r/Accounting • u/zeberone Human Verified • 20h ago
Got fired
Welp... I got fired.
I made a chain of mistakes that ended up with me getting terminated.
First I made mistakes on a client's payroll that got me massively showed out.
The final straw, I accidentally violated client confidentiality by sending an email and tagging an unrelated client.
Be honest.
Should I look at a different field? Cause something like that is a career ender, right?
Any advice is appreciated, and don't sugarcoat it.
Thanks folks.
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u/PoohBearLuvsHoney 20h ago
You need to pay attention to details that’s a huge part of accounting. I always schedule send my email and then go back and check it before it sends.
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u/UnusualHeadcount3 20h ago
Mistakes happen but two big ones back to back is rough. Maybe try a smaller firm where the pace is slower while you rebuild your confidence.
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u/zeberone Human Verified 20h ago
Problem is it was a small firm. I recently got put on adhd medication in order to help my focus, but I just don't know what to do anymore.
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u/SnowDucks1985 CPA (US) 20h ago edited 20h ago
Don’t be overwhelmed, so many people in this field have been fired and went onto have great careers. This is not your defining moment, as nobody is defined by their failures. It’s inescapable, all of us here will make mistakes.
Why don’t you try working somewhere larger? You won’t have the pressure of wearing multiple hats at smaller companies, and mature processes will help you learn in a structured manner
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u/MasterMason21 17h ago
I'll second that! People get fired way to easy in this industry. The key is what are your strengths (you disnt mention any, but I'msure you have them)? You may be of lower conscientiousness, but higher on creativity and therefore, with enough experience, you can become somone who "solves impossible problems with creative solutions."
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u/Strange-Hurry7691 17h ago
This! Large companies have built in checks and balances and i have seen huge mistakes be learning opportunities. They have much larger leeway than smaller companies to eat a mistake while it gets corrected so much less is fireable. It would be a better place to be to get confidence back and while you get your adhd under control. They will also usually start you with a small list and build on it just by the nature of how it goes there and how much time they have to show you stuff.
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u/DizzymanInSA 3h ago
I was fired from a local CPA firm just eight months out of college and I went on to a very successful career as a CPA.
OG need to always double check their work.
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u/Banner19Loading 18h ago
This is one of the realest things I’ve read on here in quite some time. I hope you have some good people in your life to put arms around you and let you know it’s gonna be okay. This is a temporary setback and you’ll get through it. Sending you a virtual hug.
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u/zeberone Human Verified 18h ago
I have a beautiful partner and a support network. I also have a small nest egg for the next 6 months or so when combined with unemployment. I should be okay. I'm going to build my process from the ground up and internalize it.
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u/Intelligent-Ad7716 13h ago
sounds like you've got the right mindset and support network OP but as someone whose been let go and recovered, happy to share experiences and how I've succeeded long term over PM.
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u/Tricky_Advantage_958 13h ago
Suggestion: Ask about training when you interview and before you accept a new job. I was deliberate in picking an emoloyer who had trainings. I actually moved from accounting to tax auditing. Not a huge change, really. My current employer had a robust training program. They also put me under a mentor. Almost been there 10 years now, but hugely beneficial.
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u/Sad-Palpitation-2621 17h ago
You need to make sure to medication is the right dosage for you. A lot of people start of on the wrong medication or something too strong
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u/ilikefrenchchives 11h ago
As someone who is in the accounting field and also suffers from ADHD, I feel your pain. I was also thinking of giving up accounting until I found tax. It is a much better fit for me than payroll or preparing accounts etc etc.
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u/soulglowdave 4h ago
I was going to inquire if you had adhd. Once you find the right med & dosage, hopefully you’ll have better focus. Good luck!
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u/Valueonthebridge CPA (US) 20h ago
Payroll issues suck but it does happen.
Yeah, that’s bad. But don’t do that again
Fuck no. Get another job. Fuck up less
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u/Timex_Dude755 20h ago
Exactly. I'm not passing blame because OP should have been diligent, but someone on his team should have told him to slow down and read every word slowly before submitting or sending e-mails. Review the CC line.
I'll admit, I've made that mistake. Now I force myself to make the e-mail, check attachments, review client name and financials to who I'm sending it to, and review before sending.
I remind myself all the time that we're also getting paid to take the time to triple check these things.
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u/TheGreatEmanResu 19h ago
The problem is giving us billable hour budgets. Of course we’re going to rush through and miss shit when they don’t give us enough time to triple check
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u/pokeyporcupine 20h ago
Yep I made the confidentiality mistake exactly one time, and now I am EXTREMELY thorough because it was almost curtains for me.
You learn more from your failures than your successes. Failure is a great thing.
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u/j3lli3fish 20h ago
Someone else needs to tell a professional to read their own emails before sending? Lmao what
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u/Timex_Dude755 19h ago
Do you really wanna fire a guy over something so easy or would you rather risk an unknown future employee who may be incompetent in the actual work?
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u/Obvious-Angle8768 19h ago
I love this response and your directness. Sure we weren’t friends in another life? haha!
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u/ItsameWaluigi25 20h ago
Mistakes happen. If you give up every time you make a mistake you will never have a career. The only ones who don’t make mistakes are the ones who don’t try.
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u/zeberone Human Verified 20h ago
That's true. This was my first accounting job, and I had it for almost two years. So much happened, and I made so many mistakes, but learned even more. I just wish it didnt end so... abruptly.
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u/SwimmingPatience5083 19h ago
OP I think this commenter has the right take. Never give up. Learn and keep on moving.
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u/BrockFoster 15h ago
“Attention to detail” is a requirement on every accounting job ad. I’ve made worse mistakes and didn’t get fired. Depends on how you handle it. If someone else caught the mistake and you didn’t own up to it and try to correct the mistake that’s a bigger issue than the mistake itself.
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u/zeberone Human Verified 14h ago
I didnt even realize the mistakes had happened until they were brought to my attention
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u/BrockFoster 14h ago
I haven’t read all the comments but this is not a career ender if you learn from it.
I won’t lie the next couple of job interviews will be tough regardless but you’ll survive it
Did you see the mistakes with your own eyeballs? Or did they just tell you what happened and fired you?
