Account for the best, shocking, and ugly truths of living and working in the Big Apple without being there physically.
Photo by Karl Hernandez
Meet the city that never sleeps, like an accountant at the eve of the tax filing or reporting date.
The ultimate guide to living and working abroad as a New York City accountant offers fresh, experience-based perspectives on the realities of moving and working abroad—from earning acceptance at work to handling the challenges of the pandemic and ultimately, building your life and career in a city of dreams.
Put on Liza Minelli’s “New York, New York” as you read through the audit adventures of Aizelle and Kim*.
New York is not a place for introverts?
Extroverted, loud, and flashy. If there are only three words to describe the city, it would be these. Like a party that goes on and on into the wee hours of the night, with new faces going in and out, New York is a haven for people who like to have fun and make the best out of life.
You would think there’s no place for an introverted person to venture into this wild jungle of the ultimate hustle and bustle.
But Kim will prove you wrong.
Kim, who didn’t want to share her real name, claims that she’s an introvert. She has been working in New York for three years now. She survived in that jungle. It’s an outstanding feat for her given that the city teems with extroverted personalities.
“It’s [a city] against introverts. It’s an adjustment I had to overcome,” said Kim as she narrated all the little things that challenged her sociability. She used to get daily invitations from colleagues to grab coffee. Firm partners would ask “how are you doing” in elevator rides. And there was that year when she exerted effort to dress up in a Halloween costume for an office party.
The biggest shock she experienced? Receiving performance feedback for consistently refusing to go out for coffee with the team. She got transferred to another team because of that.
“In US culture, you have to say yes. They wanted you to exert some effort to belong with them. I learned my lesson the hard way. You have to make yourself part of the team,” Kim said as she wistfully recalled that embarrassing conversation with the manager giving her the feedback.
But to Kim, it was a good lesson on building relationships. She grew up in an Asian culture that respects hierarchy and position. She’s used to seeing closed doors and minimal involvement from leaders. In New York, she appreciated the opportunity to talk with firm partners, make jokes with them and see them on fieldwork almost every single day.
One time, a partner asked their team if they’re ready to archive** the file minutes after releasing the report. She asked “what the hell is happening” (not loudly, of course) but as it turned out, this is a normal thing among engagements in that office.
Among other things, she learned how to manage her time well, discarding the old habit of taking long breaks and chatting with people, and working long hours.
In the firm where she worked, people come exactly at 9 AM and leave at 6 PM. According to her, New Yorkers are very efficient at managing workload expectations. They reward people who are proactive, who are efficient, too, and who provide great output.
But not all realities are as explosively exciting and brilliant as the Times Square on New Year’s eve.
Photo by Karl Hernandez
The best, shocking, and ugly truths of living in the Big Apple
A Quoran answer with 157,000 views and 4,300 upvotes as of this article date describes the city as “filthy”, “loud” and “ludicrously expensive”.
Brian Sack, who lived in New York City and provided the answer to the question “What are some ugly truths of living in New York City” described seeing a “bottle filled with pee that a cab driver left on the ground”, a “lunatic run[ning] down the avenue, overturning every trash can” and a “lady pooping between two cars” among other things.
For Kim, one of the shockers was the number of beggars and homeless on the streets.
“It’s a bit different than what I thought it will be. I mentally prepared myself that it will be different. My imagination is just like the movies. It’s not like the PH*** but I thought it would be nicer. I thought everything in NY is nice. But it’s not,” narrated Kim as she recalled walking and seeing homeless people lying on the streets for every five blocks.
Aizelle had a different shock and hers was a good one. Aizelle, who came into New York at the start of the pandemic lockdowns, remembered the first day (March 16, 2020) that she was supposed to report to the office. On that date, the firm that hired her announced that no one should come to the office for a while. She hasn’t been back to the office since then.
She was supposed to stay at a hotel for only fourteen days after arrival. But the firm accommodated her hotel stay for three months. That was the shocker.
When Aizelle started, the busy season was in full force and all the while, companies were laying off people. She expected to be sent back to her country. But it didn’t happen and she was thankful for it.
