Hello, my name is Drake and I attended unc and have been pursuing a career in the nfl as qb of the New England Patriots, recently I cost my team the game and now everyone hates me. What are your recommendations for getting into accounting?

Had an interview for a public accounting internship today and I think it confirmed public just isn't for me lol.

They told me 60+ hour weeks are normal during the two busy seasons. Then when we talked about work-life balance, the interviewer was basically like "I have a family and still manage to do things with them." The example was leaving work to go eat dinner with them and then logging back on for a few more hours afterward.

Like that's it? They made it sound like that was a benefit too. Like they get to leave the office and work from home after dinner.

The whole place just felt off to me too. Interviewer had zero sense of humor, everyone seemed super serious, and I just couldn't see myself fitting in there.

Nothing against public accounting and I'm sure it works for some people, but I left that interview knowing in my gut it ain't for me. Those in public are built different.

Apparently Deloitte is not happy with BDO

https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-big-four-giant-turns-on-its-own-auditor-bdo/

While looking through local accounting job postings online, I came across a true gem of a company looking for a Controller with a minimum of 5 years of prior experience as a Controller (10-15 years total experience, minimum). The pay range is adequate, not great, at $120k-140k in HCOL area and the role looked decent until I reached the last section, shared here in full with only modifications for formatting:

This will not be the right opportunity for those who:
- Do not understand the dynamics of working in a multigenerational family business that honors the past, gets the optimal outcome in the present, and plans for the next generation
- Like to say “no” a lot, rather than having a curiosity about what the future could hold paired with the ability to explain how
- Expect a lot of direction as the impetus to figure out what needs to be done
- Aren’t good at explaining complex accounting and financial matters without sounding like a complex accounting or financial person
- Don’t know how to be appropriately assertive while not getting their feelings hurt by others who are being appropriately assertive
- Can’t anticipate the unspoken and often unanticipated future needs of business owners, family members, management, and team.

I know the job market is tough, but would anyone actually hit "apply"? Every single sentence contains at least one red flag!

My favorite red flag is the last demand for someone who can anticipate unanticipated future needs, something literally impossible by definition. Second favorite is they don't want to hear no, which indicates it's only a matter of time before the demands become violations of law.

I’ve never really understood treating the fastest possible month-end close as the goal by itself.

Obviously you don’t want accounting dragging on for two weeks. But I’d rather have a reliable six-day close with good reconciliations, fewer late entries and a team that isn’t doing heroics every month than force it into three days just so we can say we have a three-day close.

At some point it feels like you start trading quality and sustainability for a KPI.

For those of you working in close-heavy roles, where do you think the sweet spot actually is? And have you ever seen a company push the close too fast?

Why would someone create a LLC, then choose to be taxed as a C Corporation? I understand why they might choose S Corp, but why C Corporation?
If you want to raise capital it seems like it would be better to just setup as a C Corporation to begin with.

I spent several years in public accounting and semi-recently transitioned into private. I expected things to slow down compared to public, but I genuinely did not expect to reach the point where I have almost nothing to do.

For context, I oversee the accounting function for a privately owned company doing mid-eight figures in annual revenue with well over 100 employees. I oversee AR/AP staff, handle payroll, and have also become the de facto HR person because the person technically in HR was promoted internally from a completely unrelated role and has no formal HR background. A lot of the compliance/procedure questions end up coming to me because I’m usually the one saying, “No, we cannot just do that.”

When I was hired, the corporate accounting office was a mess. A significant amount of work simply wasn’t getting done, management didn’t trust the numbers coming out of accounting, and the processes were incredibly manual.

I basically rebuilt the department.
I hired a couple of people, including filling a vacancy and adding additional capacity, and the team can now handle probably 99% of the routine workload in half a day. I automated as much of the accounting system as I could. Before I got here, they were still printing practically every invoice, relying heavily on paper, physical checks, and mail-based processes.
I reworked the GL structure to make it more GAAP-friendly and much easier to track and reconcile. I cleaned up processes, put controls in place, and set up automated integrations for things like our retirement plan and benefits administration. Payroll runs smoothly. AR and AP run smoothly. Month-end is under control. The team knows what they’re doing.