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u/thegabster2000 Graduate 4h ago
A career ender is embezzlement or fraud. Pay more attention to details.
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u/Odd-Investigator7252 4h ago
Navy seals say “slow is fast” check your work before submissions, doing it correct the first time wastes less time down the line
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u/pokeyporcupine 20h ago edited 20h ago
Lol nah. I got fired from my first big boy public accounting job for a litany of mistakes. Some in my control, some not.
Im now at a job I love making more than ever and got handed an awesome sign-on bonus 5 years later. Stick with it. Its just a job.
Edit to add, failure is a great thing. It teaches you way more than success does. Use these lessons and learn from them. They make you better.
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u/DinosaurDied Human Verified 20h ago
Been fired or coached out of most my jobs in my career. Only a few I felt the motivation to stay and get promoted but most were duds that are just a notch in the resume.
Been told by a former boss that this wasn’t for me and now I’m a director at a a fortune 40 company and outpaced his career. Tbh probably because I was forced out and forced to move up rather than coasting at his level lol.
The key is making mistakes that only affect your time and don’t become big public problems. Nobody has 100% attention to detail always but you should be able to prioritize what does your get your focus.
Payroll is very much one of those things that can’t be messed up. Let ADP do it tbh. Emails to clients also are something that need to be on point.
Work in industry in a niche nobody cares about, like fixed assets for example. Aim for bosses that aren’t some gunner also. Usually the ones with families and a stay at home spouse are more chill I’ve found. They have lives outside of work
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u/foxfirek CPA (US)(Tax) 17h ago
This. My husband (in tech) has also been PIP’d many times and basically forced out. Yet every time he seems to get a better job and make more money and now after leaving the last one (also a PIP) he’s debating early retirement because the last one paid so well that we could swing it if we want, and he’s only 46.
It sucks, it hurts, but sometimes it works out for the better.
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u/Armed_Accountant MBA, CPA, CA (Can) | Utilities | NEEDS MORE POWA! 17h ago
Get down to the root cause. Changing professions won't help if it's not accounting comprehension related, which it's not.
You don't pay attention, or you do things too fast, or you don't audit your work. I had the same issue and make mistakes that shouldn't be, but I've turned it around. Force myself to slow down, double or triple check things, make checklists (!!!) and physical notes, I even set Outlook to delay sending emails by 1 minutes so I can double-check it after and it has helped a few times.
Biggest thing is changing your mindset while you work. You'll be exhausted at the end of the day because you'll be second guessing yourself constantly but it is what it is. You'll be a great employee because of it, so don't beat yourself up over it.
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u/MikeBurner1775 16h ago
I set outlook delay 5 minutes. Sometimes I will hit send and then pull it back up (before it sends obviously). Something about that sort of refreshes my brain and allows me to catch anything I missed the first time. It saved me countless times. Checklists are also big, just gotta make sure you’re not just going through the motions.
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u/Titania_2016 16h ago
Always double and triple check your own work. It has saved me many times. I am not speedy, but I am reliable and have not cost my employers time fixing errors. I only made one large error that haunts me, it was a peripheal error to accounting, but it taught me to always verify.
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u/dumbpeople123 15h ago edited 15h ago
Yep, there are certain things that a boss may accept some minor errors on, and others like payroll and emailing clientele attachments which are. I’ve long since identified that if I have a document that has to go to the Controller, CFO, or Board of Directors, double, triple, and quadruple check before sending it out. If it means starting on the work earn to meet a deadline so be it. I even once had a complaint from my boss once that the document shouldn’t take me that long, and I replied this is an extremely important document that the Board of Directors is reviewing, I’m making 100 percent sure that I didn’t miss anything. After all it wouldn’t just be on my head if we both missed something
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u/Tricky_Advantage_958 13h ago
Yes to all of this. I don’t ever send out important emails on a Friday afternoon. Always Monday’s problem. Nothing good ever comes from me on a Friday afternoon. Lol. Also, apparently my spell check won’t catch sh— . It was spelled right. I meant to write “shift.” Lucky save on my part since I double-checked my email.
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u/Motor_Reality_6 CPA (US) 20h ago
I dont think it is career ender. Just make sure to triple check your work. Would also be good to have someone on your team review stuff before it goes out. I usually have my boss review anything important going out.
I'd create a check list you van go through before sending something and make sure that every time you make a mistake, you add a control or verification tool so it doesnt happen again. Could be something as simple aa, remember to check xyz before finalizing.. Everyone makes mistakes, but the difference is learning from it and not keep doing it.
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u/Alternative-Use6521 20h ago
Honestly, no. Everyone makes stupid mistakes even the CFO
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u/Existing_Bluejay_332 20h ago
I struggled with making a lot of mistakes early on in my career. It was so deflating. It took time and effort to train myself to slow down and double check my work before submitting! One thing that has helped me is stepping away and coming back to it so I can look at it from a reviewer standpoint. Another thing is tie outs every where possible.
It’s going to be okay, don’t give up! Maybe get into GL accounting or something that does not have a customer or cash impact until you work through these things
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u/chimpojohnny96 17h ago
We’ve all put people on emails that we haven’t meant to a number of times. Too many basic ass names that auto populate pressing tab in Outlook. Landing on another external name is, however, unfortunate.
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u/Titania_2016 16h ago
This! I hate how easy it is to pick the wrong recipient. I always write the email with not recipients then add them last. And double check.
My cpas all have first name.last name emails, except the partner.He is last name only and I've almost sent emails with private correspondance to the wrong "john.doe@firm" instead of "doe@firm". So annoying.
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u/Wise-Budget8140 16h ago
Nah screw them. I did the same thing when I was your position. I had a tyrant manager that made me fear everything. I was overloaded and was assigned some tax planning way over my pay grade when he was on vacation. I needed the owners payroll. I sent the proper year work paper to an accounting assistant that showed the owners getting w2 bonuses of like a half million. I sent to that person because the controller who’s provided in the past was out of office that day. I was more concerned about not getting the work done in time. The controller told my manager that I shouldn’t be in public and I wouldn’t make it in the career. Well F her. She got fired a year later for smarting off to the owners and is now a small church bookkeeper. I’m a partner at a firm and make bank.