“NY looks like a dead city [back] then. One time, I went to Times Square and I’ve never seen it so empty,” she recalled.
The pandemic was full of surprises, according to Aizelle. In the middle of it, she received a warm, welcome treatment as people regularly checked in to see how she was doing. The move to a new country challenged her but it also exposed her to people’s kindness.
“Looking back one year from now, I feel proud of surviving that stage. I’m proud of myself that I was able to pull it off,” Aizelle said.
For Kim, the challenge was in navigating both the culture and the language. Like most Filipinos, Kim learned her English from a book. Some idiomatic expressions that are casual to the New Yorkers would tend to confuse her. Her boyfriend, now husband, would sometimes chide her for saying an English word that’s not conversation-friendly.
Kim also had to deal with learning the language of American sports. According to her experience, most audit partners, even those who are not athletic, are into football or basketball.
At the office, they have this practice of creating brackets to predict tournament winners. She happily told me about the first time that her bracket successfully predicted who would win the college basketball tournaments. It was a big deal.
Photo of an empty Times Square street as taken by Aizelle
Why should you move to New York City?
What brought two young professionals like Aizelle and Kim to New York City?
With an estimated population of 8,3 million people, based on a US census as of July 2019, NY is a melting pot of diverse cultures and nationalities. Out of this number, 14% are Asians alone.
Several expat blogs about New York City describe it as a hub of culture, fashion, and finance. The city offers great job opportunities to foreign professionals.
For Aizelle and Kim, their New York journey echoes the young professional’s ambition to experience an international environment, to learn from the best in their profession, and to experience auditing the coolest industries. Both of their stories prove that you have to be open to opportunities when they arrive.
“It’s very fast-paced. Everyone is so smart that you have to work hard to catch up,” Kim said when I asked her about the best part of working in New York.
Kim is currently a Big 4 auditor/accountant but she didn’t start at a Big 4 firm, at first. She got a job in a smaller accounting firm through an old contact who funded her education. The person, as it turned out, owned an accounting firm in New York. She got invited to apply and she said yes. She clinched the H1-B visa through the US lottery system.
One year after she started working in that local firm, she sought a different culture that’s not saturated by other Filipinos like her. A Big 4 firm contacted her directly and hired her without a fuss.
Aizelle also got in smoothly into one of the international firms where she is now. In 2019, she was still in Antigua and Barbuda handling the audits of key financial services clients when she got the offer to work in NY through a colleague referral.
Both Aizelle and Kim began their careers in public accounting firms in the Philippines.
Aizelle left the chaotic city of Makati in exchange for the quiet, laidback life on the island of Antigua & Barbuda. There, she leveraged her experience in the financial services industry.
The small island living made her appreciate time more. She recalled that back in Metro Manila, a fifteen-minute bus ride can easily turn into a two-hour commute when it’s raining. To her, the daily traffic was a big time waster.
But, the economic state of Antigua & Barbuda frightened her. The country is also prone to hurricanes. She thought that at any time, a hurricane would blow the country away. That prompted her to move to New York which she found to be a lot similar to Makati in terms of “busy-ness”.
As she did the interview with me on a Sunday morning EST, she joked that she appeared tired because she’s been working until 4 AM last night and on that particular day, she’s still planning to do some work.
Photo by Karl Hernandez
What is your best advice for living and working in New York City?
Aizelle, who found good graces with her current employer said not to rush until you find a good employer yourself. She was happy to belong in a company that cared for its people and she was thankful for it every day.
“When I know my company can take care of me which was tested during the pandemic, I feel empowered and I do my best in my work,” said Aizelle, echoing the sentiments of many young professionals like her.
Both Kim and Aizelle prepared themselves for their move well and in advance.
Kim, in particular, faced some difficulty convincing her conservative father to allow her solo move to New York. Prior to leaving, she wrote a manual for Skype and online banking for her parents who are not as tech-savvy as her. Upon arrival to New York, she had to brace herself for the extremely cold conditions which were opposite the often sunny and hot weather in the Philippines.
