a train wreck. From control wlakthroughs to substantive testing, I’m not getting it at all. Aside from the client being new and not having PY workpapers to go off of, I don’t feel like the team likes me. It takes me a very long time to do everything and I’ve had to work this weekend to get caught up (it’s only interim, and not busy season)

I don’t know who to turn to for advice, as no one in my immediate family has worked in the field. I feel horrible about myself,

I hit the snooze button everyday and dread waking up, and I usually don’t get home until 9 (commute is long and having to stay late doesn’t help). I have anxiety attacks thinking about going into work tomorrow. To be honest, I want to cry when I get home at night, but I don’t want my parents to be upset.

I did well in college, graduated with honors from a good business school, interned with the big 4 firm I work with now, got inducted into the business honors society, the whole nine. Since I’ve been on this client, I feel like an idiot most of the time and question everything I worked so hard for in school.

I really want to put in my two weeks notice and go back to college and do an MS in accounting or something business, and finish up the cpa. I really don’t think public accounting or auditing is for me, but I don’t have the experience to land a job in industry right now. My parents tell me to stick out until a job offer comes my way, but at this rate I don’t think I can make it, I feel like I’m losing touch with who I am as a person, I haven’t felt like me since I started.

Any advice? Will quitting only 3 months in come back to bite me later on in my career? Is there a way I can tell HR I wanted to go back to school without it making it look like I hate the job?

I would never be open in this forum about my life, but I really don’t know who to go to.

[foreseeableCPA]

I am in the same situation as you @Accounting is my LIFO

The fact that busy season is coming up means you got to make a decision soon, unless you are comfortable quitting during busy season. You should do what feels right.

CPA - Class of 2013
CIA - Class of 2016

[foreseeableCPA]

I am in the same situation as you @Accounting is my LIFO

The fact that busy season is coming up means you got to make a decision soon, unless you are comfortable quitting during busy season. You should do what feels right.

CPA - Class of 2013
CIA - Class of 2016

[Anonymous]

you cant get a job at big 4, or cant get a job in accounting?

i never had an internship in public acct either but had an internship somewhere else and got a job (with a different company) a few months after (its accounting but not public)

[Anonymous]

you cant get a job at big 4, or cant get a job in accounting?

i never had an internship in public acct either but had an internship somewhere else and got a job (with a different company) a few months after (its accounting but not public)

[jrosen92770]

LIFO – Maybe you are right. Public accounting is not for you. It does not have to be. I would first figure out what is driving your anxiety. BTW which part of NYC are you from?

BEC - 5/26/2013 75
REG - 8/31/2013 82
AUD - 11/24/2013 74, 2/9/2014 92
FAR - 5/25/2014 85

NY CPA

[jrosen92770]

LIFO – Maybe you are right. Public accounting is not for you. It does not have to be. I would first figure out what is driving your anxiety. BTW which part of NYC are you from?

BEC - 5/26/2013 75
REG - 8/31/2013 82
AUD - 11/24/2013 74, 2/9/2014 92
FAR - 5/25/2014 85

NY CPA

[Anonymous]

I can't get a job in accounting hence why I work 2 retail jobs

[Anonymous]

I can't get a job in accounting hence why I work 2 retail jobs

[Anonymous]

that sucks, i got my masters this year but i had been working for about 2 years…im looking to switch jobs and started studying for this cpa exam. have you gotten any interviews at all, i went to a couple but no offers yet…

[Anonymous]

that sucks, i got my masters this year but i had been working for about 2 years…im looking to switch jobs and started studying for this cpa exam. have you gotten any interviews at all, i went to a couple but no offers yet…

[Anonymous]

I will talk as a personal opinion only.

I will probably sound really different to the adds here but I would say : quit.

The fact of you not enjoying your work probably means that public practice is not for you. Is a difficult area and this is really nothing compared to a busy season. This doesn't mean it is YOU the problem, accounting is so wide that probably your area is not this, and you are better for industry. It is true that you learn a lot in public practice, but, speaking in my own experience, I have friends that worked in industry and government and they are having a better life quality and much more $$. When you are a woman, and if you think in your future probably you will want to have life quality to make a family ( I don't mean you can't do it in public practice but is a bit harder).