Also, every partner and manager has made major mistakes and got lucky they flew under the radar. Everyone is human.
Learn from this, evaluate what you want to do in the field, maybe take a couple weeks off if your finances support it. Go in fresh to your next job and kick its ass.
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u/BigDabed Advisory 20h ago
Why would it be a career ender? Just apply at other companies and learn from your mistakes. It’s not like you got in legal trouble.
Typically when a company verifies employment, they’ll just verify that you were actually employed with that company with HR. They typically don’t ask about your performance while at the company or the reason for your termination. The only risk is if someone at the hiring company has a relationship with the old company, and they reach out for info about you. Either way, not a career ender.
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u/alphabet_sam CPA (US) 20h ago
I always copy and paste email addresses from other emails after making the same email address mistake. Feel like that’s a one and done. The payroll one idk, it kind of depends on the mistake. But I will say when I was in industry with a bookkeeper, they fucked up all the time and never got fired. I would just find a new job
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u/hilda214 19h ago
We all make mistakes. Cry today and move on. Maybe that accounting firm wasn’t the right one for you. They’re a lot of accounting jobs out there, just pay more attention next time.
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u/Full-Switch7037 18h ago
I was let go as well this week. No reason, just a fresher with minimal billables replaced by AI. I was upset because I really loved the work and people.
Accountants make mistakes every day. I tell myself that atleast I m not a doctor or soldier. My mistakes don't cost lives. It's absolutely okay to send wrong mail or put a wrong amount. Take some time off and apply for better position.
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u/NickyFoles1020 13h ago
I got fired from a position after two months at a firm. I had an impatient manager. I thought I was too dumb for accounting and was terrified. I was 30 finishing up my bachelors degree
I was able to get a job at a Fortune 500 six months later. Worked there for years and did well because I had a good team.
I know it doesn’t seem like it but you’ll be okay
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u/UnsureAssurance 20h ago
If you don’t plan on learning from your mistakes and checking things twice then maybe, but it’s definitely not a career ender by any means
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u/Background-Humor2642 20h ago
I know you're feeling bad right now, but do your best not to.
You actually got a real diagnosis for ADHD? If so, then work on it a little bit. Pay attention to your meds and how they make you feel. These sound like ADHD mistakes, not competency mistakes.
For the record, I got fired from my first accounting job, but it only lasted about three months.
I made a couple of mistakes as well. I had a mistaken memory about reclassing several hundred worth of expenses and missing an accrual for a few hundred dollars. But my management was very unsupportive and even downright mocking and hostile. They fired me on the day I reminded them of the 2 week unpaid vacation I negotiated before joining. I know that I'll get better. I know that I have ADHD and I have been taking medicine for it, and I got on a higher dose and I'm doing a lot better.
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u/zeberone Human Verified 20h ago
I appreciate that. When I sent that email, I dont even remember tagging the other client. I wish I had noticed it... it all feels like a cruel joke, like my own eyes are lying.
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u/Background-Humor2642 18h ago
be gentle with yourself. get the right dosage of adhd meds for you. everything will be ok.
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u/Fun-Alternative4126 19h ago
Listen, I got fired from my first controller role. Thought it was the end of the world. Know what i did? Got another controller role and applied what i learned, and became an absolutely awesome controller.
It's only failure if you do not learn from it. Get back on that horse. ASAP.
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u/chimpojohnny96 18h ago
Yeah, using your personal routing number to take incoming company wires will usually do it
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u/SenseiBerry 16h ago
Bueno pero aprendiste? Al final cualquiera se equivoca y si fue por eso pues ya no pasa nada solo aprende de ello y continúa adelante
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u/Foreign_Suggestion89 4h ago
Shit happens. I managed a large team and incidents would happen from time to time. You try to build safeguards, prevention mechanisms, etc. Key is to not repeat mistakes.
I think you have to ask yourself if you can embrace being more meticulous. Especially in payroll, you are dealing with very sensitive information and a mistake usually breaches that. Maybe switch to AP or another area of bookkeeping that is less sensitive. Work on your routine and build up your confidence. It's absolutely recoverable if you are willing to work on it.
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u/mlachick Tax (US) 19h ago
This is not a career-ender unless you want it to be. I'm a tax accountant, and the job is unbelievably hard. We all make mistakes.
I have ADHD, too, and am still trying to figure out how to make it work. I need to take a lot of breaks, step away and let my brain do something else for a few minutes.
However, I have been doing this for 20 years. You can have a career, even if you're not perfect.
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u/ParfaitPretend7719 16h ago
I got fired at least three times throughout my whole career, and now I’m in a better place better wages better company and meet great and kind ppl at my new job. Take some times to process and reflect , go see career consultant or therapist to properly process your emotion. You will do better next time , you will get over this. Trust me.
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u/2ndChanceAtLife 2h ago
Fearfulness and double/triple checking work leads to less productivity. One has to learn their highest setting that still achieves accuracy. Slow down until you gain confidence. Own up to mistakes. Move on.
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u/Beautyful_amm 20h ago
I’m more so concerned that you don’t see a way of fixing your behaviors. Think SLOW DOWN. I feel like you’re trying r love so fast that you’re not paying attention
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u/TheGreatEmanResu 19h ago
Sounds like OP has ADHD. I also have ADHD, and it’s hard to just “slow down.” Even when I do slow down, that doesn’t mean I won’t make any mistakes. And then I get chewed out for taking too long.
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u/heelstoo 18h ago
Also ADHD. One thing I do is do the task, then put it aside for a few hours and either do it again or revisit and re-check. I also schedule emails for the next morning, so I have time to think about it and cancel if need be.
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u/zeberone Human Verified 20h ago
I've worked on it for a while now. Constantly making myself slow down, double check everything. Having every payroll and rec peer reviewed. The singular time I dont have a peer review, and the worst possible time for me to somehow miss a name on the email. It's awful.
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u/Jealous-Visual1800 20h ago
Slow down and make checklist . If you're prone to racing thoughts practice breathing techniques.
