Related Posts
In-House Politics VS. Agency Politics. Discuss.
Do you wear cowgirl or cowboy boots?
Additional Posts in Accounting
Where are the Booz Allen people at?
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Well, technically, yes, it would be a horrible thing to do to your firm however, if your firm was gonna fire you, they wouldn’t care when they did it or how to affect your life so if you have a better opportunity or your firm is just horrible to work for probably shouldn’t feel too guilty about it
I was looking to leave last year during the tax season and decided against it because I felt bad for potentially screwing them over... They let me go after the tax season was over. Wish I would've gotten out when I was initially looking.
Not at all. Leave whenever is best for YOU. don’t worry about your team or company. We do accounting, we don’t save lives.
This exactly.
I gave my notice during busy season (I couldn’t take the negativity and stress anymore) and they told me the next day, you can go now. I wasn’t even asked for a status on any of the audits I was managing. In my experience, I cared about the impact of leaving substantially more than my employer.
Did they still pay you through your notice date?
when i leave im leaving right in the middle of busy season with 1 day notice like a boss lol.
No you aren’t
They’ve been firing people in May right after busy season. There’s no “family” in this industry.
That’s what happened to me last year. Worked my ass off 60 hours a week and got dropped when the season ended. And then they tried to tell the unemployment office that I violated a rule and was ineligible for benefits. Which was a complete lie. Fortunately, I won my appeal hearing. Shady stuff, I was so upset.
Even 10 years ago I’d have said yes, but I also think firing people in their 50’s is also bad. If the firm doesn’t think of you, you have to.
Same - although my naïveté would have me saying yes even 5 years ago, but I have since witnessed how disloyal firms are, especially to older employees. Do what is best for you, because the firm will certainly not think twice about screwing you over if it is convenient to do so.
One caveat to keep in mind is you may need to explain a tax season departure to other PA firms down the road. I’ve come across several (mostly Gen X and above) who will not hire someone who left another PA firm in busy season.
If you have a good opportunity now, go for it, especially if you are leaving PA. If you are not sure about the opportunity and may return to PA someday, make sure you leave in a way you can defend in an interview. This is not about courtesy to your current firm as it is protection for your reputation.
As a tip…use only years instead of months on a resume, so prospective PA employer does not see if you left in March or May.
I left after the 4/15 deadline and was still allegedly blacklisted. Thankfully I left PA so it won’t hurt me. No matter when you leave, someone is gonna get upset. Do what’s best for you.
Not ideal for employer but that's not your problem. They would fire you without notice. You don't really owe them anything other than the work they pay you for, while you work for them.
I just did it. I felt bad at first, but now I don’t. The firm will replace you, and would fire you with no warning anyways.
If this feels you better, I know a partner who left in the middle of busy season. I do not what or why and he wasn’t let go but he actually quit.
Chief
Why care? They will not feel guilty about firing you immediately after busy season. They don't deserve your loyalty, so do what's best for you.
Terrible to do to coworkers!
The impact on coworkers is unfortunate, but it wouldn’t be such an issue if firms were properly staffed for busy season in the first place. It also wouldn’t be an issue if the firm did what was needed to keep this employee through busy season (obviously they are failing at retention in this case). This is a leadership/business model issue, not something that is the employee’s responsibility.
If you’re below the manager level, this is not that big of a deal, but your co-workers may remember that you put them in a bind and that may or may not come back to bite you in the future. For managers and above, I view this as unprofessional and I know of a few managers who left at a bad time and years later did not get a role at least partially because folks remembered how they left in the past. It’s a smaller world than you might think and people talk. If the new role won’t wait, then that is different. You shouldn’t give something up to please the firm you are leaving, but most places will understand and wait if you ask.
Agree that employers will work employees hard during busy season and then fire them right after. I have seen it happen at my job. But also how do they treat you specifically. I have always been treated well by my employer so I wouldn’t leave unless I had a good job offer or if it was affecting my mental health. There might be some guilt for leaving but also you need to do what is best for you.
No
Is this even a question? I would be challenged on one’s team loyalty as a prospective employer. There are exceptions to the rule, but it’s generally perceived badly. Not a proponent of burning bridges.
Loyalty? There is no loyalty in public accounting brother. I stuck out both tax seasons at two different firms and each time I resigned or brought up changes they let me go the same day (didn’t even give me my two weeks and one firm didn’t even let me say goodbye to my team). And I was a great employee for each firm my performance was always where it should be but they don’t care about you once you leave. There’s plenty of companies that will hire you and the ones outside of public don’t really even know what goes on truthfully except you so it’s really just an illusion that it will be perceived some type of way. at some point you have to stop looking at everything for the “team” anyway and you got to make the career move that’s best for you
Idc what you do, as I’ve had coworkers screw me over before by leaving during busy season.
One thing I will say- I’ve had multiple recruiters tell me it’s a red flag when they see a resume with a departure date in the middle of busy season.
I’ve had recruiters tell me to ask for a later start date so you can have three weeks notice period if during busy season
You may screw over your team but that's about it. They'll come crawling back to you one day when they're trying to win work from you or want you to become a client. Just how it works in client services.
If you’ve received an offer and need to leave prior to end of busy season to keep your offer, that’s a valid reason. If you’re just leaving to leave and then look for another job, then I’d hold off
Just don’t send a goodbye email telling how important they are to you and to keep in touch. Otherwise do what you want.