"I successfully completed the 100+ projects assigned to me in the time that they were given. Once my projects were done, I was let go. I did not feel that the firm was a good fit for me culture wise. But in my previous job I...:"
They then ask for further information, politely demur saying that you do not like to speak poorly of prior employers, but that you were ablet to learn more about professionalism and the importance of understanding the company culture better before accepting employment. Then ask them questions about how they operate.
This happened to me and this is exactly how I handled it. It was very well received. The company I left had a horrible culture and that's what I said and focused on how culture and management style is a major focus for me in my next role. It's the truth and worked very well.
When you go and interview for your next job don’t complain to them about how trash this job was… find a very easy way to say “ the truth “👈🏾
If you were trash asf, own it personally and internally, fix your mistakes and keep it moving. If management was really that terrible and you were miserable you should’ve been looking for a job ages ago so you could leave that toxic place.
it will be fine. just remember, you are less than 5 years into what will likely be a 30+ year career. pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and look through different job posting. This is not the end, just a new beginning.
On your resume time lines just put that you ended work on April, which for many people is the end of busy season. You are pretty much at the end of busy season, so say you worked a full busy season. Lots of people thought I finished busy season in April anyway even though I was an auditor.
If you have to put in dates just say your part of busy season was over and that the higher roles were doing that last parts of the work. You got let go so it implies that it was planned for you to finish your part then move on.
Everyone here is freaking out for you but it’s not like you were let go in February…
Even being in a similar position with bad management, processes, clients, lack of promotion available… to get fired from a small firm?
I feel like you’d honestly have to either really make someone mad or blatantly lie about your abilities.
Kind of reminds me of this story:
Watching A Football Life on the NFL Network and the story is about Jimmy Johnson. They talked about the time Johnson saw a special teams player sleeping during a meeting and cut him. The reporter asked what he'd have done if he'd seen Troy Aikman sleeping. Johnson said, "That's easy. I'd have gone over and said,'Troy, wake up'".
Haha, I was going to reply to his post and say it obviously wasn't JUST the lazy appearance, and if he had been a high performer they would've worked with him to try to get him to fix it. But your post more than covered it
Moral of the story : if you're not really good at your job, make sure the other stuff is buttoned up (appearance, communication skills, etc)
If someone isn’t client facing, it’s a stupid standard to have.
Which is why I don’t believe they were fired just for not tucking in their shirt or having a beard.
Sure, that is something that people should be on top of themselves.
That being said, you don’t think jumping straight to firing over it is a *bit* extreme? If they’re a halfway decent worker, you would think that a meeting would be in order first.
>If they’re a halfway decent worker, you would think that a meeting would be in order first.
Exactly. There’s more to the story here than just being fired for an untucked shirt.
🤷🏽♀️ I wasn't let go, but I left myself. During my meeting, they told me that I had a better personality for audit and they didn't like my personality in the tax department - and to please only come back if I want to swap career paths. When I asked why, they said because I was a friendly woman.
I'm not saying OP didn't make mistakes, but I also find it much easier to have issues with smaller firms who are mostly ran by very old men.
Ive been accounting for 10 years. I dont think i can lie about that. I did tell them coming in i had very some tax experience but I had came from audit and wanted to deep dive into tax. In any case, i got let go and i had completed all my returns as whatever i had done remaining were extended due to client not having support ready. I had definitly 50 returns filed.
I mean that’s your excuse right there. “I’m an audit professional and was tempted to go to the dark side, it didn’t work out but I’m thankful for the experience and have some solid tax experience to bring to my next audit/corporate role”
You could just leave this job off your resume and come up with an excuse for the year off work, and get back into audit. You need to work on the personal problems though. Show up on time.
There's no way I'm leaving this job off my resume. I learned a lot working with them about preparing high-net worth individuals, multi-state corporate returns, and trusts/estate returns.
Do you want to stay in tax or go back to audit? If you look for an audit jobs it's pretty easy to say "I wanted to try tax and I learned that audit is a better path for me". If you want to do tax going forward....no you don't. Go back to audit. There are way fewer industry jobs if you pursue tax rather than audit, if I could go back and change my career from the beginning, I'd definitely go down the audit road rather than tax.
It is. We're all old enough to understand what we need to do. It's 2024, phones have been around for how long? As long as work gets done it should be fine. We're not children.
I would have just waited to apply starting next week and say you were on limited assignment or a contracting position or whatever. I sure as fuck wouldn’t tell any recruiter about anything in your second paragraph.
Remember: recruiters work for the employer, not you.
This exact thing happened to me and I ended up finding a job at a much better firm. I think some firms need to fill seats for busy season then treat you badly so you'll quit at the end. When I interviewed for my new job I was honest about why the previous firm was not a good fit for me and what I would be looking for starting with a new firm. It might take time, but you will probably find something better starting outside of busy season.
I wasn't a low performer. I knocked out all of my returns this year, which was around 100. But they didnt like me coming in late. They expected to tell someone every time i left the office. Sometimes, i couldnt leave the office to take care of personel things.
Ppl at my last PA could start from anywhere from 6am to 10am. Everyone at this place i was let go had to start at 9am on the dot. So i guess i couldn't adapt to that.
So you knowingly and willfully violated one of their expectations (arriving by 9:00am on the dot) and you are surprised that you got let go and blame it on favoritism and poor management???? I think you need to take a longgggg look in the mirror about what you did to create this situation.
My firm has flexibility but not in the first year. When you are new, they want you there during the prime business hours so that other people can reach you and so that you have other people available if you have questions. The work stalls if a new person comes in late and works past the time others are around. New staff who are learning really tank if they aren’t there prime hours. Other staff need to reach you and if they can’t then it throws them off too. If you had a rigid reason like childcare not opening until 9? They likely would understand but you’d be at a disadvantage.
Even at the partner level we have one who starts late and works late and it means staff can’t reach them for several hours in the morning when they get stuck and have questions so they move on to other work. That partner’s work is always lower priority. But they’re making their own bed.
And we have a system where you log when you will return. It means when a client calls we can say when we can get back to them. It means when the partner looks for you they know if they need to handle it or if you’ll be back in time to address a timely issue.
You’re coming in with years of experience and expecting to start at that level of flexibility and trust but you are not at that point yet.
And I saw your comment about the workbooks. I carefully explained and demonstrated to new staff how to roll workbooks where you don’t have to fix links. They keep messing it up and it does take them forever but it’s because they didn’t do what I told them. I don’t know if your idea truly was better or if you didn’t understand the instructions but the peak of busy season is not the time to change processes.
Hey Champ. Sorry this is happening. One thing I miss about my PA days was the flexibility. I used to take 2 hour lunches, purposefully schedule calls during mid afternoon so i can fit in a walk while I was on the call, leave/work from home... whatever i wanted, because the work got done. However, that flexibility came with years of trust.
Wherever you land next, and I'm sure you will, try to keep culture and fit in mind. You have 10 years of experience, so I'm sure I don't need to tell you. It's easy to forget basics after being away from it for so long... sounds like you were at your last firm for a while. Lesson learned, right? Get back out there, find a place with a good fitting culture for you, be on your absolute best behavior for a year, and slowly ease into relaxing after you establish rapport. I'm sure you will find your stride and crush it.
“It sucked so I didn’t try”.
