Vault’s Verdict

HCVT is ideally looking for hardworking, motivated candidates who are eager to learn and have strong communication skills. The firm runs a rewarding internship program for students, offering hands-on experience, exposure to meaningful work, training and mentoring opportunities, and networking events with other interns. For its full-time staff, HCVT offers many growth opportunities, including extensive training, mentoring, clear promotion policies, early responsibility, and internal mobility options.

A healthy work/life balance can be achieved most of the year. The firm’s culture is very collaborative and family-oriented, and partners and senior leaders understand there’s life outside of work. That said, hours can be long during the busy seasons, making it hard to take PTO. As for compensation, insiders say they’re fairly paid and the benefits are generous. Some insiders do note that the 401(k) benefits could be better, while others aren’t happy about overtime pay being rolled back. On the plus side, HCVT offers many wellness benefits, including in-office massages during the busy seasons, two “recharge weeks” each year, busy season lunches and dinners, annual wellness stipends, and more.

HCVT has an inclusive culture and fosters diversity across various groups, including women, racial minorities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. It hosts many valuable initiatives like mentorship programs and employee resource groups. The firm is also focused on sustainability and giving back to its communities. As for HCVT’s business outlook, it is very bright. The firm’s business is solid and growing, its leadership is strong, and its employee morale is high.

EMPLOYEE REVIEWS

Hiring Process

“The HCVT Recruiting team does a really good job sorting through candidates. The interview process is pretty extensive and involves interviewing with two managers, a partner, and a staff/senior. The most ideal candidates are the ones that want to learn and work hard.”

“Interviews and callbacks are personable, as partners are involved. Between the time an offer is accepted and the hire date, the firm provides a few touch points to ensure the candidate is connected with the firm's personnel before they start.”

“Usually recruiting does the first-round interview as a phone/Zoom interview. If the candidate makes it past that round, then the second round of the interview process would be with four people from the department over Zoom. If accepted by most of the four people, then usually that person receives an offer. HCVT is looking for someone who can communicate and get along with other employees, who is willing to go out of their way to complete tasks and stay motivated. Someone who is willing to learn new things and not afraid to ask for more work if they need it.”

“The interview process was very quick! First interview was 30 minutes with a recruiter and you are asked behavioral questions. They let you know if you moved to the second interview the same day or the next day the latest. Second interview includes 90 minutes with a partner and manager and a 30-minute Q&A with staff that you will be working with if you get the job offer. The firm definitely looks for smart candidates, but they do also focus a lot on how well you work with others and if you’re a right fit with the team. That’s why I think it’s great that they have the team part of the interview process. The next day you find out if you got the offer as well. The partner calls you first and shares the good news.”

Interview Questions

“Why are you leaving your current employer? What are you looking for in a new job opportunity? What are your strengths? What clients do you like to serve?”

“The interview was more of a natural conversation. I felt like it was to make sure I could converse and be personable. There were no test/knowledge-based questions.”

“Standard get-to-know-you questions. What are your strengths and weaknesses? A time you faced a challenge and how you overcame it. Why did you choose this section of accounting?”

“Situational questions like describe a situation where you had a conflict with client or supervisor and how you resolved it; describe a situation where your ideas contributed to the team; describe a situation where you had to make a personal sacrifice for work/team. We also ask tax technical specific questions for candidates who have work experience.”

Internship Experience

“I was fortunate enough to try audit and tax at HCVT. I really enjoyed working with all the professionals at HCVT, which gave me insight into what a career would look like at HCVT. I was originally not going to pursue a career in public accounting, but the internships changed my mind!”

“My internship provided invaluable exposure to real-world applications of my skills and knowledge. I worked on meaningful projects that contributed to the organization, and the hands-on experience significantly improved my technical abilities. Additionally, I appreciated the supportive team environment and the mentorship I received, which helped me navigate challenges and grow professionally. The opportunity to network with professionals in the field was another highlight. One of the more challenging aspects was the steep learning curve in the initial weeks, as I had to quickly adapt to unfamiliar tools and processes.”

“It felt like we were an internship class that stuck together even after the internship. It was great to have a lot of events together even though we worked in different departments and offices. Only downsides were the internship was short and the training was okay.”

“Everybody was friendly and helpful. Overall, it was a really good experience and a great environment to work in. Due to the timing of the internship being in the middle of the summer, it was difficult at times to acquire work experience due to the seasonal shortage of work during that time.”

Career Development

“The firm is extremely flexible in terms of an individual's career development. We have professionals that really want to be in public accounting and work their way up, so we offer those people more challenging assignments and make sure they’re getting what they want. We have others that are with the firm for a paycheck—to do their work and go home, so we work with those folks to ensure they’re comfortable with their career choices too.”

“I’m grateful for the opportunities that HCVT offers. The variety of engagements available are comprehensive and encourage project ownership, leading to increased responsibilities. I believe that HCVT provides the resources necessary for a successful career.”

“There are ample training opportunities for new hires and those progressing in their careers. We have also had many non-accounting employees transfer roles to something they were more interested in doing. The experience gained at HCVT is unlike anywhere else I've worked.”

“When someone is ready for a promotion, they get promoted. There is no limit to how many staff/senior/managers there can be. This lessens peer competition. The mentorship program is also a benefit the firm has, allowing the opportunity to work with managers and above at a staff level. I feel confident my career will continue to develop quickly with this firm.”

