Current Events > Where my fellow public accountants at, tomorrow is day 1 of my busy season!!!

(+) Yeah! (+)

4 months of busy season, here we come!

There comes a point in the year where if you haven't quit by then, you basically have signed yourself up for busy season, and that point passed quite a bit ago. Now, it's all about staying strong and hoping you impress one or two seniors along the way.

I left public accounting in 2020 and I'm still not over the sense of joy that comes with not needing to work busy seasons anymore.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/4/5/AAAzmXAAEDdZ.jpg

Compsognathus posted...

I left public accounting in 2020 and I'm still not over the sense of joy that comes with not needing to work busy seasons anymore.

It feels like it was just yesterday that I was celebrating the end of my first busy season last year.

I'm really nervous because it actually wasn't that bad, all things considered, last year, but that's because I was a new guy. I doubt this busy season will get to be like that.

Level 2 busy season is normally pretty chill. You know enough that you don't constantly feel like you are clueless but you still don't have much responsibility. Level 3 can be rough since you often start getting in-charging roles.

Compsognathus posted...

Level 2 busy season is normally pretty chill. You know enough that you don't constantly feel like you are clueless but you still don't have much responsibility. Level 3 can be rough since you often start getting in-charging roles.

The thing is, PwC, the firm I'm with, is trying to push for early promotions to the senior level. Instead of the old 3-year cycle, they really want to make it a 2-year cycle. The model we have relies on a lot of offshore team members, making it so that a lot of the work that traditionally went to new hires is something those new hires don't get to do.

It basically has forced management to give higher-level tasks to new hires and senior-level tasks to Year 2 Associates. Not to mention, seniors seem to always be in much shorter-supply than anyone would prefer.

Yuck. I'm so glad I left before COVID turned the entire public accounting work on its head. Talking to my manager friends who are still in, it sounds like all semblance of training and development has completely fallen apart, employee retention is terrible and people are being forced into things they aren't even remotely ready for.

Yep, been doing this since 2009 and now I dont know what else I would do. I did drop down to reduced hours a couple of years ago but its not working out as well as planned.

Compsognathus posted...

Yuck. I'm so glad I left before COVID turned the entire public accounting work on its head. Talking to my manager friends who are still in, it sounds like all semblance of training and development has completely fallen apart, employee retention is terrible and people are being forced into things they aren't even remotely ready for.

Yeah, I have to say, that my last year of college was not the best (the 2020-2021 year being my last), and I don't know if the individual PwC firms are ready for the new model as I do feel my development is lacking, and I probably have more holes in my audit ability than I'd like to admit. Now, from a resume and pay perspective, it's nice to get to the senior level quicker I suppose, but I don't know if I'm ready to be a senior.

Public Accounting probably needs to find its identity fast, as from what I've been reading, accounting is a declining major as a whole. People are realizing that public accounting is not paying what the workers are probably worth for how much is done during busy season.

EndOfDiscOne posted...

Yep, been doing this since 2009 and now I dont know what else I would do. I did drop down to reduced hours a couple of years ago but its not working out as well as planned.

Damn, that's a long time for public accounting. I know you said you don't know what else you would do, but is there something you really like about public accounting to keep you there for so long? Are you hoping to push for partner one day?

No, I have partner duties on some clients but I made it clear to my employer that I dont want to be partner. The best period of my career was early manager when I was reviewing tax returns but wasnt in charge of managing a lot of projects. My goal is in a few years to drop down to a seasonal schedule, so Ill mostly just work tax season and only review tax returns.

I dont want any of that to discourage you because everyone is different and some people thrive on having more responsibility and climbing the career ladder. Ive never been like that.

NES4EVER posted...

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/4/5/AAAzmXAAEDdZ.jpg

I always wondered how he did his taxes without his forms or anything.

Was it different in the 90s? Or is it different when youre a business owner?

Im always eagerly awaiting my W2 in the mail at the beginning of the year so I can get my taxes over with.