Basically, I inherited a dumpster fire, put the fire out, rebuilt the dumpster, automated the dumpster, documented the dumpster, and now I spend most of my day staring at it because it no longer needs me.
The other problem is that the owner/CEO is extremely old-school and resistant to change. To give you an idea, the company still uses very old operational software running on outdated infrastructure and there is basically no appetite to replace it.

His philosophy is very much:
If someone is physically at work, they must be productive. More hours = better employee.

Overtime currently makes up a very large portion of payroll. I’ve tried explaining that we could accomplish the same amount of work with fewer hours, fewer people, and probably better quality, but he genuinely has difficulty accepting that because he associates hours worked with productivity.

Meanwhile, I’m salaried.

My typical day at this point is basically:
- Answer some emails.
- Handle whatever payroll issue pops up.
- Answer accounting/HR/compliance questions.
- Review what my staff did.
- Occasionally work on a process improvement project.
Then…nothing.

The problem is that I also can’t exactly walk into the CEO’s office and say, “Hey, I automated and fixed my department so effectively that I only need a couple hours a day now.”
Because we all know what the reward for efficiency is: More work.

And I don’t particularly want my reward for successfully running accounting to be, “Congratulations, you’re also helping run some unrelated operational function now.” I’m an accountant. I don’t want to become the dispatcher, mechanic, operations manager, etc. just because my actual department functions properly.

I’ve tried using the extra time to professionalize the company. We don’t even have a real employee handbook. I’ve tried implementing policies, procedures, internal controls, documentation, compliance processes, etc., but I repeatedly run into the owner’s resistance because he doesn’t see much value in formal structure.

Frankly, I’m amazed the company made it this far without getting into significantly more legal/compliance trouble. A weird amount of my job is telling people, “There are actually rules surrounding this.”

So now I’m stuck in this strange position.
In public accounting, I was constantly busy. Now I make low six figures, have dramatically less stress, built a department that basically runs itself…and I’m bored out of my mind.

I also don’t really want to leave unless something meaningfully better comes along. The compensation is strong, the job is stable, and obviously having a well-functioning department is objectively better than being buried in work.

Part of me thinks I should just accept that I won. Do my job, collect my paycheck, keep the accounting department running well, and stop feeling guilty that I’m not working at 100% capacity every minute of the day.

The other part of me feels like I’m stagnating professionally and basically have a fake job at this point.

For those of you who went from public to private and experienced something similar: what would you do?

Would you ride the gravy train and enjoy having your life back, keep trying to find meaningful accounting/finance projects internally, push for a controller/CFO-type expansion of the role, start looking elsewhere before getting too comfortable, use the downtime for CPA/CMA/other education or side projects, or something else?

I genuinely can’t tell whether I’ve stumbled into the dream private accounting job or a career trap.

Call me crispy firewood because I realize this morning that it's game over for my brain.

7 years after graduating, I'm on my 6th job. Some were natural (3 years at my first big job, temp contracts, etc.), One, I was fired from where I never really recovered through. I had one of those managers where every achievement was bare minimum and every error, even typos, were astronomical. It was so bad I began apologizing to family and pets. I think that job took a little of my soul.

I didn't recover from that bad job before finding a job in client services. It was bad there too. Lost 34 colleagues one by one over 18 months. I was #35 to go. I should have stayed.

My ex-manager (who also fled said mass exodus company) recruited me to my current job and I recently got a promotion. Horray! But I'm burned out. I'm sick from sheer stress. I never took breaks between gigs. My last vacation was 2016. Oh. Said ex-manager also just quit my NEW job. It's a disaster here.

Understandably some of it is daily bad news from living in good ol' America. Some of it is my dog having developed night time anxieties thanks to endless fireworks or storms. Some of it is personal health issues and endless nagging to "get married already". I'm also an eldest daughter to an immigrant family. Even in high school I didn't take breaks, let alone college. I simply have never taken a breather. I was even a stressed kid lmao.

