How to Apply to RSM US

11 min read Last updated April 20, 2026 656 open positions
Blake Crosley
Blake Crosley Researched using publicly available information, hiring data, and ATS analysis.

Key Takeaways

  • RSM US LLP is the fifth or sixth largest US accounting firm with roughly 16,000 US employees, 120-plus offices, and Chicago headquarters; CEO Brian Becker has led the firm since 2019.
  • The middle-market focus (50 million to 1 billion dollar revenue private companies and PE-backed portfolios) is the primary strategic differentiator versus Big Four competitors.
  • RSM remains a traditional LLP while most peer firms (Grant Thornton, Baker Tilly, EisnerAmper, CohnReznick, Citrin Cooperman) have taken private equity investment between 2023 and 2025.
  • Workday at rsmus.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com is the ATS; structured profile completion, exact keyword matching, and accurate field parsing matter more than resume design.
  • CPA license or credible candidate status is effectively required for Tax and Audit advancement past Senior Associate; ask about study and exam reimbursement programs.
  • Busy season is real: February through April for audit and October for tax extensions routinely demand 55 to 70 hour weeks; honest self-assessment beats overpromising.
  • Compensation is comparable to Big Four for Senior, Manager, and Senior Manager levels in major markets; the CPA pipeline shortage has pushed entry-level salaries up but not eliminated the busy season tradeoff.
  • Office and practice selection matters more than at the Big Four because RSM offices have distinct industry concentrations; express a real geographic and practice preference.

About RSM US

RSM US LLP is the United States member firm of the global RSM International network and ranks consistently among the fifth or sixth largest accounting firms in the country by revenue. Headquartered at the Aon Center in Chicago, Illinois, the firm reports annual revenue above 3.7 billion dollars, employs more than 16,000 professionals across roughly 120 US offices, and works alongside another 13,000 colleagues spread across the broader RSM International network in more than 80 countries. Brian Becker has served as Managing Partner and CEO since 2019. The firm operates as a limited liability partnership owned by its partners, which makes it a notable holdout in an industry that has been rapidly consolidating under private equity ownership. RSM organizes its work into four main service lines: Audit and Assurance, Tax, Consulting, and Outsourcing or managed services. The Consulting practice itself spans transaction advisory work supporting M&A deals, risk advisory including cyber and internal audit and SOX, technology consulting across Microsoft Dynamics 365, Salesforce, NetSuite, Oracle, and SAP implementations, and broader business consulting. RSM US Wealth Management rounds out the offering for private clients and family office relationships. The Tax practice is particularly broad, covering corporate income tax, partnership and pass-through tax, state and local SALT, international tax, M&A tax structuring, and individual private client work for high-net-worth families. The firm's defining strategic differentiator is its middle-market focus. While the Big Four firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG) compete primarily for Fortune 500 audit mandates and the largest public company engagements, RSM concentrates on privately-held companies and private equity portfolio companies in the roughly 50 million to 1 billion dollar revenue range. Industry specializations include manufacturing, real estate, financial services, technology and life sciences, not-for-profit organizations, government entities, and family office practices. This positioning means professionals at RSM tend to see a wider variety of business models earlier in their careers and interact with company executives and PE deal teams more directly than peers at the largest firms. Candidates considering RSM should weigh this firm against other Top 10 US accounting peers including Grant Thornton (now PE-backed by New Mountain Capital), BDO USA, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen), Crowe, Baker Tilly (PE-backed by Hellman and Friedman with Valeas), Forvis Mazars (formed by the BKD plus DHG merger in 2022 then the Mazars combination in 2024), Plante Moran, EisnerAmper (TowerBrook PE), CohnReznick (Apax PE), and Citrin Cooperman (New Mountain). Most of these peers have taken private equity investment between 2023 and 2025. RSM's continued partnership structure is a meaningful talent-recruiting message for candidates who specifically want a traditional professional services firm without external financial sponsors influencing partner economics.

Application Process

  1. 1
    Apply through the official RSM US careers site at rsmus

    Apply through the official RSM US careers site at rsmus.com/careers, which routes through Workday at rsmus.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com. Create a Workday candidate profile early because you will reuse it for multiple applications including campus, internship, and experienced hire roles.

