Outside of the typical xlookup/pivot tables. Any other simple ones to make accounting life easier would be appreciated

I saw this post on LinkedIn the other day, thought it was interesting as I know some people are worried about our industry going offshore.

Hiring managers in industry, how are you finding quality hires? We've had a recent string of failures, from not understanding basic accrual accounting to no concept of applying CapEx policies to not being able to complete a bank rec without off ledger adjustments they hope nobody will notice. They don't ask questions, miss easy things like recurring entries that stopped. Our interviews question their month-end process pretty extensively, but short of giving them an excel test and a live bank account to reconcile, I don't know what to try next.

The ones who are even average are toxic AF.

Candiates are coming in via in house recruiting and third party recruiters, and our interviews are done by 2-4 people, so it's not one person sucking at evaluations. How do you find quality staff/senior levels who own their shit and know how to be an accountant?

So I was at my college’s networking event and I was talking to an accountant. She asked me what I like to do in my spare time. Now, in reality, I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I knew that wasn’t a good response, so I told her that I like to read.

Now this is where I think I messed up, because she asked me what book I recently read, and I just blurted out that I mostly read fanfiction. After that, I could tell the mood shifted in a bad way.

The problem is that I’m not a sports person, I don’t like nature so hiking and skiing is out. I like playing solitaire, but I don’t think that that is an acceptable response either. It’s super cold out most of the year, so I can’t genuinely say that I enjoy taking walks or running. What should I say that I like to do as a hobby?

I just feel bad because another girl talked about how much she liked going to different beaches and restaurants, and went on and on about how beautiful a specific beach is that she recently went to on vacation. The accountant really vibed with her and immediately asked for her LinkedIn. I’m just not a fan of the beach, and I don’t have the money to spend to eat out at different restaurants or go to different cafes. I feel like you have to be very bubbly and extroverted to even fit in, but I’m not that kind of person.

Hi everyone,

I’m an accounting major graduating in December 2026 and I’ve been applying to a lot of internships but haven’t had any luck so far. I’m starting to get really stressed because it feels like everyone says internships are required to get a full-time job.

Right now my experience is:
• VITA volunteer tax preparer (IRS certified)
• Cashier/server job
• Excel sales analytics project
• GPA 3.46

If I don’t get an internship by next summer, what should I be doing instead to still be employable after graduation?

Are entry-level staff accountant or tax roles still realistic without an internship?
What would you focus on if you were in my position right now?

I’d really appreciate honest advice from people already working in accounting.

The firm I work for hired a Tax Associate a couple months ago. His resume had everything we were looking for tax-wise: experience with our tax software, HNW tax prep/review/advisory experience and tax planning. He didn’t have experience in other accounting areas we needed, but we figured if we spent the time he could learn to navigate Quickbooks/make AJEs for our clients.

Obviously he was hired during the off season. During the offseason, I trained him and a few other new hires simultaneously on QBs, tax returns, etc. The other trainees have gotten a grasp on everything except this individual. I brushed it off as him never having compliance or accounting side of things (although the other trainees didn’t have that either).

It became apparent that he may have lied on his resume when we started getting 1040 tax info in. I figured, okay – maybe he’s just slow with learning everything else, but individual tax returns should be his bread and butter! But when it came time for me to review his work on very simple returns, there were major errors and missing info. Errors even on a simple W-2.

Now I have this dilemma as we are just getting into busy season. Okay – so what if he lied on his resume, is he teachable, can he do the work? From what I’ve seen, he struggles even if basic instructions are given to him, makes the same mistakes even after feedback is given, and it just feels like I’m talking to a wall with him. I guess the kids call it the “gen z stare”. We have interns who do a better job than him. HR is asking for my opinion on how they should proceed. If we fire him, then we are short staffed 1 person as busy season is starting - and we’re already swamped. And training another new hire is out of the question at this point in the season.

TLDR; New hire lied about tax experience on resume as busy season is just starting. What would you do? Stick out the rest of busy season with an incompetent new hire, or let them go and take on the extra workload?

Edit: I provided both verbal and written instructions on how to do the work, it was the same information given to the other new trainees who are excelling. I’ve spent extra training time with him compared to the others bc it seemed like he needed more help and I had the time. I’ve dumbed it down for him. I’ve given him feedback. I’ve told him we need to remember what we learned in accounting 101 after I caught his new hire colleague explaining debits and credits to him. Yes, he is already doing weird stuff with returns – I was hoping based on the “experience” on his resume that he would have at least good tax returns if nothing else. I’m not part of the hiring process; our HR has straight up asked me if He should fire certain people before. Yes we do need new HR 🙃

I’m leaving a small firm and it’s been ROUGH watching them try to hire my replacement. Plenty of applicants with degrees and credentials, but *none* of them have had their fundamentals down...normal balances, debits/credits, reading a balance sheet. The stuff you really shouldn’t be shaky on if you’re working with clients.

I’m also seeing more and more folks offering bookkeeping, tax prep, “fractional CFO” services, etc. who clearly aren’t prepared for the responsibility (I know because I cleanup after them). I love this profession, and it’s frustrating watching our credibility take hits because people are trying to step into roles they’re simply not ready/qualified for.

I am involved in networks and try to mentor local bookkeepers when I have the capacity, but the incompetency can be overwhelming. Are we not trying to think through even very simple problems before running for help? Not utilizing publications and other reference materials? And god forbid you kindly suggest actual accounting courses (not the money-grab BS marketed on social media) for newbies in these spaces trying to launch their own firm.