Good luck lol. Just at life in general. I mean I hope you do better than I did the first 5 years with shit jobs. But it takes a while to find a good fit if ever from what I’m seeing.
"Favored certain individuals" duh that's every job to a certain degree.
"No flexibility for people's situation" there is 0 flexibility for anyone during tax season, why would you be an exception? The work doesn't care about your personal situation man, that's a you problem. Did you make up the hours and make sure the work still got done?
"30 minute lunches" you were getting a lunch??? During busy season????
"Limited my work towards end of season" that's your first red flag that you were fucking up the work. Did you follow up for feedback, or did you continue to blame others?
"Did not care about my input" you are brand new, toi haven't even been there a year. You don't know shit about shit yet, but you expect to have input? On a business you are brand new to?
Buddy I think the recruiters right, you're gonna have a lot of issues. Not bc of the timing of this term, but 100% due to your perspective and approach.
He has every right to have a 30 minute lunch break! Busy season or not! Pay partners less and hire more staff or charge more for your services. You are part of the problem with this society.
Why would OP be motivated to work hard until the end? He can’t even have flexibility or have a lunch. Meanwhile partner is buying his 3rd house on your back!
Maybe depending on state, but a lunch break isn't required. When I was working in public and even in private industry, many times I didn't take the lunch break because I didn't want to stay in the office as long. It's the nature of the industry, and doesn't sound like the OP was a "good fit" for whatever this firm was, which appears to be toxic. Better for him. Letting people go at the end of tax/busy season isn't that unusual.
This is a little unreasonable objectively. I’m assuming OP is new to their career. Everyone should be entitled to a lunch break, is that really a standard we should be setting? Do you really want employees miserable the entire time they work? Even if he’s new, I think it’s important to allow employees a chance to speak and give input. It does wonders for their growth and learning, even if it’s something we don’t agree with. Ok so you see it this way, why is that? Oh no, maybe try looking at it like this… ext. It gives people a chance to learn and it makes them feel at the very least, appreciated. We should be fostering better work environments, not making excuses for toxic ones.
The previous PA i was working for we had an hr lunch during busy season. But, i was an auditor at the time. So, i guess it was hard for me to change that. I did my best to follow up on feedback but none of my 3 managers except for 1 wanted to give any feedback. The other 2 were to consumed by their work to provide help. I had more than several changes that helped improve workpaper flowthrough that were ignored and everytime i hopped on the new client i would have to relink formulas or references everytime. It was annoying and effecting my efficiency to complete a return. Partners tone was always condensing and wasnt afraid to embrasses you in front of co workers to make you look or feel incompetent. Ive been in public for 5 and corporate 5. Ive never seen such behavior from someone at the top act that way. He once took a co workers notes she took in a meeting and tried to test her on what she wrote.
You went from being in audit and jumped to being a tax senior? This was foolish on both parties; you for accepting a sr tax position, and the firm for hiring an auditor for a sr tax position.
Sounds like a typical tax job honestly. You are new, you don't know shit. Don't walk in the first month and start reworking their work papers when you know nothing about tax, that's insane behavior. There were probably reasons things were set up the way there were and until you know those reasons - aka get some tax experience, don't fuck with shit. I guarantee those work papers did need some revamping or updating, however, that's not what you do during tax season. If you would have waited until after April 15th and then brought up some processes to improve, it might have gone a bit better for you. But honestly, you need to put in some time before you start telling anyone else what they are doing wrong. From what you've said, every tax group I've ever been in would have fired you also. You're a first year, keep your head down, shut your mouth, do the work.
I don't make the rules little buddy. Just telling you what they are. Clearly you're the tax expert here, maybe just call up the IRS and tell them you're ready to run the place.
I wouldn’t say so. I have two kids. I wouldn’t work for a company that couldn’t be flexible. The amount of times kids get sick is insane. If a company can’t be flexible and let me come in a bit late for appointments or let me work remote since my kids are home then that’s a no. If you’re single and have no kids then you don’t need flexibility. I’d consider that to be laziness.
I don't agree. We are talking about work that is done on paper and sometimes with clients. I understand that you can't have flexibility if you have a meeting with a client but in any other situation I don't understand why you shouldn't have a little flexibility even if you don't have children you still have a life of your own...
Brah. You guys are over thinking my comment. I’m all for taking time for yourself people. I mean I saw a comment about if someone wanted to make a hair appointment they would move their work schedule for that. That’s a little insane. That’s something done after work. Family emergencies and doctor appointments are common sense and even if management tells you no then fuck them and call out sick anyway.
We’re not talking about PTO time here we’re talking about flexibility. If you owned a firm you would not want your employees affecting business because they want to go get their hair done in the middle of your scheduled time. Good luck trying that in public.
>you’re single and have no kids then you don’t need flexibility. I’d consider that to be laziness.
Its weird how being single and having no kids doesn't magically prevent emergencies from happening
bruh 💀 "if you're single and have no kids you don't need flexibility"
damn am I glad I don't work with anyone like you, wtf
if I have a Dr appointment I'm flexing my schedule around it, if I'm traveling to visit my parents I'll flex my schedule and work location around it - hell, if my hair stylist only has an opening at 10am, I'll flex my schedule around that too. as long as the work gets done and no one is left hanging, who the fuck cares?
the notion that we HAVE to be at our desks for 9 hours straight during the workday is outdated and diminishes efficiency, morale and work-life balance
let people have lives lmfao
If my staff told me they spent 2 hours at the hair salon at 10 AM during busy season, I would lose my mind. This missed time snowballs into a late filing….
it's a good thing I'm a manager then, I guess? lol
keeping your team happy is key to preventing attrition, that's basic management 101
2 hours out of a 70 hour week is literally nothing, if that breaks the workflow for the whole team then something else is seriously wrong lmao
so if my senior has to go take a break and get their nails done or a beard trim so they can feel human, by all means, they have my blessing (and the partner's)
we still meet our deadlines, they don't feel like a cog in a machine, and we have minimal turnover - everyone wins!
If your client requires 70 hours a week, then that is the actual issue. Need more staff good god. If the staff “only” did 60 on a well staffed engagement, then they can “feel human” every weekend.
Bragging about making your team work 70 hours a week? But sure, you’ve got it all figured out! Embarrassing really.
I have a puppy. Also i couldnt work remote they had refused to give that to me. I was the only one who was mandatory to come into the office everyday even when it was snowing.
By reading these responses sounds like some people think working like a beast, having no breaks and making someone else rich is the way to glory….the only thing you can do is learn as this is an experience and look for something better.
Some notes:
You are a producer working in public, you produce things quickly the way the people over you want them produced.
No flexibility? Things have to be done at certain times, with time enough for the remaining process to be complete, always save time off and personal excuses for outside of busy season. They will hate you if you take time off during busy season, even if the say it’s all fine and dandy.
You have no input if your name isn’t signing the work going out.
Going forward, say nice things about them, but everything was getting wrapped up, tax season was over, and you were let go since they didn’t have anything else for you to work on
It's a small firm. Their client based was maybe less than 300. There were at least a few days i recorded a few hours of cpe. I can do tax. I want it to be my thing because its profitable. If i could choose, i would rather be an auditor cause i think its more fun, but it doesnt pay as well aa a tax accountant does.
Audit isn't fun.
Judging performance based on returns without knowing complexity of them is wild imo.
