it's nice to hear someone besides me being so adamant about how important work-life balance is. i work in public as a part-time intern, and i've definitely talked to people before about how working more than 50 hrs/week is against my philosophy lol
I completely agree. It’s my senior year and I already know that I want nothing to do with public accounting. I have friends who work over 100 hours a week during busy season. Definitely not for me. Work-life balance is what I care about the most.
Britney Casey yeah, it's not for everyone but at the same time, some people thrive under that pressure. Everyone needs to do what's best for themselves and their family! Best of luck deciding your route! A healthy work life balance is definitely still possible in accounting - and that's something I didn't know when I was in college hearing about all the brutal busy seasons.
Love this video - a lot of people just starting out in their careers are okay with working crazy hours (and their employers know this, so they walk all over them), until they burn out. You pointed out something important here: Work-life balance is important, otherwise, working crazy hours most often will lead to burn out, depression, divorce, suicide, etc (maybe not at first, but over a long period of time, it will). I've seen all of these at previous jobs in my 20's and early 30's. I quit my old job because they worked us 12 hour days, every day for months (due to their own poor planning and people quitting). It's no way to live & not sustainable over time. You don't have time to do laundry, clean, mow your lawn, or just relax. You need time to recharge your batteries. So important for your mental health. Occasional overtime is awesome if you want it, but constant, forced overtime is not.
As a CPA that dodged public accounting - I completely agree with your philosophy on work-life balance. That is why I started in industry 11 years ago and I’m still in industry.
Did you start out in public accounting to get experience before jumping in the industry? How much are you making now? I'm starting to study for my CPA. Been working in the industry and planning to go to the Big 4.
You’re making me happy I chose a smaller public accounting firm 😂 Also: “when I’m off work, I’m as good as dead. I don’t have a heartbeat when I’m off work” 😂😂😂
I wish I valued work life balance earlier on in my career, now I finally realize how important it is and am looking to leave public accounting for good.
Thank you so much for this! I've watched so many public vs private videos and you're the first person to talk about how important a work-life balance is. I completely agree with that. My original goal was to work in big 4 and now I'm starting to question that.
I had no interest in the Big4 but I was interested in working at a larger firm - so I'm very thankful I had an internship to get a sneak peak into what it's like. It's great for some people! Just not everyone
I completely agree with your philosophy! I’m a sophomore in an Accounting program at my college and I’m trying to stay out of public accounting because I’ve heard so much about the long hours :(
I don’t know of any profession where so many achieve certification then leave. As soon I got certified, I left public accounting. It’s not a great life unless you become partner. I didn’t want to spend my time doing that. I like numbers and I like working to achieve success for the organization that I work for. I get everything that you are saying.
WeakAzz Wifi very much so. Most of us that left public can achieve success anywhere that requires an ability to process data. The fbi’s takedown of bonano mob boss joe massino were former CPA’s that found a career in law enforcement.
Love all your points! I work in public accounting in the Middle TN area at a "small" firm although don't let that fool you, we work crazy big firm hours too. We are just an audit/assurance firm so we do audits year round and we stay busy year round. Our real "busy season" starts Jan 1 and runs through the first week or so of May. After that we drop down from at least 65 billable hours per week to around 45 to 50 per week for the rest of the year. Your videos are great! I am tempted to share my similar story of working in public accounting for the past 5 years!
Hi Heaven. Just wanting to let you know that this helped me! I started public accounting, and while I like the work, I think it's because I like accounting in general and I like working. This really isn't my dream job, and every day I'm waking up worried about how many hours I'm going to have to put in extra, and it's not even busy season. I don't get hours back for extra hours worked, I don't get paid extra, and I don't even work less on the non-busy seasons. It doesn't feel fair, and I can easily see how I'll be burnt out after 2 years. Government accounting seems more and more like what I want to do, and your channel has shown me the most information about it from someone who I agree with in almost every way. You said at one point that people might disagree with every thing you say when I was agreeing with EVERYTHING you said, and I've watched a bunch of people talk about their experience and opinions that don't really vibe with me. It feels nice knowing I've found someone who shares the same opinions and values about work that I do and that you're living the work/life balance I want to live. You're the first person who's expressed a differing opinion on resume building. My current goal is to stick in PA for 2 years to find what I like to do and then go for that job, but you're giving me confidence to start looking deeply sooner. Even if it doesn't work out, I'll still enjoy my life much more and have the time to look for what I want to do. Plus, I've decided that CPA is not worth it. The pay raise it MIGHT give me I'm proud of you for getting yours!