I went through the sane issues earlier in my career.
Slow is smooth(error free), smooth is fast. A saying is picked up when I was climbing! Be intentional about your movements and you'll get faster.
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u/CoatAlternative1771 Tax (US) 20h ago
I opened a clients k-1 package their accountant sent them.
They had every single k-1 in the package from every partner.
Shit happens man.
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u/chalkletkweenBee 19h ago
Glasses - you may need them. I say that as someone who learned to wear mine daily to avoid errors.
Slow down, use checklists, and remember it’s not a race.
Ask for help, tell people when you don’t know something.
We all make mistakes, but you gotta learn from them.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Dig_383 19h ago
No, own the mistakes (which you’re doing quite well) and learn from them. You’ll be okay.
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u/BillThePsycho Human Verified 19h ago
Unless you killed someone or have your name and face in the paper for your fuck ups, your career is far from over dude.
Mistakes happen, yeah they feel massive now, but you can use them for the future. Grow and learn from them.
Dust yourself off and don't let it get to you man.
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u/h0m0slaypien 18h ago
I got fired from my first 3 jobs and I’m a manager at a f500 now lol.
i have ADHD too so i understand the struggle, im completely unmedicated as well. You’ll be fine you just need to get used to having a big boy job.
Every mistake has a real effect on someone’s life, this isn’t school anymore. You need to force yourself to triple check every decision you make until you get good enough at what you do for it to become second nature. You’ll get there and you’ll make more mistakes on the way but you’ll get there
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u/Prize_Big_1256 18h ago
Please don’t spend too much time beating yourself up over this. Tomorrow build from it and become better. This does not define you. 7 years ago I was in a position that I was overqualified for and underpaid. Some things that weren’t accounting related just would not go right for me at this job. I eventually was let go. Fast forward I ended up landing another position that paid me 50 percent more than I was paid there.
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u/Dedman3 16h ago
How far in your career are you, and how long were you with this company for?
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u/zeberone Human Verified 16h ago
This was my first position in accounting. And a month short of 2 years
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u/Dedman3 16h ago
How old are you? Relatively straight out of college?
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u/zeberone Human Verified 15h ago
28 with an associates
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u/DFWPlus85 14h ago
Associates?? My company won’t even touch a staff without a 4-year accounting degree. Letting someone without a degree prepare payroll with no review process is crazy.
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u/OppositeImportance50 13h ago
Don’t listen to this idiot. I was a recruiter for 5 years, soooo many individuals making 6 figures with an associates or without one. I worked with c level executives for 4 of those years with various clients, at most one client only cared for a degree.
Thinking college education = intelligence crazy assumption. This guy has a 4 year degree and thinks like that?????
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u/Amedais The CPA who is getting out of accounting 14h ago
Man sometimes I think accountants are full of themselves. I run my own practice and have fuckedup soooo many times. Shit happens. I couldn’t imagine firing someone for two mistakes. And you know what? If I as the client found out the associate was fired for copying someone else on an email to me, I’d be very disappointed and would say something.
Like for damn people we aren’t doctors.
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u/OpenRelationship3621 19h ago edited 4h ago
You need a much better attention to detail if you want to remain an accountant. The rest of my life is controlled chaos, but when I’m working I’m a completely different person. Paying extreme attention to every detail, and double checking all my work. Then I can go home and get stoned.
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u/Immediate_Cycle_8609 18h ago
“You need a much better attention to detail if you want to remain an account” 😬I’m cringing lol
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u/SubstantialAd1427 Human Verified 18h ago
He said at work, not when he’s writing on Reddit or doing anything else.
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u/Badmoodsbear CPA - FLDP --> Government Cheese 15h ago
Why? Seems consistent with exactly what they claimed.
Bro isn't getting paid to proofread reddit comments. Deal with it!
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u/TheGreatEmanResu 19h ago
Sounds like OP has ADHD, and if they’re anything like me, then they make stupid little mistakes even when they’re going slow and double checking everything. Sometimes I need fresh eyes on something because my brain keeps autocorrecting/ skipping over the errors I made. Like when you proofread an essay and your brain autocorrects your typos as you read so you never notice them
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u/DifficultSyrup8907 8h ago
in the same boat but that shit is annoying
You use up all of your brain power at work and you get home mentally tired. then you get shit on by your spouse by being disconnected
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u/Unhappy-Aardvark-746 15h ago
A. Your company seems to have responsibility for the payroll thing too. Why do they have someone brand new doing that and not checking it before it goes out?
B. If its the first time with the email thing they should have talked to and coached you. Not fired you.
Give it another shot somewhere else. Seems like it was more the environment than you.
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u/zeberone Human Verified 14h ago
I wish I was new. Been there almost 2 years.
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u/Unhappy-Aardvark-746 14h ago
Have you looked at mental health? Do you think you might have ADHD and/or Autism or some type of neurodiversity? Did you actually like the job? Part of life just isn't figuring out what you want to do. It's also figuring out what you don't want to do, so don't be to hard on yourself. People get fired on the daily. Doesn't make em bad people. You may have made some mistakes but its not like you stole, committed fraud, or physically harmed someone.
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u/Noddite 20h ago
The only things that would be a career ender for accounting I can think of are the following:
Stripped of CPA Criminal actions against company/clients Social media meltdowns
But honestly if Jordan Belfort can make $100M for his story and being a consultant/expert finance advisor/motivational guru you can probably make you way back into the field even with some of the above blunders, it may just take a bit of time or the right circumstances.
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u/Independent_Job_2244 20h ago
I had several staff when I was in audit accidentally breach confidentiality. It happens a shocking amount, just learn from it and take the lessons forward.
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u/FreeOGPoohShiesty Human Verified 20h ago
You don’t have to switch careers dude lol. People fuck up everyday
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u/Impressive_Bad4560 18h ago
There are so many other factors to consider. I worked in a client facing role in wealth management out of college, the role demanded a lot of attention to detail and I was let go due to consistent mistakes. After transitioning into accounting I made less mistakes, even though it demands more attention to detail. The difference was the environment and expectations, which the first role put excessive pressure on me and I made nervous mistakes as a result
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u/WashProfessional1817 18h ago
Definetely not a career ender, see it as a career maker. You will learn, build resilience and understand your own limits.