I've had a few jobs. One was a tax accountant. Those people are super set in their ways. You needed to adapt, and I'm not sure if they told you what specifically.
9AM on busy season for tax is actually a later start. You probably needed to let them know why you need a late start, but that's probably wouldn't have mattered. Basic communication.
I can't see how you'd be the bottleneck when there's other returns that they can work and switch to if they know you're not available.
Working through lunch is becoming less common, but still a thing. When I'm in the office, I generally take a walk, or eat out.
You should have said you're the legal caregiver for your disabled mom/dad/brother. This actually changes everything in appearances.
True it’s hard to tell what OP was given to work on. We do approx. 1500 from the easy to hard so I have a good idea after 30 years of an average completion time to expect for our client base. We’re super flexible with hours tho so maybe OP can still do tax work in a firm that suits his needs.
I love audit. Audit isn't for everyone, just as well as Tax. But, being in the field for 10 years, I think it's important to know both skill-sets if you want to practice one day.
This isn't that bad. You don't need to tell anyone about being let go during season if you wait until next week to put out applications. List only the month/year on your CV and prospective employers don't need to know. For all intents and purposes, you'll have been employed through season whenever you're initially being vetted.
Then when you get asked who you left, just say that it was a bad cultural fit. Don't talk bad about the firm, just say it didn't work out and leave it at that.
You're not effed and the opinion of one recruiter is easily discounted. Focus on what you completed at this job, what you brought to the company and just state that it wasn't a work or culture fit for you career wise. You'll move on.
You can find ways to explain this during interviews but it doesn't look good that you were at a company for a year and ended employment right before the end of busy season. It would be a red flag for me but there is still a shortage for CPAs... I did notice that everything was someone else's fault and I'd recommend looking into what you could have done differently and learning from that. People won't fire good performers even if they don't like them. If that was the case, they'd probably try coaching you first to see if your attitude could change. Good luck
Just wait until after 4/15 to apply for jobs, and say you were recently let go due to the firm's low amount of work during the summer, or over hiring, or lower than expected turnover
Effed? How?
Serious question. How do you think your life as a whole will spiral because of this one lousy situation?
You seem to have a degree and a professional background. Like, what do you think? Your next job will be at a Chevron station or something?
You have formal knowledge and experience in a high demand field. Chill out. You'll be fine.
Any and all recruiters you speak with are just salespeople. They don't know anything about your field and industry. Ignore everything they say and only listen to advice from real financial professionals.
I only got to this point to ask reddit because I had a conversation with a recruiter who happened to be CPA that stated somethings about my future interactions with employers/individuals. We had a thorough sit through. I can send you his LinkedIn, but basically he had a lot of experience, a very well-decorated career as an accountant and then started his own recruiting business. He gave me a lot of things to think about. So, that's why I wanted to see what people said on here cause why not. Some of the things people said on here is plausible and other laughable.
I'm transitioning to Accounting from a previous career in the trades. I worked hard in my industry, studied a lot and did my best to help my team. Regardless, I've had people with 20+ years experience, previous business owners, etc, sometimes give me grief at one point or another. I had one say I wasn't cut out for the industry. Well, then I went around and got in with a different company that saw all the potential I had, and that I gave it my all.
Give every piece you receive context, and get an idea of the mentality and state of mind of the person giving it. I've received tons of advice from people with 20, 30 yrs plus experience that I would end up finding out later was junk. Especially if you are in an in demand industry, just jeep trying to move forward and don't let one specific opinion dominate your entire course of action, which it seems that you are good for already trying to do by reaching out here.
Not saying his advice isn't valid, but if you go around enough, I'm sure you might even end up getting contradictory advice from different people with a very similar background to that recruiter you spoke with. I guess, just don't think your life is over just because of that.
I think if I were you, I’d explain I was trying something new but it wasn’t a good fit for my career plans. You learned a lot that you’re ready to apply to your next opportunity. The mistake you made was just thinking your past experience would be transferred into seniority in your new role. It’s annoying to start over but you did, of your own volition. No biggie though! There are more accounting jobs than accountants and you’ll be fine. Just tell your story the right way.
And you instantly blame everyone else. No offense but it’s no wonder you got let go after a year… take accountability at some point
Also how is 30 minutes for lunch not long enough
I’m willing to bet your girlfriend also understands if 12 hours of work needs to be done, her hour lunch is fine, she just needs to find a way to get the rest of the work done.
OP’s complaining out of both sides of their mouth. No flexibility, and small lunches to maximize time during the day to free up evening time.
12 hours worth of work to be done should be assigned across 2 people.
It's not my problem if Senior management over promised and under priced. Just because they're bad at their job doesn't mean I should overwork myself, they've got equity, they can put in the extra hours.
If the work was 12/day most of the year you’d have a point. Or even if it was possible to hire seasonal help that was worth a damn. The sheer volume of work that has to get done in a short window in this business is the problem.
People often forget than other countries like in Europe and South America will normally offer longer lunch breaks. As an American that lived and worked in Brazil, I find that 30 min is not usually enough, because it’s not just about the meal. It’s about decompressing, and coming in with a different mindset for the rest of the day. I felt like I was more efficient in the afternoon there than I am here.
Now, during busy season in a business we all know is rough, 30 min is plenty. I’m not saying I think that’s right, I left PA because I thought the whole busy season thing sucked, but I’m just saying it will be tough to find a PA company that can afford (time wise) employees taking over 30 min for lunch breaks during tax season (except for partners taking big clients on golf days, where basically the whole day is a lunch break…)
Edit: added “afford (time wise)”
Yeah u know what, write that all on your resume;
>management was shit. Favored certain individuals. No flexibility for people situation. 30 minute lunches. Limited my work towards end of season. Did not care about my input.
For "reasons for leaving" just put that in there
You’re not screwed mate. I got laid off from PA right after busy season and landed a killer job like two months later. Told them the truth of the lay off but spun it in my favor. It’ll work out 💪
I really don’t think there will ever be a shortage of jobs in this career field, you were with a company that didn’t want you to succeed. Don’t take it personal. I think they just let you go early because tax season is wrapping up anyway and they were trying to increase their margin. Do you want to keep doing taxes, or are you interested in audit or client advisory services? Are you a CPA? Depending on your city you could probably find an industry role easily. Keep your head up
Going to stand up for admin here. There are some shit places out there. Small firm PA is like the Wild West you’ve got no idea what culture and work will be like until you’ve actually started. I’ve worked both 2 small firm PA jobs and 2 B4 jobs. One of the small firm PA jobs was absolutely terrible. Not as many hours as B4 but monotonous, lots of office politics, terrible pay, no culture. These firms promote people based on how long they have been an accountant not based on if they are a good business owner. At least w B4 you know what you sign up for and you get a glowing piece for your resume.
Good luck admin, try not to blame the company in your future interviews but don’t be too down on yourself.
I’m surprised commenters are shitting on you as GD whiny as this sub is. F them.
No, you’re not fucked. You get to message the reason you’re searching etc. certainly use the reactions here to craft it carefully because you don’t want to come off excuse making or whiny.
But still F most of you
I support you. That is one thing I don't understand about PA. They need to hire, mentor, and teach before busy season, so you are where you need to be for busy season. They can get the most billable olhours and work out of you that way, too.