I’m a 3rd year senior auditor. At this firm, the rush is year long. I’m over it. I don’t want to be supervisor or manager or partner. But I did industry (SEC filing and nonprofit) and I’m not interested in month end close rush or the controller life either. I enjoy the technical work. The rush and deadlines and attitudes I can do without. For now… I’m working on building my own virtual practice and working directly with clients. So I guess I’m like a solo partner lolol. I do have a offer pending from a smaller firm. Idk.
Thank you for your video, Heaven. Lot of interesting information and good food for thought. I will be attending a university this fall semester to start on my bachelor's degree in accounting.
I agree with your work philosophy. While I'm not a CPA, I just started working in a small private CPA firm. It's my first tax season EVER and it's hell, especially because every client thinks they are the only person we work with...calling every five minutes when we can't call back right away. I feel like the lady who trained me either doesn't know what she's doing or she's purposely telling me one thing and the next time, she tells me something totally different for the same situation and says I told you this before. I finally got into a huge argument with this lady after a month. Lol.
Omg, u cannot agree more with this video! I know people who had to go get professional mental help after a year of working at one of the big 4! No money or potential future benefits worth it
So glad to see other people in accounting with the same mindset. I work for a smaller public accounting firm doing governmental audits so I have a bit of both worlds.
While I don’t agree with everything mentioned here (as I recently returned to public accounting 😃) I think you make a lot of good points. It’s always great to hear someone in accounting who loves their job - you seem genuinely happy which is rare.
I have over 20 years of experience and it’s definitely a grind. However I have so much flexibility I have never missed any of my kids school events and I have long time connections that switched to private and have told me grass isn’t always greener. Some good points for sure though.
I really appreciate you uploading this video! It's helped me tremendously. I've been in the accounting field for 16 years now (started when I was 16), never really knowing what I wanted to do, and your videos have inspired me to finally get my bachelor's and CPA and go for an accounting role in government, as I agree with you on so many points and it seems like that would be the best fit for me. You're awesome! :)
What a healthy outlook on life, Heaven. May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you. May His Holy Ghost be forever at your side. And may you always be aware of God's love for you.
this is so true! I work for a small firm, but all the partners came from big 4. The long hours and "good old boy" attitudes have really turned me off. I'm leaving in July for an easier job at a law firm, I just have to wait until this extended tax season is over. I wish I could get into govt but unfortunately I never get calls back on my apps.
I’ve worked in 2 small firms the past 3 years and honestly unless you live die and breathe it and thrive under the pressure there is no reason to stay in public in the long run.
I graduated college a few months ago and will be studying for the CPA starting this summer. Starting with the REG portion. Got a job as an audit staff accountant at a mid size accounting firm up north (I currently live in the south) so I am excited yet nervous!
Edis H best of luck to you and congratulations!! Sounds like you have exciting things coming soon. Hopefully you're able to tackle the CPA exams better than I did 😂 that was quite the journey for me
Heaven's Audventure Thank you for the reply!! It is a great honor! I am not sure how the CPA process will work now with Covid but I am sure the best will be worked out! I am really scared but I am confident in my memorization techniques! Hope you have a good weekend!
@@bosanac8864 How's your career path going as an audit staff accountant up North? Studying my CPA right now, debating whether to stick with industry or go with Big4 just to gain experience.
@@cash_cpa_coffee2765 It has been very difficult. Public accounting is hard. I’m gonna try and survive another 12 months if I can then leave. It isn’t easy that’s for sure. I wouldn’t go big 4 unless you are ready for 70+ hour work weeks.
I can see why you would avoid public accounting after an internship like that. The 2 firms I’ve worked for have reasonable goals, and no expectation for staff to bring in new clients. When it’s slow, I can work 20 hours a week and be fine! Great video btw
Public accounting was the death of me. Too much pressure to finish files on time forced me to eat a lot of hours. My managers were passive aggressive and literally fired people for asking questions. There were so many women at my firm and people always talked behind each others backs. The partners were devils and miserable. Public accounting is bullshit. Moved to investment management and been doing that for over a year while finishing up school. Man I hate public accounting
larger firms really suck. I went to a smaller local firm in my area after an internship at a big firm and its way more chill at the small firm we still have to work hard and put in some hours to get the jobs done but everyone is down to earth. Its only like 30 people at my firm and about 9 of them are the partners so I don't have any managers just work directly with the partner on each job. I don't worry about eating hours or budgets as long as I get the jobs done before the deadlines its all good they don't bitch too much about it like some firms do.
