Anybody familiar with accounting firms?

[lonelyone]

I was just royally screwed over. I'm an accountant (a CPA), and I was just fired from the accounting firm where I had worked since January. I had moved from a small town, about an hour away, to take this job.

 

Is anybody here familiar with accounting firms, and the structure of tax season? If so, you'll know that firms are deathly busy from late January through April 15, as they are preparing tax returns.

 

I was hired at this firm in January, and they knew, from my resume and my interview, that I had only 2 years experience. Yet they hired me anyway, and made it seem that the job was year-round (not just tax season). I worked very hard, and put in a lot of hours, but my bitch boss kept reprimanding me for any mistake, even though my mistakes were minor, and far and few between considering my limited experience.

 

If my boss were really, truly wanting a flawless accountant, who made zero mistakes, she should have hired somebody with many, many years experience.

But last January, when tax season was upon her, she did not have time to hire such a person. She needed someone quick, even at the risk they may not fit her needs. So she hired me, and I think I did pretty damn well considering my limited experience. Then she spit me out on the dirt once she didn't need me anymore.

[a4a]

I don't have much to offer with exception of this is the real world.

 

Do you think they owe you something?

 

Honestly if you made mistakes like you say you did - you didn't see this coming?

 

I would have been expecting it.

[BoredPerson]

I don't have much to offer with exception of this is the real world.

 

Do you think they owe you something?

 

Honestly if you made mistakes like you say you did - you didn't see this coming?

 

I would have been expecting it.

 

Typical American, Republican propaghanda nonsense. Yes they owed him something the second they hired his ass. Yes we're all entitled to something.

 

Screw you rich people thinking you own everyone in the world just because you ahve money.

 

Now, as you probably know public accountants are usually sexist and facist. Even the female bosses will be sexist and facist.

 

Work for the government.

[westernxer]

Now you can use this experience as you search for something better.

 

Some companies are no fun to work for. You'll see this the more you interview.

[a4a]

Typical American, Republican propaghanda nonsense. Yes they owed him something the second they hired his ass. Yes we're all entitled to something.

 

Screw you rich people thinking you own everyone in the world just because you ahve money.

 

Now, as you probably know public accountants are usually sexist and facist. Even the female bosses will be sexist and facist.

 

Work for the government.

 

Yeah they owed him/her a paycheck. End of story. Unless other terms were agreed to. If you are not up to par and you are let go - nothing is owed.

 

But if you feel otherwise please send me money. I am just a poor American that only expects to be paid what I earn and if I do a poor job I do not expect to keep that job. If I am no longer needed I don't expect a handout - I simply go find a new job.

 

good god........... you worry me. (almost "postal" sounding)

 

:lmao: We are all entitled to something :lmao:

[blind_otter]

That happened a lot at the accounting firm I used to work at, except that there were some newly graduated accountants who flourished and did quite well under all that pressure. A lot of them could not handle the sink or swim attitude they had at the business, though. I was lucky I wasn't a CPA, they were always quite nice to me - but the CPAs were worked very hard. The thing is they had it pretty easy when it wasn't tax season, so the boss expected everyone to work overtime out the wazoo during tax season so that they "earned" the lax slacking off time during the summer. And if they made a lot of mistakes during tax season, the boss got really pissed at them because she was so stressed out all the time, so it sort of magnified any difficulties new people had at the time.

 

So this is not a foreign story to me. That's the breaks when you do tax accounting.

[BoredPerson]

That happened a lot at the accounting firm I used to work at, except that there were some newly graduated accountants who flourished and did quite well under all that pressure. A lot of them could not handle the sink or swim attitude they had at the business, though. I was lucky I wasn't a CPA, they were always quite nice to me - but the CPAs were worked very hard. The thing is they had it pretty easy when it wasn't tax season, so the boss expected everyone to work overtime out the wazoo during tax season so that they "earned" the lax slacking off time during the summer. And if they made a lot of mistakes during tax season, the boss got really pissed at them because she was so stressed out all the time, so it sort of magnified any difficulties new people had at the time.

 

So this is not a foreign story to me. That's the breaks when you do tax accounting.

 

Thats why I was attracted to public accounting. I love the rush of the busy season and the pressure that comes with it. Had the exprience in a number of different industries and have loved it every time.

 

Unfortunately I lacked the image to get into the industry.

 

The partners generally hire a bunch of hot women to sit around the office and flirt with clients while doing menial tasks. They usually made that pretty clear in the interview. They were really very sexist.

 

It was like, we hire these women because they're hot they don't do much more than flirt with customers. They do some accounting stuff. But it doesn't matter, they're all still well above you !

[BoredPerson]

Yeah they owed him/her a paycheck. End of story. Unless other terms were agreed to. If you are not up to par and you are let go - nothing is owed.

