Representatives of GBH CPAs, PC provide a glowing representation of their company during the on-campus recruiting events. The gentleman conducting the on-campus recruiting was one of the firms audit managers. He briefly described the progress that the firm has made during its limited years of operation. Otherwise, his purpose is to essentially collect resumes as you quickly learn that even though he is an audit manager and the position that he is recruiting for will be under his supervision, this person has no involvement in the hiring process other than prescreening clients and collecting resumes. One day after the on-campus event, I sent combination thank you/follow up email to this individual. Two days later I received a response asking me to email a copy of my resume to the firm. Three weeks later, I was contacted by a shareholder requesting various academic information and yet another copy of my resume. Five days after sending this information, I was contacted regarding the scheduling of an interview that was to occur one week later. I was given specific directions to the firm, a schedule of three individuals and the particular times that I was to interview with these individuals, and relevant contact information in the event that I needed to reschedule.
On the day of the interview, I arrived approximately 20 minutes early. To my surprise upon entering the office, this firm operates without the benefit of a receptionist. When you enter the office space, you walk into a tiny room with a few chairs and a phone on a table with extension numbers posted next to it. The environment is unimpressive and unwelcoming to say the least.
A few minutes later, I began the first of my three scheduled interviews. It was with one of the audit managers. The interview was fairly generic with little to no actual discussion of accounting or auditing. This portion of the interview ended with the audit manager introducing me to a couple of staff level employees and then escorting me to the office of the shareholder that I was to interview with next.
The interview with the shareholder comprised of him briefly having me describe my academic experience and them him spending 45 minutes describing to me why he decided to stop working for big 4 firms. He then told me his vision for the firm over the next several years, including his plans to expand from 15 to 75 employees over a three year period. Ambitious - yes.... Realistic - no.... At the end of the interview, the shareholder decided that I should interview with another shareholder rather than with the lower level partner that I was originally scheduled to interview with.
This shareholder was very interested in my understanding of mergers and acquisitions and spent considerable time explaining the daily routine that I would be going through if offered a position with GBH. He explained their basic audit planning and engagement procedures, even going as far as to briefly explain to me the steps necessary to access the firms instructional materials on their website. At the conclusion of the interview, this individual walked me back to the closet sized reception area and told me to expect a call in the next couple of weeks.
I followed up the interviews with thank you notes to the individuals that I had interviewed with. I did not receive any responses from these individuals following their receipt of the notes. I waited 10 days and contacted the audit manager that I had interviewed with to inquire about the position and to reinforce my interest in it. I received a one line response telling me that he was not involved in the hiring process. He provided me with the contact information for the partner who was in charge of hiring. I contacted this gentleman, who was the individual that I was supposed to interview with as my third interview before the managing partner directed me to interview with another shareholder instead. The person that I was told was in charge of hiring failed to respond to my follow up email. I waited another week and attempted to contact him again with not response as of yet.
I completely understand if they are not going to make me an offer, but not responding to applicant's follow up inquiries is unprofessional to say the least. The saddest part is that this firm is my fourth choice out of the five firms that I have interview with up to this point.