Aight, watching this saved me a lot of heart ache. Almost decided to do accounting but now I’m going to go become a professional swimmer instead. Thank you.
@@HeavensAudventure I've heard a lot of people say the same thing about government jurbs. I also heard they do some pretty in-depth background and credit checks on potential employees, is this true? See, a friend of a friend's baby sister's cousin told me that she had heard from his cousin that their dad tried to get a job as a government accountant, but because he had some issue with some dings on his credit report, they rescinded a job offer and he never got to work for his favorite government agency. Does your credit come into play when applying for a job as an accountant?
@@RunOs3I believe the extent of background/credit checks depend on the level of government and each agency is different! But I would assume most state require an extensive check? I’m honestly not sure, that’s a good question!
I feel as though I fell into a trap after you put your realism into this now. 🤦🏾♀️ I'm about to gradute with my Bachelors in Accounting this december. I loved the physical education route but I picked this because of the stability and flexibility in job route.
You will be fine. You can go for a small firm or even a mid tier one, the pint is to get the experience. You can do so much with accounting. The government route is good and less hectic. You can even work for your county. You will find your way.
Do you consider accounting as the best/flexible business degree? When you entered public accounting, what were the strengths you already needed to have? Example: Excel mastery, Federal/Corporate taxes knowledge, knew anything about audit? My degree doesnt have a course that teaches corporate taxes, would that matter? Last question, I will graduate with an accounting degree and minors in entrepreneurship/marketing do you think those minors help at all other than just having the 150 credits? And I heard that by just having the 150 credits you're more marketable. Thanks a bunch!!! And sorry for asking so much while your probably closing month.
I want to switch to tax from staff accountant job. Although I could apply to senior staff accountant position at this point. I’ll try a small CPA firm, maybe a mid tier firm later, but honestly I do care about work/life balance as well. They not getting the best year of my life.
I'm confused, how did you get a CPA if you never worked in public accounting, I thought you needed two years of public accounting experience to test for the CPA? Please advise.
the_one I don't know any state that requires public accounting experience for the CPA license. All the states that I've heard of just requires the candidate work under a CPA for however long. TN requires 1 year of working under a CPA.
@@HeavensAudventure Forgive my ignorance, I'm trying to get up to speed on accounting. I'm actually in my early 40s and looking into a career change and am considering going back to school for accounting, but from what I heard I want to avoid public accounting like Covid, I want to do like 45 hour work weeks max with the possibility to work from home. Like you noted I heard the best strategy was to work in public for a couple of years and get your CPA then switch to private for the salary boost with the CPA, but I'm already burnt out from my current career and wouldn't survive public, I'm also an extreme introvert. If I understand you correctly, it's possible to go straight into private or government with just a bachelors and as long as you work for someone with a CPA you can go for your CPA to get the salary boost without ever having worked in public? If so, how does that work when most of the job postings I see require a CPA even for entry level position?
the_one public accounting is never a requirement for any success. People encourage the public accounting experience to climb the ladder quickest and make the most money fast. At your age and having already experienced life as a professional, I would recommend private accounting or government work. We hire a lot of older people where I work, mostly because young people aren't as drawn to the 37.5 hour work weeks and state benefits. Be careful with some private positions though - many work insane hours that you wouldn't expect. There are so many jobs that just require the accounting degree and encourage the CPA. You would fit in the category. Bonus points if you're actively taking the exams. Obviously you wouldn't qualify for a CPA position quite yet. Hope this helps!
@@HeavensAudventureThanks for your quick and insightful responses, much appreciated. I currently make in the mid $60Ks, is it accurate that private and government positions for entry level are usually in the low $40Ks? In these two sectors given the salary increase structure, how many years would it take me to get back up in to the $60Ks and beyond (given that I have a shorter amount of time to save up for retirement and don't want to work past 65).
the_one you should hire on with a higher salary than an entry level college student and increase from there. Government is good about steady increases. Private is good about it too as long as there's room to move up.