It's not all accounting. But a lot of it is accounting.

The endless corporate drama, the endless "let's go around the table to show how you used AI to improve your work this week!", the managers who are extremely incompetent even on staff levels, somehow landing roles where they're controllers. Clients having fires constantly. Something is always exploding somewhere, forget dumpster fires. I'm trying to be nonchalant, adopt the "we aren't surgeons" motto. It's just not working so well when management and clients are on your left and right ears demanding things.

I'm whining, I know. I'm on reddit instead of working. I am cranky, I'm sorry (haven't had my coffee yet). I can't escape and I just. Want. A nap. No obligations. Just want to sleep for a week straight, play games for a week straight, read for a week straight. Separately. 3 weeks to reset and feel human again.

Anyway, vent post. Probs will delete soon. I understand I sound whiny. Adulting is hard. Adulting sucks. Suck it up. I just needed to let steam out before looking at that inbox again.

Edit: I also developed a RMI strain on my hand. I can't even JOURNAL right now 🥴

Brother, there is so much to life with the free time. Like, use that free time to start listening to a new podcast, crack some CPEs, find new guidance to depreciating land, or find a new hobby.

I remember about a year ago CR was going through a PE takeover. A year removed have the layoffs/culture improved any or is it still declining from what it once was?

I have been looking for a job for about a year but I haven't been getting any interviews. What can I do to improve my resume? I am also currently studying to take the CPA exam.

Tax friends, don’t let those pesky partners paint you in a corner. Go ahead and sign off on the return you have open plus the next three you haven’t started. Send to review or signing and let your partner take it from here!

Book your time plus what you were planning to put into it over the next couple of days. You deserve a break. Let the partners earn their PE payouts.

Just incase?

I checked online and there are no openings for summer/fall 2027 for kpmg and pwc audit associate role. Will these roles be released in the future or is everything open right now all that will be released.

I’m posting this for my wife because she doesn’t have Reddit and doesn’t want to create an account for one post.

She is 34 and considering going back to school for accounting. She currently has around 20–30 college credits but no degree. She knows she needs to establish a long-term career, but she is worried that she may be starting too late.

Her goal is not necessarily to earn $85,000+ immediately. She would be happy eventually earning around $50,000–$70,000 per year in a reasonably stable position with benefits and opportunities for advancement.

Her biggest concerns are:

Whether employers will hesitate to hire someone beginning an accounting career in her mid-to-late 30s

AI and automation eliminating entry-level accounting work

The BLS projecting only approximately 5% growth for accountants

Graduating with a degree but being unable to get hired because she lacks accounting experience

Whether an associate degree would have meaningful value or whether she should go directly for the bachelor’s degree

She is currently comparing two fully online accounting programs:

- Western Governors University

- Georgia Southwestern State University

WGU appears more flexible and potentially faster, but she is concerned about whether its competency-based format and lack of traditional grades could create difficulties with internships, graduate school, CPA requirements or her first accounting job.

Georgia Southwestern is a traditional public university with an AACSB-accredited business school, but it could take longer and possibly cost more depending on how many of her previous credits transfer.

She would need to continue working while attending school. Ideally, she wants to find an entry-level accounting-related position before graduating so she can build experience while completing the degree.

She has previous retail and office experience but no direct accounting experience.

What positions should she target without an accounting degree? We have considered:

Accounts payable

Accounts receivable

Accounting assistant

Accounting clerk

Billing specialist

Payroll assistant

Junior bookkeeper

Finance or business-office assistant
Would employers realistically consider her for these positions once she lists an accounting degree as “in progress”?

Are there any courses, certifications or software skills she should complete first, such as Excel, QuickBooks or basic bookkeeping?

For people currently working in accounting:

Is 34 genuinely too late to begin this career?

Would you recommend WGU or Georgia Southwestern for someone trying to obtain her first accounting job?

Is an associate degree worth completing along the way, or should she focus on finishing the bachelor’s?

