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Accounting Exit Opportunities

Discuss exit opportunities from accounting. Share open roles & insights on interview prep.

35.9K members
  1. Supervising Senior Auditor
    First time poster

    I'm 31 and been in public accounting for 9 years, but the burnout is really getting to me. I am seriously thinking of quitting with no backup plan and selling my place... I'm single with no kids and j...

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    7
  2. Audit Manager

    I was recently laid off. Hoping to leave public accounting altogether - tired of no work-life balance year round but nervous that all I'll be able to get is another pressure cooker PA firm. I have a b...

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    2
  3. Manager

    Should I take the exit opportunity? Currently, M3 going to M4 (no promo to Sr Mgr for FY27), in MCOL B4 Risk consulting making $152k base + $7K bonus and in office 3x a week. Company is offering remot...

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    1
  4. Associate

    I have an interview for an Internal Audit role, and I’m trying to figure out how to lie and say I’m passionate about process improvement. The truth is I just want a job where I don't have to deal with...

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    1
  5. Senior Analyst

    I’m being asked for my salary expectations in the very first phone screen, and I feel like it’s a trap to see how low I’ll go. If I say $110k and their budget was $130k, I just lost $20k. If I say $14...

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    1
  6. Senior Associate

    I’m officially putting in my notice on Monday without a backup plan. I have six months of F-you money saved up, and I’m going to spend the summer actually living instead of auditing. My parents think ...

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    7
  7. Finance Manager

    Am I crazy for turning down a Director title because of a 3-day RTO mandate? I’ve spent the last three years working fully remote, and I just got an offer for a Director of Finance role at a retail br...

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    1
  8. Senior Manager

    I just got an offer for a Controller role at a mid-sized manufacturing company owned by a PE. I’m currently in Public making $135k with okay benefits and the usual busy season misery. The new offer is...

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    1
  9. Senior Tax Analyst

    would you leave your firm if they made it clear that supporting you isn’t a priority? i’m a heavy senior managing a lot of engagements (many that are new to me due to turnover) but i struggle to get a...

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    3
  10. Accountant

    I just found out the 401k match at the company I’m interviewing with doesn't vest for five years. Five years! In this economy, who stays at a mid-level accounting job for five years? What are some oth...

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    6
  11. Senior Associate

    I’ve reached a point where I’m too expensive for senior roles but not experienced enough for manager roles. I’m 4 years in, I have my CPA, and I’m making $95k, but every Manager role wants 6-8 years o...

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    2
  12. Senior Associate

    I’ve started daydreaming about getting a minor injury just so I can finally have a valid excuse to stop answering emails. When your brain starts looking at a broken leg as a vacation, you know you’ve ...

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    5
  13. Manager

    I got an offer for an Assistant Controller position at a stable, family-owned distribution company that’s been around for 50 years. They’re offering $125k, a 10% bonus, and the health insurance is 85%...

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    1
  14. CPA

    Has anyone successfully negotiated a sign-on bonus at a new job specifically to cover a repayment clause from their old firm? I’m currently staring at a $15,000 CPA bonus that I’ll have to pay back in...

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    1
  15. Associate

    I watched a Senior Manager get laid off after 15 years at the firm, and they were given ten minutes to pack their desk and leave. Loyalty in this profession is a one-way streetL. I’ve been staying at ...

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    3
  16. Accountant

    I found out my new Industry job has a Blackout Period for vacation that lasts from January through March. How is this any different from Public Accounting? I left the Big 4 specifically to avoid the B...

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    1
  17. Staff Accountant

    My new CFO just told me that he doesn't believe in working from home because he thinks people just do laundry all day. I wanted to tell him that I actually do do laundry while I’m waiting for his mass...

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    1
  18. Manager

    I’m thinking about quitting my $120k Manager job to become a Bookkeeper for five different small businesses just so I can have my freedom back. I’m tired of the board meetings and the 50-person email ...

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    1
  19. Senior Manager

    Anyone have any insight on FGMK?

    3
  20. Associate

    I had a third-round interview where the hiring manager spent 20 minutes bragging about how they work hard and play hard, which we all know is code for having no boundaries. I asked what time the team ...

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    2