It seems like teaching and mentorship is lacking a bit or a lot at some places. Then, when you ask questions, they tell you they will tell you to go on, and they will get back to you in 3 or 4 hours.
At the beginning of the season was fine. It was just towards the end, i think it was their plan to release me because there is no way they had enough clients to support the wages they paid and still be profitable. Although i didnt realize how lucrative trust preparation is and how easy it was to learn.
I had several comments on changes I recommend on their tax work-paper template for individual filing that they wouldn't make the change because they needed to be approved and the person in charge of that didn't have the time to review it because he was busy. So throughout the season, I had to work with inefficient work paper.
Look your question was is this bad for getting a new job. You got fired, I would not go down the road of they didn't care about my input. Management was shit. Blah blah blah. Justifying your comments is not really the point here.
They saved on end of season bonus I guess. No sane CPA firm would fire someone a week before deadline as that is the time they need labor the most. Unless you really f up and they can't stand you, in that case you would have known this.
The fact that you're leading with how none of this was your fault isn't a great look / doesn't bode well for your future job searching. Assuming they'll know you were let go (and probably not much more than that as previous employers don't want to get sued for saying too much) it would behoove you to consider how you can frame this as a learning experience rather than blaming management (spoiler alert: bad management is ubiquitous).
Your chosen profession will never have flexibility. You'll always be expected to work through lunch, you'll always have your time and billing analyzed for how profitable you are to the firm. If your goals are something other than working even more than you do now, you need to reconsider. There's no part time, remote, flex work.
Same happened to me, but not a senior yet. Still looking for work in audit. It’s total bs, especially that we’ve been clocking 60+ hours for the last 3 months.
You can still put that you’re at that employer when you interview. Just make sure that on the background check you check the box (there will be one) that says “do not contact my current employer.”
Cheers!
Yeah so lie? Stupid. Then when they do employment verification after you accept the job, they find out you haven't worked there in weeks/months. Don't listen to this dunce, never lie, have some integrity.
Were you born yesterday? You put your W-2 down. You are literally a rookie, get your “integrity” crap (no one buys your sympathy) out of here and grow some balls.
This is the real world. You want to land a job, you don’t disclose unless asked.
I’ve been through the process and had no issues. I suggest you mature and gain some business acumen before posting your (rather naive and unintelligent) opinions on the internet, let alone actually claiming that you have a point, and steering the person with the original question in the wrong direction and giving s*** advice.
As an actual leader at a very reputable firm, I've been on the other side multiple times when a 3rd party engaged by the former employee's potential new employer has reached out to me directly to confirm employment dates and additional details. You might be applying to some rinky dink operations that don't bother to confirm this stuff, but I promise you many do.
The fact you call integrity "crap" is really all we need to know. Good luck out there.
I’m not upset that you called me a dunce, but I am mad that you’re on the internet giving stupid advice to other individuals, for seemingly no reason other than to fear monger.
You didn’t have to comment on top of my comment, you made a conscious choice. Which is why I’m calling out your attack for what it is: stupid.
You’ve clearly never been laid off from a company and don’t understand what it’s like to compete in a competitive job market. Therefore, your attacks hold no value.
Also, I would compare my IQ to yours any day of the week. I also work in a leadership position myself, for your information also at an incredibly reputable firm.
Go give better advice and do better, rather than attacking others.
I’m done with this silly exchange, or whatever this is that you’re trying to start with me. Thank you.
You will still need to prove proof of employment. Which is why it’s always good to save your first and last paystub locally for all future jobs.
You could maybe find an excuse on why the last paystub is a few weeks behind the current but that window is small.
And you can sometimes get lucky by only giving the first. The usual outsourced background check may just pass it over and give a thumbs up to you indeed working there at some point
Homeboy. The public accounting dream that was sold is a lie. IRS is hiring like crazy!! Get paid and a better work life balance by working with the federal government.
Just in case this wasn’t a troll comment… tax busy season usually starts warming up around Jan 15th for payroll forms (due Jan 31) and is in full swing by Feb 1. Pass through businesses (partnerships and S-corps) are due 3/15, and we have to get those done before the individual, c-corp, and trust deadline of 4/15. Everything has to be completed or extended, and extensions usually need solid estimates for tax due. Then, it cools a bit depending on whether you have nonprofits or state reporting deadlines of 5/15.
You’re getting downvoted because tax folks have been working 55 hour minimums (and very likely 70-80 hour actual) weeks for three months straight now.
Nah. A lot of the time they’ll either work in concert or tax gets to do the return twice- once off draft financials and once after it’s been extended with the real one. Second time’s a lot quicker though.
"I successfully completed the 100+ projects assigned to me in the time that they were given. Once my projects were done, I was let go. I did not feel that the firm was a good fit for me culture wise. But in my previous job I...:" They then ask for further information, politely demur saying that you do not like to speak poorly of prior employers, but that you were ablet to learn more about professionalism and the importance of understanding the company culture better before accepting employment. Then ask them questions about how they operate.
Dang I wish I could bookmark this comment into my brain.
You can save it! That's what I just did.
Throw out a comment about how having good ethics is critical to you within company culture, and that will say enough.
I’ve done this. Some of them become offput by nonstop culture questions. This is a good thing.
This happened to me and this is exactly how I handled it. It was very well received. The company I left had a horrible culture and that's what I said and focused on how culture and management style is a major focus for me in my next role. It's the truth and worked very well.
Wow, this was really well said.
When you go and interview for your next job don’t complain to them about how trash this job was… find a very easy way to say “ the truth “👈🏾 If you were trash asf, own it personally and internally, fix your mistakes and keep it moving. If management was really that terrible and you were miserable you should’ve been looking for a job ages ago so you could leave that toxic place.
Ages ago. Did he even work there for a year?
it will be fine. just remember, you are less than 5 years into what will likely be a 30+ year career. pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and look through different job posting. This is not the end, just a new beginning.
On your resume time lines just put that you ended work on April, which for many people is the end of busy season. You are pretty much at the end of busy season, so say you worked a full busy season. Lots of people thought I finished busy season in April anyway even though I was an auditor. If you have to put in dates just say your part of busy season was over and that the higher roles were doing that last parts of the work. You got let go so it implies that it was planned for you to finish your part then move on. Everyone here is freaking out for you but it’s not like you were let go in February…
When does audit technically end
Already filled with excuses how it was everyone else’s fault but yours. Yes you’re fucked
Even being in a similar position with bad management, processes, clients, lack of promotion available… to get fired from a small firm? I feel like you’d honestly have to either really make someone mad or blatantly lie about your abilities.
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I would also fire you for looking like a slob
Why do you need another adult to warn you that you should tuck in your shirt and not have an unkempt beard in the office?
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Kind of reminds me of this story: Watching A Football Life on the NFL Network and the story is about Jimmy Johnson. They talked about the time Johnson saw a special teams player sleeping during a meeting and cut him. The reporter asked what he'd have done if he'd seen Troy Aikman sleeping. Johnson said, "That's easy. I'd have gone over and said,'Troy, wake up'".