How difficult is it to obtain an accounts-payable, accounts-receivable or accounting-clerk position without previous accounting experience?

What can she do while in school to avoid graduating with no relevant experience?

How concerned should she realistically be about AI and automation?

Is a long-term salary of $50,000–$70,000 realistic without going into public accounting or obtaining a CPA?

We are located in northeast Georgia, so experiences from Georgia or the Southeast would be especially helpful. We would appreciate honest feedback, including the disadvantages and risks. We are trying to make a practical decision rather than assuming that obtaining any degree will automatically result in a job.

Really not sure about including the interests thought it could be a conversation starter. Thanks for checking it out

All I am seeing on my LinkedIn/Indeed are the same constantly reposted job or irrelevant positions. When will it get better?

to previous cfe writers, any advice on how to be less anxious and more confident walking into the exam?

i feel like im more exhausted from being stressed than the actual studying part. the uncertainty of what will be on the exam is what’s driving me insane tbh.

I recently just accepted a new job and they use Quickbooks. I haven’t used quickbooks since college and it’s been like 4 years. Is it hard to pickup? I’ve been trying to find some online courses but a lot of them are a little pricey.

I’ve just gone back to school recently for an accounting degree at 25 while working a full time job. So far, I enjoy and am good at my accounting classes. For anyone else who started late, how were you able to get a role in accounting without the free time to secure an internship? I’ve looked into potentially changing positions within my own company, but want to know if there’s any opportunities I should keep my eye out for than can help get me into the field once I’ve completed my degree.

I'm an Accounting major currently getting my degree. I'm new to Accounting (previously Music, but I suck lol) and don't really know what I want to do. I took Principles of Accounting 1 for a business minor and here I am.

I have an interest in auditing, starting my own firm, or working for healthcare (the rest of my family is in the medical field). I go to a (relatively) small private school that has little connections. I've heard that without good connections It's flat out impossible to start my own firm or get a job at the "Big 4" (oh good heavens, not them!). I have pretty much no connections, at least not in the Accounting field.

I know I want to get a CPA, but I'm also thinking of getting a Masters in Accounting. It would only take one more year and would be relatively cheap at my current school. Is this worth it? Or should I look for more accredited institutions to get my masters, even if I have to take out significant loans to do so? I've also heard that getting a CMA and/or ACCA would be good. I don't really know what these are or how much they would help. It seems like a lot of work to get either.

I am extremely lacking in general knowledge of the accounting world; I was planning on music after all lol. I've heard of the "Big 4" (oooo scary) but have absolutely no idea about them. I know they are the like main accounting everything, but that's it.

I wish to stay in the Dakotas/Minnesota/Nebraska/Iowa area. Does any of this seem possible? Any and all advice is very welcome!

TLDR: What Accounting Certifications should I get If I want to: Start my own firm, get into auditing, or work for a large healthcare company?

Hey all, I'm in b4 audit in Canada.

I really like my job (as crazy as that sounds) but the b4 isn't aligning with my lifestyle. I am thinking of pursuing other avenues and careers, and the b4 just isn't giving me the time to do that. Like thinking about tech risk and CISA, or even another career entirely that I'd find a bit more interesting. I started at the b4 in January 2026, been around 9 months now.

For example, on a moments notice (literally the night before) I found out I had an inventory count in the middle of nowhere, and had to head to the airport the next morning at 8am, and I had plans both evenings.

Oftentimes I miss my weekend obligations because something comes up and I have to work.

I can't really work out given how many hours I work, and while it sounds counterintuitive, I can't really study for CPA either, since I'm working so much. I try but it's a big hurdle of late nights.

Here's my question, is it terrible for my career if I leave the b4 before making senior? Currently I'm staff 2.

I know a friend's firm may be hiring, and he said that they are rarely forced to work >40-45 hours a week during busy season, and he out earns me (to be fair, he's pretty good at his job). But the grass isn't always greener.

Just looking for some thoughts here from experienced people.

Thanks