Vault’s Verdict

Armanino is ideally looking for bright, hardworking, positive, personable team players. Armanino’s valuable internship program provides students with hands-on experience, many learning and networking opportunities, and a good look at what a full-time position with the firm is like. For its full-time staff, Armanino offers extensive growth opportunities, including excellent training, mentoring, CPA sponsorship, and a collaborative culture in which people are always willing to help.

Although hours can be long and the work demanding during the busy tax seasons, a good work/life balance can be achieved outside of the busy periods. The firm offers a lot of schedule flexibility, remote work options, and a generous amount of PTO. While salaries are said to be competitive, the firm’s benefit offerings could be better, with several insiders saying the 401(k) and gym reimbursement policies need improvement. Staff also say that wellness offerings are lacking.

The firm is, though, very focused on DEI and ESG, and is a leader in both areas. The firm is especially supportive of LGBTQ+ individuals, and the firm’s staff level is very diverse. However, the firm’s leadership team is not very diverse. As for Armanino’s business outlook, it is very bright. The firm has been rapidly growing and is very profitable. It has also been rolling out exciting new initiatives and entering new markets, and its employee morale is generally strong.

Hiring Process

“Once we receive a resume, HR will usually reach out to vet the candidate. Assuming the candidate passes HR vetting, several team members in the relevant group interview the candidate and provide feedback to HR on candidate. Team internally discusses candidate and compares information, identify strengths and grow areas, and discusses whether to continue to the next level, which is interviewing with our practice leader. The process is relatively straightforward. HR is able to issue offers quickly once we have given them the greenlight, and we follow up with candidates with open offer letters.”

“The interview process has changed since I joined, but being a person on interviews I believe the way of interviewing is effective. We have partners meet with the candidate first, then we have two staff-manager level professionals that meet with the candidate. There is an interview piece, but then also a ton of time for the candidate to ask all of their questions. The ideal candidate I believe our firm is seeking is someone who has not only is experienced enough but also will fit culturally in this office. Someone who is respectful, outgoing, and willing to work hard. A big part of it is the willingness to work with a team and be able to properly be resourceful to that team.”

“The interview process involves meeting with a member of the team at each level. The ideal candidate our firm is seeking is someone that embodies our Purpose Value Anchors. They must be wickedly smart and exude positive energy. Specific technical skills can be learned on the job.”

“They aren't just looking for someone with technical skills; they are looking for someone with a personality that matched the spirit of the firm. Of course, they want the brightest candidates they can get, but I feel that the interviews lean much more heavily on personality/interpersonal interaction.”

Interview Questions

“Tell me about a time when you had to work with a large group of people to achieve an objective together. What role did you play? What was the outcome? Tell me about a time when you had to work alongside someone who was difficult to get along with. How did you handle interactions with that person? What was the outcome?”

“Why are you interested in [relevant practice area]? Do you enjoy training and mentoring others on the team and what has been your experience with it? Describe a challenge that you've come across (usually in school or work) and explain how you overcame it?”

“What made you interested in tax? If you are faced with a difficult problem, do you rely more on your intelligence/skillset or perseverance/grit?”

“Where do you see yourself in five years? What type of environment are you looking to work in?”

Internship Experience

“The best part of the internship was getting real, hands-on experience in audit. We would be on a different client each week from Monday to Thursday. On Fridays, all the interns would reunite based on geographic location and have a networking/learning opportunity in the morning and social in the afternoon where others from the firm would join so we could build connections.”

“The people were very friendly and inclusive. We had a lot of learning opportunities and presentations during the internship to find out more about specific industries and niches. The ‘Fun Fridays’ were usually just virtual trivia meetings instead of team-bonding activities or networking opportunities. The first two weeks involved training at a separate and far away office from the office I interned at.”