I don't agree with your philosophy work - life balance at some degrees. Working is not just for paying your bills. You need to spend at least 40 hours per week better your job is aligned with your desired life style and life purposes. My case I work as export and interstates sales and go business trip interstates and overseas. I love traveling. How often you can travel in your life for vacations? But biz traveling includes for my job. Lots of traveling experience besides vacations. Great benefits 👏
@@user-vi8nt2wg2n no, they just care that you got it. The GPA is on the transcript that employers request when you apply for jobs, but the only time I had anyone ask about anything on the transcript was a firm asked me why I withdrew from an American government class. Lol
After 2 year of public accounting, countless 12 hour days sitting staring at data that doesn't make sense because your clients data is a piece of shit, your back and neck hurting, your manager being rude as fuck for asking basic questions. I AM SO FUCKING DONE WITH PUBLIC ACCOUNTING. The people in public accounting are dedicated slaves to their partner, and the partners are misserable.
Does government pay well when your in mid career? Do you think it’s worth the raise if your working more at a public form? Is their public firms that don’t have crazy ridiculous hours during busy season ?
Kailyn Jordan you're going to work a lot at any public firm but they definitely vary. Smaller firms are more reasonable on the hours worked. All government salaries are published online so you can compare for yourself! I personally find the government sector very rewarding to work in
Girl. I want your kind of job, it sounds amazing! Any tips for getting into the field? I’m in public right now and planning to leave as soon as I get my CPA
There's really no secret tips or tricks haha just applying and nailing the interview. I will say right now, at least for our office, we have had a TON of applicants in the last year or so, and it's been extremely competitive for people to get in. But your state may be different!
Thanks! Good to know, I’m not looking to leave immediately but these jobs sound sooo nice. Judging by your accent we could very well be in the same state 😂
@@HeavensAudventure from a work life balance perspective, with the same career growth as public. it's possible to get gs12 or 13 in 5yrs. I was telling a friend that he would love performance audit because he's actually trying to get out traditional accounting. Gao had a performance auditor position, when I read the position description, it had no accounting involved but it requires an accounting degree.
@@404TRUCKERTV one of my good friends works for the Feds. I had him featured on my channel last year to tell everybody about how it differs from the State. Pros and cons of both
I graduated in May, finished the rest of my 150 credit hours by July (I took 15 credits that summer), started my career in September and let myself get settled into my new job before starting the exams in January. It was a very busy few months after graduating
You are not vlogging as an accountant. You are vlogging as someone who accidentally stumbled upon accounting and wanted to vent the frustration. Also, your style is not that of a professional, instead it is more of a kid making video for nothing but making video. Sorry, I did not mean to hurt your feelings; I just wanted to say what I felt after spending about two minutes into your video. Nothing personal.
I died when you mentioned turbotax. that was hilarious. thank you for keeping it real. a trait that's hard to find in people these days, especially on UA-cam.
it's nice to hear someone besides me being so adamant about how important work-life balance is. i work in public as a part-time intern, and i've definitely talked to people before about how working more than 50 hrs/week is against my philosophy lol
ashton faith right there with you! 🙌🏼
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
50 hours a week is normal, 80 during busy season which is about 4 months out of the year
I completely agree. It’s my senior year and I already know that I want nothing to do with public accounting. I have friends who work over 100 hours a week during busy season. Definitely not for me. Work-life balance is what I care about the most.
Britney Casey yeah, it's not for everyone but at the same time, some people thrive under that pressure. Everyone needs to do what's best for themselves and their family! Best of luck deciding your route! A healthy work life balance is definitely still possible in accounting - and that's something I didn't know when I was in college hearing about all the brutal busy seasons.
Hi Britney, what job roles have you gotten into and what are you in now? I know it’s been 4 years since your comment
Love this video - a lot of people just starting out in their careers are okay with working crazy hours (and their employers know this, so they walk all over them), until they burn out. You pointed out something important here: Work-life balance is important, otherwise, working crazy hours most often will lead to burn out, depression, divorce, suicide, etc (maybe not at first, but over a long period of time, it will). I've seen all of these at previous jobs in my 20's and early 30's. I quit my old job because they worked us 12 hour days, every day for months (due to their own poor planning and people quitting). It's no way to live & not sustainable over time. You don't have time to do laundry, clean, mow your lawn, or just relax. You need time to recharge your batteries. So important for your mental health. Occasional overtime is awesome if you want it, but constant, forced overtime is not.
As a CPA that dodged public accounting - I completely agree with your philosophy on work-life balance. That is why I started in industry 11 years ago and I’m still in industry.
Did you start out in public accounting to get experience before jumping in the industry? How much are you making now? I'm starting to study for my CPA. Been working in the industry and planning to go to the Big 4.
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
How did you CPA without the public accounting?