  2. 2
    Target the right role family

    Target the right role family. Tax, Audit and Assurance, Risk Consulting, Technology Consulting (Microsoft, Salesforce, NetSuite, Oracle, SAP), Transaction Advisory M&A, and Managed Services hire on different cycles and look for distinct skill profiles. Confirm which line of business owns the requisition before tailoring.

  3. 3
    For campus and internship applications, apply during the early fall recruiting c

    For campus and internship applications, apply during the early fall recruiting cycle (September through October) for the following calendar year. Most Audit, Tax, and Risk full-time and intern roles are filled through this on-campus process, so missing the cycle often means waiting twelve months.

  4. 4
    For experienced hire roles, expect a recruiter screen within seven to fourteen b

    For experienced hire roles, expect a recruiter screen within seven to fourteen business days followed by a hiring manager call. Lateral hires from Big Four firms, regional firms, and industry positions are actively recruited; clearly state your CPA status, busy season experience, and industry exposure on your resume.

  5. 5
    Prepare for a behavioral and technical interview round

    Prepare for a behavioral and technical interview round. Tax candidates should be ready for return preparation scenarios, ASC 740 questions, and partnership or corporate technical questions tied to their specialty. Audit candidates should expect questions on materiality, risk assessment, sampling, internal controls, and PCAOB-relevant concepts.

  6. 6
    Consulting candidates frequently face case-style interviews, especially in Trans

    Consulting candidates frequently face case-style interviews, especially in Transaction Advisory and Risk Consulting. Practice quality of earnings adjustments, working capital analysis, and cyber or SOX scoping discussions. Technology consulting roles expect platform-specific certifications or demonstrated implementation experience.

  7. 7
    Be transparent about CPA exam status

    Be transparent about CPA exam status. RSM supports CPA candidates with study time and reimbursement programs, but advancement past Senior Associate generally requires CPA licensure for Audit and Tax roles. Be ready to commit to a sit timeline.

  8. 8
    Office and practice assignment matters more than at the Big Four because RSM off

    Office and practice assignment matters more than at the Big Four because RSM offices have distinct industry concentrations. Houston is energy and middle-market manufacturing, Boston has a technology and life sciences slant, Minneapolis emphasizes manufacturing and food and agribusiness, and Miami leans into Latin America cross-border work. Express a real preference rather than saying any office works.

  9. 9
    Background checks include credit and criminal history per accounting industry no

    Background checks include credit and criminal history per accounting industry norms because of independence and SEC requirements. Disclose any prior issues to your recruiter early; surprises late in the process are the most common reason offers get pulled.

  10. 10
    After accepting an offer, expect formal independence training, conflict checks a

    After accepting an offer, expect formal independence training, conflict checks against your prior employer's client list, and a structured onboarding cohort start date that aligns with the firm's classroom training calendar (typically January or June or August).

Resume Tips for RSM US

recommended

Lead with CPA status: licensed, candidate (with parts passed), or eligible

Lead with CPA status: licensed, candidate (with parts passed), or eligible. This is the single most important credential for Tax and Audit applicants and influences the level you are slotted at.

recommended

List your 150-hour status if you are a recent graduate

List your 150-hour status if you are a recent graduate. Many states are reforming or dropping the 150-hour rule, but RSM's hiring infrastructure still tracks it. State your degree, graduation date, and credit hours explicitly.

recommended

Quantify book of work: for experienced hires, list number of clients managed, re

Quantify book of work: for experienced hires, list number of clients managed, revenue size of clients, hours billed per busy season, number of staff supervised, and specific industries served. Generic descriptions of duties get filtered out.

recommended

Name specific software and platforms

Name specific software and platforms. For Tax: GoSystem, CCH Axcess, OneSource, Alteryx, Power BI. For Audit: CaseWare, IDEA, ACL, Power Query, TeamMate. For Consulting: D365, Salesforce, NetSuite, Oracle Cloud, SAP S/4HANA, ServiceNow. Workday will keyword-match these terms.

