Fresh grads, please do your research before accepting an offer from SMALL audit/accounting firms.
Posting this from a throwaway because I don't want to burn bridges.
I recently worked for an audit firm and if I could give one piece of advice to fresh graduates, it's this:
Do not ignore red flags just because you're desperate to gain experience.
Some things I experienced:
- Frequent overtime that eventually became "normal."
- Poor work-life balance.
- Management issues that made communication difficult.
- Concerns regarding employee benefits and deductions.
- High turnover that should have been a warning sign.
- Constant pressure with very little support.
The saddest part is that many fresh graduates stay because they think suffering is a normal part of the profession.
Yes, accounting and auditing are demanding careers. Busy seasons exist. Deadlines exist.
But there's a difference between ~ challenging work that helps you grow and being overworked, under-supported, and constantly stressed.
If you're applying to a firm, ask former employees:
- How long do people usually stay?
- How often do employees resign?
- How is overtime handled?
- Are government contributions updated and properly remitted?
- How responsive is management to employee concerns?
I wish someone had told me these questions before I accepted my offer.
To anyone currently job hunting: experience is important, but your mental health, career growth, and legal employment rights matter too.
Honestly, I really want to name my company to warn fresh graduates and applicants, kaso baka I might get retaliated against or sued. 😭
So share ko na lang experience ko and the red flags that I wish I had seen back then.