You’re making me happy I chose a smaller public accounting firm 😂
Also: “when I’m off work, I’m as good as dead. I don’t have a heartbeat when I’m off work” 😂😂😂
livinlifewithlic 😂
I wish I valued work life balance earlier on in my career, now I finally realize how important it is and am looking to leave public accounting for good.
Your career experience has shaped who you are! Don’t regret anything!
@@HeavensAudventure thank you for the kind words
Thank you so much for this! I've watched so many public vs private videos and you're the first person to talk about how important a work-life balance is. I completely agree with that. My original goal was to work in big 4 and now I'm starting to question that.
I had no interest in the Big4 but I was interested in working at a larger firm - so I'm very thankful I had an internship to get a sneak peak into what it's like. It's great for some people! Just not everyone
I completely agree with your philosophy! I’m a sophomore in an Accounting program at my college and I’m trying to stay out of public accounting because I’ve heard so much about the long hours :(
I don’t know of any profession where so many achieve certification then leave. As soon I got certified, I left public accounting. It’s not a great life unless you become partner. I didn’t want to spend my time doing that. I like numbers and I like working to achieve success for the organization that I work for. I get everything that you are saying.
Interesting. I thought people'd stay in public accounting after getting their CPA. Is the CPA beneficial outside of public accounting?
WeakAzz Wifi very much so. Most of us that left public can achieve success anywhere that requires an ability to process data. The fbi’s takedown of bonano mob boss joe massino were former CPA’s that found a career in law enforcement.
How long were you in public? How was the job search process for your next role?
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
Love all your points! I work in public accounting in the Middle TN area at a "small" firm although don't let that fool you, we work crazy big firm hours too. We are just an audit/assurance firm so we do audits year round and we stay busy year round. Our real "busy season" starts Jan 1 and runs through the first week or so of May. After that we drop down from at least 65 billable hours per week to around 45 to 50 per week for the rest of the year.
Your videos are great! I am tempted to share my similar story of working in public accounting for the past 5 years!
Hi Heaven. Just wanting to let you know that this helped me! I started public accounting, and while I like the work, I think it's because I like accounting in general and I like working. This really isn't my dream job, and every day I'm waking up worried about how many hours I'm going to have to put in extra, and it's not even busy season. I don't get hours back for extra hours worked, I don't get paid extra, and I don't even work less on the non-busy seasons. It doesn't feel fair, and I can easily see how I'll be burnt out after 2 years.
Government accounting seems more and more like what I want to do, and your channel has shown me the most information about it from someone who I agree with in almost every way. You said at one point that people might disagree with every thing you say when I was agreeing with EVERYTHING you said, and I've watched a bunch of people talk about their experience and opinions that don't really vibe with me. It feels nice knowing I've found someone who shares the same opinions and values about work that I do and that you're living the work/life balance I want to live.
You're the first person who's expressed a differing opinion on resume building. My current goal is to stick in PA for 2 years to find what I like to do and then go for that job, but you're giving me confidence to start looking deeply sooner. Even if it doesn't work out, I'll still enjoy my life much more and have the time to look for what I want to do.
Plus, I've decided that CPA is not worth it. The pay raise it MIGHT give me I'm proud of you for getting yours!
Yes! I agree with your job philosophy 👏🏽
I’m a 3rd year senior auditor. At this firm, the rush is year long. I’m over it. I don’t want to be supervisor or manager or partner. But I did industry (SEC filing and nonprofit) and I’m not interested in month end close rush or the controller life either. I enjoy the technical work. The rush and deadlines and attitudes I can do without. For now… I’m working on building my own virtual practice and working directly with clients. So I guess I’m like a solo partner lolol. I do have a offer pending from a smaller firm. Idk.
Thank you for your video, Heaven. Lot of interesting information and good food for thought. I will be attending a university this fall semester to start on my bachelor's degree in accounting.
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
I agree with your work philosophy. While I'm not a CPA, I just started working in a small private CPA firm. It's my first tax season EVER and it's hell, especially because every client thinks they are the only person we work with...calling every five minutes when we can't call back right away. I feel like the lady who trained me either doesn't know what she's doing or she's purposely telling me one thing and the next time, she tells me something totally different for the same situation and says I told you this before. I finally got into a huge argument with this lady after a month. Lol.
True tea 🐸☕️ lol. Also i agree that you don't live to work!
Omg, u cannot agree more with this video! I know people who had to go get professional mental help after a year of working at one of the big 4! No money or potential future benefits worth it
So glad to see other people in accounting with the same mindset. I work for a smaller public accounting firm doing governmental audits so I have a bit of both worlds.