recommended

Highlight middle-market and PE-backed client experience explicitly if you have i

Highlight middle-market and PE-backed client experience explicitly if you have it. Phrases like quality of earnings, transaction support, ASC 805 purchase accounting, and carve-out audits signal you understand RSM's sweet spot.

recommended

For Risk Consulting candidates, list relevant certifications: CISA, CISSP, CIA,

For Risk Consulting candidates, list relevant certifications: CISA, CISSP, CIA, CRISC, or PMP. SOX 404 implementation experience, NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and SOC 1 or SOC 2 reporting work are all strong signals.

recommended

Industry specialization matters

Industry specialization matters. If you have manufacturing, real estate, not-for-profit, government, or financial services audit experience, label it clearly and quantify the engagement count. RSM organizes practices around these verticals.

recommended

Use an ATS-friendly format: standard fonts, single column, no graphics or text b

Use an ATS-friendly format: standard fonts, single column, no graphics or text boxes, .docx or PDF, and section headers that match Workday's parsing expectations (Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills).

recommended

Spanish, Mandarin, or Portuguese language skills should be listed if you have pr

Spanish, Mandarin, or Portuguese language skills should be listed if you have professional working proficiency, especially for offices serving Hispanic-American clients (Texas, Florida, California) or Asia-Pacific cross-border work.

recommended

Keep length appropriate to experience: one page for campus and intern candidates

Keep length appropriate to experience: one page for campus and intern candidates, two pages for Senior Associate through Senior Manager candidates, and up to three pages for Director and Partner-track candidates with deal sheets.

ATS System: Workday

RSM US uses Workday Recruiting hosted at rsmus.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com. Workday is the dominant enterprise ATS in professional services and is highly structured. It parses resumes into discrete fields (work history, education, skills, certifications) and matches against requisition criteria. Recruiters can filter by exact keyword, certification, school, GPA, and years of experience, so missing keywords often means missing the recruiter screen entirely.

  • Create your Workday profile carefully because RSM recruiters across all offices and practices search the same candidate pool. A weak initial profile follows you across applications.
  • Upload a resume in .docx format when possible because Workday parses it more reliably than PDF for populating the structured fields.
  • After upload, manually review every parsed field. Workday frequently miscategorizes job titles, degrees, and dates; correct them before submitting.
  • Use the exact keywords from the job description in your resume and in the Skills section of your Workday profile (for example, Partnership Tax, ASC 740, SOX 404, NetSuite Implementation).
  • Complete every optional field including the Skills section, willingness to relocate, work authorization, and CPA status. Incomplete profiles rank lower in recruiter searches.
  • Set up Workday job alerts for your target practice and city combinations. RSM posts requisitions throughout the year, and being first to apply matters for hot roles.
  • If you are reapplying after a previous rejection, update your profile substantively (new certification, new role, new project). Workday flags repeat applicants and recruiters check history.
  • Decline pre-filled assessments only if you are certain you are not interested. Workday tracks declined assessments and it can affect future requisition matching.

Interview Culture

Interviews at RSM are professional, structured, and generally less prestige-driven than the Big Four equivalents.

Expect a recruiter phone screen first (30 minutes, focused on motivation, CPA status, location flexibility, and basic technical screening), followed by one or two rounds with the hiring manager and senior team members. Final rounds for experienced hires often include a partner conversation. The firm uses behavioral questions framed around teamwork, client service, dealing with ambiguity, and managing busy season workload, alongside technical questions calibrated to the specific role. Tax interviews dig into technical knowledge appropriate to the level: corporate consolidations, partnership allocations, ASC 740 deferred tax accounting, M&A tax structuring, state apportionment, or international subjects like Subpart F and GILTI depending on practice. Audit interviews probe risk assessment, materiality, sampling, internal control walkthroughs, and PCAOB inspection awareness. Consulting interviews skew toward case-style problem solving, especially in Transaction Advisory (quality of earnings, working capital, debt-like items) and Risk Consulting (SOX scoping, cyber maturity assessments). Technology consulting interviews validate platform expertise and implementation methodology. The culture itself emphasizes middle-market client service. Partners and managers regularly talk about understanding the entrepreneur or PE sponsor as the client, not just the controller. Expect to be evaluated on whether you can build trust with non-public-company clients who may be less sophisticated about accounting and audit than Fortune 500 finance teams. Teamwork and willingness to wear multiple hats are weighted heavily because middle-market engagements often require auditors to also discuss tax, technology, or transaction issues with the client. Be honest about your work-life balance expectations and busy season tolerance; the recruiter will be honest back.