“Be brave enough to try different things even though you’re the only one moving into that country. The good thing about moving to a different country is that you wouldn’t know yourself better unless you move alone. You would challenge yourself. You would learn about yourself and you would be a better person…even though it’s scary,” Kim advised.
Aizelle also did lots of research but she found it more helpful to ask for support from the Filipino community who already exists in the area. They gave her advice on where to find the best food or how to navigate the subways. Aizelle also acknowledges that people have different experiences so one piece of advice would not fit everyone.
“I don’t think you’ll ever be prepared until you get to experience it yourself,” Aizelle said.
Aizelle and Kim’s faces showed excitement and happiness when narrating their adventures and also, a hint of nostalgia when they recall the journey they had to take when they first started.
“When I was younger, I never thought of working abroad. I was so idealistic of working in my own country. I thought I can be satisfied with my exposure back in Philippines and grow from there until opportunities open up. I embrace the fact that I can dream bigger and work hard for it. I learned that working abroad does not make me less of a Filipino. In fact, it made me prouder as a Filipino,” Aizelle concluded.
Some practical tips about living and working abroad in New York
Are you planning to live and work as a New York City Accountant? Here are some more practical tips:
How to find a job in New York City as an accountant/auditor
Based on Kim and Aizelle’s experience, the easiest way would be through a sponsor or referral. Identify people who are already working in your target firm or company. Ask them to bring your CV to the hiring manager’s attention. If you want to ask someone to refer your CV without them thinking twice about it, learn first how to shape-up your CV in this free guide.
In terms of industry, exposure to financial services is highly valued.
Getting the US CPA is not needed for entry but having one will give you the edge in the future and elevate you to a candidate for managerial position.
How to apply for a New York City Visa
After you clinched that job and signed the offer, your visa application depends on where you’re currently located.
If you’re in the Philippines, there is already a comprehensive guide on how you can obtain your US visa.
You can find some other practical tips for preparing your documents and exit requirements in Part 2 of The Ultimate Guide to Living and Working Abroad as an Accountant.
How to make the most out of the New York City life
Once you step into New York City, prepare to be amazed and mesmerized by all the spark and glitter. But before you go gallivanting, be aware that despite being a potpourri of nationalities, New York is not the safest city in the world.
Just like with any other city, pickpockets exist and you can avoid them by learning about their secrets. Also, given the rise of Asian hate crimes in the US, you have to always be at the right neighborhood at the right time.
The subways are tricky to handle. But with a step-by-step guide, you can navigate the subways like a pro.
Feeling tired after a long week of working? There are 45 incredible things that you can do in the New York city as a tourist. But even if you’re already a resident there, you can equally enjoy a view from the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, get lost at Met or the Guggenheim or simply take a free, leisurely walk at Central Park.
If you’re missing home and want a taste of Asian delicacy, you can visit Asian restaurants in New York City for a special treat or enjoy take-out from Asian restaurants that are still open for delivery amidst the pandemic. Don’t forget to tip.
Finally, if you simply want to check-out and keep abreast with all the Asian experiences from different parts of the world and all walks of life, the Subtle Asian Traits group in Facebook is worth joining.
*Kim is not her real name.
**Archive is a term for finalizing and compiling evidence obtained throughout an audit.
*** PH is a common abbreviation for Philippines.
In which country and city are you planning to live and work as an accountant?
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“To be in New York, to be an adult, to stand on a raised platform of wood and say other people’s words!―it was an absurd life, a not-life, a life his parents and his brother would never have dreamed for themselves, and yet he got to dream it for himself every day.”―Hanya Yanagihara, A Little Life
Reading this article gave me goosebumps. I’ve always wanted to move to NYC. I want to be at the center of fashion, finance, entertainment, and even the world (if you can consider it that). I vividly imagine life in NYC while reading Kim and Aizelle’s testimonies, and it feels like I’m getting closer to my dream.
As usual, great article, Ms. Tin! Hoping to read more testimony from other people working in NYC or even other parts of the US.
Thanks Jhon! The goal of Audventures is to give you a peek at accountants’ experiences all over the world. We learn better through people’s stories.