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rainnyl
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Joined: 18 Oct 2009
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| Posted: 02 Dec 2009 at 21:06 | IP Logged
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I want to warn you that ths post is going to sound bratty.
So before I begin, I want to acknowledge that I realize how lucky I am to have a job in a Big4. I know there are many people out there looking for work, and in this economy a steady paycheck means a lot. My parents haven't worked in a year, and my sibling is full time in college, so a steady paycheck means a lot to me too. I am grateful I have a job, but right now work is so bad that I can't bring myself to get up in the morning.
My story is this: I've been at my job since May, and I despise it. Work sucks because of the obvious: the accounting profession isn't kind to beginners(with the work hours and low pay and all). Mainly, the people at my office suck. Everyday Im looking over my shoulder to see who has it out for me. Everyday I go to work and realize that my job is only interested in working me 24/7. Being busy no longer means busy for 40 hours, you're not considered busy until you're here until 3 in the morning. I can't do that anymore. I cant work with pompous managers who won't communicate and who expects you to drop everything when they need you, and it won't matter if it's 10pm or right before you leave the door.
Only a few months of this has already made me extremely depressed. And I'm tired of it. Im tired of sounding ungrateful, Im tired of complaining about it, Im tired of being sad, Im tired of not being able to see my family, Im tired of looking up and not seeing an end to this. Im tired of not being able to take regular holidays, or have weekends. I don't understand why I feel this way all the time; even little things at work now get to me badly because Im so stressed. How do people do this for so long?
Ive realized public accounting isnt for me. I would jump ship right now if I knew there was something else out there, but I know there isn't.
So I'm asking you guys: someone please give me a wake up slap and tell me that I'm just being an idiot. Or some words of encouragement. Or some sort of advice. I can't take this anymore. Looking ahead and realizing I may have to work through Xmas and new years, and then head into 9 months of busy season.... I could jump out the window right now.
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soc09
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Joined: 08 Oct 2009
Location: United States
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Posts: 178
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| Posted: 02 Dec 2009 at 22:47 | IP Logged
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does everyone in your office have these work hours?< id="gwProxy" ="">< ="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" ="">
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Reflection
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Joined: 30 Nov 2009
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Posts: 180
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| Posted: 03 Dec 2009 at 00:29 | IP Logged
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I'm sorry you're having such a hard time. Like you said, be grateful that
you have a job in this economy. Many people don't. Try to get at least a
year under your belt before you start looking. In any economy it's never a
good idea to have less than a year under your belt at a firm, it would be
better to have two, but I'm not sure you can make it that long.
Try to make the best of it by getting to know your co-workers and
managers as people rather than just people stuck in hell with you. It'll
make the workday MUCH easier. Ask one of the managers who you hate
to coffee (much easier to get a yes to than lunch) and just shoot the
breeze while you try to smooth things over with them. Show them that
you respect their authority and that you are a team player and are happy
to be there. If that seems too hard, try asking one of your co-workers
who started around the same time as you to lunch and work your way up
to a hellish manager.
At the same time, don't say anything that you don't want repeated or that
could come back to bite you in the a$$. Be friendly but don't forget that
you are at work.
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hatchd
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Joined: 02 Dec 2009
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| Posted: 03 Dec 2009 at 00:43 | IP Logged
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I don't think it sounds bratty at all. You need to work to live, not live to work. That's what I don't get about going to bigger firms. They don't care who you are, they just care what gets done. If I were you I wouldn't give up on public accounting. There are many, many benefits of being in it (good career path, help with the CPA exam, a level of knowledge you obtain in few other places). I think you should look in to a smaller firm. I love where I work, I work maybe 60 hour weeks during busy season (which lasts 6-8 weeks), work 40 hour weeks the rest of the year, have 9 paid holidays off, 4 weeks of vacation, unlimited sick time (within reason), etc.
I had a buddy in the same position you were. HATED his job at a larger firm. Their business declined slightly, he was the new guy and altho his manager loved him, the higher ups didn't know who he was, saw his charge hours down, and fired him. I like being a name, not a number.
Hang in there until you find something else. Small firms love plucking guys from the bigger firms. By telling them that you simply don't like the culture it side steps that awkward "why do you want to quit?" question that always comes up. Trust me, they understand.
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fla_examer85
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Joined: 30 May 2009
Location: United States
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Posts: 661
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| Posted: 03 Dec 2009 at 04:34 | IP Logged
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hatchd wrote:
I don't think it sounds bratty at all. You need to work to live, not live to work. That's what I don't get about going to bigger firms. They don't care who you are, they just care what gets done. If I were you I wouldn't give up on public accounting. There are many, many benefits of being in it (good career path, help with the CPA exam, a level of knowledge you obtain in few other places). I think you should look in to a smaller firm. I love where I work, I work maybe 60 hour weeks during busy season (which lasts 6-8 weeks), work 40 hour weeks the rest of the year, have 9 paid holidays off, 4 weeks of vacation, unlimited sick time (within reason), etc.
I had a buddy in the same position you were. HATED his job at a larger firm. Their business declined slightly, he was the new guy and altho his manager loved him, the higher ups didn't know who he was, saw his charge hours down, and fired him. I like being a name, not a number.
Hang in there until you find something else. Small firms love plucking guys from the bigger firms. By telling them that you simply don't like the culture it side steps that awkward "why do you want to quit?" question that always comes up. Trust me, they understand.
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Your buddy sounds like he could be me! I agree with what hatch says. It sounds like you are just really miserable at your job. I would try my very best to stay for a year. You said you started in May, so you've only got a few more months. Maybe the economy will pick up some by then. I read today they expect the overall economy to begin adding jobs by February (fingers crossed big time on that).
How many hours are you working? It sounds like you're putting in 80-90 hours or some ridiculous number, talking about 10pm and 3am. My last job had me working 55 hours minimum a week during busy season, which get this, was from Jan. 3rd through April 15th. What the hell, there wasn't even any work until March!! And when you're the new guy, guess what? You're gonna have to end up "eating" a bunch of hours so 55 becomes 70.
I don't even want to know how many you're putting in, but I feel you. I know how it feels to wake up at 4:30am, drive an hour in the dark to work, leave work at 7:30pm, get home an hour later, watch the news and sleep, and then rinse and repeat for weeks. FML is what you feel like. THATS CALLED LIVING TO WORK AND IT SUCKS. I felt like, wow for 6 days a week my entire existence is to live work. When you're working in a hostile work environment you tend to carry that stuff home with you as well. It really consumes you. Anyway, I'm starting to repeat a lot of what you said. Hang in there. Hang around these forums, they tend to help me.
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Topic: I hate my job
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