“Overall, I had a great internship experience with Armanino. I interned with several firms before Armanino, so I had a lot of other experiences to compare to. One of the things that stood out the most, and the reason I picked Armanino, was the unique and inviting culture. We had free meals every day, which I think played a huge part in how quickly I got to know others in all roles while I was an intern. Everyone was so friendly. and it drew me in from the start.”

“The best aspect of my internship was that I was treated identical to a full-time employee. The differences in the type of work was very slim. I was able to gain true experience very early on. The environment was (and still is) very comforting, supportive, and fun.”

Career Development

“Everyone is willing to be a mentor/assist with developing people's career. There are committees dedicated to supporting women in leadership positions. There are paths and resources offered to keep you on track to develop your career.”

“The environment is entrepreneurial, and you are encouraged to pursue and action ideas at all levels of the organization. There is an abundance of training materials, CPA sponsorship, and learning alongside experienced professionals on a daily basis, which all provides a great environment to develop your personal skills.”

“The best aspect is the quantity of opportunities to develop or advance. Of course, those opportunities are not handed out, but they are available for the taking. Armanino empowers their people to have a voice, and to be involved. There is a lot of support to stay involved in internal initiatives as you connect better with the firm and the people. The aspect of internal mobility is comforting, as it gives professionals the ability to stay with Armanino but still make a career change. A career change doesn't always have to mean an employer change.”

“Regardless of where you are in your career, there are people at every level wanting to help you and bring out your best through coaching and training. There are very few people at the firm that will say ‘no’ to helping you. A tough aspect is not always being able to work on the clients you have interest in early on, or having a tough time moving off of a client you don't enjoy. You can be pigeon-holed that way.”

Quality of Life

“Armanino really embraces the new remote and/or hybrid work environment and allows its employees a ton of flexibility. We have unlimited PTO within reason (four to five weeks for non-partners), and it's easy to take PTO as long as you plan in advance. Overall, Armanino has been very flexible to adjust to my personal needs to maintain a good work/life balance.”

“Armanino keeps a close eye when employees start to ‘burn hot.’ Of course, many tasks have deadlines, but with as much flexibility as possible, my team encourages taking breaks and recharging when needed. As long as I complete my work, I have the flexibility I need day-to-day.”

“Hours rarely push 55 in busy season, which is great compared to other firms. Armanino ensures you take at least four weeks PTO a year, and it's not hard to get extra approved.”

“The best aspect of my firm's quality of life are the people I work with. I work with an engaging and supportive team that consistently pushes me in an upward direction. Outside of my specific team, the firm as a whole is making consistent shifts to provide a better quality of life for its people. Whether that be through compensation, scheduling shifts for alleviated hours, or even incorporating more social events. The worst aspect is the number of hours I work. It is not something forced on by my firm, but in order to best serve your clients in a timely fashion, it may require to stay over time every now and then. Tax season can get really rough especially when a firm faces staffing shortages. Recently, the firm has been making scheduling shifts to avoid the hefty workloads.”

Salary and Benefits

“I think they do a really good job for compensation as well as bonuses. There are also lots of incentives to get your professional license. That makes it really appealing to work for the firm. Also, PTO hours granted are great, and flexibility is an amazing perk. However, there’s little to no gym/lifestyle reimbursement, and when you work overtime, there’s no compensation for that.”

“Salary fluctuates, but 2022 was a good year. 401(k) options and medical are offered with plenty options. Meals have dropped off drastically; we were recently told team lunches are gone but recommended to take staff out and make sandwiches to save money.”

“The firm does provide some great benefits. I appreciate their willingness to listen to their employees and actively make changes for the better. While pay has gotten better, there hasn’t been a salary increase larger than a standard cost of living adjustment without strain.”

“I feel the perks offered by the company are fairly slim. The base pay is nice, the self-managed PTO plan is good, and the medical coverage options as a single member are great, but the perks kind of stop there. I wish the company offered a 401(k) match, which it currently doesn't. I'm not really aware of what other perks are available, because the firm doesn't really advertise them.”