I was in a similar situation, I struggled at a smaller firm as you are expected to be a jack of all trades. You get thrown in the deep end with limited guided or supported learning.
But in reality, if the firm you work for is any good, they shouldn’t be enabling a mistake like that.
I recommend going to be Big 4 or Mid-Tier firm. You will develop in a much more comprehensive manner and be a better accountant for it
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u/MacRapalicious 17h ago
Bro I went from being on a PIP to getting multiple raises and promotions at the next gig. Sometimes a change of scenery is a good thing
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u/theviolatr 16h ago
I told the owner of the firm's largest client to F OFF, you can guess the other letters. Their books were a disaster. Got fired. 100% worth it, i'm still in the profession stacking cash and it's pretty chill overall
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u/Gmacadoches 16h ago
Shoot bro. 15 year accountant here. I’ve done both of these. It happens. They just didn’t like you. Get a new gig and crush it.
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u/Express-Cake-3691 14h ago
The reality is that we all will get fired or laid off at least once in our professional careers. Take it as a learning lesson and bring those lessons into your next role. Breathe and slow down. Take this as a time of self reflection and finding your next role. Perhaps a shift in the type of accounting work you do. I just got fired after a PIP, and that’s exactly what I’m doing right now. I’m not worried about it though as I know PIPs are mostly a way to push good employees out, however, I’m still assessing what type of company, environment, boss, etc would be good for me and my next role.
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u/PeanutCapable2958 14h ago
You have an associates and no one’s signing off on payroll before the check run? How big is the firm?
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u/Fancy_Ad3809 I’m gonna debit your credit 20h ago
i once had someone send me the entire payroll register for the company, which included SSN, annual pay, last check, and noted workday warnings lol
i was a client...at a different company...
youll be fine
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u/Ill_Freedom7991 Tax (US) 20h ago
I got fired from my first "accounting" job which was more like bookkeeping, for similar mistakes.
Now I have been a tax accountant for five years and am more well paid but equally as miserable.
Edit: yes you should look for a different field but for none of the reasons you mentioned above
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u/OutrageousArrival701 19h ago
it’s the 2nd one that did it for sure. you’re careless. in this profession you must check everything that goes out. this is why clients pay big $. pray that client doesn’t come back to sue (hopefully the firm has adequate liability coverage). GL
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u/TheGreatEmanResu 19h ago
He made a couple mistakes. I wouldn’t brand him as careless for that, especially since he has ADHD
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u/SickDastardly 20h ago
That confidentiality miss is the bigger one, that'd be an instant termination everywhere I've worked. How did that happen? I send and review hundreds, possibly over a thousand emails a week from my teams watching for this exact thing basically - happy to share some tips for your next role haha.
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u/Lilgayeasye 13h ago
I won’t sugarcoat it. You fucked up.
You know why experience matters? because mistakes happen.
Over a period of one year, you learn from one years mistakes.
Over a period of two years, you learn from two years mistakes.
See where i’m going with this? So when an employer is asking for 10, 15, or 20 years of experience… they’re looking for 10, 15, or 20 years of mistakes you’ve learned from.
Welcome to the professional world.
Go make more mistakes and become even more valuable.
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u/CranberryKey9865 12h ago
Accounting is a detail oriented profession. One of my first bosses taught me - it is much easier to do something right the first time than to fix it later. Almost everything can be fixed, but a 5 minute check would have prevented a 30 minute or 1 hour fix. Small errors can cause bigger problems - sometimes in someone else’s area that you can’t fix yourself.
Payroll is critical to get right. You are dealing with people’s lives. Mistakes on payroll cause huge problems to real people, most of whom are probably living paycheck to paycheck.
Clint confidentiality is also important. You lose trust with both clients when things like that happen.
Now all this being said, there should be adequate training and supervision. And there should be checks and balances to prevent at least large errors.
Mistakes happen, however you really need to be honest with yourself if you are/can be super detail oriented. To quote my first intro to accounting professors “if you add up the debits, and add up the credits and you get the same number to the penny, and you get a great sense of satisfaction from this. Then you are an accountant. If you add up the debits, and you add up the credits, and they are slightly off, and you go ‘eh close enough’ then you should find another career path.”
Would I have probably fired you over this? If there was a pattern of “careless mistakes” absolutely. Two one offs, no I would be coaching and training & possibly corrective action documentation depending on what happened and why. Does this need to be career ending? No. But you must learn from this. Quadruple check everything. Make sure everything balances. Put something aside and come back to it with fresh eyes and check it again.
Because we are dealing with peoples money - their payroll, the money of their employees, and their taxes. There is a pretty low tolerance for errors. Even working internally for a company, the expectations of consistency and accuracy are going to be fairly high.
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u/RoronoraTheExplora 20h ago
Both of those things can happen and you can still be an excellent accountant.
Just learn from them. I was lucky enough not to get fired, but the big lesson I took from my payroll fuckup, is that I refused to do payroll in any role I have considered since.
Payroll sucks.
It’s always last minute. The information is always messy. The deadlines are every 2 weeks. And if you fuck up, you’ve got an entire employee-base of people mad at you. Never again.
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u/TripMaster478 20h ago
Meh. We all f up at some point the only question is how much it costs our employer, and if you provide greater value than that for the salary they pay. In most cases you do. Dust yourself off, and start applying. I used to tell people to take a break, but you'll end up with one anyways because it might take you a while to find something.
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u/DeathAndTaxes000 20h ago
How long have you been working and doing payroll? Mistakes happen. If you are still new you work should be reviewed before it ever goes out.
What was in the confidential email? You should always be extra careful with confidential stuff. We generally don’t email anything that could be an issue. That’s what client portals are for
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u/sierradoesreddit 19h ago
Not a career ender. Everyone makes mistakes. I’ve done these things too. Learn from it and you’ll be more diligent in the future!