Usually jobs in public practice are over rated, because is sometimes the “good CV” if you worked for a big four, but at the end of the day, if you don't want to be a partner, you may want to start right away in an area that better fits you.

You are really young to decide where you want to work, so my advice would be: work where you feel happy and productive, otherwise you will get sick: your body won't resist and then you have to pay doctors and innecesary unhappyness. Now, if big four is by the moment not good for you, start in a small or regional firm, things there are different as well. You test and decide!

Again, that is my personal opinion, hopefully it helps!

[Anonymous]

I will talk as a personal opinion only.

I will probably sound really different to the adds here but I would say : quit.

The fact of you not enjoying your work probably means that public practice is not for you. Is a difficult area and this is really nothing compared to a busy season. This doesn't mean it is YOU the problem, accounting is so wide that probably your area is not this, and you are better for industry. It is true that you learn a lot in public practice, but, speaking in my own experience, I have friends that worked in industry and government and they are having a better life quality and much more $$. When you are a woman, and if you think in your future probably you will want to have life quality to make a family ( I don't mean you can't do it in public practice but is a bit harder).

Usually jobs in public practice are over rated, because is sometimes the “good CV” if you worked for a big four, but at the end of the day, if you don't want to be a partner, you may want to start right away in an area that better fits you.

You are really young to decide where you want to work, so my advice would be: work where you feel happy and productive, otherwise you will get sick: your body won't resist and then you have to pay doctors and innecesary unhappyness. Now, if big four is by the moment not good for you, start in a small or regional firm, things there are different as well. You test and decide!

Again, that is my personal opinion, hopefully it helps!

[ZSRizvi]

@Candle

I was in the same situation as you. I graduated in 2010 with a double major in accounting and finance and wasn't able to land an accounting/auditing job until THIS year. I found an AP/AR job the year before through Accountemps and that benefitted me. If you haven't already applied to them, I would suggest you do so. And don't lose hope. You'll find an accounting job eventually.

@Accounting LIFO

I would say look at the CPA licensing requirements first: do you need one or two years of experience? And then stick to this job for those number of years until you get your license out of the way. Pass your exams, get licensed, and then think about going into private accounting.

I've just started at an auditing firm as well and I feel as overwhelmed as you do but if you're already giving up within the first few months, I think it's your mindset that has become an obstacle. My commute is over an hour long but I've committed myself. I'll do anything at this point to pass my exams and get licensed.

Sometimes, in order to become something in life there are major sacrifices to be made (sadly, I didn't learn that until I got out of college).

So…point of lecture: stick it out.

BEC (July 2013)
FAR (OCT 2013)
REG (NOV 2013)
AUD (JAN 2014)

The CPA Exam is an opponent that not even the Fellowship of the Ring would want to come across.

I have a long...long...journey ahead of me.

[ZSRizvi]

@Candle

I was in the same situation as you. I graduated in 2010 with a double major in accounting and finance and wasn't able to land an accounting/auditing job until THIS year. I found an AP/AR job the year before through Accountemps and that benefitted me. If you haven't already applied to them, I would suggest you do so. And don't lose hope. You'll find an accounting job eventually.

@Accounting LIFO

I would say look at the CPA licensing requirements first: do you need one or two years of experience? And then stick to this job for those number of years until you get your license out of the way. Pass your exams, get licensed, and then think about going into private accounting.

I've just started at an auditing firm as well and I feel as overwhelmed as you do but if you're already giving up within the first few months, I think it's your mindset that has become an obstacle. My commute is over an hour long but I've committed myself. I'll do anything at this point to pass my exams and get licensed.

Sometimes, in order to become something in life there are major sacrifices to be made (sadly, I didn't learn that until I got out of college).

So…point of lecture: stick it out.

BEC (July 2013)
FAR (OCT 2013)
REG (NOV 2013)
AUD (JAN 2014)

The CPA Exam is an opponent that not even the Fellowship of the Ring would want to come across.

I have a long...long...journey ahead of me.

[Anonymous]

I went to 2 interviews, 1 interview was because they had to interview and another because they though I had experience but I really didn't

[Author]

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