Going Concern

Big 4 Manager Needs Help Determining If He Is Underpaid

Caleb Newquist
November 29, 2010

Welcome to the squelch-the-tryptophan-withdrawals-with-cyber-Monday edition of Accounting Career Conundrums. In today’s edition, a Big 4 manager is pret-tay sure he is underpaid. How can he broach the subject with a partner without causing major blowback?

Need career advice? Want gift ideas that will score some points with a boss in your life? Wondering where you can find an old PwC backpack? Email us at advice@goingconcern.com and we’ll sniff out a deal or a homeless person.

Back to our short-changed manager:

I was wondering if you could provide advice in how to determine if I am being underpaid and if I am how to go about asking for an increase? I am a 1st year Manager for a Big 4 firm in Kansas City. I have been with the same firm/office my entire career sans a 2 year secondment I completed in Dublin just in August. In addition, to having my CPA license I also hold the CFE certification and the CFA charter.

My feelings for asking for a raise are based on the additional certifications and knowing that my salary as a 1st year Manager is less than what 3rd year Sr. Associates were making in my office 2 plus years ago. I know the economy has changed during the subsequent 2 years but still feel like I am not fairly compensated. What advice do you propose? I am nervous about sharing my thoughts with my Partner as I am afraid of a potential backlash. Thanks in advance.

Dear Alphabet Soup,

Think you’re underpaid, huh? Seems to be theme around here. However, your situation is more unique than most so we’ll make a run at this.

First thing we noticed about your situation is that you’re a M1 which means you were recently promoted, which also mean you should have just received a better-than average raise. And we’re more than a little skeptical about your assertion that a SA3 is making more than you. That would have to mean that SAs are getting insanely good raises while you – the newly promoted manager – got an abysmal one; it seems unlikely. If this in fact the case, then you’ve had a serious string of bad luck.

As for determining whether or not you are underpaid, we suggest you speak to a professional recruiter in KC to find out whether or not your credentials and international experience or currently undervalued. If the recruiter takes a look at your résumé and starts drooling, you’ll know that he/she can earn a fat commission placing you somewhere else. If they shrug and say, “Look friend, you’re doing pretty well. But let me tell you about this great opportunity…” then your salary is probably fair.

When it comes to talking to a partner about this, be sure you’re speaking to someone you trust and just be honest. Make your case with facts. Don’t go speculating about what a SA3 is making because that turns the conversation to something that is out of your control. Highlight your credentials, international experience and why they bring value to the firm and your partner.

They’ve heard the “I’m underpaid” sob story a million times. You’ve got to prove to them that your case is an exception to the run-of-the-mill bellyaching.

Social Media

Doing It Wrong Twitter Case Study: The Chronic Over-Sharer

Adrienne Gonzalez
November 29, 2010

Following our previous Doing It Wrong Twitter Case Studies, today we present you with a pretty common tweeter who can be found across any industry, not only our own precious accounting set: the chronic over-sharer.

The chronic over-sharer doesn’t understand that when Twitter asks “what are you doing?” it actually means “what are you doing or interested in that you think might be appropriate to share with the Internet community at large?” This means the over-sharer can mistake Twitter for a translator plugged directly into their own streaming consciousness as well as a diet journal, a livejournal, a teenage journal and a best friend who actually cares to hear what the over-sharer had for breakfast that morning.

The over-sharer doesn’t realize that most people – especially those in our somewhat small accounting niche – don’t care what they ate nor what they think if the thoughts are translated all hours of the day and come out mostly as angry gibberish and inflammatory nonsense. To the over-sharer, losing followers by the handful after each obnoxious tweet doesn’t mean anything, Twitter simply exists as an avenue for their consciousness. Like the audacity of sending out extensive Christmas letters each year to family members you haven’t spoken to in years, it takes a lot of guts to blitz Twitter with personal details while ignoring proper traditions of behavior. Remember, this is the accounting industry we’re talking about. While the over-sharer can be found in any niche, their behavior is especially noticeable in ours as we’re known for being a conservative lot.

No one is suggesting people can’t use Twitter to communicate or flaunt their personalities but there is a line and in our profession it’s important to follow that. You won’t have much luck snagging clients or getting hired if you’re using Twitter to blast coworkers or talk about your personal digestive issues.