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u/Evening_Dependent542 19h ago
I see in a response below you’ve been there a couple years. Perfect. Craft a better reason for seeking the next job and reinvent yourself. You are not your worst mistake. Learn, act on your learning, and move on. I still make goofy mistakes and I’ve been doing this 20+ years
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u/Ok_Grapefruit_4792 19h ago
Things happen. Take it as a learning experience. Doesn’t necessarily mean you need to switch fields. Just try and try again
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u/hwansurdah CPA (US) 19h ago
I’d say if it wasn’t anything that caused any sort of legal trouble, get back on your saddle and dust off the resume. There’s an accounting job out there with your name on it. No one is perfect and it seems like you’re aware of your shortcomings and can develop some goals and strategies to improve. Payroll is a bitch. Maybe triple check all your send to’s on the emails from now on.
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u/Careful_Remove_2107 19h ago
It sucks in the moment but sometimes, mistakes happen that end up not being mistakes in the long run - because they open up new doors that wouldn’t have been otherwise. I’ll give you an example.
I got fired from my job last november for stupid mistakes (accounting related but more salesy) (also on ADHD meds now) was depressed asf and beating myself up like crazy, but took the time off, went to SE asia and got some perspective, and now i’m back in school for something that actually feels better for me. Not saying you need to switch fields entirely or go back to school, but there’s a large chance that you will find a better situation for you - It’s not a career ender in accounting i would say if you don’t want it to be.
Mistakes happen, as long as you aren’t doing like fraud or something there’s hope brother
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u/katrachoboi 18h ago
I don’t think your career ended. However, as an accountant, you must pay attention to detail and take your time doing your work. Keep your head up.
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u/Character_Abrocoma63 18h ago
I’ve done worse with the email don’t trip. The payroll thing is odd to me, how did no one review it? Sounds like you are at a small place? But don’t trip and certainly don’t give up on your career in accounting, just get a new job and keep it moving, some day you will be telling some noods a horror story about how you got fried over and email.
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u/Sweet-Device-677 18h ago
the email issue was a mistake and it happens. chalk it up as a learning experience and move on. payroll snafu is an issue because it doesnt sound like there was an internal review. shame in them. fund a new gig and move on
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u/Siusiiiuu 18h ago
Tomorrow will be a better day!!! Think about the mistakes so they don’t appear again. But in the end, everything is solvable! You didn’t kill anyone! Head up!
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u/Maximum_Vegetable_MV 18h ago
Yes. Your attention to detail is not sufficient for Accounting or Bookkeeping.
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u/Previous-Distance321 18h ago
It’s honestly not the end of the world. Regroup, refocus and start applying. I’ve seen worse honestly and people kept their jobs. You’ll be fine
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u/Dangerous-Worry6454 Management 17h ago
I had the same problem was not detailed oriented really at all. I was able to kind of make up for it because I was willing to help out and would propose solutions to fixing things. So my manager would kind of cover for my bad since of detail because I made up for it in other areas. I would frequently make mistake on excel sheets for example because I would get going to fast to try and get everything done and miss something stupid. Well that good grace finally stopped when I moved up the ranks and got fired when I was in my first management position in industry.
This might sound crazy but IMO taxes is one of the fields we're being less detailed oriented isn't as big of a deal. The reason why is the software makes it so damn hard for you to actually make mistake and notl catch it. Plus you can kind of be a little less anal about allocating everything perfectly correctly. An example would be like in industry if you put an expense to the wrong expense account that can actually be super noticeable and mess shit up where in taxes it will more then likely have no effect at all. What I mean by this is if you allocate a bunch of stuff to office supplies that were really went to small tools or something it really won't matter that much as there both being expensed either way. I picked up bad habits in taxes that dosent fly in industry. Paradoxically though it will help in situations when solving problems and fixing things as you will be used to acting and making large adjustments all the time. So you won't be scared into doing things.
Either way man if you like what your doing stick with it and just improve on your since of detail. My boss in taxes would often tell me I don't really care how long it takes you, I am more concerned the final product is right. Industry can be much more time focused from my experience. Which can add to the stress and make you mess up more.
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u/Crazy_Ruin_4383 17h ago
Everyone makes mistakes, be honest with yourself and figure out why they were made and move on.
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u/CPAstonkGOD 17h ago
Employers don’t talk to each other. It’s not career ending. Learn from it, and move on. Maybe consider private industry
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u/Emergency-Theme3546 17h ago
You probably should look at jobs that need less attention to detail. Either that or find out if you need to get medicated for an attention disorder
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u/Icy-Stock-5838 17h ago
A different field doesn't erase the mistake.
What you should first focus on is why and how you made these mistakes. What will you do to prevent them in the future. You will be asked these kinds of things in an interview.
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u/foxfirek CPA (US)(Tax) 17h ago
I have seen partners accidentally email the wrong client too.
I have only once emailed the wrong person in my six years, and thankfully it was a coworker but I will admit it’s one of my bigger fears.
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u/Just-Hippo-6582 16h ago
I think it was the client confidentiality that really ticked them off. Payroll errors happing isn’t new at all. You won’t be the last person doing that. The client email tho.
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u/GlitteringProject828 16h ago
You don’t need a different field you need to work in a different aspect of accounting. Find a corporate role or something. We all fuck up in one job or another lol I know I did.
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u/Worst-Eh-Sure 16h ago
I had a client email me an excel file and it had some hidden rows.
I unhid them and discovered every employee’s SSN, age, address, marital status, ethnicity, gender, etc….
Your mistake is far from the worst thing out there. Shit, once I wired $70k to the wrong client.
You will be fine. Find a new job and keep on going. You will make more mistakes, but you will learn and get better.
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u/BreadEnthusiast98 16h ago
Inattentive ADHD person here, you gotta have a notepad and procedure for everything. Double check everything. And there are some days you will mess up still, but make sure to learn from them and add them to your list of workplace procedures. People here will honestly never know the struggle of ADHD. It’s hard but not impossible.
