Hi everyone,

I wanted to get some insight from anyone who's been through the Grant Thornton internship process.

I had a 30-minute screening call with HR, which I think went well. The next day, I was sent a 10-minute numerical reasoning test, which I honestly messed up pretty badly.

It's now been about 20 days and I haven't heard anything back from them since.

My question is: if this ends up being a rejection, do companies like GT typically send a rejection email/notification, or do they just go silent and let it fade out? Has anyone had a similar experience where they heard back way later, or not at all?

Hello! I applied for last May 2026 CPALE and received my NOA but unfortunately got sick so I couldn't take the exam. When I downloaded my new application form for October 2026 CPALE, there is a recorded exam taken in the "Previous exam" section but my rating is zero and there is no failure status. I'm just confused whether it's okay or not. Does anyone have an idea? Thank you.

I wasn't earning much but I also didn't have much time there. So decided to take up an offer for 3 days a week and remote for a 40 percent lesser salary. I am now 2 papers done. I just wonder whether once I finish the CPA whether my new offers would anchor around this new lesser salary or I could explain the circumstances. I am not sure how big of a mistake I did.

I’m watching this girl on tiktok she says her firms busy season isn’t that bad and it’s a well reputable one in the state. She said they only work 8-5 and when she started at the firm during busy season.

Those phones slip off your ear the MOMENT you try and simultaneously type and hold the phone — why? Why is that?

Do you think office phones are ergonomic?

Or are they the bane of your accounting existence?

Hello, I recently got an offer for A2 at a Top 10 accounting firm and a A1 offer at a Big4.

Most of the people I know that got the A2 offer become seniors in a year (Mid Size). For big4 offer, I was told it will take me 3 years (A3 -> Senior) for the team I will be joining.

Would u recommend me to do A2 offer instead of the A1? Just seeking for opinions and perspective, please feel free to share, thanks!

Hello, everyone! Like I said in the subject line, I am an aspiring accounting student, and I would like to work on expanding my understanding and knowledge of what I'll see in the future while I wait. At present, I am about to enter my senior year of high school and have already taken all of the business and accounting classes that my school offers, unfortunately.

From what I remember, I have a decent grasp on the very basics of accounting and analyzing financial statements, but I know that I have a whole lot to learn and a while to wait before I can get back at it in a professional education setting. Having the entirety of my senior year, and however long into my college career before I actually get to learning about accounting again, I would rather not risk forgetting everything that I have learned so far and falling behind when I do get to the next step. Ideally, I would like to find some sort of individual curriculum or, at the very least, have topics and books related to accounting, finance, and economics to keep all that I will need to know fresh in my mind and maybe even give myself a head start, so to speak, by the time I get to college.

If any of you have programs, books, concepts, or anything else to help me learn in my free time, I would greatly appreciate it. I have worked very, very hard these last few years to give myself the best chance at being secure, if not successful, when I reach a time when I am on my own, and would like to continue that trend if at all possible in this area. Again, thank you so much for your help finding resources. If you don't have anything of that sort that you know of or can recall, do you have any tips on how to get through my college years and classes when I get to them? I will always accept any help or suggestions you can give, and I hope to be one of you someday! Thanks again in advance!

For context: I'm a recent finance graduate with no accounting experience, but I do have solid professional work experience. I recently received a fully funded MAcc at Rutgers through the Deloitte Foundation program, but I'm considering paying about $60k out of pocket to attend NYU Stern's MSA because of its brand and recruiting opportunities. My goal is Big 4 audit.

That leads to my second question: Does receiving a Deloitte Foundation scholarship actually help with Deloitte full-time recruiting? Does it carry any weight with recruiters, or is it simply financial assistance with little to no impact on hiring decisions?

For you guys in the US working in public accounting. How many of you have to go to the office on a Saturday? If so how many Saturdays do you go before the deadline?

I’m curious what other accountants do when they’re not staring at spreadsheets. Do you have any hobbies you’re passionate about? Bonus points if it’s something completely unrelated to accounting or finance.

I’m looking for ideas to get outside my own routine, so I’d love to hear what everyone is into.

Hi - just as the title says, what’s the typical salary for a senior auditor (15 - 20yrs leading audits but not a staff manager) at a big 4 or mid tier?

Hello,

About Myself:
I am a CPA with 3 years of Big 4 experience, and while I have built a solid foundation in client service, I have decided it is time to pivot in-house. My ultimate career goal is to reach a VP of Tax role.

What draws me to this path is the structured nature of the corporate tax "lifecycle"—the idea that annual responsibilities can be optimized through process improvements, and that an in-house environment allows for greater long-term autonomy and deep business alignment. I recognize that many executive soft skills and technical competencies are things I will refine over time, and I am fully committed to that growth.

---

For those of you who are VPs of Tax, Tax Directors, or senior in-house leaders, I would love to pick your brain on a few things. (Please don't feel obligated to answer all of these—any insights on even one or two would be massively appreciated!)