While I don’t agree with everything mentioned here (as I recently returned to public accounting 😃) I think you make a lot of good points. It’s always great to hear someone in accounting who loves their job - you seem genuinely happy which is rare.
I have over 20 years of experience and it’s definitely a grind. However I have so much flexibility I have never missed any of my kids school events and I have long time connections that switched to private and have told me grass isn’t always greener. Some good points for sure though.
I really appreciate you uploading this video! It's helped me tremendously. I've been in the accounting field for 16 years now (started when I was 16), never really knowing what I wanted to do, and your videos have inspired me to finally get my bachelor's and CPA and go for an accounting role in government, as I agree with you on so many points and it seems like that would be the best fit for me. You're awesome! :)
Aw, I'm so glad it was helpful! :)
What a healthy outlook on life, Heaven. May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you. May His Holy Ghost be forever at your side. And may you always be aware of God's love for you.
Kobus Hauman absolutely! Thank you so much ❤️
this is so true! I work for a small firm, but all the partners came from big 4. The long hours and "good old boy" attitudes have really turned me off. I'm leaving in July for an easier job at a law firm, I just have to wait until this extended tax season is over. I wish I could get into govt but unfortunately I never get calls back on my apps.
I’ve worked in 2 small firms the past 3 years and honestly unless you live die and breathe it and thrive under the pressure there is no reason to stay in public in the long run.
I graduated college a few months ago and will be studying for the CPA starting this summer. Starting with the REG portion. Got a job as an audit staff accountant at a mid size accounting firm up north (I currently live in the south) so I am excited yet nervous!
Edis H best of luck to you and congratulations!! Sounds like you have exciting things coming soon. Hopefully you're able to tackle the CPA exams better than I did 😂 that was quite the journey for me
Heaven's Audventure Thank you for the reply!! It is a great honor! I am not sure how the CPA process will work now with Covid but I am sure the best will be worked out! I am really scared but I am confident in my memorization techniques! Hope you have a good weekend!
@@bosanac8864 How's your career path going as an audit staff accountant up North? Studying my CPA right now, debating whether to stick with industry or go with Big4 just to gain experience.
@@cash_cpa_coffee2765 It has been very difficult. Public accounting is hard. I’m gonna try and survive another 12 months if I can then leave. It isn’t easy that’s for sure. I wouldn’t go big 4 unless you are ready for 70+ hour work weeks.
@@bosanac8864 are you saying difficult due to long hours or due to learning how to audit? Is the pay low like 55k,?
Your take on bills and keeping expenses low is spot on!
I can see why you would avoid public accounting after an internship like that. The 2 firms I’ve worked for have reasonable goals, and no expectation for staff to bring in new clients. When it’s slow, I can work 20 hours a week and be fine! Great video btw
Public accounting was the death of me. Too much pressure to finish files on time forced me to eat a lot of hours. My managers were passive aggressive and literally fired people for asking questions. There were so many women at my firm and people always talked behind each others backs. The partners were devils and miserable. Public accounting is bullshit. Moved to investment management and been doing that for over a year while finishing up school. Man I hate public accounting
larger firms really suck. I went to a smaller local firm in my area after an internship at a big firm and its way more chill at the small firm we still have to work hard and put in some hours to get the jobs done but everyone is down to earth. Its only like 30 people at my firm and about 9 of them are the partners so I don't have any managers just work directly with the partner on each job. I don't worry about eating hours or budgets as long as I get the jobs done before the deadlines its all good they don't bitch too much about it like some firms do.
The staff had to bring in the clients?! Were your friends in audit, tax or assurance at the time?
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
Aight, watching this saved me a lot of heart ache. Almost decided to do accounting but now I’m going to go become a professional swimmer instead. Thank you.
Hahah very different options, accounting is great, I love it! But public accounting is what is brutal. The government sector is where it’s at 😎
@@HeavensAudventure I've heard a lot of people say the same thing about government jurbs. I also heard they do some pretty in-depth background and credit checks on potential employees, is this true? See, a friend of a friend's baby sister's cousin told me that she had heard from his cousin that their dad tried to get a job as a government accountant, but because he had some issue with some dings on his credit report, they rescinded a job offer and he never got to work for his favorite government agency. Does your credit come into play when applying for a job as an accountant?
