27 Hours and Counting…
November 22, 2006 27 Comments
In the last two days, I have charged nearly 27 hours, meaning I actually was at work closer to 30. No time to study. Barely enough time to sleep. It really takes its toll on you. I have also just been told that for the next 2 weeks, I will be on a massive client’s audit, and to expect to work 8-9PM for 7 days this week. My suggestion to everyone who has to do school while working: avoid public companies, especially complex ones such as insurance and banks like the plague. They will occupy your every waking moment. In truth, at the early level, I don’t think you will learn more doing the cash sections on a bank audit than on working on the many sections of a smaller client. In fact, the inverse may be true, plus you’ll actually have a life!
The Anonymous Accountant 
Oh yeah – I just got shifted from the job I thought I was going to be on to a two month insurance company job later in the winter.
Needless to say, words will be had over this.
Aaahhhhh I remember it so well! Great to know things haven’t changed in the Big 4 since the good old 1990s. You know what you need? The Accountants Coach.
Your blog is bringing back some good and terrible memories…
I used to work for a mid-sized firm in San Francisco-
At one point, I found myself asking this question: Why am I working 12-14 hours a day for 1/5 my billing rate? I hate my job, I don’t care for the people I work with, and I’m not crazy about the city. I too tried to maintain a positive attitude.
And it wasn’t that I couldn’t cut it at the firm.
I just didn’t like it. I knew there were better options for ME.
I did have a few great personalities I worked with, I had a good manager, and a couple of good partners…. but the ones I didn’t care for outnumbered the good.
I won’t forget Mr. Fish who told me: “This business takes three kinds of people: Finders, Minders and Grinders” – as a Jr. your job is to grind. As a manager, your job is to Mind. As a partner, you can take your pick.
I left the big city for a small town, better, more personalized training, and no commute. It’s 67 degrees today, warming to 73 tomorrow.
After I got my ticket punched, I went solo. That was 5 years ago. Now I own 3 companies: A CPA firm, a Payroll Service bureau that competes against Paychex and ADP in my town, and a practice development and marketing company for CPAs.
Keep the faith – you’ll find your way, just don’t lose your soul.
And if you really need the moral support, sing a Hymn to your Manager/ Supervisor / Partner:
“Hymn, Hymn….F*#& Him!!!!”
Hmm, comments from two CA/CPA consultants. Nice. 😉
In reality, life isn’t that bad.
It’s quite good if you know what you’re doing – I’m off the job I didn’t want to be on – ah, happy day!
oh geez. that’s a long week!
I was thinking of going into the public sector. Would you recommend it over corporate accounting?
Say Holmes (what we used to call our Homeboys)
I know you’re probably slammed, but we’d love to hear how it’s going!
Dave
I love this post. It presents many of the paradoxes that exist in the “game” of accounting. Trust me though, its very worth it. It can’t be underestimated how powerful having a Big Four name is on your resume. The reality is, however, that you have to put in enough time to rise through the ranks enough to obtain some legitimate macro-business responsibilities. I interview many Big Four candidates looking to get out of public after one or two years and the sad fact is that for the many many hours of work that they completed over that time, most of it was inane. After all, once you’ve footed and cross-footed and tied to the g/l a hundred times, you’re really not stretching yourself all that much. However, once you reach Senior and run with that for a couple of years, you’ve really developed the discipline and training that you need to enter the private community at a sufficient level to add value and stretch your legs. Work your network of clients and find some way to get through it. Then choose your exit strategy wisely and you’ll have laid a solid foundation that will support you for your entire career (assuming you stay the course and don’t ruin your reputation) Good Luck!
Please write some more! How else am I supposed to know what happens when I graduate?
You can visit http://www.krupo.ca my site or Neil’s http://neilmcintyre.ca/index.php – we’re a bit more active with the writing. 🙂
Please join for discussions on topics about The Virtual Reality.
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COME ON MAN! POST SOMETHING!
Man, you should really post something or i’m going to start posting from MY current experience as a first year auditor.
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Hey anybody can shed some light about working in tax? does it pay better than audit? tax’s prospects are not as bright as audit right?
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I’ve browsed quite a few accounting blogs and yours by far is one of the most uncanny and interesting. I know of a way to make things easier for you. If you do corporate formations, instead of doing it yourself, you can actually outsource a company called Corporate StoreFront. They do a marvelous job and service is personal and friendly.
Accountants might be interested in this – http://www.corporatestorefront.com.
Thanks!
Abby
I’ve though of Accounting as a career recently. Your posts have been helpfully disillusioning. I figured the education would give me endless possibilities, from solo telecommuting from the beach to CFO of a huge company.
My current job has to many hours and low pay doing medial tasks. Perhaps Accounting wouldn’t be much better.
All I want is a solo telecommuting job, paying at least 40,000 a year, that will allow me to work from the beaches of Costa Rica, where I can live like a king. Is that to much to ask for?
Would an focus on entrepreneurship or an IT field be any better? Web design, Writing?
I’m I just naive?
Please Take of comments after you read. Thank You
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U AND ME BOTH DUDE….. I HATE SCHOOL … LOL NOT EVEN IN HIGHSCHOOL
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Interesting comments and it certainly can be difficult to have a life when working and studying at the same time. But the accountancy qualifications will always pay off in the long run.