Wellness Efforts

“If there are any, it's not communicated very well. I really don’t know what (if anything) the firm has in place related to physical and mental wellness efforts.”

“I don't think our firm provides much of this at all. They took away our ‘health subsidy’ in the current year (which was only $20/month) and implemented an application that you have to track your fitness in and then you get ‘points’ for it. Other firms pay for employees’ therapy, gym membership, massage appointments, etc., whereas we get none of that.”

“There are many wellness initiatives across the firm with specific regional activities. We have done walking challenges by team, weight loss initiatives, confidential mental health offerings, book clubs, watch parties for socialization (which I think is very important). There are many others. These activities are sponsored and championed by top leadership.”

“We used to be compensated $20 for gym membership but that was taken away and now have a vague app that is way too hard to figure out how to use, nor do we have time to actually exercise. Mental health initiatives are basically nonexistent and not touched upon.”

Diversity, Philanthropy, and Green Initiatives

“I believe the firm is committed to lifting individuals from the various diversity groups. As an LGBTQ+ individual, I was just nominated and invited to participate in our Executive Access Program. This group, originally exclusive to women, opened up this year to men. It's meant to provide mentorship, workshops, and growth opportunities for individuals from the diversity groups.”

“I wish there were more diversity in public accounting, but there is definitely more at this firm than anywhere else I have worked. They are very open about LGBTQ+ which is very refreshing!”

“The best aspects are the inclusion of our IDEAL initiative (DEI), our Annual Great Give, our new formed ESG practice, our talents and efforts from the B Corp team, and our Armanino Foundation Grants program. Anyone and everyone has the ability to be part of the IDEAL team, which finds ways to innovate our DEI strategies to make all persons feel welcome and respected by the firm and their colleagues. The Great Give is an annual event where every office closes and employees volunteer for five hours of the day to a local nonprofit organization. There are vast opportunities to volunteer, and the event is a HUGE success. The ESG practice was newly launched to assist our clients with their own ESG initiatives. We are not only making the impact ourselves but also helping our clients with their focus on ESG programs. The B Team ensures we are meeting the proper procedures and guidelines to uphold the B corp status. The Armanino Foundation Grants program provides quarterly grants to employee-nominated nonprofits. Personally, I was able to receive a $2,000 grant to a foundation close to my family.”

“Our staff levels are very diverse, but our leadership level is still primarily white older men. That said, small shifts have been made. We do have specific diversity initiatives with full committees though, so I have hope things will get better. I have not personally witnessed any discrimination.”

Business Outlook

“Aggressive growth targets followed by annual execution. Armanino will likely be one of the largest accounting/consulting firms in the U.S. in the future. Strength in competition is centered around being a first mover in new markets (cannabis, blockchain), and getting ahead of the latest trends in technology, like incorporating AI into solutions. Employee morale is positive and noticeable. Employees have positive attitudes and feel like they are part of something larger than themselves.”

“Growth and profitability are top-notch. The business keeps growing more and more every day at a very fast pace. I sometimes worry that it may be too fast and we are not able to hire enough people to help, and the current employees will get burnt out.”

“We are full steam ahead and flexible enough to find the hours and generate the revenue regardless of the market. However, I am concerned that leadership continues to run the firm like a tech startup rather than a top-20 accounting and consulting firm. Policies sometimes flip-flop constantly, rates change to chase dollars, and employees give 125 percent every day, only to hear that we need to turn it up another notch.”

“The firm is headed in a great direction. We are constantly finding ways to be more competitive in the marketplace. One being with the launch of our new app, Armanino Access. It is in the beta testing stages, but we are big believers this will create and enhance the digital client experience. No one else in the industry is showing signs of providing an experience like this. We have discussions regarding Vision 2025, and our people strategy moving forward aligns with these goals. The downside to all this is that it means change. Change has been inevitable since 2020 (the pandemic). Some adapt easily, but for others it is difficult, so you may see certain people’s morale drop.”