@@RunOs3I believe the extent of background/credit checks depend on the level of government and each agency is different! But I would assume most state require an extensive check? I’m honestly not sure, that’s a good question!
Thanks for the long descriptive video. Learned a lot.
At bigger firms, chances are you'll be doing busy season year-round because most clients file extensions and many are fiscal-year filers.
burn out rate must be the highest for any profession. i thought later on if i was this good with numbers, i should had been actuary.
You made the toilet water joke, and it was then that I knew that I had to hit subscribe
😂😂
I haven’t heard of a firm that required new employees out of college to have a new revenue goal? Been in public over 20 years.
I love every content you create, keep doing it
I feel as though I fell into a trap after you put your realism into this now. 🤦🏾♀️ I'm about to gradute with my Bachelors in Accounting this december. I loved the physical education route but I picked this because of the stability and flexibility in job route.
You will be fine. You can go for a small firm or even a mid tier one, the pint is to get the experience. You can do so much with accounting. The government route is good and less hectic. You can even work for your county. You will find your way.
Definitely agree with your work life balance philosophy. Public accounting has been a strain on my personal life and mental health 😩
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
Love your sense of humor
Hey also remember with your job you get the pension so saving for retirement is pretty easy :)
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
Just got a job in Public as a Tax Associate luckily they told me that busy season caps at 60 hours, and not 100 like at some of these other firms.
Yeah if you're okay with working that overtime, you may enjoy it!
Is govt accounting jobs hard to get? Or are there plenty of job opportunities?
I think it depends, in my experience yes.
Amazing Data I'm From colombia And I Start work to USA is amazing accounting labor.
I love watching your videos, i am currently taking up accounting at a university i am only in my first year of accounting.
I searched for this video! Cheers girl!!!!
Do you consider accounting as the best/flexible business degree?
When you entered public accounting, what were the strengths you already needed to have? Example: Excel mastery, Federal/Corporate taxes knowledge, knew anything about audit?
My degree doesnt have a course that teaches corporate taxes, would that matter?
Last question, I will graduate with an accounting degree and minors in entrepreneurship/marketing do you think those minors help at all other than just having the 150 credits? And I heard that by just having the 150 credits you're more marketable.
Thanks a bunch!!! And sorry for asking so much while your probably closing month.
I want to switch to tax from staff accountant job. Although I could apply to senior staff accountant position at this point. I’ll try a small CPA firm, maybe a mid tier firm later, but honestly I do care about work/life balance as well. They not getting the best year of my life.
"welcome to the zoom portion of this video, jk i'm editing" lol
haha crappy webcam footage
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
From your experience in government accounting and your friends in public accounting, what percentage do you think to expect after becoming a CPA?
I'm confused, how did you get a CPA if you never worked in public accounting, I thought you needed two years of public accounting experience to test for the CPA? Please advise.
the_one I don't know any state that requires public accounting experience for the CPA license. All the states that I've heard of just requires the candidate work under a CPA for however long. TN requires 1 year of working under a CPA.
@@HeavensAudventure Forgive my ignorance, I'm trying to get up to speed on accounting. I'm actually in my early 40s and looking into a career change and am considering going back to school for accounting, but from what I heard I want to avoid public accounting like Covid, I want to do like 45 hour work weeks max with the possibility to work from home. Like you noted I heard the best strategy was to work in public for a couple of years and get your CPA then switch to private for the salary boost with the CPA, but I'm already burnt out from my current career and wouldn't survive public, I'm also an extreme introvert. If I understand you correctly, it's possible to go straight into private or government with just a bachelors and as long as you work for someone with a CPA you can go for your CPA to get the salary boost without ever having worked in public? If so, how does that work when most of the job postings I see require a CPA even for entry level position?
the_one public accounting is never a requirement for any success. People encourage the public accounting experience to climb the ladder quickest and make the most money fast. At your age and having already experienced life as a professional, I would recommend private accounting or government work. We hire a lot of older people where I work, mostly because young people aren't as drawn to the 37.5 hour work weeks and state benefits. Be careful with some private positions though - many work insane hours that you wouldn't expect. There are so many jobs that just require the accounting degree and encourage the CPA. You would fit in the category. Bonus points if you're actively taking the exams. Obviously you wouldn't qualify for a CPA position quite yet. Hope this helps!
