Out of curiosity: any public accounting senior managers exit to industry and take a drop in title to manager? What was that like and did it impact your career trajectory?
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My confession (a tax preparer with 5 years exp, 100k salary) is that when I finish preparing returns, yeah I’ll look over the manual entries within the software and I look at 2 year comp but other than that, I don’t print to PDF to check my work. I honestly just don’t care. I get maybe like 5-6 review notes each return. It’s so much time between preparing and checking yourself and it’s like, eh, I’ll let the reviewer finish off.
Wanted to share my personal story of unconventional career path. My first 28 years of life was a complete failure. I was dealing with many personal relationship/ mental health issues throughout college, managed to meet the minimum GPA requirement for my accounting degree. Stayed unemployed for a few years. I finally realized I needed to get a job. (Continued in next post)
I recently got an offer from another Big 4, similar title and comp. The new role aligns better with my l-t goal. Currently very long hours & ddls, and limited learning opportunities, though the team itself is great. Downside, I’m on H-1B and would need to restart the PERM/GC process, including costs out of pocket. Also struggling with leaving behind the network/reputation. Curious if it is better to stay where I am or make a move only for l-t career goal. Thanks!
I wouldn't take an in-house manager role. Based on my experience working with in-house clients, the in-house SMs are similar to the manager at B4 from day to day.
Yeah I can't think of a good reason to take a demotion going from public to in house. Doesn't make a lot of sense. Like a 3 year regression.
I did. I was SM in a very niche group and to go back to being more of a generalist meant I needed to take a step back. I ended up not staying in industry and going back to public as mgr. I made SM three years later.
I disagree. I’ve known a lot of Fortune 500 tax managers they can run circles around public managers. Many companies are flat relative to all the levels in public…less levels. I had one head of tax whose title was Director. I’ve seen some fortune 10” companies where it takes 10 years for a lead analyst role.
I’m a manager in MCOL and would have to take a substantial pay cut to be an industry manager. SM looking to slow down should go with a small local firm.
Depends on the company. Titles are not standard in industry. I have seen companies where manager title was more than senior manager in PA, and other companies where manager title was more like a senior in PA. There is a wide range and usually comp is reflective.