Vault’s Verdict

PKF O'Connor Davies is looking for motivated, personable candidates who take initiative and have strong communication skills. Interns with the firm get hands-on experience, the ability to visit client sites, and the chance to work alongside senior employees. PKFOD’s full-time staff have access to many career development opportunities, including valuable formal and informal mentoring and extensive formal and informal training.

Although busy season hours can be long and work/life balance difficult to achieve during that time, outside the busy season a healthy balance is easily achieved—helped by PKFOD’s generous PTO policy and its flexible schedules options. The firm also provides competitive salaries and benefits, though some insiders say compensation is merely average and could be a little better.

The firm has an inclusive culture and a diverse workforce in terms of gender and race. It also places a strong focus on philanthropy and charity work. With respect to PKFOD’s business outlook, the firm has a strong leadership team in place and is growing rapidly. Recently, PKFOD received a strategic private capital investment from two outside firms. While some employees are nervous about the potential internal changes due to the investment, others are excited by the prospect of the added growth that it should fuel.

EMPLOYEE REVIEWS

Hiring Process

“We have a great team of recruiters to manage the flow of potential candidates for our offices and industry groups. We are looking for motivated candidates interested in being a part of a great team and contributing their skills and talents.”

“The firm’s process is very straightforward. Rather than having interviews where potential employees are expected to jump through hoops, interviewers take time to get to know potential employees and provide insights into our firm. Callback process is swift and timely.”

“The firm’s processes and interview procedures have shown consistent improvement over time. Currently, candidates are required to pass a technical test as the initial step, followed by three to four interviews, including one with HR, to secure a position. This structured approach ensures a thorough evaluation, helping the company identify the best-fit talent for each role.”

“The firm’s ideal candidate shows great communication skills and initiative. We are a very client-friendly/client-centric firm, so we tend to like candidates who are personable, as navigating client relationships requires certain tact.”

Interview Questions

“Our talent acquisition teams ask candidates the standard screening questions. My team tries to gear our interviews more towards a casual and relaxed setting so that we can get to know the candidate.”

“How do you see yourself progressing in the firm? What tools and/or training will assist you? How will you contribute to the overall success of the team/the firm? What do you think are your strengths and areas you would like to see yourself become better at?”

“What are your strengths/weaknesses? Explain group projects you worked on in school. Give an example of how your experience has prepared you for the job you’re interviewing for.”

“Tell us about a difficult situation you had to deal with. What is an example of a technical issue you had to research? Tell me something that interests you the most about PKFOD.”

Internship Experience

“My internship was a great experience. I learned so much about the firm’s culture, and the internship provided me with real-life experience. I formed many friendships that last today.”

“I learned multiple parts of the audit, got to experience client visits, and was able to manage my work hours around my class time.”

“The best aspect was the people. I did an audit and a tax internship. For the audit, I liked the learning opportunities and audits I went on; tax was a little mundane.”

“Beast parts: hands-on experience with actual client data and related audit workpapers, visiting client sites, working on an intern project. I do wish the internship were longer, as I had limited time for all of my assignments and did not get to see an audit from start to finish.”

Career Development

“The best part has been a very supportive eco-system where opportunities are given and those who seize them are rewarded. One also has the opportunity to get involved in multiple facets of the business—marketing, collections, Thought Leadership, etc. And one is not forced to do so, but it is encouraged, and it helps you advance. It’s important to mention that as the firm has grown, as you get involved in these aspects, you do have to make sure that you are being ‘seen’ to make sure that decision makers are aware of your efforts. This is not out of the ordinary in the industry.”

“All team members are assigned a career advisor, have quarterly meetings and/or meetings on request, and have informal mentors within their team. Formal trainings seem to be more of an annual process; however, all trainings are recorded and available on the firm's intranet. The firm is in the process of building its internal ‘University’ and the work in progress thus far has been excellent.”

“The firm offers strong career development opportunities through diverse learning experiences, including leading critical internal courses and teaching CPE sessions, which help enhance technical expertise and leadership skills. Exposure to a variety of clients, from not-for-profit engagements to complex PCAOB cannabis clients, provides valuable growth and adaptability. Additionally, initiatives such as co-championing ERG programs support networking and leadership development. However, challenges remain, particularly a potential lack of tailored mentorship and the need for more support when transitioning between different client types.”

“There’s an open-door policy to discuss your career development. Management does not disregard feedback and has a willingness to work with employees through all available avenues to resolve any concerns, including around pay rate/bonus negotiations, industry/client transfers, flexible hours, and remote work.”

Quality of Life

“The firm tries very hard to provide a good work/life balance, especially with summer and winter Fridays to accommodate every department with different busy seasons. We have a flexible work from home and office policy.”