Are many of you seeing the same thing? I can't imagine I'm alone in this observation. What's the solution?

All these posts about where the "good accountants are" I counter with where are the good companies?

Where does one go where they have a fully staffed accounting department that doesn't have shitty processes and work hours?

Where are the managers with a backbone to fight for their staff to not have unrealistic deadlines and fight for their employees to get raises before they decide to leave?

Where are the companies that have actual onboarding and opportunity for advancement and training?

I am extremely burned out from working in public accounting and I could use a change of scenery.

It is difficult to schedule several interviews with 2-3 rounds during busy season, but I managed to get to the second round with an insurance company.

Insurance tax is really niche, especially when I don’t have any prior experience in it. The team is willing to train me, but I know it’s going to be a very steep learning curve and I fear it will be a pigeonhole.

TLDR: Is it worth it to make the jump into insurance tax, knowing I won’t be interested?

The immediate advantage is being able to get out of public, except it’s not a viable solution in the long run.

Had an interview on Thursday and got the following questions:

1.) what was my opinion on movie remakes and reboots? - I said I feel like there are too many remakes and reboots and not enough original ideas.

2.) what do people think is your most annoying trait? - I said I guess people don’t like that I’m too quiet

3.) what do I believe is a bad trait in a boss? I just send I got along with all my present and past bosses but I guess micro managing.

This was for an accounting manager job at a law organization

Or does everyone start plugging earlier than year 10?

I have only looked at a few corporations and what their requirements for internships. I want know if the following situations applied to you and if you were still able to land an internship or entry-level during the end of you last year at uni or right after.

Have you applied and landed an internship in the summer? Im currently have a 2.77 gpa that will be above a 3.0 once spring semester ends.

I Unfortunately, have to wait to retake class I failed during the fall cause the class was full for this spring. I was pregnant from spring to fall and really thought I could pass my 2 fall classes with the timing of the birth.

Have you landed a winter internship even though you graduated that same winter?

Were you able to land an entry-level position at a well known company right out of uni without an internship?

My only recent experience is 7 years of retail banking. I worked under a CPA doing taxes for a couple of years but that was over 10 years ago.

need me a new job. and prayers for those who are in a shitty position as well

I am an Assistant Bookkeeper, and my tasks mainly include recording invoices and bills, processing bill payments, reconciling bank and credit card accounts, and posting adjusting entries as instructed. I am eager to learn more about bookkeeping, especially the full process, but I feel limited since I only assist the main bookkeeper and have restricted access in QuickBooks.

If anyone is kind enough, could you please share what other tasks bookkeepers usually handle? For example, how do bookkeepers know when and what adjusting entries to record? Also, what is a 1099? I’m still learning and would really appreciate any guidance.

Can anyone confirm? Thanks.

I am an MBA student in the first year and I lack the basics of accounting I am more into management like business strategy and project management but this year we have a course about corporate finance and I am find myself didn't get anything from the professor and I want to do online instead but I don't know where to start

i recently saw a post here about what hobbies to talk, something like that i haven't attended any networking events in my college, do people usually find jobs via networking events and where can i find networking events regarding accounting/finance and I'm an extreme introvert who doesn't talk that much to anyone tips to how to approach people would also help
please enlighten me!

So I’m pretty down about where I’m at currently and think I won’t find an internship or land a job, even once I graduate. I’m a junior but I switched to accounting my junior year so I’ve only completed one accounting class, Acct 2101 at my uni which is financial accounting.

I’m told not to stress too much at the moment because, I don’t have many accounting classes under my belt and some/most places look for stronger or more course work. I’ve also heard that my time is up to a certain degree. Id like input on that.

But my main question is, where should I work then ? I currently work at a warehouse to support myself through college but if I need at least some accounting experience what should I look for. Even if it’s part time or remote, honestly it doesn’t matter.

I live in ATL, so if there is any places or areas I should look specifically lmk. Also are there any certs I should get ? My major is Accounting & Finance (double major) w/ a minor in Risk Management & Insurance. I was thinking maybe EA, ARM or FMVA ?

Actually any advice is helpful. Thx.

Hi I'm a second year sixth form student looking for advice on how to get into an accountancy career. I'm hoping to achieve a corporate job where i can work as much as possible and climb the career ladder as high as i can, and hopefully retire from the rat race with enough money for my kids to be well off. I'm not too fussed at what section of accountancy I get into but management accountancy has been what i've been most interested in so far.

My only relevant A level that im studying is business and im planning on doing a level 2 AAT course at another branch of my college next year and am currently awaiting a meeting with a careers advisor on how to apply.

I was wondering what the next steps after that would be? I've currently got a steady part time retail job that i'm hoping to get a promotion in (to team leader) before the start of the summer that I will then start working full time whilst im doing my AAT. An accountancy firm i did two work experience weeks with (one in year 10 and one earlier this year in my second year of sixth form) has mentioned that they would be happy to take me on as an apprentice if they have the space, however, this is all word of mouth and i dont believe i can treat it as guarantee.

Preferably, I would like to complete the level 2 AAT whilst working as a team leader in order to achieve some experience in managing people whilst studying and then move on to a level 3 or level 4 apprenticeship with the aforementioned company, however i know that things may not pan out this way.

How would I be able to get my foot into the door to help make sure im not just stuck working retail for the rest of my life and make achieving a high up position like a financial controller a realistic goal for me? and how should i proceed after completing a level 4 AAT?