I don't understand the mentality of accounting firms that they think they should work their employees to the bone. I guess because they all do it so why wouldn't they take advantage of that? The idea was that you work like crazy during "busy season" for three months and then the rest of the year is a breeze and that's why they don't hire more associates because they have so much less work the other nine months of the year. Except it just isn't true, I was slammed year round with work it was just that much worse February-April. Also, the difference between the employee's billing rate and their hourly rate is kind of stomach wrenching. They pay quite well and give out bonuses and raises often but the amount they work you makes the hourly rate lower than a job in a comparable industry.