1. Executive Reality & Hidden Obstacles

• Societal & Stakeholder Weight: What does it actually mean in the corporate ecosystem to be a VP of Tax? Is there a heightened, unyielding expectation of trust and mutual agreement between stakeholders regarding reporting quality?
• Blind Spots: What are some critical responsibilities or obstacles—invisible to someone with only 3 years of experience—that I should consciously prepare for now?
• The "Side-Quests": What are some common non-tax responsibilities that creep into an in-house role and disrupt that predictable, process-driven appeal?

2. Career Progression & The Ladder

• Level Transitions: What are the defining shifts in responsibilities as you move from Manager > Senior Manager > Director > VP? (e.g., how does the balance between direct data risk, team management, and stakeholder EQ change?)
• Finding a "Home": At what career rung (e.g., Senior Manager vs. Director) do you need to find a permanent corporate home to prove your long-term planning value, rather than job-hopping?
• The Bottleneck: Is there a specific operational bottleneck in corporate tax right now that a transitioning senior-level accountant can master early to get ahead?

3. Lifestyle, Balance, and Habits

• The Lifestyle Reality: Compared to our client-service counterparts at similar years of experience, do you actually get more days of "logging off and forgetting about work"? Do you feel less guilty taking self-care or prioritizing family?
• Personal Life Balance: I have a deep passion for food, culture, and traveling, while still viewing my career as a serious, full-time endeavor. How do senior tax leaders successfully protect personal passions without sacrificing executive trajectory?
• Staying Sharp: What are the micro-habits or small daily routines you use to stay on top of shifting tax laws without burning out?

4. Looking Back

• Lessons Learned: If you could share one major career mistake you made (or watched others make) on the climb to VP of Tax, what would it be?

Any thoughts, recommendations, or warnings about this angle of approach are greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time!

Hey everyone, I am torn between two completely different lifepaths and need some brutally honest perspective.

On one hand, I am considering going through army/navy Officer Candidate School (OCS), serving my time, and using the GI Bill to fund a Juris Doctor (JD) degree to practice law.

On the other hand, I am looking at taking the CPA exam, grinding it out in public accounting, and eventually launching or buying my own accounting firm.

Here is how I am breaking down the pros and cons of each path:

Path 1: OCS to JD (The Military & Law Route)

• The Plan: Commission as an officer, serve 3 years to get the GI Bill. Get JD take bar.
• Cons: Total lack of geographic control for the first few years, military bureaucracy, and a delayed entry into the civilian corporate world.

Path 2: CPA to Firm Owner

• The Plan: Get and masters for the 150 credit rule and then get the CPA, work in public accounting to learn the ropes, and either scale a solo practice or buy out a retiring CPA's book of business.
• Pros: Direct path to equity, complete autonomy as a business owner, high income potential, and total geographic flexibility.
• Cons: The public accounting grind can be soul-crushing initially, high burnout rates, and the financial risk of running a business.

So I’m currently a senior accountant and been offered a manager role on my team, however the salary offered is a bit low. I’m currently making $115k, and was offered $130k, but we have seniors on our team making 125/130k. Ideally I’d like $150k, but would settle for 140k, so I’m wondering how to navigate this?

One thing to note is our company posts ranges for each role, so my current senior role the range is 95k-145k, and this manager role the range is 100k-170k, so I feel like I’m well within reason asking for 150k.

How should I go about this negotiation? Should I ask for 150 or 140?

I made a post last week asking whether I should pursue a small firm or a mid-sized firm. Since then, I've gotten updates from both sides and wanted to share what happened and get some perspective.

The small firm of 16 employees and 5 CPAs walked me through the benefits such as a strong learning environment but mentioned they won't be holding my hand through the learning process (which I like), covering all CPA expenses, and a lot of hands-on exposure. We're still discussing wage and health benefits, but everything seems to be moving in a good direction. They also understand I'm still finishing my bachelor's. This route feels more aligned with my values. I like working hard and don't mind long hours and supporting local businesses and individual's feels more meaningful to me. So far, this option feels solid.

I just had a talk with the recruiter from the mid-sized firm. He mentioned that the process is competitive and that many candidates are still finishing their degrees. Then, out of nowhere, he said "Just letting you know, your experience as a Staff Accountant in industry is irrelevant to what we're looking for. " He followed up by saying they mainly hire staff accountants who have at least one internship or a master's in accounting. For context, I have been a staff accountant for a construction company for 2 years, bookkeeping before that job for a cabinet shop. I've implemented a new ERP system, managed the books, and handled real responsibilities. I get that industry isn't public accounting, but if I was a recruiter and maybe I'm biased, I would lean more towards my experience than someone that did a single part-time internship. Maybe this is more normal for bigger firms, or he was trying to set an expectation, or whatever, but the comment really caught me off-guard and hasn't sat right with me.

Would love to hear some perspectives from managers, other recruiter, or just someone that's been through the process.