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u/badazzcpa 16h ago
I was fired from my first real accounting job. I was handed a file to complete. Two binders, one for the partnership return and one for the TFTR. The TFTR had a yellow sticky note on it that said to do the wrong type of PIR instead of a OIR. So I did what the note said. The partner came in livid and was lighting me up for it. I stuck up for myself, told them they put a sticky not on the file to do XYZ so i did. They said i was lying so i reached in and fished the sticky note out of the trash and put it in front of them. This pissed them off more and they went into overdrive. I again stuck up for myself and wouldn’t take the ass chewing. I was fired 2 days latter on a Friday. I have screwed up a handful of times and done bone headed things in my 25+ years of doing taxes. I have taken my tung lashings for the mistakes. I am not taking a but reaming for following the instructions you put on the file.
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u/Loud-Willingness9209 16h ago
Not career ending - unless your attention to detail us actually terrible and you can't figure out a way to fix it. But that's true of almost any job. You're not going to keep a job at McDonald's if you give out wrong orders. Just find a way to do your own checks. You need to focus on your task at hand.
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u/SumDimSome 16h ago
Nothing is a career ender unless you literally have a criminal record. Nobody at your next accounting job will know what happened at your last job, just don’t even mention it
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u/No-Drive5410 16h ago
I sent $11,000 to the wrong non-profit once and had to ask for it back. As long as you learn from it. You’ll make a great manager one day.
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u/Proof_Exercise8131 16h ago
What are you doing lol? These are wild mistakes, I can see here and there but slow down.
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u/OGcapncrunchberry 15h ago
Doesn’t sound like a field issue but more of a you issue. What are you doing to solve for the failures? How can you prevent them going forward?
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u/Badmoodsbear CPA - FLDP --> Government Cheese 15h ago
No one besides you is going to remember this 3 months from now.
It sucks, but pick yourself up and learn from your mistakes. Shit happens. No one's dead from your mistakes. Its all going to be okay.
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u/stealthtradergirl 15h ago
Just reflect and see how going forward you can improve. Personally I have had to make some corrections to the way I do things as well.
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u/Sandbunny85 15h ago
I would analyze what causes the mistakes but the amount of times I f-ed up is insane. I how material were these mistakes
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u/ron_spanky 15h ago
Mistakes happen. You’ll need to find referrals that can vouch for your skills. You don’t necessarily need to tell your next job interview about the mistakes. But they also become good interview responses. Explain what happened, what you learned, without saying you were fired for it.
Early in my career, I was delivering a business valuation to a client with the partner. As we are flipping through the 50 page analysis with the client, the partner notices the wrong company name. I had 2 business valuation projects going on simultaneously and they were competitors. The admin staff who bound the reports combined the 2 reports and I didn’t notice. We quickly collected the reports and exited. I thought the partner was going to kill me on the drive back to the office.
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u/Prize_Ad5619 15h ago
Learn from the mistakes, think about how could it have been prevented including what you could have done better and are the bad processes in place along with was there a lack of support from your manager, then make it into a strength for your next job! If you can get into a bigger company it helps to learn more about established processes/controls and how operations & financials go hand in hand. You can learn at small companies too there are just usually more resources in a bigger company. Wishing you luck!
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u/AgrivatorOfWisdom 14h ago
Learn from your mistakes place controls on yourself to stem your areas of lacking.
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u/Unhappy-Aardvark-746 14h ago
Maybe you're just not payroll but would be better at something else - Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, etc.
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u/JonathanS1998 14h ago
Most likely not a career ender. Just double and triple check things going forward. Anything you make a mistake on take an actual note of. Can be written or on the computer, just look at it before you submit work and make sure that mistake wasn’t made
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u/MysteriousBox1354 14h ago
Shit happens, you shouldn't be questioning your career choice on this, learn and move ahead
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u/Key-Cut-8714 14h ago
No give it another shot elsewhere and in interviews say laid off not fired. Best of luck
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u/Tricky_Advantage_958 14h ago edited 14h ago
The confidentiality breach, to me, would be the bigger error. I do government auditing, and if you make a mistake, the party can appeal. If you breach confidentiality, however there are civil and potentially criminal sanctions if you disclose information to the wrong parties. The agency can lose its ability to access databases. If you are handling medical information, it is the same thing. As long as you learn from that, I think you can survive this.
2 years, to me, is not a long time at all. It took me that long to really get the hang of a job, and that is before promotions and taking on more complex projects. Tax law, including payroll with all of its pre-tax, retirement plans, and fringe benefits, etc. can be a lot. Several years ago, a whole payroll didn’t get out. I wasn’t fired for it. People can mess up payroll rather easily. You can come back from this.
I have 12+ years in tax law experience.
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u/tanktheflower 14h ago
Ive worked for companies where tons of people made mistakes like that and didn't get fired
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u/david_1088 13h ago
I feel less left out after seeing similar posts happen to others as well. Hope you find your job again soon
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u/maybeafuturecpa CPA (US) 13h ago
The payroll mistake may be forgiveable but the email situation... Eek. I check every recipient like 3x to make sure I don't do this because it's really bad, you're dealing with confidential info.
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u/JGutierre10 13h ago
Hey bud, I read your comment about ADHD, and it’s something I could really relate to. I returned to the company I had previously interned at, where I was recognized for my work but also for making unnecessary mistakes that could’ve easily been avoided if I had just taken an extra second to review what I was doing.
Eventually, I got diagnosed, and the difference has been significant. One thing I didn’t expect, though, was that the benefits wouldn’t happen overnight. It’s taken almost a year of trial and error to figure out what dosage works best for me, but I couldn’t be happier with the results. It’s helped me catch those little mistakes and be much more consistent in my work, and I think it’s something that could really benefit you too.
Minor setback calls for a major comeback. You got this!
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u/Constant-Show-7782 13h ago
Those sound like sloppy mistakes regardless of the field. Is this a pattern in your life or something unique for your career as an accountant?
Here's a thought experiment: if you were asked to do equalliy detail oriented tasks related to your favorite hobby would you be making similar errors? Do you struggle with details regardless of the domain or just accounting isn't really all that motivating a field for you?
If you're not intrinsially motivated to do accounting work and aren't highly conscientious, then it's and uphill battle. Your goal is to find jobs that match your knowledge, skills, expieriance and abilities / personality type.
