Career/Life indecision

[Traci_Momof2]

Hmm. You've got a lot to think about.

I got my degree in Accounting and about a year after graduating I tried for my CPA. I failed and decided it wasn't for me. But where I lived at the time there was no issue finding good accounting jobs without a CPA. All I needed was the degree, so there was no real motivation for the CPA for me. 20 years later and I still have no need for my CPA for what I want to do.
But just because it wasn't a big deal for me doesn't mean it wouldn't be for you. You need to decide you.

I would not be at my current job if it wasn't for the two days at home with DD. Even now with the additional clients, I make it work by working while she naps or after she's in bed for the night. I'm mostly frustrated because my firm takes on any client and I'm left with their books from their previous accountant that won't tie to the prior year return and things that should take x amount of time takes twice as long. I'm constantly brought in to the partner to discuss my time. My dept isn't invited to the training sessions the firm holds and because of that I had multiple errors on the 1040's I worked on regarding Section 199A. This will affect my review. feel like everything I do is wrong and it's a common feeling throughout my department.
The CPA exam is a huge undertaking.When I graduated I hadn't planned on taking it. I have 150 credits because of an associate's degree I earned prior to changing my major to accounting. So I am eligible. I wouldn't be able to study effectively pregnant or with a newborn.

I know what you are saying about taking on bad clients (or at least clients with bad books). I currently work for a local CPA. Just him running his own business with myself and one other lady doing bookkeeping and such. Anytime he takes on a new client he is always complaining about how the previous accountant did something wrong and he has to fix it and clean it up etc. Luckily for me though he always takes care of that stuff before handing the client over to me or my co-worker. So I don't have to deal with it directly, I just hear him complain about it

I noticed others have suggested a potential career change, like maybe this isn't the right career for you. Really think about that one. My first job out of college became a nightmare job. I absolutely dreaded going to work everyday. Because of it, I thought that maybe accounting wasn't for me. I seriously considered a completely unrelated field and even went and talked to a college about what I would need to do. I decided not to pursue that path (because I didn't want to do even more schooling) and I got out of the crappy job and found a different job in accounting. I realized it wasn't the accounting that I hated, it was just the crappy employer. Every employer since then I've really enjoyed.
So maybe accounting isn't for you, but maybe it really is and you just need to find a way to get away from your current employer. Just more to think about.
And I hope I'm not making your decision more difficult. I'm really just trying to help you see all aspects so you can make the best decision for you.

[Deleted User 876]

I work part-time for a small accounting firm and I handle their bookkeeping/back office for small businesses. There is talk of outsourcing my department in 5-10 year time frame which is a concern, but not an immediate one. My real problem is that I don't like my job at all. My department is short staffed, so they are giving me more clients, and I've been working from home on my days off to stay afloat. I have really bad days at work where I say I can't do this anymore and I make plans to studying for the CPA. Then I get a good review from my boss and I say I have job security, why bother studying? At this point, no one has started and stopped studying without taking one part of the exam more than me.
My husband would prefer that I not take the exam now, because we agreed to start trying for our second child once DD starts kindergarten in the fall. The exam and my finding a new job would derail these plans for a few years. I am about to turn 30 (which is not old) but I had a high risk pregnancy with DD (gestational diabetes and preeclampsia along with preterm labor). Because of this I want to be done having kids by 35.
Not to have this post be too long, but I am keeping up with the job market in my area and there are not many options for non-CPA's. As outsourcing becomes more common, opportunities will grow even less. I know that no one can make this decision but me, but I wanted some opinions. Would you jump ahead with your career (studying for the CPA and finding a better position at another firm)? DD will start full day kindergarten in the fall which will give me more time to devote to studying and working full-time.
Or would you have a baby now and get back to studying at a later date? Or maybe not take the exam at all?

My daughter got her RN while pregnant and caring for an infant, including taking her cert. If she can do it you can too.

[Valentina327]

You have all summer. Start now. Study for and take the most in demand part. After that, study for and take the second most in demand part. That'll bring you to the fall. You said some employers look for certain parts and can live without the full CPA. Study with that in mind.

I'd keep studyingy / testing until actually pregnant, since for some reason you can't study while pregnant. Plus if you're "trying" in the fall, you have no idea how long that will take. You could not get pregnant for a year. You could possibly get all of this out of the way in this time period if you start now. There's no reason to stop and stand still because you're contemplating becoming pregnant 6 months down the road.

I wouldn't change jobs now. It sounds like they work with your desired schedule which many would not. It also sounds like they really need you full time, but they're working around your desires. Flexibility is valuable. You have high risk pregnancies, so if you have extra tests/doctor visits or run into a time where you need bed rest, they're much more likely to be accommodating than a brand new employer.

I wouldn't move now, knowing that you could potentially be going on leave 6 months hence. That's when you'd really be getting settled into a new job and hitting your stride, then you'd have to break that.

[Conweis]

You dont have to jump into a new job right after passing. You can start studying now in small increments. Even if you start trying for a second baby, how does that prevent you from studying?
In a high risk pregnancy you would be on more bedrest anyway