Sometimes I hate my job
I have a very nice job - well paid, more freedom than most employees, benefits, challenging work...
But last week one of the partners wanted to review some tax returns that I had been working on that I had finished, but had not printed out and reviewed. I was away at a client, so at 11pm that night, I did a quick review in our tax software. I pretty much only checked the diagnostic that lets you know if the balance sheet is balanced.
If you have the setting turned on to auto-balance if the balance sheet is off by less than $10, the diagnostic will read something like "The balance sheet is out of balance. Cash has been adjusted by $2." If you don't have auto balance turned on, it would read "The balance sheet is out of balance by $2."
I don't know if I read the diagnostic and just read it wrong, or if I thought I had checked it, but hadn't (because I was reviewing multiple returns), but it ended up being that one of the returns was out of balance by $3 without the auto-balance option turned on.
And then the partner announced this at dinner in front of two of my seniors. Who made comments about how they always check that diagnostic as their last step before turning in any tax return. And I felt so ashamed. For a $3 mistake made at 11pm at night, after working for 10 hours that day on another client, and after reviewing another tax return for a different reviewer that night.
So yeah, I hate my job when I feel like making mistakes is absolutely not allowed, but I also can't picture myself not making mistakes like that in the future when I'm tired and rushed.
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July 23rd, 2012 - 11:06
In the beginning of my career, I was responsible for payroll, personnel and labor system at a Fortune 100 manufacturing company. As you can understand , no one likes mistakes in their payroll. It has to be perfect and anything less is a problem. It is a no win situation.
krantcents recently posted..Habits
July 23rd, 2012 - 11:43
Two questions:
a) What strategies did you apply to checking your own work? Some suggestions I have found include giving yourself a waiting period between doing the work and checking the work, so that you look at it with “fresh eyes.”
b) Did your company have a process in place to have someone review your work? Most of our clients have an internal control process that includes at least one other person reviewing payroll.
(We have second or third reviews of all work we do, so the client is unlikely to see one of my stupid mistakes, but it still seems expected that I shouldn’t have any.)
July 23rd, 2012 - 13:35
There were lots of checks and balances in the system, but I also had a staff of 11 people who supported the system. One thing I realized pretty early to never rely on things I did when I was tired. It reminds me of snow skiing, most people make mistakes or have accidents on that last run when you are tired.
I was at a company where there were a lot of super stars which raises your game. If I went to my boss half prepared, I would be skewered! I think the partner was not being helpful nor instructive. I think talking to you privately would have been more helpful.
krantcents recently posted..Habits
July 23rd, 2012 - 16:01
Sounds like a real jerk to me. Nothing is ever personal. When you become a senior think about how you felt at the staff level. Give someone a CPA designation, and they become an arrogant s.o.b. Don’t make that mistake again, but don’t sweat it. Nobody cares unless the client leaves over a real screw up. Your post reminded me not to be so condescending to new staff.
July 24th, 2012 - 08:07
This is the very reason why I got out. I am sick of the “good old boys club”. Sorry that you have stay-at-home wives and a wiener. I don’t have that and I sometimes make mistakes.
July 24th, 2012 - 10:49
Sorry to hear that. Could you tell him that you have been working for 10 hours and that particular file is not finished yet? Most people are pretty understanding and can accept a little delay. Anyway, I won’t have to deal with that anymore because I just quit my job.
Joe @ Retire By 40 recently posted..Peer to Peer Lending Investment Midyear Update
July 24th, 2012 - 10:51
I thought the assumption was that he was getting a half-done file. He was bored and wanted to take a look at it. I guess in the future I will just have to tell this guy “Sorry, I’m on an audit for you right now, will finish it and get it to you in two weeks time when it’s done.”
I find in this job that managers often make me feel like they really just want something done ASAP, but in reality, they would prefer it to be done right.
Kellen recently posted..Sometimes I hate my job
July 29th, 2012 - 21:00
I think we all hate our jobs at some point or another.
In some situations, all you can do is apologize and do better next time. My philosophy is ‘mistakes happen. Fix them and move on.’
Sandy H recently posted..The Gym Update
August 2nd, 2012 - 14:35
Hey Kellen, I’m in the same boat- lots of freedom and a job I enjoy… 90% of the time. I think that everyone’s going to have those days. It’s just a shame a partner had to throw you under the bus like that after an already long day.
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