@@HeavensAudventureThanks for your quick and insightful responses, much appreciated. I currently make in the mid $60Ks, is it accurate that private and government positions for entry level are usually in the low $40Ks? In these two sectors given the salary increase structure, how many years would it take me to get back up in to the $60Ks and beyond (given that I have a shorter amount of time to save up for retirement and don't want to work past 65).
the_one you should hire on with a higher salary than an entry level college student and increase from there. Government is good about steady increases. Private is good about it too as long as there's room to move up.
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
I’m sorry! Anxiety can be triggered by many, many things
I don't agree with your philosophy work - life balance at some degrees. Working is not just for paying your bills. You need to spend at least 40 hours per week better your job is aligned with your desired life style and life purposes. My case I work as export and interstates sales and go business trip interstates and overseas. I love traveling. How often you can travel in your life for vacations? But biz traveling includes for my job. Lots of traveling experience besides vacations. Great benefits 👏
We can disagree on the philosophy of work haha there are many different philosophies!
Hi have any of your employers asked how long it took to get your accounting bachelors degree? Have they ever asked for your gpa?
@@user-vi8nt2wg2n no, they just care that you got it. The GPA is on the transcript that employers request when you apply for jobs, but the only time I had anyone ask about anything on the transcript was a firm asked me why I withdrew from an American government class. Lol
@@HeavensAudventure Ok thanks! Thats random lol.
After 2 year of public accounting, countless 12 hour days sitting staring at data that doesn't make sense because your clients data is a piece of shit, your back and neck hurting, your manager being rude as fuck for asking basic questions.
I AM SO FUCKING DONE WITH PUBLIC ACCOUNTING.
The people in public accounting are dedicated slaves to their partner, and the partners are misserable.
Does government pay well when your in mid career? Do you think it’s worth the raise if your working more at a public form? Is their public firms that don’t have crazy ridiculous hours during busy season ?
Kailyn Jordan you're going to work a lot at any public firm but they definitely vary. Smaller firms are more reasonable on the hours worked. All government salaries are published online so you can compare for yourself! I personally find the government sector very rewarding to work in
Girl. I want your kind of job, it sounds amazing! Any tips for getting into the field? I’m in public right now and planning to leave as soon as I get my CPA
There's really no secret tips or tricks haha just applying and nailing the interview. I will say right now, at least for our office, we have had a TON of applicants in the last year or so, and it's been extremely competitive for people to get in. But your state may be different!
Also applying with your CPA already, will definitely help a ton!
Thanks! Good to know, I’m not looking to leave immediately but these jobs sound sooo nice. Judging by your accent we could very well be in the same state 😂
To get into your government position, did you have to take a civil service exam?
No extra exams, just an accounting degree! And 150 credits for my workplace
Yep... working for the state is good but the fed is even better.
Maybe so, if you prefer performance audit to financial audit haha
@@HeavensAudventure from a work life balance perspective, with the same career growth as public. it's possible to get gs12 or 13 in 5yrs. I was telling a friend that he would love performance audit because he's actually trying to get out traditional accounting. Gao had a performance auditor position, when I read the position description, it had no accounting involved but it requires an accounting degree.
@@404TRUCKERTV one of my good friends works for the Feds. I had him featured on my channel last year to tell everybody about how it differs from the State. Pros and cons of both
did you go for cpa immediately after graduating or did you do any proffessional certificate prior to cpa ?
I graduated in May, finished the rest of my 150 credit hours by July (I took 15 credits that summer), started my career in September and let myself get settled into my new job before starting the exams in January. It was a very busy few months after graduating
I love you laugh the hole time 🤣😂😂😂
😂
👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
so many accountants join the fbi/cia as well.
The new client thing is bull shit
Love your vids, but my god you really can talk
my brain moves faster than I’d ever be able to speak lol
Really? Just an internship? Lol it's soooo easy for the interns, at least at our firm
The long hours alone are a huge reason public isn’t for me haha the interns worked as much as staff, but at least we got paid hourly 🤣
@@HeavensAudventure I’m almost in 3rd month in accounting for a too 6 cpa firm and u made the right call. I’m thinking of making the jump
soft
You are not vlogging as an accountant. You are vlogging as someone who accidentally stumbled upon accounting and wanted to vent the frustration. Also, your style is not that of a professional, instead it is more of a kid making video for nothing but making video. Sorry, I did not mean to hurt your feelings; I just wanted to say what I felt after spending about two minutes into your video. Nothing personal.
I died when you mentioned turbotax. that was hilarious. thank you for keeping it real. a trait that's hard to find in people these days, especially on UA-cam.
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
Funny accent
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!
I developed anxiety 😟 working as an accountant help …!!