H&R Block Reviews

Pros

Probably the best training in the business: nearly 70 initial hours (and rather cheap for a college-level course) before a few paid December morns/eves (if hired) to learn the prep payment and bank product paperwork. (It's not just taxes.) My class wasn't the nightmare of incompetence widely reported. Most in my district truly care about their customers, know their stuff, and work together, with some exceptions who are now toast. The right person can flourish and make the effort pay off after a few years.

Cons

Whether you're that person depends on you and your situation. 'Takes a lot of homework to pass and get hired: few do. First year's hourly, just above min wage. Then you're paid hourly plus a "bonus" - the difference from as if you were paid by return complexity. You won't be doing many really hard returns the second or third year; or you may work enough hours that those few make no impact, or work where few such clients live.

Reapplying isn't the obstacle; it's that qualifying by year's end takes 15 more IRS-required class hours, plus 5 for law update and "ethics," plus 4 more so Block can brag. Every year. 'Good training for just $20, but it can really screw up your summer job search/vacation and/or holidays, because one unit short and you don't work - and let the district manager wallow to HQ. This is on top of more preseason business update and rah-rah sessions (min-wage), plus required web course updates (no pay). We had quite a few this year who probably decided it wasn't all worth it, and are now barely staffed.

If you wouldn't like calling prior customers (paid OTJ), consider that this week we were handed our new marketing plans, and told to write down something for each calendar day in Jan and Feb, working or not. Corporate suggestions range from the reasonable for a referral business - bringing deal fliers and biz cards to friends and places you normally go - to soliciting several days at malls, apartments, bus stops, whatever. (Try doing some of this without getting kicked out or arrested.)

In my view, that was the real "annual report." Yes, we did so well last year despite TurboTax that HQ expects to own its bedrock of underpaid part-timers for two months, working the streets for free in addition to this job and their normal job and normal lives. If you're entrepreneur-ing to run your own office, great. The rest of us, outside the military, even after putting in a lot of extra free commitment, even in a recession, will eventually draw a line and say, I'm either fairly paid or I'm not. (BTW, the hiring clause restricts you from getting paid for doing taxes elsewhere for two years.)

So, IMO, 'writing's on the wall. Time for new job skills.

Advice to Senior Management

Which management? This year's or next year's?

Pros

Flexible work schedule during tax season
Good seasonal job

Cons

Would like to work more than seasonal

Advice to Senior Management

Pricing is too high

Pros

The job is what YOU make of it, they give you more than ample opportunity to succeed.

Cons

Few year-round opportunities. Pay could improve.

Pros

They offer a great deal of flexibility of schedule, co-workers are generally friendly; knowledgeable and supportive supervisors. The salary is comparable to similar positions. The company provides training and support for new comers.

Cons

The company offers only seasonal jobs. I don't think former employees have a "priority" for re-hire from season to season.

Pros

Potential for improvement and development of operations focus at the field level is there but upper managment is always in such flux that the lack of continuity affects the field.

Cons

Opportunity is limited to Kansas City location. Field positions are not respected. No development of the operations position; should train these folks in project management.

Advice to Senior Management

Spend a little money on salaries for the operations area; quit being afraid of field management which by and large is a low grade quality of employee.

Pros

My friends I met there.

Cons

Salaries at the tax office are abysmal. No where in the career website does it mention the pay rate. If you have a college degree, stay away. It's not worth it. You could flip burgers for more money.

Advice to Senior Management

Try opening up your wallets for your so called dedicated employees. You want the employees to dress professionally, speak highly of HRB when you pay sub standard wages? How is that supposed to work? Social media department dictates how and what you can say on YOUR OWN Facebook? Ever heard of freedom of speech, people?

Pros

Great experience working with a talented and knowledgeable staff who have great experiences helping people with a complex requirement called taxes.

Cons

Difficulty with the micro management and the endless need to attend meetings to hear about office rules and office practices

Advice to Senior Management

Management should allow more autonomy to the Tax Preparers whose knowledge and skills are the source of company revenue. Introduce or expand the Rewards and Recognition for preparers who are doing an outstanding work. An example is to return the stock option program.

Pros

I was able to pursue interests that were outside of my defined job description.

Cons

No interest in trying something new, lots of road blocks to solving constant problems.

Advice to Senior Management

Try every once in a while to change the course of the Titantic...and give it more than one or two tax seasons to work.

Pros

my pay is not bad at all compared to what i seen others make.
the discounts are really good.
the co-workers are friendly

Cons

the only real con that i do see is that they are not that understandable when it comes to your personal life and the fact that you have kids.

Advice to Senior Management

as hard as you work they should offer more money to get people to want to work with them. other than that good to go

Pros

Excellent training done by Block. They truly want to develop their employees into contributing members of their team. All of the management is extremely friendly and creates a fun work environment.

Cons

Very strict guidelines on attendance with little flexibility. This can lead to termination for events that are out of employee control.

Advice to Senior Management

My advice to management is to keep up the good work. You guys do an excellent job and I was highly impressed when I joined the company.