 

But if you feel otherwise please send me money. I am just a poor American that only expects to be paid what I earn and if I do a poor job I do not expect to keep that job. If I am no longer needed I don't expect a handout - I simply go find a new job.

 

good god........... you worry me. (almost "postal" sounding)

 

:lmao: We are all entitled to something :lmao:

 

In a lot of other countries, people do have entitlements at work. The employers are under a legal obligation. People in these countries are much happier. The US really is a long, long way behind.

[jerbear]

I was just royally screwed over. I'm an accountant (a CPA), and I was just fired from the accounting firm where I had worked since January. I had moved from a small town, about an hour away, to take this job.

 

Is anybody here familiar with accounting firms, and the structure of tax season? If so, you'll know that firms are deathly busy from late January through April 15, as they are preparing tax returns.

 

I was hired at this firm in January, and they knew, from my resume and my interview, that I had only 2 years experience. Yet they hired me anyway, and made it seem that the job was year-round (not just tax season). I worked very hard, and put in a lot of hours, but my bitch boss kept reprimanding me for any mistake, even though my mistakes were minor, and far and few between considering my limited experience.

 

If my boss were really, truly wanting a flawless accountant, who made zero mistakes, she should have hired somebody with many, many years experience.

But last January, when tax season was upon her, she did not have time to hire such a person. She needed someone quick, even at the risk they may not fit her needs. So she hired me, and I think I did pretty damn well considering my limited experience. Then she spit me out on the dirt once she didn't need me anymore.

 

Accounting firms are not easy firms to work for during busy season, quarter close, year end close, etc... Working 16 hr days, 120 hr weeks, working on weekends, is common during busy season. Each mistake costs time and money. Also have you learned from the mistakes or are they material mistakes.

 

So this is not a foreign story to me. That's the breaks when you do tax accounting.

Yelp, this is not foreign to me. I concur.

 

Typical American, Republican propaghanda nonsense. Yes they owed him something the second they hired his ass. Yes we're all entitled to something.

 

Screw you rich people thinking you own everyone in the world just because you ahve money.

 

Now, as you probably know public accountants are usually sexist and facist. Even the female bosses will be sexist and facist.

 

Work for the government.

The government is not all it is cracked up to be. You might not survive in that environment either.

[jerbear]

In a lot of other countries, people do have entitlements at work. The employers are under a legal obligation. People in these countries are much happier. The US really is a long, long way behind.

 

Have you ever noticed that those countries tend to have high unemployment rates among those between 21 and 35? Those that replace retired, dead, "fired" workers; can't handle the work.

 

If you were in France, the "smart" people work for the government while others work for "employers" under a legal obligation.

[Trialbyfire]

Have you ever noticed that those countries tend to have high unemployment rates among those between 21 and 35? Those that replace retired, dead, "fired" workers; can't handle the work.

 

If you were in France, the "smart" people work for the government while others work for "employers" under a legal obligation.

Apparently the latest trend in France, in the private sector, is to kidnap key management, to negotiate job security.

[BoredPerson]

uuumm I've noticed the US has a pretty high unemployment rate ...

[blind_otter]

It was like, we hire these women because they're hot they don't do much more than flirt with customers. They do some accounting stuff. But it doesn't matter, they're all still well above you !

 

At the firm I worked at there were only 2 male CPAs and they were the ones assigned to menial tasks - you know, bookkeeping and filling out forms, doing the "easy" clients.

 

Since the managing partner was a no nonsense lady, the more important CPAs on staff were all women. I do agree that all of them were attractive ladies, certainly, but all of them worked about 10 times harder than the 2 guys that were there. I mean 15 hour days for 2 months straight.

[lonelyone]

Do you think they owe you something?

 

Honestly if you made mistakes like you say you did - you didn't see this coming?

 

My mistakes were very, very consistent with someone with only 2 years' experience. Plus they were only paying me $35,000/yr, which again, is an indicator that they were aware of my limitations.

 

If they wanted someone who was more-or-less flawless, that's perfectly fine. But again, if that's what they wanted, they shouldn't have frickin' hired me in the first place!

[lonelyone]

Do you think they owe you something?

 

Honestly if you made mistakes like you say you did - you didn't see this coming?

 

My mistakes were very, very consistent with someone with only 2 years' experience. Plus they were only paying me $35,000/yr, which again, is an indicator that they were aware of my limitations.

 

If they wanted someone who was more-or-less flawless, that's perfectly fine. But again, if that's what they wanted, they shouldn't have frickin' hired me in the first place!

[lonelyone]

Honestly if you made mistakes like you say you did - you didn't see this coming?

 

I would have been expecting it.