“Our firm puts family before work. While each individual’s work experience depends on who they work for/with, the general feel of the firm is positive. Our managing partner is an excellent person who walks the halls and cares for the employees.”

“The firm approves vacation time; I have never heard of time not being approved. At times, PTO has to be rescheduled, and it is limited to certain times of the year due to industry deadlines. But it’s the profession that’s demanding, not a firm issue (especially when you reach Director or Partner levels, it’s industrywide). Clients need service for time sensitive deliverables; that’s the job and you need to provide that service timely. It’s very easy for staff through supervisor to take time off and work fewer hours at our firm, but when you take a promotion to manager and above, the hours go with that level of responsibility profession-wide.”

“The firm offers a collaborative environment with opportunities for professional growth, networking, and leadership, which positively contributes to overall job satisfaction. However, the demanding nature of the work, especially during busy seasons, can significantly impact work/life balance. The high-pressure environment may lead to long hours and limited personal time, which could be better managed with enhanced flexibility and workload distribution strategies.”

Salary and Benefits

“Compensation is very competitive, and I have no issues with it. Benefits could be improved, particularly the medical plans, as only high-deductible health plans are offered.”

“The firm’s overall salary, benefits, and perks are generally okay and align with standard expectations. While they meet the basic needs of employees, there is potential for enhancement to make these offerings more competitive and appealing. Strengthening these aspects could further boost employee satisfaction and attract top talent.”

“Compensation is fair. We have profit sharing. And the firm provides work from home flexibility. But our health insurance could be better.”

“The firm provides competitive compensation and opportunities for professional growth, which are valuable for career advancement. However, the benefits package could be significantly improved, particularly in the area of insurance, which lacks comprehensive coverage and affordability. Enhancing health benefits and introducing more meaningful perks would greatly improve employee satisfaction.”

Wellness Efforts

“The firm’s wellness efforts are a positive step toward supporting employees’ overall well-being. While these initiatives are still a work in progress, it’s encouraging to see that the organization is aware of the importance of employee wellness and is making strides in this area. Continued focus and investment in wellness programs will enhance the work environment and demonstrate the firm’ commitment to its team members’ health and happiness.”

“The firm regularly publishes a Wise & Well newsletter. We have access to virtual care for medical and mental health. You can donate PTO days to other team members and carry over 56 hours of unused time. Standing desk options and gym membership assistance are available in some offices but not all.”

“I believe the firm does a good job at promoting wellness and trying to get the employees to join together towards a wellness goal. While it is hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise when working this many hours, HR puts in a lot of effort to promote wellness.”

“While there are occasional wellness-related communications and initiatives, such as awareness campaigns and encouragement to use time off, structured programs like counseling, exercise classes, meditation sessions, or nutrition education are lacking.”

Community Engagement

“The firm’s diversity in terms of gender and race is truly great and excellent. This commitment to fostering an inclusive and representative workplace not only enriches the organizational culture but also drives innovation and collaboration by bringing diverse perspectives to the table.”

“The firm makes efforts to encourage employees to be green wherever we can be (asking employees to only print when necessary, turn down lights when possible in our offices, etc.). As far as diversity and inclusion goes, the firm makes efforts to be respectful and inclusive to all employees.”

“The firm has various employee resource groups to address the needs and challenges of different demographics such as veterans, LGBTQIA+ individuals, employees with disabilities, etc. The firm also has a dedicated networking group for women. The firm could do more with the LGBTQIA+ population, including increased recruitment and adding in things like adoption benefits and participation in more community-based LGBTQIA+ events like the Pride March in NYC each year.”

“Strong focus on philanthropy and participation on charitable boards. Weaker focus on environmentally friendly policies. And I feel like diversity initiatives are losing some traction. I think this needs to be reinforced more regularly.”

Business Outlook

“The leadership of the firm is focused on growing our firm. They are focused on the future for all team members, making sure each team member has the tools and the training to move up in their careers. The firm has a competitive salary pool and supports events and initiatives that positively impact employee morale. Communication from firm leadership is good, and team members feel like they’re part of the overall success and future plan of the firm.”

“Our firm is continuing to grow, and the outlook is great. Our firm’s leadership does a great job of keeping all partners in the loop and updates our staff whenever necessary.”

“Recently acquired by PE. Outlook appears strong, but change is on the horizon.”

“The firm was recently acquired by two PE firms. I hope that it brings a lot of positive changes.”

UPPERS
“Supportive culture and kind, caring, friendly people”
“Flexibility to work remotely”
“Working for a growing firm”

DOWNERS
“Busy season hours”
“Demanding and stressful”
“Pay could be better”