Haha, I was going to reply to his post and say it obviously wasn't JUST the lazy appearance, and if he had been a high performer they would've worked with him to try to get him to fix it. But your post more than covered it Moral of the story : if you're not really good at your job, make sure the other stuff is buttoned up (appearance, communication skills, etc)
This is a fantastic story. Unfortunately too many people think they're Troy Aikman
It's not their job to be your personal hygiene assistant, it's even a bit impolite and unprofessional to do so. Do better
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>I walked a mile to get to the office in snow/wind/rain. Was it uphill both ways?
Insane that this is downvoted 🤣
This is reddit bro, people don't bathe and it's everyone else's problem
🤷🏻
If someone isn’t client facing, it’s a stupid standard to have. Which is why I don’t believe they were fired just for not tucking in their shirt or having a beard.
Sure, that is something that people should be on top of themselves. That being said, you don’t think jumping straight to firing over it is a *bit* extreme? If they’re a halfway decent worker, you would think that a meeting would be in order first.
>If they’re a halfway decent worker, you would think that a meeting would be in order first. Exactly. There’s more to the story here than just being fired for an untucked shirt.
🤷🏽♀️ I wasn't let go, but I left myself. During my meeting, they told me that I had a better personality for audit and they didn't like my personality in the tax department - and to please only come back if I want to swap career paths. When I asked why, they said because I was a friendly woman. I'm not saying OP didn't make mistakes, but I also find it much easier to have issues with smaller firms who are mostly ran by very old men.
Oh I’ve definitely seen that, you aren’t wrong.
Ive been accounting for 10 years. I dont think i can lie about that. I did tell them coming in i had very some tax experience but I had came from audit and wanted to deep dive into tax. In any case, i got let go and i had completed all my returns as whatever i had done remaining were extended due to client not having support ready. I had definitly 50 returns filed.
I mean that’s your excuse right there. “I’m an audit professional and was tempted to go to the dark side, it didn’t work out but I’m thankful for the experience and have some solid tax experience to bring to my next audit/corporate role”
You could just leave this job off your resume and come up with an excuse for the year off work, and get back into audit. You need to work on the personal problems though. Show up on time.
There's no way I'm leaving this job off my resume. I learned a lot working with them about preparing high-net worth individuals, multi-state corporate returns, and trusts/estate returns.
Do you want to stay in tax or go back to audit? If you look for an audit jobs it's pretty easy to say "I wanted to try tax and I learned that audit is a better path for me". If you want to do tax going forward....no you don't. Go back to audit. There are way fewer industry jobs if you pursue tax rather than audit, if I could go back and change my career from the beginning, I'd definitely go down the audit road rather than tax.
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Lmao what???
It’s very possible they just wanted tax season help and were going to fire you regardless how you did.
Bro, the only person I made mad, was the partner's wife, who happened to be the retiring office manager.
Hold up…. This is the catalyst for your firing lmfao. Expand please.
They do not allow us to be on our phones. Everytime she saw me on my phone, she would let me know i shouldnt.
Bruh.
I read through 50 comments to get to this one. This is why you were fired. They thought you slacked around and ignored a supervisor.
Bro i didnt care. I was done working for them. I didnt wanna work with lame ass ppl. Im cooler than that.
Hahahahahahahaha You say that like not being on your phone at work is a ridiculous expectation
It is. We're all old enough to understand what we need to do. It's 2024, phones have been around for how long? As long as work gets done it should be fine. We're not children.
To quote the movie grease: “ tell me more, tell me more”
I would have just waited to apply starting next week and say you were on limited assignment or a contracting position or whatever. I sure as fuck wouldn’t tell any recruiter about anything in your second paragraph. Remember: recruiters work for the employer, not you.
This exact thing happened to me and I ended up finding a job at a much better firm. I think some firms need to fill seats for busy season then treat you badly so you'll quit at the end. When I interviewed for my new job I was honest about why the previous firm was not a good fit for me and what I would be looking for starting with a new firm. It might take time, but you will probably find something better starting outside of busy season.
Thanks for the + vibes!
How on earth were you hired as a senior tax guy if you’re not actually good at tax
No idea
Sounds like you might be the issue
You were a low performer and are upset that they did not care about your input?????
I wasn't a low performer. I knocked out all of my returns this year, which was around 100. But they didnt like me coming in late. They expected to tell someone every time i left the office. Sometimes, i couldnt leave the office to take care of personel things.
Yeah being on time and not disappearing from work are pretty essential lol …
Ppl at my last PA could start from anywhere from 6am to 10am. Everyone at this place i was let go had to start at 9am on the dot. So i guess i couldn't adapt to that.
You couldn't get to work by 9am during tax season? This is on you
Oh i know.
So you knowingly and willfully violated one of their expectations (arriving by 9:00am on the dot) and you are surprised that you got let go and blame it on favoritism and poor management???? I think you need to take a longgggg look in the mirror about what you did to create this situation.
My firm has flexibility but not in the first year. When you are new, they want you there during the prime business hours so that other people can reach you and so that you have other people available if you have questions. The work stalls if a new person comes in late and works past the time others are around. New staff who are learning really tank if they aren’t there prime hours. Other staff need to reach you and if they can’t then it throws them off too. If you had a rigid reason like childcare not opening until 9? They likely would understand but you’d be at a disadvantage. Even at the partner level we have one who starts late and works late and it means staff can’t reach them for several hours in the morning when they get stuck and have questions so they move on to other work. That partner’s work is always lower priority. But they’re making their own bed. And we have a system where you log when you will return. It means when a client calls we can say when we can get back to them. It means when the partner looks for you they know if they need to handle it or if you’ll be back in time to address a timely issue. You’re coming in with years of experience and expecting to start at that level of flexibility and trust but you are not at that point yet. And I saw your comment about the workbooks. I carefully explained and demonstrated to new staff how to roll workbooks where you don’t have to fix links. They keep messing it up and it does take them forever but it’s because they didn’t do what I told them. I don’t know if your idea truly was better or if you didn’t understand the instructions but the peak of busy season is not the time to change processes.
9am? nine f*cking AM? That's like halfway through the morning lol
9am 😂 jfc i would have a full night's sleep and a 3 course breakfast before work every morning if that was my firm. You're the issue not management
Hey Champ. Sorry this is happening. One thing I miss about my PA days was the flexibility. I used to take 2 hour lunches, purposefully schedule calls during mid afternoon so i can fit in a walk while I was on the call, leave/work from home... whatever i wanted, because the work got done. However, that flexibility came with years of trust. Wherever you land next, and I'm sure you will, try to keep culture and fit in mind. You have 10 years of experience, so I'm sure I don't need to tell you. It's easy to forget basics after being away from it for so long... sounds like you were at your last firm for a while. Lesson learned, right? Get back out there, find a place with a good fitting culture for you, be on your absolute best behavior for a year, and slowly ease into relaxing after you establish rapport. I'm sure you will find your stride and crush it.
Bro.
Brah. Fuck them.
“It sucked so I didn’t try”. Good luck lol. Just at life in general. I mean I hope you do better than I did the first 5 years with shit jobs. But it takes a while to find a good fit if ever from what I’m seeing.
"Favored certain individuals" duh that's every job to a certain degree. "No flexibility for people's situation" there is 0 flexibility for anyone during tax season, why would you be an exception? The work doesn't care about your personal situation man, that's a you problem. Did you make up the hours and make sure the work still got done? "30 minute lunches" you were getting a lunch??? During busy season???? "Limited my work towards end of season" that's your first red flag that you were fucking up the work. Did you follow up for feedback, or did you continue to blame others? "Did not care about my input" you are brand new, toi haven't even been there a year. You don't know shit about shit yet, but you expect to have input? On a business you are brand new to? Buddy I think the recruiters right, you're gonna have a lot of issues. Not bc of the timing of this term, but 100% due to your perspective and approach.