What RSM US Looks For

  • CPA license or active CPA candidacy with a credible sit timeline. This is non-negotiable for Tax and Audit advancement and increasingly expected for Risk Consulting senior roles.
  • Middle-market client service mindset. RSM looks for candidates who are excited about working with privately-held businesses and PE portfolio companies rather than chasing only Fortune 500 brand-name engagements.
  • Industry specialization or interest. Manufacturing, real estate, technology, life sciences, not-for-profit, government, and financial services are the deepest verticals; signaling genuine interest in one helps placement.
  • Technical depth appropriate to level. Senior Associates need solid technical execution; Managers need the ability to review staff work and manage client relationships; Senior Managers and Directors need business development and recruiting capability.
  • Client-facing communication ability. Middle-market clients expect direct conversations with their auditors and tax preparers from earlier levels than Big Four equivalents, so verbal articulation matters.
  • Tolerance for busy season hours. Audit busy season runs February through April and again in October for tax extension work; candidates who cannot honestly commit to 55 to 70 hour weeks during peak periods will struggle.
  • Willingness to travel for client engagements. While remote and hybrid work have reduced travel for many roles, certain practices (M&A Transaction Advisory, large audit engagements, technology implementations) still require on-site presence.
  • Demonstrated learning agility. The accounting and tax landscape (PCAOB inspection trends, BEPS Pillar Two, GenAI in audit, evolving SOX rules) changes constantly; candidates who actively study CPE topics outside requirements stand out.
  • Cultural alignment with a partnership model. Some candidates prefer the structure and capital of PE-backed firms; others specifically want a traditional partnership. RSM is the latter and looks for candidates who understand the difference.
  • Diversity of experience and perspective. RSM publishes diversity goals and recruits actively from HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, and through associations like NABA, ALPFA, and Ascend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is RSM US considered a Big Four firm?
No. The Big Four are Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG. RSM US ranks consistently fifth or sixth among US accounting firms by revenue, putting it at the top of the next tier alongside Grant Thornton and BDO USA. Outside the Big Four, RSM is one of the most recognized national accounting brands in the United States and the largest with a true middle-market focus.
Do I need a CPA license to work at RSM?
Not to start, but effectively yes for long-term Tax and Audit careers. New hires in Audit and Tax are expected to sit for the CPA exam during their first 18 to 30 months. Promotion past Senior Associate (typically the third year) generally requires CPA licensure or a credible plan to complete it. Consulting roles have more flexibility, with CISA, CISSP, CIA, CRISC, PMP, or platform certifications often substituting depending on practice.
How does RSM compare to the Big Four for compensation?
Senior Associate through Senior Manager compensation is generally comparable to Big Four equivalents in major US markets, especially after recent CPA pipeline pressure pushed salaries up across the industry. Partner economics differ because RSM remains an LLP rather than a PE-backed firm. Bonus structure, busy season utilization, and signing bonuses for experienced hires are all negotiable and worth comparing in writing across offers.
What is busy season actually like at RSM?
Audit busy season runs roughly February through mid-April covering year-end calendar audits, and again in September through October for fiscal year-ends and tax extension work. Expect 55 to 70 hours per week during peak weeks, with longer for partners and senior managers running multiple engagements. Tax compliance teams have a similar pattern around the April 15 and October 15 deadlines. Many RSM employees describe the firm's work-life reputation as marginally better than Big Four during busy season but still demanding.
Why is RSM still a partnership when peers are taking private equity money?
RSM has publicly maintained that it sees value in remaining a traditional partnership where partner economics are owned by working partners rather than external investors. The firm has not announced any PE process. For candidates who specifically prefer a non-PE-backed firm because they worry about external capital influencing partner economics, audit independence, or long-term strategy, RSM is one of the few remaining large-firm options alongside the Big Four, Crowe, Plante Moran, and CLA.
