Meet This Firm: HORNE LLP

Posted on by Accountingfly
HORNE LLP

Meet This Firm is a series of video interviews featuring the best accounting employers across the United States for high performing accounting professionals and CPAs. Please enjoy this sponsored post courtesy of HORNE LLP, an Accountingfly Firm Partner. Contact Judy Schryver to learn more about firm partnerships.

“Creating value and making a difference is our mission,” says Joey Havens, Executive Partner at HORNE LLP. “We believe the sense of belonging we nurture at our firm allows us to harness our individual strengths so we can work better together.” Firm culture can only succeed if it filters down from the top echelons of firm leadership, and the sentiments Joey expressed are felt throughout the firm.

Horne refers to itself as a Wise Firm© —it even copyrighted the name—which refers to the 13 building blocks that are the cornerstones of its culture.

One of those building blocks is “results.” That sounds ordinary until you realize it means, in part, that seniority doesn’t trump results, which means someone on the path to partner can move quickly. Or not. “Belonging” is another of the building blocks. Team members support each other in finding a sense of purpose and empowerment that suits them. There is no one career path at Horne.

Here’s an example of how the firm lives its culture: “We have flextime,” says Senior Manager Lynn Seals, “and that applies to everyone. People think it’s only those with kids who need a flexible schedule, but that’s not true at Horne. My kids are grown now, and the firm continues to support me. Now I take time to care for my 90-year-old mother. It feels wonderful to know the firm has my back, personally and professionally.”

If you are looking for a position at a top 50 firm whose leaders believe their role is providing encouragement, guidance and leadership to clients, team members and communities, Horne may be the place for you. As Senior Manager Mary Kathryn Allen says “I came here thinking I’d stay a few years and then move on to industry. That never happened. I found a workplace that truly is a second home.”

To learn more, watch our full interview below. And to see all current openings at HORNE, click here.

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Two-Timing Intern Considers Coming Clean

Ed. note: Are you questioning your career choices? Looking for guidance on how not to be a total jackass? Hoping for validation? Just feeling lonely and need someone to talk to? Get in touch, the career advice brain trust has your back.

Greetings,

I wanted to get your advice on whether or not I’m being unethical. I’m a career changer (finance to accounting) and finishing my masters in accounting in Summer 2012. I missed the recruiting window since I declared my major so late. Faced with the fact that I “missed the boat” on the recruiting season I luckily landed an audit internship with a national (top 20) CPA firm. My GPA and years of professional experience as well as a good interview got 20 isn’t Big 4; but in this job market I couldn’t afford to be picky.

But the Big 4 kool aid was calling me. I know they suck, underpay, and overwork but I view those factors as necessary evils to build my human capital. While the campus recruiters shunned me, I applied directly to the Big 4 as an experienced hire. Got an interview, and landed a full time staff audit position upon graduation (no internship required).

My problem is; I’m still interning this Spring (before graduation) at the other national CPA firm. Is it wrong for me to conceal the fact that I’m already signed to the Big 4 firm upon graduation? My Big 4 hiring people say I’m not doing anything wrong to conceal the fact since one is an internship and the other is a full time position. But I can’t help but feel that if the smaller firm knew there was zero chance that I’ll come aboard full time (if they offer) that they would reconsider allowing me to intern. I don’t want to start my new career being shady, but I want the internship experience and I need the money. Plus; there’s always the risk that the Big 4 firm rescinds their offer if the market shifts, right?

Thanks for your help guys,

Stuck in Gray Area

Sooooo, what is the problem, exactly, Gray Area? Call me dense or shadier than you are but I don’t really see the moral dilemma here. In theory, you’re cheating on the company that gave you an internship, not on your wife. In America, you’re completely allowed to do this (it’s called at-will employment, not indentured servitude). As long as you aren’t running off to your new employer with your current employer’s dirty little secrets, you’re fine.

Then again, you have to keep in mind that public accounting is a small world. In the worst case scenario, you piss everyone off with your two-timing and no one wants to hire your dirty dog ass. In the best case scenario, your “top 20” firm is used to getting ditched for the Big 4 and doesn’t care, or never finds out and you simply end your internship on a good note and move on. But if you’re some kind of superstar standout over there, they might stalk your LinkedIn profile and “wonder” how you landed a Big 4 gig so soon. So?

Yes, technically you are being shady. Unethical? That’s a stretch. Still, it’s a great sign that you are considering these things, it shows you’ll make a great CPA some day.

You mention “this job market” – of what job market do you speak? Jobs are a dime a dozen in accounting, and with something like 3% unemployment in our cozy little industry, you shouldn’t feel forced to take whatever you can get just to have a job. Unless you are a serious underachiever, morally bankrupt (not an issue, see above), socially challenged or cursed with horrible halitosis and a contagious skin condition, you should be able to find a decent gig in this industry unless market conditions wildly change. I just don’t see that happening.

I recommend channeling your inner Ayn Rand for a good dose of “to each his own” that might help you get over the moral dilemma. Your first loyalty always lies with your own well-being (be that financial, mental, whatever), unless your employer has personally given you a kidney or bailed you out of jail, you really don’t owe them anything except the work they pay you for.

That being said, if you are half-assing your work at your current firm because you know your days are numbered, that’s a bit more shady than simply lining up an opportunity you feel is better for your goals. As long as you’re doing what is expected of you, I see no harm to your public accounting karmic balance. Then again, I’m kind of a sketchy, money-grubbing sleazebag.

I’m hoping the sketchy, money-grubbing sleazebags who frequent this site will be happy to back me up on this.

Job of the Day: Computer Sciences Corporation Needs a Tax Manager

Computer Sciences Corporation is searching for a tax professional to join their corporate tax department for the purposes of managing their tax compliance and planning functions.

This job requires supervisory and management experience. Big 4 experience is a plus.

Check out more details for this position, located in Falls Church, VA, after the jump.


Company: Computer Sciences Corporation

Title: Senior Manager – Federal Tax

Location: Falls Church, VA

Description: This position directs and controls the activities of one or more functional areas, divisions, product groups or service areas.

Responsibilities: Manages tax planning and compliance function, including the preparation of Federal corporate and partnership returns; Manages the tax budgeting and forecasting process, including the preparation of estimated payments; Assist with IRS audit defense (fact gathering, tax law analysis and positioning); Research and draft tax position papers for FIN 48 and Sarbox documentation requirements; Coordinate with Legal and Business Development on due diligence for mergers and acquisitions; Develop and maintain critical relationships between Tax, Controllers, Treasury, Legal, and Business Units to ensure Tax has a well-informed view of the business operations; Coordinate closely with Tax Accounting and Reporting team to ensure timely and accurate preparation of quarterly and annual tax provision and related disclosures; Coordinate closely with International Tax function to ensure timely and proper pickup of international results in consolidated returns; Coordinate and assist State Tax function with their planning and compliance objectives; Mentor and coach Managers and Senior tax accountants in department.

Basic Qualifications: Master’s degree in accounting, finance or related field preferred; Twelve or more years of tax accounting or finance experience; Nine or more years of supervisory or management experience included; CPA preferred; Big Four experience a plus; Experience working with tax laws and procedures; Experience working with tax forms and processing; Experience working with accounting principles and accounting software and databases; Experience working with auditing and generally accepted accounting principles; Familiarity with SAP, Hyperion and CorpTax a plus.

See the entire description over at the GC Career Center and visit the main page for all your job search needs.