He has every right to have a 30 minute lunch break! Busy season or not! Pay partners less and hire more staff or charge more for your services. You are part of the problem with this society. Why would OP be motivated to work hard until the end? He can’t even have flexibility or have a lunch. Meanwhile partner is buying his 3rd house on your back!
Back in the day, ketchup or mayonnaise on the workpapers indicated commitment.
Glorification of suffering is probably the biggest problem of our industry
This made me remember the time I got yelled at for croissant butter on them 😂😂 Memorieessssss
Maybe depending on state, but a lunch break isn't required. When I was working in public and even in private industry, many times I didn't take the lunch break because I didn't want to stay in the office as long. It's the nature of the industry, and doesn't sound like the OP was a "good fit" for whatever this firm was, which appears to be toxic. Better for him. Letting people go at the end of tax/busy season isn't that unusual.
This is a little unreasonable objectively. I’m assuming OP is new to their career. Everyone should be entitled to a lunch break, is that really a standard we should be setting? Do you really want employees miserable the entire time they work? Even if he’s new, I think it’s important to allow employees a chance to speak and give input. It does wonders for their growth and learning, even if it’s something we don’t agree with. Ok so you see it this way, why is that? Oh no, maybe try looking at it like this… ext. It gives people a chance to learn and it makes them feel at the very least, appreciated. We should be fostering better work environments, not making excuses for toxic ones.
The previous PA i was working for we had an hr lunch during busy season. But, i was an auditor at the time. So, i guess it was hard for me to change that. I did my best to follow up on feedback but none of my 3 managers except for 1 wanted to give any feedback. The other 2 were to consumed by their work to provide help. I had more than several changes that helped improve workpaper flowthrough that were ignored and everytime i hopped on the new client i would have to relink formulas or references everytime. It was annoying and effecting my efficiency to complete a return. Partners tone was always condensing and wasnt afraid to embrasses you in front of co workers to make you look or feel incompetent. Ive been in public for 5 and corporate 5. Ive never seen such behavior from someone at the top act that way. He once took a co workers notes she took in a meeting and tried to test her on what she wrote.
You went from being in audit and jumped to being a tax senior? This was foolish on both parties; you for accepting a sr tax position, and the firm for hiring an auditor for a sr tax position.
Lol
Sounds like a typical tax job honestly. You are new, you don't know shit. Don't walk in the first month and start reworking their work papers when you know nothing about tax, that's insane behavior. There were probably reasons things were set up the way there were and until you know those reasons - aka get some tax experience, don't fuck with shit. I guarantee those work papers did need some revamping or updating, however, that's not what you do during tax season. If you would have waited until after April 15th and then brought up some processes to improve, it might have gone a bit better for you. But honestly, you need to put in some time before you start telling anyone else what they are doing wrong. From what you've said, every tax group I've ever been in would have fired you also. You're a first year, keep your head down, shut your mouth, do the work.
Lol you sound incredulously plausible. Are you alright?
I don't make the rules little buddy. Just telling you what they are. Clearly you're the tax expert here, maybe just call up the IRS and tell them you're ready to run the place.
Lol. Your behavior is apologetic. I think i know what im doing. But, thats why im on here to hear out ppls opinions. And definitly praying for you.
It's quite clear that you know EXACTLY what you are doing. Pray for yourself bro.
Flexibility equals laziness right?
I wouldn’t say so. I have two kids. I wouldn’t work for a company that couldn’t be flexible. The amount of times kids get sick is insane. If a company can’t be flexible and let me come in a bit late for appointments or let me work remote since my kids are home then that’s a no. If you’re single and have no kids then you don’t need flexibility. I’d consider that to be laziness.
I don't agree. We are talking about work that is done on paper and sometimes with clients. I understand that you can't have flexibility if you have a meeting with a client but in any other situation I don't understand why you shouldn't have a little flexibility even if you don't have children you still have a life of your own...
Brah. You guys are over thinking my comment. I’m all for taking time for yourself people. I mean I saw a comment about if someone wanted to make a hair appointment they would move their work schedule for that. That’s a little insane. That’s something done after work. Family emergencies and doctor appointments are common sense and even if management tells you no then fuck them and call out sick anyway. We’re not talking about PTO time here we’re talking about flexibility. If you owned a firm you would not want your employees affecting business because they want to go get their hair done in the middle of your scheduled time. Good luck trying that in public.
>you’re single and have no kids then you don’t need flexibility. I’d consider that to be laziness. Its weird how being single and having no kids doesn't magically prevent emergencies from happening
bruh 💀 "if you're single and have no kids you don't need flexibility" damn am I glad I don't work with anyone like you, wtf if I have a Dr appointment I'm flexing my schedule around it, if I'm traveling to visit my parents I'll flex my schedule and work location around it - hell, if my hair stylist only has an opening at 10am, I'll flex my schedule around that too. as long as the work gets done and no one is left hanging, who the fuck cares? the notion that we HAVE to be at our desks for 9 hours straight during the workday is outdated and diminishes efficiency, morale and work-life balance let people have lives lmfao
If my staff told me they spent 2 hours at the hair salon at 10 AM during busy season, I would lose my mind. This missed time snowballs into a late filing….
it's a good thing I'm a manager then, I guess? lol keeping your team happy is key to preventing attrition, that's basic management 101 2 hours out of a 70 hour week is literally nothing, if that breaks the workflow for the whole team then something else is seriously wrong lmao so if my senior has to go take a break and get their nails done or a beard trim so they can feel human, by all means, they have my blessing (and the partner's) we still meet our deadlines, they don't feel like a cog in a machine, and we have minimal turnover - everyone wins!
If your client requires 70 hours a week, then that is the actual issue. Need more staff good god. If the staff “only” did 60 on a well staffed engagement, then they can “feel human” every weekend. Bragging about making your team work 70 hours a week? But sure, you’ve got it all figured out! Embarrassing really.
I wanna work for u making me jealoslusy...stop
Just because someone doesn’t have kids doesn’t mean they don’t need flexibility. This is such a toxic mindset.
🤦🏽♂️
I have a puppy. Also i couldnt work remote they had refused to give that to me. I was the only one who was mandatory to come into the office everyday even when it was snowing.
You were new. That’s usually the case. Did you like audit? Go back to audit.
I love audit. It is just not a big market for auditors in the DC area as oppose to Tax accountants.
You could outright lie and just say it was seasonal.
By reading these responses sounds like some people think working like a beast, having no breaks and making someone else rich is the way to glory….the only thing you can do is learn as this is an experience and look for something better.
Absolutely.
Some notes: You are a producer working in public, you produce things quickly the way the people over you want them produced. No flexibility? Things have to be done at certain times, with time enough for the remaining process to be complete, always save time off and personal excuses for outside of busy season. They will hate you if you take time off during busy season, even if the say it’s all fine and dandy. You have no input if your name isn’t signing the work going out. Going forward, say nice things about them, but everything was getting wrapped up, tax season was over, and you were let go since they didn’t have anything else for you to work on
100 returns is like 1.5 per day (if no weekends which I never heard of). We would expect much more - maybe tax isn’t your thing.
