Hate Public Accounting! Why do people do this?!?

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #183024
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I just started in public accounting at a Big 4 in September, and I despise it more than I thought ever possible. When it first started I instantly didn’t like it but I brushed it off and said it was just because it was new. But no. My team is terrible as in they are just not interesting people or even that nice, the work is tedious and boring, we were originally only getting 20 minute lunches until the other staff 1 and I said something when asked what we disliked about the engagement, there is little to no guidance on EVERYTHING and the hours are just stupid. I just hate it. I mean I knew the hours would suck but now that I’m a week and a half into busy season they truly suck, and I just don’t get why I’m putting myself through this, or why anyone does. It’s stupid. And for what, some tick marks?! I wanted to stay until I made senior at the minimum, now I don’t even want to stay until the end of this week. I know l know, this experience will do wonders for me eventually, but I just don’t care. Why do I want to suffer now?? Can someone, anyone, say a little something positive? I knew I wasn’t going to like this job all that much, I just didn’t want hate it, and I certainly didn’t want to hate it this much. Thanks for listening to me vent! It’s been a really bad day.

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 56 total)
  • Author
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  • #522121
    Wendy
    Participant

    Just hang in there. It's bound to get better or at least manageable until you can gain the necessary experience and move on. Just keep your head down and do it. Kind of like how much studying for this exam totally sucks, and all the things we miss out on and sacrifice. We all do it knowing that the end game is totally worth the short run loss. You can do this!!

    Hopeful this time around.... Back after a 2 year break!!

    BEC - Feb 2013 78!!
    FAR - May 2013 76!!
    REG - 70! 71! 80!!
    AUD - Oct 2013 79!!

    FINALLY DONE!!

    #522165
    Wendy
    Participant

    Just hang in there. It's bound to get better or at least manageable until you can gain the necessary experience and move on. Just keep your head down and do it. Kind of like how much studying for this exam totally sucks, and all the things we miss out on and sacrifice. We all do it knowing that the end game is totally worth the short run loss. You can do this!!

    Hopeful this time around.... Back after a 2 year break!!

    BEC - Feb 2013 78!!
    FAR - May 2013 76!!
    REG - 70! 71! 80!!
    AUD - Oct 2013 79!!

    FINALLY DONE!!

    #522123
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Wanna know the secret of how we put up with it? We drink.

    #522167
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Wanna know the secret of how we put up with it? We drink.

    #522125
    Mayo
    Participant

    “We Drink”

    Truer words have never been spoken.

    Mayo, BBA, Macc

    #522169
    Mayo
    Participant

    “We Drink”

    Truer words have never been spoken.

    Mayo, BBA, Macc

    #522127
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    What drove you to become an accountant?

    #522171
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    What drove you to become an accountant?

    #522129
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Do you hate PUBLIC ACCOUNTING, or is it the PEOPLE, or is it that particular POSITION? Making a blank statement can be foolish…it's just like me saying I hate all men because my ex is a stupid jerk.

    Figure out what it is that you dislike so that you can make in informed decision as to what to do.

    Good luck!

    #522173
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Do you hate PUBLIC ACCOUNTING, or is it the PEOPLE, or is it that particular POSITION? Making a blank statement can be foolish…it's just like me saying I hate all men because my ex is a stupid jerk.

    Figure out what it is that you dislike so that you can make in informed decision as to what to do.

    Good luck!

    #522131
    MintsRGood
    Participant

    BobRoss speaks the truth!!! There's a reason my profile pic is a delirium tremens elephant!!! 😉

    REG: 75 DONE 🙂
    AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
    BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
    FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
    Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
    -Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
    -The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
    -You better work, b***h!
    -Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

    #522175
    MintsRGood
    Participant

    BobRoss speaks the truth!!! There's a reason my profile pic is a delirium tremens elephant!!! 😉

    REG: 75 DONE 🙂
    AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
    BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
    FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
    Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
    -Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
    -The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
    -You better work, b***h!
    -Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

    #522133
    Meowmix77
    Member

    I don't work for B4 but a large national firm (top 7 in revenue) for public. Your happiness is DIRECTLY correlated to how well you like your engagaement team. Sad, but it's true. If you have boring team members, don't listen to music/podcasts while you work, eat lunch together (while working but still eating together), you're going to hate your life.

    I have had in-charges who are fantastic and help guide me along my engagement setting up guidelines and expectations very clearly. This helps tremendously and I don't feel overwhelmed at all. Other in-charges just give you a section to tackle and let you read up on PY workpapers and figure things out, but let you ask questions whenever you run into issues. A GOOD in-charge will know that they are ultimately responsible for signing off on your work, so they will take the time to explain what you need to do to finish as efficiently as possible while producing quality work. You will end up learning what you need to do and you won't be scratching your head wondering wtf is going on.

    I can say I truly enjoy working with my team. They watch out for me and I enjoy spending my time with them. Sorry to hear you're on a bad engagement team.

    Becker
    AUD: 98 (4/13)
    BEC: 84 (5/13)
    FAR: 91 (7/13)
    REG: 91 (8/13)

    #522177
    Meowmix77
    Member

    I don't work for B4 but a large national firm (top 7 in revenue) for public. Your happiness is DIRECTLY correlated to how well you like your engagaement team. Sad, but it's true. If you have boring team members, don't listen to music/podcasts while you work, eat lunch together (while working but still eating together), you're going to hate your life.

    I have had in-charges who are fantastic and help guide me along my engagement setting up guidelines and expectations very clearly. This helps tremendously and I don't feel overwhelmed at all. Other in-charges just give you a section to tackle and let you read up on PY workpapers and figure things out, but let you ask questions whenever you run into issues. A GOOD in-charge will know that they are ultimately responsible for signing off on your work, so they will take the time to explain what you need to do to finish as efficiently as possible while producing quality work. You will end up learning what you need to do and you won't be scratching your head wondering wtf is going on.

    I can say I truly enjoy working with my team. They watch out for me and I enjoy spending my time with them. Sorry to hear you're on a bad engagement team.

    Becker
    AUD: 98 (4/13)
    BEC: 84 (5/13)
    FAR: 91 (7/13)
    REG: 91 (8/13)

    #522135
    neika822
    Participant

    I was in your shoes and quit after 9 months. It was tough, and I temped for a bit until I got my act together and found a good accounting job.

    HOWEVER, looking back, I wish I had just stuck it out until at least a year, or maybe until senior. Your opportunities will be better and you will honestly learn so much.

    R - *77*(02/'13)-Becker & NINJA
    A - 71('11); *87*(04/'13)-Becker & NINJA
    F - *76*(08/'13)-Becker & NINJA - "server upgrade" survivor
    B - 60('11); *82*(10/'13) -Becker & NINA

    DONE, DONE, AND DONE.

    CPA in Massachusetts; issued 01/24/14

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 56 total)
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