Some tweeters get the balance just right, like Francine McKenna and Shane Eloe. See? You can be chatty – even snarky – but please refrain from telling the entire Internet about the consistency of your cat’s puke or about your super obnoxious senior whose head you’d like to chop off. It isn’t cute and you’re forgetting the Internet is forever. That means you might be able to delete the offending tweets once you realize you’ve been acting like an ass on Twitter but the damage to your reputation (or brand) can carry on long after the tweets have been zapped.

Just don’t do it. Keep it professional, people. Lively, conversational and a little personal but professional. Pretend like your boss, colleagues, and all former and future employers have your tweets streaming to their desktops at all hours of the day and remember: no one cares what you ate for lunch unless it’s food porn (SFW) and you happened to eat it with an accounting industry rockstar.

KPMG

KPMG Partner-cum-Poet Resists Urge to Create Verse on His Blackberry

Caleb Newquist
November 29, 2010

Believe it or not, employees of Big 4 firms possess talents that have nothing to do with elaborate spreadsheets, coffee and bagel consumption or fantasy football.

A perfect example of this would be Arun Kumar, a “battle-tested” partner in KPMG’s Silicon Valley office. Mr Kumar is a poet, who recently published a collection of 39 poems entitled “Plain Truths.” And regardless of his almost certain reliance on his BlackBerry, he manages to set it aside for the sake of his art.

Kumar, a partner at accounting and consulting giant KPMG, knows another kind of poetry. A poetry of nature and relationships, of whimsy and wisdom, a poetry of words that can be written on planes or between planes or in the quiet of the evening, but never, ever, on a BlackBerry.

“A poem, for me, is visual,” Kumar says at his Mountain View office. “Seeing it is quite important, so I can’t imagine — on a BlackBerry it’s not the same.”

So not only is Kumar a man of professional integrity, he also is one of artistic integrity, resisting the eyestrain and temptation to double-thumb inspiring words on to a 2.5 inch screen that may or may not be lost after he drops it one too many times.

But even more surprising (and disappointing) than his commitment to his craft, is Kumar’s ability to avoid penning poems related to his job. “Most [poems] are far removed from his work,” the article states, despite the undeniable muse that is life inside the House of Klynveld.

Arun Kumar, of Silicon Valley s KPMG office, finds poetry on the human side of the ledger [Mercury News]

Accounting News Roundup: Deloitte Still Wants Roland Berger; Big 4 Knew UK Banks Were Getting a Bailout; The Tax Angle on Oprah’s Giveaway | 11.29.10

Caleb Newquist
November 29, 2010

Democrats Gird for Tax-Relief Battle [WSJ]
Only 32 days remain! “Congressional Democrats, under pressure from their liberal wing, are preparing to put up a fight over tax relief for wealthier Americans before they agree to any compromise with Republicans that could extend the Bush-era breaks.

With the lame-duck Congress reconvening Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) may hold a vote mid-week on legislation that would extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts only for families with income less than $250,000, while allowing the upper brackets to expire.”

Deloitte hopes to resurrect Roland Berger deal [ft.com/cms/s/0/2e44af2a-f8bb-11df-b550-00144feab49a.html#axzz16gAzoSvU”>FT]
Deloitte does not take “no” for an answer.

PCAOB Signals More Enforcement, Fee Increase in 2011 [Accounting & Auditing Update/CW]
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has signaled through its 2011 budget that it is beefing up its enforcement staff to handle an increasing caseload. The board also signaled that public companies can expect a 5.4-percent increase in the support fee they will pay in 2011 to help fund the operations of the PCAOB.

Another Guilty Plea in Iowa Film Fiasco [Tax Update Blog]
Despite this round of justice, Joe Kristan reminds everyone, “Whatever the merits of the case against Ms. Runge, if any, it’s hard to believe that she is the only person out there who should be worried. The State Auditor reported that fully 80% of the tax credits issued under the program were issued improperly, with millions of dollars milked from the state for imaginary or grossly-inflated expenses and through the use of strawmen LLCs to funnel cash improperly out-of-state.”

