Anyone ever work part time or seasonaly for HR Block?

[Chicago526]

I know it sounds weird, but I love doing taxes!

I'd love to earn some extra money to pay down some debt, but don't want to crowd my schedule with a part time job all the time. Working PT seasonally for a few months during tax season seems just the thing.

HR Block has classes starting in Sep. It's $149 but of course there is no guarantee they'll hire you after taking the class. I'd hate to spend the money and do all that work if I don't have a good chance of being hired after, so I was wondering if anyone here had some experiance with it.

 

[Kriii]

YOU would have to pay for the training with and then only have the POSSIBILITY of being hired? Seriously???? Sounds like a good moneymaker for H&R.

 

[Chicago526]

YOU would have to pay for the training with and then only have the POSSIBILITY of being hired? Seriously???? Sounds like a good moneymaker for H&R.

I know! That's why I'm asking around about it. I think I remember some DISer's posting about it before, that's why I thought I'd ask here. I can understand why they wouldn't want to guarantee anything until they see how well you do in the classes and on tests, but it seems like a lot of work and $$$ without at least a good chance of getting a job. I'd hate to do it and then find out they aren't even hiring for the 2010 tax season!

 

[WendyZ]

I would love to hear more on this as well. I have thought about this in the past, even checked on classes. I have classes starting in my area this fall.
Hopefully we can find some helpful responses. Thanks for posting.

 

[ski_mom]

My dad did this after he retired from his "real job". He took the class, did well and they offered him a job. He worked for them for about 5 tax seasons and then opened up his own tax business.

For the most part he enjoyed working for H&R Block, but didn't like some of their business practices. This was quite a few years ago, but they made them push for rapid refunds and a few other things that made H&R Block a lot of money. Of course, we all know that making money is why business survive, but he thought most of those things were a real rip off to a lot of people who really didn't know better.

Anyway, I think as long as you made decent grades on the exams, you were offered a job. I also think he was paid so much for each return he prepared. Each year you worked, you got more money for each return or something like that. By the time he left there, he was making quite a bit, but he also worked crazy hours. But, he loved it and it was his choice to work that many hours. I don't think it was forced on him or anything.

Any other questions, I'll try to find out the answers from my mom (my dad passed away a few years ago or I'd ask him).

 

[GabbyMom]

i did h&r this season I won't be back. you have to make a quota, if you don't by mid season your terminated. H&r's numbers where down bad last year. the start was ok but a very slow finish. Just be careful.

 

[MyMuse]

I also thought about this, since I love numbers and already do eveyone's taxes!

There's HR Block & Jackson Hewitt. I know my aunt's husband (3rd) does work for HR Block in FL, but I never heard him complain about it.

 

[edandcolleen1995]

This year will be my 10th season with H&R Block. I enjoy preparing tax returns. The first two seasons you pretty much start building your client base. After that you will just keep building to it. I have never had to make a quota. They do ask you to work between 16 to 20 hrs a week but that is for the end of Jan the beginning of Feb because it is there busiest time of the season. If you pass the final with an 80 or better you will be hired. I hope this helps you. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Inigo]

I took the class, and worked for HR Block for a little while, but quit because I couldn't stomach their ethics, or the lack thereof. They really push their employees, at least around here, to do the Rapid Refund plans, which are basically loans at a 300% APR. I could not ethically encourage these loans, and tried to talk people out of getting them. I didn't get fired, but left after two weeks.

 

[mybabesuz]

DH and I both work for H&R Block.
DH has worked there for 16 years.
I have been there for 7 years.
I have never heard of them pushing quotas or loan products.
You only get paid a low hourly wage like $8 an hour to start.
It goes up every year you work.
Then you get a commission on the returns you prepare.
We get NO extra commission for anyone using the loan products.
If you get an 80 or better on the exam you will get a job for atleast the first 6 weeks of the season.
After that it depends how busy the office is and how well you do.
If you show that you are motivated you will probably be asked to stay.

I have seen new preparers run away from clients and be afraid to do returns.
Believe me H&R Block would rather see new preparers excel because they take a much smaller cut of their profit
than preparers that have been around a long time.

 

[Pamle]

I took the class, and was hired. Basically if you pass the class, they hired you, if you wanted. I worked there for about 5 years, but I have to agree with the other, pushing their products was their goal. That's where they made their money. I would also try to talk people out of the rapid refunds.

 

[Mauldita]

I loved it as I was able to make my own schedule. I had a FTJ too. It was not a huge amount of take home but certainly worth my time. It was fun too, they ran contests and gave awards at the end of each tax season. The classes are so simple to almost laugh at and if you do well... you should have no problems getting hired, plus it hones your personal tax skills and after I no longer worked at H & R, I still picked up some work from friends at my FTJ. This was before I had young children, but it is the same as it always has been... the majority of our clients were hitting H&R end of January and had simple 1040's (getting maximum EIC) and just wanted to take advantage of Rapid Refund. Please no flames, just our observations in the deep south!!!!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Around the time I was starting my own tax practice I went to Block to see about working there. I read the employment contract and walked out. Doing any returns for money outside of them was grounds not only for immediate termination, but treated as if I had done the work for them and withheld the money from them and so they would take those fees out of commissions due. And also something about $1,000 as liquidated damages per return.

 

[luvsJack]

I worked there as a receptionist last season (they have a fancy name for it, but that is basically what it is). Because I am considered an HR Block employee, I can take the course for free this year. A lot of the tax preparers in our office did it that way, worked as a receptionist and then took the course for free.

I, personally, did not like it as a receptionist and wouldn't like the idea of pushing their services. (even the receptionist was supposed to push to an extent).

I have a cousin that too either the HR Block course or Jackson Hewitt course several years ago (like 15 or more). She has a successful business doing taxes and has several employees that she has trained herself. She has never even finished high school. Would I let her do my taxes? Not in a billion years!

In fact, there were several employees in the office I worked in that I wouldn't let do my taxes. They may have done well on the test, but they did not retain enough of the information to really know what they were doing.

 

[GeorgiaRose]

I did this a few years back. Although I enjoyed getting out of the house a couple of nights a week and interacting with adults, the product pushing thing disgusted me. At the time we were supposed to push their shady mortgage products in addition to the refund anticipation loans and checks. I believe their mortgage lending business was one of the first victims of the credit meltdown, so I guess they aren't pushing those anymore. I did like the people in the office. Everyone was pleasant and seemed willing to help each other, but the hard sell on the products...yuck.

 

[Chicago526]

Thanks everyone!

I already have a full time job, this would just be part time on the side, so if they didn't need me after a few weeks, or I decide it just isn't working out, it's no hardship to be let go/quit. I'm not worried about doing well on the class, I've done my own taxes since I was 16 and seem to have a knack for this kind of stuff. I just didn't want to shell out $150 for a class and be told "Oh, well you did great on the test, but we aren't hiring".

I'll need to think about it a bit more before making a choice. Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Manda513]

Not sure about where you are located but Jackson Hewitt is actually paying people here in Louisville, KY to take the class. Of course it is only minimum wage but at least you are making something. I don't know that I would pay to take the course...