Which RSM offices and practices are hiring most aggressively right now?
The CPA pipeline crisis has created broad hiring demand, but the most consistent volume hiring is in Tax (corporate, partnership, SALT, international), Audit (private companies, employee benefit plans, government, not-for-profit), and Risk Consulting (cyber, internal audit, SOX). Technology Consulting around D365, Salesforce, NetSuite, and Oracle implementations is also a growth area. Major hiring offices include Chicago, Houston, Boston, NYC, LA, Bay Area, Atlanta, Dallas, DC, Denver, Minneapolis, Miami, Seattle, and Phoenix.
What is the experienced hire process like for someone leaving a Big Four firm?
RSM actively recruits Big Four laterals at the Senior, Manager, and Senior Manager levels. Process is typically a recruiter screen, hiring manager interview, partner round, and offer within four to six weeks. Title and compensation generally match or slightly exceed your current level; some laterals get a half-step accelerated promotion timeline if they bring a clear book of work or industry specialty. Be ready to discuss why you are leaving the Big Four; saying you want middle-market client variety lands better than vague culture complaints.
Does RSM hire international candidates and sponsor work visas?
RSM US does sponsor H-1B visas and has historically sponsored Tax and Audit professionals with strong technical backgrounds, particularly from accounting masters programs. Sponsorship is not guaranteed and is decided requisition by requisition; ask the recruiter explicitly during the first call. The broader RSM International network in 80-plus countries also offers internal mobility paths once you are inside the firm.
How does the CPA pipeline crisis affect hiring at RSM?
The decline in accounting graduates and CPA exam candidates over the past five years means RSM, like every major US accounting firm, faces real talent shortages in Tax and Audit. Salaries at the Senior Associate and Manager levels have risen meaningfully since 2022. Several states have begun dropping the 150-credit-hour CPA requirement, which may broaden the pipeline over time. For candidates, this means more leverage in negotiation and faster interview cycles than the historical norm, particularly outside major metros.
What is the partner track timeline at RSM?
Traditional progression is Associate (1-2 years), Senior Associate (2-3 years), Manager (2-3 years), Senior Manager (3-5 years), Director, then Partner. Average time to Partner is typically 12 to 15 years from start, though the actual range is wide. Partner admission is competitive and depends on book of business development, technical reputation, and people leadership. There is no guaranteed track and not every Senior Manager makes Partner; many transition into Director or Principal roles or move to industry. Be honest with yourself and your mentors about whether the partner path is the right goal.
How much does RSM use AI and automation in audit and tax work?
RSM has invested in proprietary tools and pilots Microsoft Copilot and other GenAI platforms in production work. Tax has been a meaningful early adopter for return review, research summarization, and SALT analysis. Audit uses analytics tools for journal entry testing and risk identification. Adoption varies by office and practice, but candidates with Alteryx, Power BI, Python, or hands-on GenAI experience are increasingly differentiated. Do not overstate AI experience because interviewers will probe.
Does RSM offer remote or hybrid work?
RSM operates a hybrid model that varies by office, practice, and engagement. Most professionals are expected in-office or on-client-site two to three days per week on average, with more flexibility outside busy season and more on-site time during fieldwork. Fully remote arrangements exist for specific roles (often technology consulting, certain tax specialties, or managed services) but are not the default. Confirm the specific expectation with your recruiter before accepting an offer.

Open Positions

RSM US currently has 656 open positions.

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Sources

  1. RSM US LLP - Official Careers Site —
  2. RSM US LLP - About Us and Leadership —
  3. RSM US Workday Job Board —
  4. RSM International - Global Network —
  5. Accounting Today - Top 100 Firms Annual Ranking —
  6. Inside Public Accounting - National Firm Rankings —
  7. AICPA - CPA Pipeline and 150-Hour Rule Reform —
  8. PCAOB - Inspection Reports and Audit Quality Trends —
  9. Wall Street Journal - Private Equity in Accounting Coverage —
  10. Going Concern - Industry News and RSM Coverage —
  11. Vault Accounting Firm Rankings —
  12. Glassdoor - RSM US LLP Reviews and Salary Data —