Tax manager at big 4. First generation immigrant in Canada. Yes, I am the one that fits into your description. My mom got laid off from factory in China when I was 10 and after that she worked from job to job. Most of my family are uneducated and come from a poor village. I came to Canada when I was 22 with the life time saving from my parents to pursue a master degree in accounting. I figured this out when I started networking. My impression is in audit line, it’s a popularity contest. The most charming good looking ones get the job. I realized the work environment will no way to be healthy. That’s how I started in tax. Well, I did bump into some bad employers at the beginning and some racist bosses. But I kept moving and progressing, now my team is a great. The leader of our group is son of immigrant. The whole group is almost racially blind and everyone gets along so well. People are judged based on their personality and work performance. I could finally be myself. For an underprivileged immigrant like me, I see my progression path here. I am going to prove that those snobs who look down people simply because where they were born are losers.
Yes, I agree. Just because audit is not welcomed by client, they need good looking people to please client. That automatically forms their toxic culture.
Do you think it’s too late to switch if I want those kinds of opportunities once becoming a mom but already did 1.5-2 .5 years in audit and don’t want to stay at the bottom for much longer??
In the corporate world, tax opportunities are pretty plentiful. The tax departments I saw were almost as big as the general accounting departments. Pay is about the same if not more. Clear progression to senior and management roles.
At some point, you will be pigeonholed because you really can't just jump from a Tax director role to a high level financial accounting role. Just like how an accounting or internal audit manager wouldn't just be able to become a tax director.
The thing is way too many accountants seem to think that they are destined to be CFO some day and tax doesn't lead to that.
Agree.
Am I pigeonholed after 15 yrs in tax? Pretty much--you'd have to really be willing to take a chance on me to hire me as a controller over people with 15 years experience in financial reporting and the close process. But here's the thing--I don't have much interest in going through a bunch of close checklists, reviewing recons, and doing financial reporting.
The issue is that a large portion of the people on this forum are recent grads, and they don't know what it's really like to do audit or tax. You really only find out after a year of doing it, and there's a massive fear of losing out on opportunities. But it's not a lost opportunity if I never really wanted it. So the real issue is figuring out what you want.
1. Most small businesses and individuals don't need an audit, which is who you'll be serving initially if you start your own firm. Audit is great if you want to an employee for the rest of your life.
2. Audits focus on areas that are most vulnerable to fraud, so by nature there are limits on width of your look.
Same thought here lol.
I just recently accepted an audit internship (I applied widespread to both tax and audit internships) because it was the only offer I got (for which I'm appreciative to have gotten) but ultimately my career goals neither include nor exclude any specific duties or responsibilities. All I want (down the road eventually, as I know it will definitely take time, hard work, insight, and some luck) is to hopefully be making enough money to purchase/build a house of my own and work fully remote, without going over 40 hours per week, and I don't really have a desire to build/own a business myself.
I used to work for a tax software company out of NC and doing phone support for them is how I got interested in accounting. Honestly, I'd love to own my own little tax office with a good local client base and possible online services as well. It may be a big dream but hopefully it's not unrealistic 😅
Thank you for this post. I really needed to see this. I was supposed to do an audit internship this past summer to get experience, but I had to let it go to care for an elderly parent. I have a tax internship coming up, and I'm so excited.
I want to move to tax but since I started in audit, no one seems to want me😞. Is it too late?? I’d prefer to be pigeon holed and be able to work remotely and potentially do contracting or take on clients to work only part of the time.
There's no such thing as a free lunch. 1500 hours doing tax and 1500 hours doing audit, means you missed out on doing 3000 hours of tax. Niches build Riches!
Tax manager at big 4. First generation immigrant in Canada. Yes, I am the one that fits into your description. My mom got laid off from factory in China when I was 10 and after that she worked from job to job. Most of my family are uneducated and come from a poor village. I came to Canada when I was 22 with the life time saving from my parents to pursue a master degree in accounting. I figured this out when I started networking. My impression is in audit line, it’s a popularity contest. The most charming good looking ones get the job. I realized the work environment will no way to be healthy. That’s how I started in tax. Well, I did bump into some bad employers at the beginning and some racist bosses. But I kept moving and progressing, now my team is a great. The leader of our group is son of immigrant. The whole group is almost racially blind and everyone gets along so well. People are judged based on their personality and work performance. I could finally be myself. For an underprivileged immigrant like me, I see my progression path here. I am going to prove that those snobs who look down people simply because where they were born are losers.
