Vault’s Verdict

BPM is ideally searching for motivated, positive, proactive candidates who have accounting backgrounds and are eager to learn. For students, the firm runs a valuable internship program, offering interns hands-on experience, a chance to work on real assignments, and an opportunity to learn about the industry and what a full-time position with BPM is like. For its full-time staff, BPM provides many career development opportunities, including the ability to move among departments, good coaching and mentoring, varied industry and client exposure, and clear promotion guidelines.

Although client-service-driven work and busy tax seasons can mean some weeks are longer than others, BPM promote a healthy work/life balance and encourages staff to take time for themselves. Salaries and benefits are competitive, if merely average, with some insiders saying the 401(k) match could be better. Wellness offerings, though, are generous, and include mediations and nutrition education workshops during working hours, access to BetterHelp, and firmwide competitions to promote wellness with awards for discounts on health insurance.

Diversity is a focus at BPM, which has many female partners and has made a commitment to recruit from HBCUs. BPM also has many social groups tailored to various demographics, including Asian-Pacific Islanders, Black, Hispanic-Latino, and LGBTQIA+. With respect to business outlook, BPM has been growing significantly in recent years, both organically and through acquisitions. It has also been aggressively hiring. According to BPM staff, the firm’s leadership is leading the firm in the right direction.

Hiring Process

“Looking for motivated, proactive candidates with an accounting major and/or background. Typically, candidates meet with recruiters for a brief phone screening, then they go through interviews with two or three groups.”

“Our recruiting team has set up a process that allows mid-level to high-level interviewers access to the most qualified candidates. Ideally, we’re searching for people who a positive outlook and whose goal is to provide an amazing quality of services, while also continuing to help maintain our culture that has been established for years.”

“BPM's interview process was very straightforward, and I felt like they truly were invested in my time as much I was invested in theirs. I believe they want equitable hard workers but also people who care about others and serving other communities.”

“Around two interviews with a manager and a partner and then an email with the offer, or no offer. Looking for someone who loves to learn and loves a challenge. They should be able to fit the culture of the firm.”

Interview Questions

“1. What interests you in public accounting and more specifically tax, assurance, or advisory? 2. What interests you about BPM? What made you apply to our role? 3. Tell me about a time when you were able to build a rapport with a new person in order to help them achieve their goal. 4. Tell me about one of the most challenging issues you have faced on a project or past work experience and how you resolved it? 5. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a team member. How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome? 6. That is all the questions we have, what questions do you have for me/us? “

“There are standard questions broken down by categories and assigned to different interviewers to ensure consistency and fairness.”

“How did you solve a problem or make something more efficient? How do you deal with conflicts with your coworkers? Describe a difficult moment while working with someone and how you fixed it.”

“We ask about how you deal with deadlines and work stress.”

Internship Experience

“I received hands-on experience, working on client engagements and being on site at the client’s office. I was also able to network with my peer group and other professionals in the organization. Lastly, I was able to do a week rotation in tax and advisory to gain some insight into their roles in the firm and expand my internship experience past audit.”

“Great way to really learn about the industry. Friendly culture and low stress.”

“Real work assigned with an opportunity to learn. Everyone was very receptive to helping with everything and anything. No negatives.”

“Loved the people and environment. I would have liked more experience in other tax specialties.”

Career Development

“I have full access and ability to take on any development opportunity. The firm is very encouraging and supportive in this regard. The leadership of the firm also actively rewards such behaviors (taking on opportunities) and provides easy access to partners or mentors/coaches if there is a need for support. I some instances it is difficult for the individuals in tax to ‘negotiate’ their rotation or contribution to specialty services. In general, I think the firm is very supportive and appreciative if employees are striving to take an action and take on any career development opportunity.”

“The firm has a lot of flexibility for internal transfers for less experienced staff, but less flexibility for more senior staff.”

“Lots of focus on career development and the ability to move among departments or areas. But we could do better about career development including technical skills and not just soft skills, as well as having a longer transition plan when moving between departments to ensure client service doesn't get impacted.”

“Good coaching, mentoring, and industry/client exposure with strong team leads. Promotion guidelines are clear and consistently applied. Individuals are provided constructive feedback and support to ensure their success.”

