EY Throws a Fit When Your Job Circumstances Change
I got an offer in a corporate role and turned in my two week notice at EY. Everything was fine: HR treated me well and wished me luck in the next chapter of my career. However, on my LAST DAY at EY, the new company rescinded their offer for reasons that I won’t get into […]
When Is the Right Time to Leave Public Accounting?
When I started in public accounting, one of the audit partners I worked with shared the elevator metaphor: working in public accounting is like riding an elevator—the longer you stay on, the higher up you will go. When should you leave? The go-to response from all partners at every firm (stay until manager) is probably […]
The Boomerang: Who Says You Can’t Go Back to Public Accounting?
Most people who leave public accounting have absolutely no intention of going back. These days public accounting would probably take you back in a heartbeat if you changed your mind. But if you feel like you could use another “drink from the firehose” to help propel your career forward and provide you a missing experience […]
The Moment I Knew I Was Done With Public Accounting For Good
When did you decide you were done with public accounting? Not the moment you decided to accept an offer to go work somewhere else, but the moment you decided there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell you would stay—the moment that cemented the decision to start looking for the right opportunity to get the hell […]
Considering a Move? Don’t Believe Everything Partners Tell You to Convince You to Stay
Thinking about leaving public accounting? You are not alone. With burnout and attrition at an all-time high, partners will tell you almost anything to keep you on board. Often half-truths at best, the lies told to staff, seniors, and managers alike are nothing new. Here are some of my personal favorites: Lie #1: If you […]
Get Me the F*ck Out of Here: So You Put in Your Two Weeks, Now What?
Early on in this series, we covered the first steps to take before quitting your job in public accounting. You brushed up your dusty-ass resume, connected with those obnoxious recruiters on LinkedIn you’ve been dodging since your first days in public, and gently massaged any and all connections you’ve made going back to your Accounting […]
Skip the Shout Outs and Other Helpful Farewell Email Advice
Quitting your job is a part of life in public accounting. Unless you're one of those sick, carrot-chasing freaks sticking around until partner, that is. Even if you're happy now, it's likely the day will come when you leave, and it's also likely that you'll be tempted to write a farewell email. Lest you end […]
Before You Leave Public Accounting, Consider This
Fall is in the air, and that means that if you’re in your mid-twenties, ply your trade in public accounting, and are prone to even the occasional moment of introspective thought, you’re probably considering quitting your job right about now. Why? Because sometimes, public accounting sucks. And rarely does it suck more than during the […]
Report: The Best Time to Leave Public Accounting Is Within 3 – 6 Years
Though most of us consider the 2 year mark the perfect time to leave public accounting (it would be 3 or 4 if CPA licensure rules required that much experience, surely), a new report from Minneapolis-based recruiting outfit Coenen Brothers suggests that the real sweet spot is somewhere between three and six years. “During those […]