Turkey, Gravy, Networking: How Savvy Job-Hunters Spend the Holiday [FINS]
Though hiring probably won’t pick up until the new year, savvy candidates are cramming their calendars with informational interviews, meetings with recruiters and as many holiday happy hours as they can handle.

“The general rule is that it’s a really good time to network, because people are in a mindset of charity, goodwill and warmth,” said J. Patrick Gorman, principal at iFind Group, a New York based recruiter of accountants.

The Answer Is No [JDA]
But what’s the question you ask? Go find out.

Big 4 Bombshell: “We Didn’t Fail Banks Because They Were Getting A Bailout” [RTA]
Prior notice is always helpful, “The leadership of the Big 4 audit firms in the UK has admitted that they did not issue ‘going concern’ opinions because they were told by government officials, confidentially, that the banks would be bailed out.”

The House of Lords Looks at the Role of Auditors: And Then Everyone Went for Tea [Re:Balance]
Jim Peterson was pleasantly surprised by the testimony of the Big 4 in the UK, although he had low expectations.

Tax Consequences of Oprah’s Latest Car Giveaway [TaxProf Blog]
From the Prof, “Oprah was back at it last week, giving away to her studio audience a 2012 VW Beetle, a $1,000 Nordstrom gift card, an iPad, and a limited edition Oprah 25th anniversary watch from Phillip Stein encrusted with 58 hand-set diamonds, among other things.”

We should also mention that the audience’s screaming is unbearable.

Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland ducks ‘Bills, Bills, Bills’ [Detroit News/Tax Watchdog]
We’re not sure where she left it with Beyoncé but maybe she’ll call Jay-Z to help out?

Twenty Lies You’ll Hear on a Job Interview [Bloomberg BuisnessWeek]
Including a couple of our favorites: “We’re all about work-life balance” and “We don’t have office politics here.”

News

An Accountant’s Thanksgiving Leftovers | 11.24.10

Caleb Newquist
November 24, 2010

~ That’s it for us team. Have a great Thanksgiving! We’ll be back on Monday. That is, unless we get the locale for the PwC NYC feast tomorrow (pictures too).

Man Up When Called for Your Junk Pat-Down [Bloomberg]
You want your genitals left untouched or terrorists on your plane? You can’t have both.

Ireland Ushers In four Years Of Brutal Cuts, Tax Hikes [Dow Jones]
Will Irish eyes ever smile again?

UBS, Others Sued for $2 Billion Over Madoff Fraud [ABC News]
Irving Picard still has the most thankless job in the world.

States Slashing Film Tax Subsidies [Tax Foundation]
Somewhere, Joe Kristan is doing a happy dance.

CFOs Cool Their Heels [CFO]
Turnover is down for the second straight year.

Compliance costs rise for small business [CFOZone]
Sayeth the SBA.

Convicted felon hired to teach accounting at university in Missouri [AccountingWEB]

Lawmakers want IRS to make breastfeeding a medical expense [Healthwatch/The Hill]
Doug Shulman is being asked to reconsider the IRS’s anti-boobs stance.

Al-Qaeda Marching Band To Join Macy’s Parade After Incredible Audition [TO]
FYI – for those attending.

Forward One Email and Your Career at PwC Is Over

Caleb Newquist
November 24, 2010

Do you see what happens?

Of course we kid (some of you have no sense of humor). We actually haven’t heard what is happening to the Irish lads as the investigation is rumored to be still on-going. But this could explain what PwC did with a large portion of their swag when the new logo rolled out.

If you happen across this guy, get him a seat at the New York Thanksgiving soirée (location still unknown), wouldja?

Career Center

Decision Time: A Promotion with Deloitte or a New Opportunity with Ernst & Young?

Caleb Newquist
November 24, 2010

Welcome to the why-do-we-bother-on-days-like-today edition of Accounting Career Conundrums. In today’s edition, a young consultant has a pretty sweet gig with Deloitte in DC but has a very interesting offer with E&Y in NYC. What’s a boy to do?

Does your career need a change? Need cheering up? Looking for some last minute advice on the dysfunctional hell that you’re about to walk into tomorrow? Email us at advice@goingconcern.com and we’ll make it all better.