Quality of Life

“The single best aspect is that we promote a work/life balance and actively encourage our teams to be selfish and take time for themselves, whether that be extended time off or daily activities that are meaningful in their lives. The most challenging aspect is one that is typical for the accounting industry as a whole: being deadline-driven and client-service-driven, sometimes the hours may be long in a given week. “

“The quality of life within the firm is excellent. The nature of the work I do is very much driven by factors other than the calendar, and, accordingly, it can sometimes be challenging to arrange time for non-work-related activities. This is not within my control, nor the firm’s. It is, however, a factor to be considered. I can't even say that it is regrettable, since I knew of the issues when I accepted the position.”

“Work is pretty flexible, and I can take longer breaks during the day. However, it's just often too busy, so it feels like even with breaks, it's work, eating, sleeping (with the small breaks in between).”

“PTO is encouraged. The firm offers unlimited PTO and reduced work schedules to some. PTO is only allowed up to two consecutive weeks at a time.”

Salary and Benefits

“Basic salary is just below the industry medium range. 401(k) match could be better; if it tops out at 6 percent, that would be very nice.”

“The pay is pretty good for an accounting firm but amazing when taking into account that the firm actually believes in work/life balance.”

“The firm is transparent about overall salary and recently made adjustments to those they felt were not in line with industry standards. The firm also offers good benefits and perks.”

“The benefits and salary are the best I’ve had since I entered the workforce. The only drawback is that while my salary is appropriate for my level, I live in the SF Bay Area, so it doesn't go very far. I suspect my colleagues in the same position who work remote are doing much ‘better’ when it comes to their cost of living. While my living choices aren't the firm's problem, and it's unreasonable to expect, a cost of living adjustment in salary would be fabulous.”

Wellness Efforts

“They offer workshops during working hours such as mediations and nutrition education. We have access to BetterHelp, and they offer companywide competitions to promote wellness with prizes and awards for discounts on health insurance.”

“Tons of trainings and easy access to all sorts of resources (including support for physical and mental health) are available to all employees.”

“They offer counseling programs and encourages you to exercise by offer healthcare discounts for certain achievements. Firmwide competitions encourage employees to have consistent healthy habits.”

“The firm offers Wellable, which allows us access to online on-demand classes of all kinds: workouts, meditation, nutrition, etc. They even offer a wellness credit towards your health insurance based off your score. The score is calculated by adding points from the classes you take.”

Diversity, Philanthropy and Green Initiatives

“BPM is committed to hiring from all walks of life. We have a very high number of female partners and have made a commitment to hire from HBCUs. We have many social groups tailored to various demographics, like: Asian-Pacific Islanders, Spanish-Latino, LGBTQ+, etc.”

“We have a way to go before our workforce reflects the diversity we would like to have, but huge strides have been made in the last couple of years and we are well on our way. We are an industry leader in ESG matters.”

“BPM has a number of diversity groups for employees to participate in and takes participation in such groups very seriously.”

“I am in the women's colleague resource group at BPM, and it is wonderful to have a place of community within our careers. However, though the firm is working on it, we have very few black colleagues, so this is a large issue which needs to be addressed in an aggressive manner.”

Business Outlook

“BPM is growing exponentially and has been aggressive in hiring along with acquiring firms to merge into BPM. Growth has been both organic and through business combinations.”

“The firm solicits input from every team member and is responsive at all levels of management. My firm joined BPM through a business combination, and we were treated like royalty throughout the transition. BPM has a passion for its people and culture. It is a wonderful place to work.”

“The firm's leadership is headed in the right direction. They are aware of our strengthens and weakness and are constantly working to improve this. I think that firm has a positive outlook.”

“Given the state of the economy as a whole, I think that many of our clients will experience issues over the coming year. Accounting firms are typically a lagging indicator; we often do not feel the pinch of downturns until well after our clients do. Competition is strong with rival firms, but we have an excellent firm reputation and culture. Our employee morale is, in general, high, and BPM’s CEO is a great leader and role model. The firm is in a strong position and continues to grow.”