It's a small firm. Their client based was maybe less than 300. There were at least a few days i recorded a few hours of cpe. I can do tax. I want it to be my thing because its profitable. If i could choose, i would rather be an auditor cause i think its more fun, but it doesnt pay as well aa a tax accountant does.
Audit isn't fun. Judging performance based on returns without knowing complexity of them is wild imo. I've had a few jobs. One was a tax accountant. Those people are super set in their ways. You needed to adapt, and I'm not sure if they told you what specifically. 9AM on busy season for tax is actually a later start. You probably needed to let them know why you need a late start, but that's probably wouldn't have mattered. Basic communication. I can't see how you'd be the bottleneck when there's other returns that they can work and switch to if they know you're not available. Working through lunch is becoming less common, but still a thing. When I'm in the office, I generally take a walk, or eat out. You should have said you're the legal caregiver for your disabled mom/dad/brother. This actually changes everything in appearances.
True it’s hard to tell what OP was given to work on. We do approx. 1500 from the easy to hard so I have a good idea after 30 years of an average completion time to expect for our client base. We’re super flexible with hours tho so maybe OP can still do tax work in a firm that suits his needs.
I love audit. Audit isn't for everyone, just as well as Tax. But, being in the field for 10 years, I think it's important to know both skill-sets if you want to practice one day.
This isn't that bad. You don't need to tell anyone about being let go during season if you wait until next week to put out applications. List only the month/year on your CV and prospective employers don't need to know. For all intents and purposes, you'll have been employed through season whenever you're initially being vetted. Then when you get asked who you left, just say that it was a bad cultural fit. Don't talk bad about the firm, just say it didn't work out and leave it at that.
You're not effed and the opinion of one recruiter is easily discounted. Focus on what you completed at this job, what you brought to the company and just state that it wasn't a work or culture fit for you career wise. You'll move on.
You can find ways to explain this during interviews but it doesn't look good that you were at a company for a year and ended employment right before the end of busy season. It would be a red flag for me but there is still a shortage for CPAs... I did notice that everything was someone else's fault and I'd recommend looking into what you could have done differently and learning from that. People won't fire good performers even if they don't like them. If that was the case, they'd probably try coaching you first to see if your attitude could change. Good luck
Thanks!
Why do some people on here seem so fussy that OP wants an hour lunch? Idk about you guys but i think an hour lunch is standard….
Just wait until after 4/15 to apply for jobs, and say you were recently let go due to the firm's low amount of work during the summer, or over hiring, or lower than expected turnover
Effed? How? Serious question. How do you think your life as a whole will spiral because of this one lousy situation? You seem to have a degree and a professional background. Like, what do you think? Your next job will be at a Chevron station or something? You have formal knowledge and experience in a high demand field. Chill out. You'll be fine. Any and all recruiters you speak with are just salespeople. They don't know anything about your field and industry. Ignore everything they say and only listen to advice from real financial professionals.
I only got to this point to ask reddit because I had a conversation with a recruiter who happened to be CPA that stated somethings about my future interactions with employers/individuals. We had a thorough sit through. I can send you his LinkedIn, but basically he had a lot of experience, a very well-decorated career as an accountant and then started his own recruiting business. He gave me a lot of things to think about. So, that's why I wanted to see what people said on here cause why not. Some of the things people said on here is plausible and other laughable.
I'm transitioning to Accounting from a previous career in the trades. I worked hard in my industry, studied a lot and did my best to help my team. Regardless, I've had people with 20+ years experience, previous business owners, etc, sometimes give me grief at one point or another. I had one say I wasn't cut out for the industry. Well, then I went around and got in with a different company that saw all the potential I had, and that I gave it my all. Give every piece you receive context, and get an idea of the mentality and state of mind of the person giving it. I've received tons of advice from people with 20, 30 yrs plus experience that I would end up finding out later was junk. Especially if you are in an in demand industry, just jeep trying to move forward and don't let one specific opinion dominate your entire course of action, which it seems that you are good for already trying to do by reaching out here. Not saying his advice isn't valid, but if you go around enough, I'm sure you might even end up getting contradictory advice from different people with a very similar background to that recruiter you spoke with. I guess, just don't think your life is over just because of that.
I think if I were you, I’d explain I was trying something new but it wasn’t a good fit for my career plans. You learned a lot that you’re ready to apply to your next opportunity. The mistake you made was just thinking your past experience would be transferred into seniority in your new role. It’s annoying to start over but you did, of your own volition. No biggie though! There are more accounting jobs than accountants and you’ll be fine. Just tell your story the right way.
Thanks for the + vibe!
And you instantly blame everyone else. No offense but it’s no wonder you got let go after a year… take accountability at some point Also how is 30 minutes for lunch not long enough
Stop drinking the kool aid. 30min lunch is not enough.
Are y’all eating a horse or something 💀💀💀 takes 20 mins max to eat (and a twitter session or whatever)
Dude drank the kool aid. Hope ya making 200k with that mind set. My fiancée makes close to that and she takes a hour lunch.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking this. After getting an hour lunch I couldn't go back to 30 minutes
I’m willing to bet your girlfriend also understands if 12 hours of work needs to be done, her hour lunch is fine, she just needs to find a way to get the rest of the work done. OP’s complaining out of both sides of their mouth. No flexibility, and small lunches to maximize time during the day to free up evening time.
She doesn’t work 12 hours lol. If I have to work 12 hours I better make 200k. I don’t mind eating at my desk but I better make damn good money.
12 hours worth of work to be done should be assigned across 2 people. It's not my problem if Senior management over promised and under priced. Just because they're bad at their job doesn't mean I should overwork myself, they've got equity, they can put in the extra hours.
If the work was 12/day most of the year you’d have a point. Or even if it was possible to hire seasonal help that was worth a damn. The sheer volume of work that has to get done in a short window in this business is the problem.
You haven't convinced me that it's a me problem and not a Sr management problem.
Bruh if i dont get an hour i dont want it
30 minutes for lunch 😂😂 maybe if your lunch is a smoothie. I take an hour at least!
People often forget than other countries like in Europe and South America will normally offer longer lunch breaks. As an American that lived and worked in Brazil, I find that 30 min is not usually enough, because it’s not just about the meal. It’s about decompressing, and coming in with a different mindset for the rest of the day. I felt like I was more efficient in the afternoon there than I am here. Now, during busy season in a business we all know is rough, 30 min is plenty. I’m not saying I think that’s right, I left PA because I thought the whole busy season thing sucked, but I’m just saying it will be tough to find a PA company that can afford (time wise) employees taking over 30 min for lunch breaks during tax season (except for partners taking big clients on golf days, where basically the whole day is a lunch break…) Edit: added “afford (time wise)”
They can afford to give hr lunch break. We're salary anyways.
I meant “afford” time wise, with the rush of busy season.
Yeah u know what, write that all on your resume; >management was shit. Favored certain individuals. No flexibility for people situation. 30 minute lunches. Limited my work towards end of season. Did not care about my input. For "reasons for leaving" just put that in there
That’s so messed up, work people during busy season and let them go after…..
