BDO reviews

3.5

62% would recommend to a friend

(10,341 total reviews)

Pat Kramer and Peter van Laer

73% approve of CEO

57% positive business outlook

BDO has an employee rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 10,341 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The BDO employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Finanzen industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

10K reviews
2.0
Jan 9, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Higher than average base salary levels compared to other similar accounting firms. Well-rounded suite of benefits. Flex time is offered and is one of the focal points of the interview process. Decent culture with many social events offered throughout the year. Ability to work from home on a semi-regular basis. Friendly people who work hard. "Career Advisor" system works well. Many opportunities for career advancement. PTO bank system with higher than average total PTO. Decent severance package depending on tenure with the firm.

Cons

Lower than average and almost laughable annual bonus. By the way, this is also the main reason base salary levels are higher than average so go for it if you don't mind getting a mediocre bonus for your efforts. Bonuses are discretionary and you will receive close to if not the same payout as others at your level no matter how hard you bust your hump and no matter how high you score on your performance reviews. Everything is based on how your business unit performs, not on how YOU perform. Very quiet office setting which diminishes the culture to "all work and no play" even though the firm seems to pride itself in its new cultural design. Even after working there for a good amount of time it seemed as though nothing had changed. Seems like the firm is stuck in its ways and is still adhering to the model of old school accounting firms. Though flex time is offered it is nearly impossible to get approval for it. I never tried but those who did had to jump through multiple hoops and go through multiple senior staff for approval. It also seemed as though those on flex were looked down upon because they didn't have to be in the office every day. Surprising as this is one of the main selling points of the firm when you're interviewing for a position. Internal processes such as billing, expense reports, etc. are excruciatingly complicated. Everything you are required to put into the "system" takes forever and the process is cryptic even with proper training. Be prepared to live your life according to billable time. Yes, this is how accounting firms make money but the firm is also insane about scrutinizing every minute of your day and you will be reprimanded at a higher and higher level for non-compliance. As in most large firms, back-stabbing and organizational hierarchy run rampant and are the root of all evil. The firm operates on an antiquated partner system which no one seems to be willing to change. Most members of senior management seem to be out for themselves and could care less about who they step on to gain more power. The exit process is quick, cold, and completely impersonal no matter if you chose to leave or were forced to leave.

4.0
Dec 30, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great company values. Infrastructure made working there easier relative to other mid-sized accounting firms. I felt the firm really valued its employees.

Cons

Very audit-centered which exposes the firm to high liability risks. Auditors aren't used to dealing with consultants/experts yet.

1.0
Dec 22, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Laid back atmosphere for the most part. Felt like it was impossible to get fired, unless you were in and admin/hr/support position. Most were friendly, although there was definitely that "B" team awkwardness feel too. If you're a female they'd love to promote you to partner, especially a good looking one, but def even the not so good looking ones. You will not work a lot.

Cons

You will not learn a lot. Firm is very cheap. From happy hours to reimbursement dinners ($10) this is no big four. Worked in both audit and consulting and can tell you the partners must view themselves as the "B" team when it comes to pricing engagements, so cheap, they have to be a cheap firm. They're aquiring small firms with a "c" team intelligence level. You fell like no one knows a damn thing around there in general. There were a handful of intelligent people I worked with, but it was slim, maybe 5%. PTO and benefits were definitely lacking. My PTO was 16 days total. They are open Christmas eve, not a very Christian oriented company. Pay was way under market as stop performer, I left for a 28% raise to a competitor and received an additional 10 PTO days. Some partners were so awkward you wonder how they could ever bring in business.

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