Returning to the Decider:

Hi,

I am currently a second year consultant in the federal practice in Deloitte in Washington DC. I recently interviewed with EY and got an offer for staff advisor role in New York City. Though my pay raise is not significant (in fact the same, since cost of living is higher in NYC), the position is something that really interests me as it deals in financial consulting and is not audit oriented.

The flip side is that i have been a strong performer at D and am most likely to get promoted at year end. Do you think it makes sense to leave D at this juncture and jump to EY even though I am not being offered a senior position, I am not getting a significant pay raise but the job description is something I have always wanted to do.

Please help me out as I need to make a decision by week-end.

Confused,

Dear Confused,

You simply couldn’t let us cruise into a four day food and drink bender, could you? Very well, then. We are here to help after all.

This is a clear-cut situation of figuring out what your priorities are. You make a decent case for each position, so it’s time to line up what’s most important and make a decision based on that.

It really boils down to this: love or money? Your gig at Deloitte sounds pretty good. You’re in an high-profile group at the firm, looking at promotion, probably more money and – as far as we can tell – you don’t hate the work. All good things.

But the opportunity with E&Y has obviously piqued your interest. Different city. Different firm. Different opportunity. Sure the money won’t go as far and you’ll probably live in a broom closet but there may be more than a sliver of a chance that you will love it.

Some people will say, “You’re doing a disservice to yourself and your career,” if you were to take the E&Y gig. “You’re giving up a promotion and the years of experience earned at Deloitte for a longshot,” they might also say.

Personally, we like longshots. All kinds of people in Big 4 and top ten firms continue to choose to stay on the path they’re on because it’s easy and things like higher salaries and more prestigious titles are hard to turn down.

If you’re genuinely interested in the work that comes with the E&Y position, we say go for it. You’ll never look back and wonder what would have happened if you didn’t take that risk and this may be the rare opportunity that you’ve been waiting for.

Chew on that (along with your poultry of choice tomorrow) and then go make it happen.

Bonus Watch: Pre-Turkey Spot Bonuses at PwC?

Caleb Newquist
November 24, 2010

This just in:

Was communicated a spot bonus yesterday, PwC Tax. $4k as a senior. I have never received a spot bonus anywhere near this size. I think instead of mid-year salary adjustments, they are giving enhanced spot bonuses to the higher performers. This is in addition to the “ipad or cash” extravaganza from earlier this month.

PwC is really buttering some people up, aren’t they? Either it’s going to be a rough 2011 or the good times are really back. If you’ve received similar news this week, do share or get in touch and we’ll keep things rolling here.

Earlier:
Bonus Watch ‘10: PwC Announces Across the Board Mid-year Bonuses

Accounting News Roundup: Here Comes Private Company GAAP; Corporate America’s Big Quarter; South Carolina’s Gun Sales Tax Holiday | 11.24.10

Caleb Newquist
November 24, 2010

Jury Rules SAP Owes Oracle $1.3 Billion [WSJ]
SAP AG must pay $1.3 billion to rival Oracle Corp. for copyright infringement, a federal jury ruled Tuesday, following a high-profile court battle between the business-software makers.

The eight-person jury reached the verdict a day after it adjourned to deliberate. The companies presented closing arguments Monday in U.S. District Court in Oakland, Calif.

Oracle Co-President Safra Catz said “this is the largest amount ever awarded for software piracy.”

Why Do Bank Results Slump in the Fourth Quarter? [Floyd Norris/NYT]
Is it because auditors are giving them the stink-eye?

9th Cir.: Minor Child (Secondary Beneficiary of Father’s Retirement Account) Liable for Tax on Distribution After Mother (Primary Beneficiary) Kills Father [TaxProf Blog]
This is probably the least of the child’s problems.

Panel Poised to Recommend Separate Board, U.S. GAAP Exceptions for Private Companies [JofA]
The blue-ribbon panel on private company financial reporting is poised to recommend that the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF), FASB’s parent organization, move to U.S. GAAP with exceptions for private companies and that those standards should be set not by FASB but by a separate board under FAF’s oversight.

Big Business Has Its Greatest Quarter EVER?! [JDA]
From our esteemed colleague, “Filed under: totally unbelievable headlines that are even less believable once you actually dig into the truth behind the big fancy headline.”