Quality of Life

“The culture here sets HCVT apart from other accounting firms. While there is the expectation of getting your work done, there is no micromanaging going on, the work/life balance is great, and the partners and upper-tier employees are family-oriented and understand there’s life outside of work. There are also great benefits and scheduled holidays off.”

“We have great clients who value our work product, which gives job satisfaction. And we offer technology support that makes it flexible to work from many locations. However, technology feels outdated; we can use an upgrade. We also have too much work—and need more people to support the busy-season periods. It’s hard to find good, qualified, experienced people in tax.”

“During non-busy season, employees can easily take time off. But busy season is, of course, busy, with little personal time. This isn't so much a knock against HCVT as it is the profession in general. While it's the nature of the business, and we make the choice to have this lifestyle, it can, at times, be too much.”

“The partners are considerate of work/life balance and demonstrate flexibility with scheduling and remote work, provided that tasks are completed efficiently and timely. As a single mother, this has helped me a lot throughout my career.”

Salary and Benefits

“I think the firm pays its employees fairly—HCVT offers a pretty good compensation. However, they took away overtime pay, which was a hit to most staff who were good workers and put in the hours. Overall, HCVT offers good benefits and busy season meals.”

“The best aspect of my compensation is the entry-level salary is decent, and they gave a generous sign-in bonus as well. They also offer free lunch during busy season and training and provide great insurance. The worst aspect might have to be working the long hours and not getting overtime pay. However, I think having the paid recharge weeks and paid time off helps with that.”

“I think our firm’s compensation, bonuses, and benefits are generous. The one benefit that could be more generous is the profit-sharing contribution into our retirement accounts.”

“HCVT has not made many changes to their benefits/perks over the years. The family health insurance premium costs were recently lowered (not fully covered). They provide many busy season meals and encourage teams to go to lunches. The best part of the overall salary structure is that individuals are promoted based on their skill and not necessarily tenure. One item HCVT does not have is on-site childcare.”

Wellness Efforts

“The firm offers in-office massages during the busiest months of March, April, September, and October. The firm also has other special events that change each year. This year, they’re offering self-defense classes. Anytime there’s any emergency or disaster, the firm reminds people to reach out to HR if they’re in need of any additional help. HR has in-person office hours twice a year in each office to allow employees to come meet with them to discuss any aspects employees wish to discuss.”

“Our office also has an exercise challenge to keep everyone fit during busy season. The firm also has mental health services which are shared from time to time. They had a training post busy season on burn out. It is nice that HCVT acknowledges their personnel and provides resources to make working in public accounting better.”

“The firm offers a variety of wellness programs for staff to participate in. They also offer counseling any time there is a tragedy within the firm.”

“The firm offers two ‘recharge weeks’ each year. It also offers busy season lunches and dinners, busy season massages and a $50 annual stipend to be used for an organized walk/run event. But I’d like the firm to offer more money to employees for health and wellness.”

Community Engagement

“Our firm has a diversity and inclusion committee and has put forward efforts to recruit a more diverse group of people such as recruiting from community colleges as well as universities. Our firm is getting more diverse, but there's definitely still room for improvement. I do think the firm is receptive to a more diverse workforce, and with time I think the initiatives will pay off.”

“The well-rounded professionals at HCVT naturally foster diversity, and our office’s participation in charitable events throughout the year enhances my sense of community involvement. The Women’s Committee at HCVT—I had the pleasure of attending a few of their events this year—provided valuable insights into the experiences of women in public accounting and their approaches to various challenges. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from various offices, all of whom have been exceptionally friendly and welcoming.”

“HCVT does a strong job fostering diversity across various dimensions, including gender, race, and LGBTQ+ inclusion, with initiatives like mentorship programs and employee resource groups. The firm also makes strides in sustainability, though there is room for improvement in adopting more eco-friendly practices. Additionally, HCVT demonstrates a strong commitment to philanthropy through community involvement and volunteer opportunities, reflecting its values of giving back.”

“For every disaster, our firm has an immediate response to give back to the community. Recently was the LA fire, but we did the same thing when it was the attacks in Armenia. Our diversity and inclusion committee takes charge to sponsor students of different ethnicities for accounting awards.”

Business Outlook

“We have great clients who refer work to us and pay their bills timely. We have talented people. We have low turnover. We are able to service our work with quality. However, we run out of time. We don't have enough people to support growth (new clients). We can use more support.”

“I believe our strengths are the top professionals that lead HCVT. Phil Holthouse and now Vicken Haleblian are very well spoken and demonstrate great leadership within their roles. Over the years, HCVT always mentions to work ‘smarter,’ and I've seen growth over the years by the various committees and teams put in place. Overall, I believe morale is higher at HCVT than most public accounting firms.”

“The firm leadership and partner group are constantly seeking opportunities to ensure healthy growth. We do not try to grow by acquiring smaller firms, as the firm’s culture is to grow organically to ensure fair opportunities for employees and quality client services. The weakness in business and talent acquisition and retention may be a lack of name recognition, as national firms continue to expand their footprints to Southern California by mergers and acquisitions.”

“The firm's business outlook is great. I see the company continuing to thrive over the new year. One strength of the company is the hybrid work environment where we can work some days from the office and some from home. This is one aspect that I think keeps employees from switching to other firms. Employee morale is high and will continue to be high as long as the hybrid work environment stays, and we continue to be compensated well.”