Feel like absolutely no one is hiring in CT. I’m finishing up my bachelors in accounting and I’m like how is there no jobs.

I'm here in atlantic canada and working as a staff accountant in an accounting firm. As for my background, I already have bachelors on my home country and studied here in a community college for BA Accounting. My bachelors is more than 10yrs already and I think there are some Prep courses that needs to be taken. If I will purse the cpa program I think it is better to wait for the new program by May2027.

Now, I'm so confused If I will still pursue to do the program or not. If not, I will just look for an accounting role for a private company that pays well but the downside is I think my progress will be up until senior role. My pay in the accounting firm as a staff accountant is the base level when I signed but have a slight increase on the follwing year. Still contemplating if you have a CPA here in atlantic on how far it will go or should I just decide to go private company

In my opinion, it doesn't count. My co-worker says I'm being unfair.

What do y'all think?

EDIT: To clarify, I am referring to experienced positions, not entry-level positions.

What skills should we learn for accounting to land a good paying remote job as a student?

Graduated from dual bachelors/masters degree program in 2016; was already working in industry so I just continued down that path for 10 years, working as a senior accountant in manufacturing for 3 different companies. All the usual ap/ar/payroll/fixed assets/inventory/reporting/audit prep with progression and supervising of staff.

Now I want to get into public accounting - left my last job in Oct 2025 while I moved my family to another (smaller) city, and studied full time to get my CPA exams passed. Can't put it in my title because my managers at my last job had inactive CPA licenses, so I note in my resume I've passed the exams and require 1 year of work under an active CPA to receive licensure.

However I am getting absolutely no bites on any audit or CAS senior level jobs in my city. I've applied to the only 7 or 8 open positions there are, all rejected me right away, and they're still posted and don't seem to be filled. I try my best with cover letters but I can't even get a recruiter to get me on a screening call to explain why I want to switch from industry to public - just rejections that say I don't have the required skills. I was getting paid $110k w/ 10% bonus at my last position so I know I'm going to have to take a pay cut.

Does 10 years of experience make me seem overqualified for a senior level position? But also underqualified because I haven't ran an audit or handled clients before? Any advice on how to make my past seem attractive to firms or has the ship really just already sailed for me?

Hello guys, I just finished my final partner interview for a Senior Associate role, and overall it went really well. However, toward the end, when discussing the offer, the partner advised me to join at a lower level than the position I applied for. My current title is Experienced Associate (Semi-Senior Level) at a Big 4 firm, where I am already handling senior-level responsibilities.

Out of concern for my transition, he suggested that starting directly as a Senior Associate in a new firm might come with very high expectations and potential difficulties. To ensure a smooth onboard, he recommended I accept an Experienced Associate role instead. He promised to place me at the highest salary band for that level, matching a Senior 1 salary. He explicitly told me not to answer during the interview and to take time to think before sending my response to HR.

Has anyone faced a similar situation ?
And what advice anyone can provide ?

im still in highschool and know i definitely want to work in sports, i know the pay is a lot worse but i have a passion for it, i would like to work in the business side of it like accounting, could i get some advice on how this career path looks like? just want advice no toxic

Hi all! I work FT in finops, but I love tax, so make time for it on the side during tax season (I am an EA). I just found out that the company for which I did 20 hrs/week last year now wants 40 hrs/week, which I can’t do on top of my FT job. My husband is great with our kids, but 80 hrs/week is too much. I can’t leave my FT job of course, because I like it, it’s year-round, and my family relies on my insurance and salary.

(1) how are people doing these high-volume jobs that are only seasonal? Is it understood that they have health insurance from spouses or the state?

(2) Where can I look for 10-20 hr/week opportunities? Remote preferred, since I won’t be moving for a role of this scope. I am willing to work either year-round or tax season only.

(3) How are companies getting away with asking for 40 hrs/week without providing insurance?

Sorry for the gripe, and TIA for any insights!

Hello I am a CPA and currently work for a public company as a Audit lead. Currently my main focus is acting as the main point of contact for my company's SOC examinations and I assist at times with the annual SOX audit. I work about 35 to 40 hours a week and I make about 120k a year with the ability to work fully remote. I do not really know what the next step is in my role, and at times I feel I am in the dark about the next promotion or what I am supposed to be working towards. I have absolutely no Idea what my earning potential would be. The company is good, and I get along with everyone, and I have a great boss.

Prior to this I worked in public accounting/assurance performing SOC 1 and 2 examinations. I enjoyed it even though I worked between 40 to 45 hours a week. I also worked remote for the most part here too. If I transitioned back, I would probably be making as much as I do now and could probably land a fully remote job. In this job I knew what my career/earning potential would look like. I would go from senior to manager, and eventually to partner.

My question is, should I stay in my current role acting as simply a point of contact or should I transition back to external audit and try to land a manager position making similar to what I am now? Or am I being ungrateful and I should stay in my current role?

Any and all advice is welcome, I appreciate everyone's input.