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expected work day

I will be working full-time as a staff auditor in the Fall for a mid-size firm in New York. I've interned at another mid-size firm, and I've seen all the auditors staying pretty late. But exactly what is late? (As an intern, I got to leave by 5-6pm). How late do they expect you to stay? Do you leave when the managers/partners leave?

As an intern, you have a pretty swell life. They will pet you, treat you and coddle you well, until you sign the dotted line. It is nothing like how you're treated once you join. This is prevalent in different industries though, not just accounting. Hours are different across firms and teams, so I can't tell you what you should expect, but I can only tell you what I've seen and heard. In the fall you might work until 7-7:30 at times. December's usually the slowest month of the year, so you can pull of a normal work day (5-5:30). On average during busy season (Jan-April), people work till 8-8:30. Some teams work till midnight, some work till 7, so it really ranges. In the summer time, it goes back to normal hours, with the occasional 7 pm days sprinkled across the board. But there are no set hours, it really depends on the team and the amount of work.

Also, are there penalties if you fall behind? Let's say you're just honestly confused about something, and are messing up. But you tried to figure it out at least. How does this affect your reviews job keeping abilities?

Well, it's kind of like any other job. You aren't expected to know everything as a new hire, and everyone understands that you will be on a learning curve. Expectations increase every year. And if you're confused, don't waste too much time figuring it out yourself, ask your team. This will give them an idea as to where you stand, and how you're progressing. So don't stress it too much. I didn't know anything about the job and what it entailed when i started, took me a few months to get a true grasp.





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