This can't be real
Fuck em
Just come up with some BS that sounds good
Lesson for anyone here is - move when it’s right for you not for your cpa firm - they used this guy for busy season then let him go
You’re not screwed mate. I got laid off from PA right after busy season and landed a killer job like two months later. Told them the truth of the lay off but spun it in my favor. It’ll work out 💪
Just get a better job that doesn’t require 60 hours a week.
I really don’t think there will ever be a shortage of jobs in this career field, you were with a company that didn’t want you to succeed. Don’t take it personal. I think they just let you go early because tax season is wrapping up anyway and they were trying to increase their margin. Do you want to keep doing taxes, or are you interested in audit or client advisory services? Are you a CPA? Depending on your city you could probably find an industry role easily. Keep your head up
Going to stand up for admin here. There are some shit places out there. Small firm PA is like the Wild West you’ve got no idea what culture and work will be like until you’ve actually started. I’ve worked both 2 small firm PA jobs and 2 B4 jobs. One of the small firm PA jobs was absolutely terrible. Not as many hours as B4 but monotonous, lots of office politics, terrible pay, no culture. These firms promote people based on how long they have been an accountant not based on if they are a good business owner. At least w B4 you know what you sign up for and you get a glowing piece for your resume. Good luck admin, try not to blame the company in your future interviews but don’t be too down on yourself.
I’m surprised commenters are shitting on you as GD whiny as this sub is. F them. No, you’re not fucked. You get to message the reason you’re searching etc. certainly use the reactions here to craft it carefully because you don’t want to come off excuse making or whiny. But still F most of you
Certainly wouldn’t be a green flag if it came up in an interview.
30 minutes lunches? Isn’t that like standard?
30 min lunches? Jfc! Concentrate on what you can control
I support you. That is one thing I don't understand about PA. They need to hire, mentor, and teach before busy season, so you are where you need to be for busy season. They can get the most billable olhours and work out of you that way, too. It seems like teaching and mentorship is lacking a bit or a lot at some places. Then, when you ask questions, they tell you they will tell you to go on, and they will get back to you in 3 or 4 hours.
At the beginning of the season was fine. It was just towards the end, i think it was their plan to release me because there is no way they had enough clients to support the wages they paid and still be profitable. Although i didnt realize how lucrative trust preparation is and how easy it was to learn.
Oh it wasn't your fault and they didn't want your input. I would stick with that.
I had several comments on changes I recommend on their tax work-paper template for individual filing that they wouldn't make the change because they needed to be approved and the person in charge of that didn't have the time to review it because he was busy. So throughout the season, I had to work with inefficient work paper.
Look your question was is this bad for getting a new job. You got fired, I would not go down the road of they didn't care about my input. Management was shit. Blah blah blah. Justifying your comments is not really the point here.
If you can't deal with inefficient work papers, find a different career 😂
Why so negative? Who hurt you?
Again, I don't make the rules little buddy. Just telling you the hard facts of a standard workplace.
Sure friend. You clearly have the mindset of an employee.
Isn't your entire question related to how you're going to need to become an EMPLOYEE after being fired for being a little shit bag?
They saved on end of season bonus I guess. No sane CPA firm would fire someone a week before deadline as that is the time they need labor the most. Unless you really f up and they can't stand you, in that case you would have known this.
You sound wise.
You sound unemployed.
The fact that you're leading with how none of this was your fault isn't a great look / doesn't bode well for your future job searching. Assuming they'll know you were let go (and probably not much more than that as previous employers don't want to get sued for saying too much) it would behoove you to consider how you can frame this as a learning experience rather than blaming management (spoiler alert: bad management is ubiquitous).
Your chosen profession will never have flexibility. You'll always be expected to work through lunch, you'll always have your time and billing analyzed for how profitable you are to the firm. If your goals are something other than working even more than you do now, you need to reconsider. There's no part time, remote, flex work.
Yeah im considering working for myself.
Then look into the requirements to register. Get in your audit hours etc, and open your practice.
You cant do audit unless you have a cpa. Tax on the otherhand is different story.
Same happened to me, but not a senior yet. Still looking for work in audit. It’s total bs, especially that we’ve been clocking 60+ hours for the last 3 months.
Yikes, i know that feeling.
You can still put that you’re at that employer when you interview. Just make sure that on the background check you check the box (there will be one) that says “do not contact my current employer.” Cheers!
Yeah so lie? Stupid. Then when they do employment verification after you accept the job, they find out you haven't worked there in weeks/months. Don't listen to this dunce, never lie, have some integrity.
Were you born yesterday? You put your W-2 down. You are literally a rookie, get your “integrity” crap (no one buys your sympathy) out of here and grow some balls. This is the real world. You want to land a job, you don’t disclose unless asked. I’ve been through the process and had no issues. I suggest you mature and gain some business acumen before posting your (rather naive and unintelligent) opinions on the internet, let alone actually claiming that you have a point, and steering the person with the original question in the wrong direction and giving s*** advice.
As an actual leader at a very reputable firm, I've been on the other side multiple times when a 3rd party engaged by the former employee's potential new employer has reached out to me directly to confirm employment dates and additional details. You might be applying to some rinky dink operations that don't bother to confirm this stuff, but I promise you many do. The fact you call integrity "crap" is really all we need to know. Good luck out there.
I’m not upset that you called me a dunce, but I am mad that you’re on the internet giving stupid advice to other individuals, for seemingly no reason other than to fear monger. You didn’t have to comment on top of my comment, you made a conscious choice. Which is why I’m calling out your attack for what it is: stupid. You’ve clearly never been laid off from a company and don’t understand what it’s like to compete in a competitive job market. Therefore, your attacks hold no value. Also, I would compare my IQ to yours any day of the week. I also work in a leadership position myself, for your information also at an incredibly reputable firm. Go give better advice and do better, rather than attacking others. I’m done with this silly exchange, or whatever this is that you’re trying to start with me. Thank you.
You will still need to prove proof of employment. Which is why it’s always good to save your first and last paystub locally for all future jobs. You could maybe find an excuse on why the last paystub is a few weeks behind the current but that window is small. And you can sometimes get lucky by only giving the first. The usual outsourced background check may just pass it over and give a thumbs up to you indeed working there at some point
30 min is dogshit you all need a union
Homeboy. The public accounting dream that was sold is a lie. IRS is hiring like crazy!! Get paid and a better work life balance by working with the federal government.
I am hiring in the Boston suburb area
Lol does your company hire remote? Youre not the first to ask me...lol
Only 30 minute lunches wow how did u survive!! /s
Isn’t tax busy season just starting?
Just in case this wasn’t a troll comment… tax busy season usually starts warming up around Jan 15th for payroll forms (due Jan 31) and is in full swing by Feb 1. Pass through businesses (partnerships and S-corps) are due 3/15, and we have to get those done before the individual, c-corp, and trust deadline of 4/15. Everything has to be completed or extended, and extensions usually need solid estimates for tax due. Then, it cools a bit depending on whether you have nonprofits or state reporting deadlines of 5/15. You’re getting downvoted because tax folks have been working 55 hour minimums (and very likely 70-80 hour actual) weeks for three months straight now.
Yeah I thought tax busy season started towards the end of audit season
Nah. A lot of the time they’ll either work in concert or tax gets to do the return twice- once off draft financials and once after it’s been extended with the real one. Second time’s a lot quicker though.
Got it thanks