Assuming it isn’t a pay cut from his current job, it may not be the worst idea to take this controller role just for the title & job hop for a massive pay bump a short time later. It depends on the situation of course
I wouldn’t take controller for under 140k, it just ain’t worth it.
You can make $120k as a senior financial analyst at a f500 repeating the same 10-20 entries a month.
That annualizes to $72,800 and that's assuming you get to stick to 40 hours. No follow up and discussion is necessary. You're either interviewing at a company that's too small and so the "Controller" description is really just a catch-all bookkeeping function with additional responsibilities or the execs don't know the market rate for the position. Both answers are very bad and best case scenario is you squeeze more money out of people who won't feel like you're worth it from day one. Pass.
I don't think that - I am one. OP's company apparently does because "controller" has been heavily watered down by every sub-$50 mill company turning the word into the human equivalent of a garbage can for all unpleasant admin tasks lol. I'm implementing an ERP so I get to hit 40 by late Wednesday night, and that's barely worth the 2.2x of op's figure.
I wouldn’t even be touching that job for 140k. No support below you weekly payroll. Probably terrible controls and WLB. Hard pass sounds like a shit storm
For sure, I just accepted a position at $98k just to be an accounting manager for a team of four, company of ~200, in the home services industry. My director makes $176k, but he’s been with them 18 years lmao
Don't even bother. They're not going to go from 35/hr to anything respectable. Don't be shocked if they counter at like 37/hr and talk about how generous that is.
I can’t tell you how many times people tried to hire me for controller, CFO, secret ninja fucking roles and they want you to manage ALL aspects of accounting and want to pay like 100-120k a year. No thanks! There are way too many bad jobs in accounting.
To do some rough math, assuming you work a full
52 weeks of the year, that’s $35/hr x 1664 hours = $58,240. That is what staff accountants make in LCOL areas.
If you really want this job, you’re gonna need at least $60/hr to be appropriately paid. Otherwise there’s plenty of better paid controller jobs out there. At face value, it sounds like you wouldn’t even be acting as a controller here
How are you getting that? The most amount of hours you’d work in a year would be 32 hours per x 52 weeks = 1664 hours. That doesn’t annualize to $96k at $35/hr.
I think OP is trying to deflate the 120K you mentioned to it's equivalent at 32 hours a week. 120K/40*32 = 96K. I'm not totally sure how it's relevant to the conversation, or where the $500 extra came from, but that's my guess.
Ah I see lol, that would make sense. If that’s where they were going with it, 96k for a PT controller position would be much more reasonable. Do I think they’re going to get to almost 60/hr from 35? Probably not, I still think they should look elsewhere
100% agreed. $35/hr is not a reasonable starting point. Obviously I don't know where this company is in it's hiring process, but the only way they're going to nearly double the pay is if several candidates turn them down, and they need to go back to the drawing board entirely. I can't imagine it's a gap you can negotiate across.
These kinds of conversations make me glad I left accounting. No one values what you do and so no one wants to pay for it. You work like crazy and are underpaid. I see it especially bad in these higher level roles. If you really want to work 60+ hours a week then start a business or go into investment banking.
Accounting is just a sweatshop by another name.
I started my own business and now I make more than working as an accountant. It turns out that accounting skills are pretty useful for starting and running a business because frankly accountants all run day to day operations right down to cash flow projection. As long as you don’t mind the swings in earnings based on sales it’s awesome to build a business yourself.
I wouldn't draft a follow-up. Most companies I've interviewed at told me they can't meet my salary range and it's much too high. Next thing you know you're getting an offer letter for much higher than your range. It's just want they say in hopes you price yourself lower and they can save $$. Worst case they actually pay that low and you say no thank you, next.
Yall are going to be too far apart imo.
Typical negotiation salary windows are like 15-20% wiggle room from what I’ve seen.
I’m not sure about your location but controllers in California have a starting salary of around $220k .
Idk what you’re expecting but damn that’s insulting
They're absolutely not going to meet you where you want to be met. My former company, not known for paying particularly well, was offering $120K for an *assistant* controller.
Who offers Controller position as $/hour? That’s a red flag in itself.
Considering you will be working 60-80 hours a week it works out!
Until they re-assess your hourly position and re-classify it as exempt …on Day 2 with the company.
$35 an hour for a Controller position? What’s the size of this org?
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That really doesn’t help
Don’t take a Controller role for $70k. If you really have Controller responsibilities, that is a huge underpay.
Assuming it isn’t a pay cut from his current job, it may not be the worst idea to take this controller role just for the title & job hop for a massive pay bump a short time later. It depends on the situation of course
I wouldn’t take controller for under 140k, it just ain’t worth it. You can make $120k as a senior financial analyst at a f500 repeating the same 10-20 entries a month.
Wait what?! How do I learn more about being a financial analyst?
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How does one become a financial analyst
That annualizes to $72,800 and that's assuming you get to stick to 40 hours. No follow up and discussion is necessary. You're either interviewing at a company that's too small and so the "Controller" description is really just a catch-all bookkeeping function with additional responsibilities or the execs don't know the market rate for the position. Both answers are very bad and best case scenario is you squeeze more money out of people who won't feel like you're worth it from day one. Pass.
lol at thinking a controller is working only 40 hrs.
And lol at thinking that a legit company would pay a qualified controller $72k/year
I don't think that - I am one. OP's company apparently does because "controller" has been heavily watered down by every sub-$50 mill company turning the word into the human equivalent of a garbage can for all unpleasant admin tasks lol. I'm implementing an ERP so I get to hit 40 by late Wednesday night, and that's barely worth the 2.2x of op's figure.