Happy 25th Birthday to Microsoft Windows [CPA Trendlines]
Clippy would enjoy this.

South Carolina’s gun sales tax holiday kicks off on Black Friday, Nov. 26 [DMWT]
Presumably sales will be weaker this year now that every single gun in the country is safe, thanks to the GOP overtaking the House.

Quote of the Day

Your Concern About a Big 4 Failure Is Duly Noted

Caleb Newquist
November 24, 2010

“I don’t see that is on the horizon at all.”

~ Deloitte Global Chairman John Connolly, responding to UK lawmakers about the risk of a Big 4 failure.

News

All Those Frazer Frost Christmas Cards Will Go to Waste Now

Caleb Newquist
November 24, 2010

Last Friday, we linked to a Reuters article that told the story of Chinese clean-tech firm Rino International Corp. admitting that their books weren’t exactly in tip-top shape.

In fact, Rino has some hella-fraud going on, as the CEO is quoted, “[T]here might be problems with 20-40 percent of [customer contracts],” according to a letter from the company’s auditor Frazer Frost. As is the natural progression of these matters, an 8-K was filed informing anyone who cares to know that restatements are happening and that previously issued numbers are more or less worthless.

Then came the news from Financial Investigator’s Roddy Boyd, that Frazer Frost – the offspring of a merger between Moore Stephens Wurth Frazer and Torbet and Frost PLLC – was not really Frazer Frost:

One day shy of the one year anniversary date, the accountancy is scrapping a “trial merger” and is splitting back into Frost LLP of Little Rock, Ark. and Raleigh, N.C. and Moore Stephens, which is headquartered in Brea, Ca.

“Trial merger” kinda sounds like a two accounting/finance types hooking up for the first time. It’s nothing major, just testing the motion in the ocean. But if you go by the Accounting Today article from last year, there doesn’t appear to be anything “trial” about it.

Anyway, Boyd reports that Frost managing partner Dan Peregrin told him that a ‘culture clash’ led to the break up and that, “There is a lot of [issues] right now in [Chinese reverse mortgage] practice area and we just felt it would be smarter to wish them luck and stick to our practice areas.”

Right. The old, “it’s not you, it’s me” routine. But there’s more! Over at Citron Research, it’s not entirely clear just what is going on:

If you call Frost today in Arkansas, they answer “Frost & Co” and say they’re no longer associated with Frazer. Citron spoke to managing partner Dan Peregrin and twice he told us that the two firms have gone their own way. ….but if you call Frazer, they answer “Frazer Frost” and in a brief conversation with Susan Woo, the RINO auditor, she told Citron that Frazer Frost is still an operating entity.

Really? If you go to the Frazer Frost website, you see a homepage with no content in the about us section.

Which is quite true. This is all very strange/sad/pathetic because everyone else seems to be aware of the situation. It’s like Frazer doesn’t know they’ve been dumped and are just going along like everything is find and dandy.

Could someone let them down gently?

News From Auditorville [Financial Investigator/Roddy Boyd]
Dude! Where’s My Auditor?? The Curious Case of Frazer Frost [Citro Research]

CFOs

The CFO That Was ‘Exhausted’ From Defending Obama Lost Her Job

Caleb Newquist
November 24, 2010

Remember? She was thisclose to living on franks and beans.

And now she’s even closer to the mystery meat reality because she has been laid off by the nonprofit for whom she worked:

Velma Hart, the chief financial officer for Am Vets, a veteran services organization based in Maryland, said Monday in an interview with CNBC that she was laid off as part of the nonprofit’s effort to cut expenses.

“I want to focus on the positive and be optimistic,” said Hart, who lives in Upper Marlboro, Md. “And assume that somehow things will work out, that there’s an opportunity out there with Velma’s name on it that’s right around the corner.”

A positive outlook, we like this gal. We’re sure you’ll be back to the corner office in no time. One word of advice though when you’re in the hot dog aisle – Hebrew National is not kosher, not matter what the package says.

Velma Hart Laid Off: Woman Who Told Obama Of Financial Fears Loses Her Job [HuffPo via DI]

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