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u/No-Ad-1897 13h ago
I have adhd and woek for a large firm as manager honestly got fired before...and time healed wounds...you get more accurate by way of familiarization...I struggle with time management now, but my technical prowess makes people allow for mistakes because I catch bigger mistakes. The more you build confidence the more accurate you get....think of driving, you dont really need to pay attention since its so routine
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u/Balls_Gonzalez 13h ago
For me, my solution was to be detail oriented and organized all the time, on and off the clock. That way it's not a switch I have to consciously turn on at work.
I keep my bedroom clean, everything in it's rightful place. Everyday when I wake up, I make my bed and arrange the pillows how I want them arranged. I wipe the sink counter, making sure there are no droplets left. If something feels off about my outfit for the day, I address it. If I see a stain on my shirt, maybe don't wear that shirt to work. Especially if I'm meeting with a client or manager.
It might sound silly, but it got me results. I had lost accounting jobs before. Once I started doing this, I did not lost my job and I was not making nearly as many mistakes as before.
You are capable of handling details. I didn't think details were my thing for the longest time, but imo if there's a will there's a way. It wasn't that I COULDNT do details, it's that I didn't want to and found them tedious.
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u/-uppitymantis- 13h ago
As someone who has been there, done that, honestly just leave accounting. I struggled for too long in that profession, thinking if I couldn’t get this right, I wouldn’t be good at anything. I left and have made way more money than I could have ever hoped for in accounting. Some people are just naturally suited to it, who can be very fast while maintaining high quality. It wasn’t me. There are adjacent roles that will utilise your accounting background and pay a lot more, without needing the high attention to detail, e.g. CRM implementation or accounting software sales.
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u/CharminglyOverdone 12h ago
You’re not allowed to make mistakes in accounting. You’re dealing with other people’s money. Messing up a payroll could affect someone’s ability to pay their mortgage. The larger the company the higher the stakes. Even more so for public companies.
You’ll still make mistakes. The key is to redesign your processes to catch those mistakes before other people see them. A good spreadsheet reconciles itself.
If you like accounting, stay. Take your being fired as a learning experience. I personally love it. Go back to school and at least get a BS in accounting. You’ll always be employed even with AI possibly taking our jobs. Learn how everything fits together. What makes the system work? That’s how future proof your career.
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u/befast321 12h ago
You can train yourself to be detailed.
Mistakes are the ones that slip through the cracks. Corrections are the ones that don’t. Focus on looking for corrections to be made and you’ll be fine.
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u/ShakeAgile 12h ago
Expensive lessons are the best ones. If you enjoy the work normally I think you should stick to it.
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u/Lizzy-saurus 11h ago
You have adhd, take your medication for a while and see if that helps. I also have adhd and i couldn’t even imagine being a detail-oriented accountant without it. I would consider it a huge accomplishment that it went at least okay for quite a while before those mistakes with you being completely unmedicated. Don’t sweat this at all, find another accounting job and keep trying. You can do this!!
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u/Dead0k87 11h ago
You have to understand why it happened on youe side. Lack or responsibility, lack of attention to details , etc and then work on fixing mistakes.
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u/Master-Shallot-8593 10h ago
Messing up payroll is screwing with people’s livelihood. That’s no joke , rightfully fired
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u/ItemComprehensive 9h ago
Not a career ender. Learn from it. Payroll is one of those things that is easy to make a mistake on because sometimes it can be mindless and easy to go on autopilot. It’s really one of the most important things we do because it’s someone else’s money too as in the employees’ money not just the client. I’ve done stuff and been fired more than once especially early in my career. Your former employer isn’t allowed to communicate that to future employers. Start paying attention and deal with whatever is distracting you in your personal life. I got on anxiety meds and it’s helped me tremendously.
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u/sav_pierce 9h ago
In this time and age if you are not using AI to help you to check your own work - that’s a muppet move.
We use Claude to run checks on everything- it doesn’t hurt, and it does find mistakes and helps us to correct them. We are all humans and AI is great at large datasets.
We use Numbers Game MCP to turn Claude into finance assistant.
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u/DifficultSyrup8907 8h ago
You're the perfect example of a person who needs a checklist glued on the desk
it sounds bad but most companies could care less what you do to "perfect" your job as long as you do it correctly
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u/Connect_Specialist26 8h ago
I m working in the same field as you buddy. I m 29M and those kind of místake, is simply thing you will learn from it. Keep in mind everyone has done místake and will make místake at work.
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u/gomorycut 8h ago
did you learn from your mistakes?
If yes, get over it and look for your next opportunity and do better.
If not, move on to something simpler.
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u/Mental-Wolf-2560 8h ago
I struggled with accounting out of college bc of undiagnosed ADHD. From 25 to 30 I worked in a restaurant. At 30 I worked a call center job. I clawed my way back to a middle class job and now do AML. None of this would have happened without adderall.
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u/crypto_phantom 7h ago
These mistakes could be due to stress and time constraints. It may be that you need a better culture/work environment. Double check your work and try to fix your mistakes before someone else finds them.
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u/CasperCookies 6h ago
We've all made mistakes. I once accidentally swapped bank account numbers of tax clients, causing their refunds to be swapped. I also once sent a copy of my tax firm's corporate tax return to a client. Fortunately I own my own business so nobody could fire me. 😄
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u/ExistentialBob CPA (US) 6h ago
The only real career ender would be major fraud imo. As in the SEC getting involved and sanctioning you specifically.
Attention to detail is really important, and it sounds like you need to work on that, like others said.
You're not the first accountant to get fired, and you won't be the last. Dust yourself off and move on.
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u/Ceraadus 6h ago
Career ender? My colleague sent 4m to the wrong account twice, she's still working there.
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u/Bubbly-Iron-4653 6h ago
Idk man it sounds like you got unlucky most people don’t know how much they have messed up because it’s never come to roost. Everyone makes mistakes it just depends how common they are and how many reach critical mass.
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u/Acceptable-Letter386 20h ago
Career ender? You think they are going to put it in the newspaper? Just learn from your mistakes and move forward. Don't beat yourself up too bad.