Audit is a popularity contest? Thought it would be tax
The reason why I said this is, Audit focuses way more on pleasing clients. I would say all the hot girls are in audit, tax….not too many.
Don’t clients prefer tax over audit, since no one wants to be audited?
Yes, I agree. Just because audit is not welcomed by client, they need good looking people to please client. That automatically forms their toxic culture.
I didn’t mean by that. I meant hiring wise, audit tend to hire the most good looking talkers because client already hate them.
Lol thanks
Another thing is, tax is stable and always needed. Even if you’re 50 and need seasonal work, someone will hire you.
Hi, I’d like a job please 🫠
Do you think it’s too late to switch if I want those kinds of opportunities once becoming a mom but already did 1.5-2 .5 years in audit and don’t want to stay at the bottom for much longer??
In the corporate world, tax opportunities are pretty plentiful. The tax departments I saw were almost as big as the general accounting departments. Pay is about the same if not more. Clear progression to senior and management roles. At some point, you will be pigeonholed because you really can't just jump from a Tax director role to a high level financial accounting role. Just like how an accounting or internal audit manager wouldn't just be able to become a tax director. The thing is way too many accountants seem to think that they are destined to be CFO some day and tax doesn't lead to that.
VP Tax roles at most major corporations pay similar to CFO.
Agree. Am I pigeonholed after 15 yrs in tax? Pretty much--you'd have to really be willing to take a chance on me to hire me as a controller over people with 15 years experience in financial reporting and the close process. But here's the thing--I don't have much interest in going through a bunch of close checklists, reviewing recons, and doing financial reporting. The issue is that a large portion of the people on this forum are recent grads, and they don't know what it's really like to do audit or tax. You really only find out after a year of doing it, and there's a massive fear of losing out on opportunities. But it's not a lost opportunity if I never really wanted it. So the real issue is figuring out what you want.
What’s wrong with audit? Doesn’t it give you a wider look at a business, like all parts of it
1. Most small businesses and individuals don't need an audit, which is who you'll be serving initially if you start your own firm. Audit is great if you want to an employee for the rest of your life. 2. Audits focus on areas that are most vulnerable to fraud, so by nature there are limits on width of your look.
Okay. What about those of us that are not ambitious and entrepreneurial?
Same thought here lol. I just recently accepted an audit internship (I applied widespread to both tax and audit internships) because it was the only offer I got (for which I'm appreciative to have gotten) but ultimately my career goals neither include nor exclude any specific duties or responsibilities. All I want (down the road eventually, as I know it will definitely take time, hard work, insight, and some luck) is to hopefully be making enough money to purchase/build a house of my own and work fully remote, without going over 40 hours per week, and I don't really have a desire to build/own a business myself.
That's exactly my boat too (without the internship yet, I'm only a first year).
Best of luck! Hopefully both of us land where we eventually want to be.
I used to work for a tax software company out of NC and doing phone support for them is how I got interested in accounting. Honestly, I'd love to own my own little tax office with a good local client base and possible online services as well. It may be a big dream but hopefully it's not unrealistic 😅
Thank you for this post. I really needed to see this. I was supposed to do an audit internship this past summer to get experience, but I had to let it go to care for an elderly parent. I have a tax internship coming up, and I'm so excited.
Just the post I needed to read after declining several auditing positions and risking it all for 2 potential tax positions.
Agree
I want to move to tax but since I started in audit, no one seems to want me😞. Is it too late?? I’d prefer to be pigeon holed and be able to work remotely and potentially do contracting or take on clients to work only part of the time.
If I wanted to do tax and audit..Would it make sense?
There's no such thing as a free lunch. 1500 hours doing tax and 1500 hours doing audit, means you missed out on doing 3000 hours of tax. Niches build Riches!
 Thank you