Terrible experience - Assurance Senior Associate RSM Employee Review

1.0
Oct 11, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A lot of free time during the summer months as the firm has a hard time winning enough work to allocate in the summer.

Cons

All of the partners at RSM (previously Mcgladrey) in the northwest market were from a local firm that RSM bought out when they were trying to get presence in the area. Though expanding the RSM brand in the area, it’s still managed with poor leadership from that previous local firm. Several articles on Glassdoor and LinkedIn highlight traits of what bad management is and it’s very present here (terrible learning environment, stuck to their own ways and not open to other perspectives, a “blame employee” culture). All of this has led to poor relationships with clients, bad morale, and inability to get client work in the area. Amongst all of the firms that have a global brand, I believe RSM clearly has the lowest presence in the northwest market. Until the firm brings in partners from the Midwest where they had a lot of success or partners that are from bigger markets that know how to run a global company, I can’t see how they will improve. A response that some of the employees who have been there long and HR will say, it’s not about the clients you have. Well it really is. It shows the demand for your services and ability to be a great client work. The brand has a lot of potential, but there is still several key things internally it needs to fix in order to deliver great service.

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5.0
Jun 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

The people are nice and flexible WFH

Cons

The pay is below big 4

2.0
Jun 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- As assurance associate that came over from another public accounting firm, some pros are the ability to work with several different teams. - Hybrid, 2-4 days in office - Learn from senior associates - At my last acct firm never did inventory observations, so got the chance to see what that was like here at RSM

Cons

- Some seniors associates aren’t able to explain or teach which plays a part in your development as a first year associate or intern. I feel first year, intern should be able to leave feedback on senior associates. As if I’m having trouble with a senior who am I supposed to go, due to the hierarchy system they have implemented at RSM. - Can be Clicky & your colleagues will be friends in your face and talk behind you behind your back, I’ve seen it happen to others so I’m pretty sure it happened to me. Houston office can be toxic - Hierarchy system, leave people thinking with senior job titles that they are above you and you can be treated like sh*t - Favortism, you don’t have an equal chance here, because every first year is not put in the same position to succeed. Some first years are able to work closely with partners and the same colleagues but different clients which is where they can have the opportunity to build great relationships while some have to bounce from senior to senior having to learn for each client and adapt to how the senior wants the job done which in turn doesn’t help build relationships. As one can senior want something done such as accounts payable one way then you get to another client and the senior wants accounts payable done another way which makes you look bad in their eyes. Which doesn’t set you up for success at all and can overall lead to a layoff.

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