Audit manager here (making ~$140K) and feeling burned out. Are there realistic exit opportunities outside public accounting that offer better work-life balance without a major pay cut? I want to provide well for a future family but also protect time for creative goals. Feels like audit takes everything. Has anyone made the switch successfully?

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Not sure what Amazon is talking about considering busy season in Public is 70-90+ hours even as a manager. But I’m an assistant controller and just on base I make more than you. I’m in buy side so my bonus is also pretty heavy, I’m pushing 200. I work at most 50 hours on the management company side. Leaving public almost always guaranteed more money back then. Now I hear it’s not always the case, but yes, there are a tons of opps that will pay more than what you make and work less hours

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Thank you! 140k is only my base but I'm not even making close to 200k. Sounds like you found a great job after leaving public.

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I would try to dip and get into accounting or finance in a tech company or something. I’m a manager now and I clear $210k base, bonus, & equity. Probably work 25 hours a week. 45 if it’s a quarter close week

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It was a long road. Went from real estate accounting to fund accounting to big 4 to old biotech company to small real estate tech start up to mid size tech company

Internal Audit

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I would look into Bank or Financial Services IA to get into that pay range

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How many hours are you working? I have never met an audit manager that was putting in 60 hour weeks outside of consulting engagements. Just trying to understand the burn out and inability to do things outside the 9-5 grind.

Well consider me the first audit manager you chatted with who has to work 60+ hour weeks often even outside traditional busy season. It gets brutal AND the work is honestly miserable most of the time especially with SAS 145 and the other increases in documentation requirements.

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Is your firm understaffed ?

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