 

My mistakes were very, very consistent with someone with only 2 years' experience. Plus they were only paying me $35,000/yr, which again, is an indicator that they were aware of my limitations.

 

If they wanted someone who was more-or-less flawless, that's perfectly fine. But again, if that's what they wanted, they shouldn't have frickin' hired me in the first place!

[Star Gazer]

If they wanted someone who was more-or-less flawless, that's perfectly fine. But again, if that's what they wanted, they shouldn't have frickin' hired me in the first place!

 

Huh? Do you think employers of CPAs just ASSUME that their CPAs will be making mistakes during tax season?

 

Did your interview go like this?

 

"Do you make mistakes during tax season?"

 

"Yes."

 

"You're hired!!!"

 

[Lauriebell82]

My boyfriend is an accountant (CPA) and he works REAL long hours. He used to complain about his current job which is in financial reporting for a big corporation. I think if he made a huge mistake they would fire his butt because they would lose and ton of money. Therefore, he is very careful about his work and works long hours to ensure that he does well. He used to get very frustrated because he felt that his work wasn't appreciating him but he just got promoted with a $6,000 raise!

 

Anyway, if you made any kind of "mistake" I can see why they probably fired you. Making mistakes in accouting (tax season no less) isn't like making a mistake on a note that I would do for one of my clients.

 

So yeah, they DO want accountants who do well and exceed at their job performance because they pay for it if you don't do your job correctly.

[Lauriebell82]

My mistakes were very, very consistent with someone with only 2 years' experience. Plus they were only paying me $35,000/yr, which again, is an indicator that they were aware of my limitations.

 

So? I make less then that and I work my butt off despite my pay. (Personally I think addictions counselors are WAY underpaid) Oh btw, 2 years experience is actually a decent amount as an accountant. My boyfriend got hired at his current job after 2 years and he is an awesome accountant. So sorry, but that sounds like a cop-out to me.

[2sure]

What has happened to you is typical and is the nature of being a public accountant. The firms will do anything to have manpower during tax time.

Just add it to your resume and move on.

 

You need to negotiate a little bit of security the next time you move for a position. Moving expenses ARE an option to an employer when they want to fill a position and an option for you to negotiate upon being hired - in the event you are dismissed.

 

The best thing you can do here is speak to your boss and ask her specifically and in writing what her recommendation of you will be.

She will be more generous now that she doesnt have to make up excuses to get you gone after tax season.

[BoredPerson]

So? I make less then that and I work my butt off despite my pay. (Personally I think addictions counselors are WAY underpaid) Oh btw, 2 years experience is actually a decent amount as an accountant. My boyfriend got hired at his current job after 2 years and he is an awesome accountant. So sorry, but that sounds like a cop-out to me.

 

You are not an accountant, you can't compare menial office work to real work. Your shouldn't comment about your 'boyfriend' because t makes you sounds sill. All girls love their boyfriends you have no way of knowing wat mistakes he is or is not making.

 

Leave this to people who know what they're talking about.

 

Accountants make mistakes all of the time. Anyone anywhere makes mistakes all of the time. I work in a place when a single mistake can cost thoudands and thousands of dollars to fix. They happen ALL the time. We have an entire team dedicated to finding mistakes.

 

They used him for tax season which is standard, but thirty five thousand a year is peanuts fora CPA. You might be underpaid but so is a CPA with 2 years experience earning 35.

[jerbear]

My mistakes were very, very consistent with someone with only 2 years' experience. Plus they were only paying me $35,000/yr, which again, is an indicator that they were aware of my limitations.

 

If they wanted someone who was more-or-less flawless, that's perfectly fine. But again, if that's what they wanted, they shouldn't have frickin' hired me in the first place!

 

Did you get a signing bonus? There might be some tings missins.

 

35k USD for a CPA is low unless you are a newly minted one w/o experience. Even newly minted ones are given a chance to make their mark even if they have to "eat" their hours.

[Star Gazer]

You are not an accountant, you can't compare menial office work to real work.

 

In defense of LB, being an addiction counselor isn't "menial office work."

 

...he just got promoted with a $6,000 raise!

 

$6K isn't much of a raise if it carries increased responsibilities.

 

35k USD for a CPA is low unless you are a newly minted one w/o experience. Even newly minted ones are given a chance to make their mark even if they have to "eat" their hours.

 

I've also never heard of such a low salary for a CPA, even a brand new one.

[jerbear]

I've also never heard of such a low salary for a CPA, even a brand new one.

 

I have a hunch the OP is an accountant but not a CPA.

[Star Gazer]

I have a hunch the OP is an accountant but not a CPA.

 

I tend to agree with you, but the OP does specifically specify CPA. ??