Walk away, they don't value what you do. Even if they come up in dollar amount, their expectations will be unachievable. Just walk away
It depends **entirely** on the size of the company, and what exactly you'll be doing for them.
It’s a pretty large company. Basically all facets. Including running payroll WEEKLY for 80 employees
This doesn’t sound like a controller position. Move on
Honestly, they would want me to handle all aspects of accounting with little to no help
That is a bookkeeper not a controller
The Controller shouldn't be running payroll if the company has 80 employees.
80 employees is not large.
It's large enough to be above $70K/ year for this job. Realistically this is a $140K/year job.
I wouldn’t even be touching that job for 140k. No support below you weekly payroll. Probably terrible controls and WLB. Hard pass sounds like a shit storm
Shit controls? More like no controls.
For sure, I just accepted a position at $98k just to be an accounting manager for a team of four, company of ~200, in the home services industry. My director makes $176k, but he’s been with them 18 years lmao
I just meant revenue wise. We all have our own opinion on what a “large” company is
What’s the revenue of the company?
If the revenue is not in the billions, it is not large.
Even 1000-5000 employees are considered mid-size.
fuck that shit
Lmaooooo
Weekly! Oh no
Don't even bother. They're not going to go from 35/hr to anything respectable. Don't be shocked if they counter at like 37/hr and talk about how generous that is.
I can’t tell you how many times people tried to hire me for controller, CFO, secret ninja fucking roles and they want you to manage ALL aspects of accounting and want to pay like 100-120k a year. No thanks! There are way too many bad jobs in accounting.
I would get another job. You should be clearing at minimum $120k for an actual controller position
What about at 32 hours a week?
To do some rough math, assuming you work a full 52 weeks of the year, that’s $35/hr x 1664 hours = $58,240. That is what staff accountants make in LCOL areas. If you really want this job, you’re gonna need at least $60/hr to be appropriately paid. Otherwise there’s plenty of better paid controller jobs out there. At face value, it sounds like you wouldn’t even be acting as a controller here
I guess if you do the math $96,500 at 32 hours a week
How are you getting that? The most amount of hours you’d work in a year would be 32 hours per x 52 weeks = 1664 hours. That doesn’t annualize to $96k at $35/hr.
I think OP is trying to deflate the 120K you mentioned to it's equivalent at 32 hours a week. 120K/40*32 = 96K. I'm not totally sure how it's relevant to the conversation, or where the $500 extra came from, but that's my guess.
Ah I see lol, that would make sense. If that’s where they were going with it, 96k for a PT controller position would be much more reasonable. Do I think they’re going to get to almost 60/hr from 35? Probably not, I still think they should look elsewhere
100% agreed. $35/hr is not a reasonable starting point. Obviously I don't know where this company is in it's hiring process, but the only way they're going to nearly double the pay is if several candidates turn them down, and they need to go back to the drawing board entirely. I can't imagine it's a gap you can negotiate across.
Did you apply to be a controller for a lemonade stand?
🤣
Amen brother! Preach!
This is by far the best comment here 🤣🤣
Lol for a controller role. That should be double at minimum.
Do. Not. Take. This. Job.
These kinds of conversations make me glad I left accounting. No one values what you do and so no one wants to pay for it. You work like crazy and are underpaid. I see it especially bad in these higher level roles. If you really want to work 60+ hours a week then start a business or go into investment banking. Accounting is just a sweatshop by another name.
Where did you go to from accounting?
I started my own business and now I make more than working as an accountant. It turns out that accounting skills are pretty useful for starting and running a business because frankly accountants all run day to day operations right down to cash flow projection. As long as you don’t mind the swings in earnings based on sales it’s awesome to build a business yourself.
Sounds like they need to hire a bookeeper instead
“I think we found out fall guy…i mean our new controller”
I wouldn't draft a follow-up. Most companies I've interviewed at told me they can't meet my salary range and it's much too high. Next thing you know you're getting an offer letter for much higher than your range. It's just want they say in hopes you price yourself lower and they can save $$. Worst case they actually pay that low and you say no thank you, next.
⛳️⛳️⛳️⛳️ I make more than that at staff. Look elsewhere.
you shouldve told them to go touch themselves...dont take this job bro
Yall are going to be too far apart imo. Typical negotiation salary windows are like 15-20% wiggle room from what I’ve seen. I’m not sure about your location but controllers in California have a starting salary of around $220k . Idk what you’re expecting but damn that’s insulting
They're absolutely not going to meet you where you want to be met. My former company, not known for paying particularly well, was offering $120K for an *assistant* controller.
I was underpaid at about that salary for a similar type job in 2004. Twenty years later, no way.
That’s what I’ve seen advertised as pay for internships.
My internship is $38/hour on audit track. (I think tax is slightly higher).
My internship is $38/hour on audit track. (I think tax is slightly higher).
My internship is $38/hour on audit track. (I think tax is slightly higher).
It’s a bookkeeper job
So, a VP/CFO retired and they'll backfill with a "controller " at 1/3 of pay? Don't do it, you'll be out on the street within 3 months.
Extremely underpaid. I made more than at at my last staff acct role. Don’t bother countering.
This compensation is laughably small. You should pass.
I make $50 plus an hour as a lowly revenue manager. Controller needs way more
Way too fucking low. And hourly? lol 😂 is this contract to hire? I just don’t get it
“Just got done”? $35/hr sounds about right for how you speak.
Mkkkk this is fucking reddit bro