Career Lesson From An Audit Associate At A Big 4 Accounting Firm
To be competitive in accounting, securing an internship is key, with the "vast majority of folks" hired previously interning at the same firm. Exploring different internship experiences, whether in accounting, finance, or business administration, allows one to discover the best-suited accounting area and profession.
Internship Experience, Accounting, Career Exploration, Networking, Recruiting Process
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Joel Bobe
Audit Associate
Big 4 Accounting Firm
The George Washington University
UNC - Chapel Hill
International Relations & Affairs, Philosophy
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Internships are crucial for securing entry-level accounting positions.
2. Networking through accounting organizations (fraternities/sororities) can greatly benefit your job search.
3. Exploring diverse internships in finance or business administration can help you discover your area of interest within accounting and related fields.
Transcript
What entry-level positions in this field might an undergraduate college student consider?
If your goal is to be competitive in the recruitment process, you'll want to strive to get an internship. If you're an accountant or an aspiring accountant, you're probably in an accounting department, so you probably know this already.
Being active in the recruiting process, possibly joining an accounting fraternity or sorority, and making sure you have some internship experience would be really helpful. At the end of the day, the vast majority of people who get hired were interns at one point at the same firm.
It also gives you an opportunity to explore what area of accounting suits you best, whether it's tax, audit, or maybe something different altogether. If you're not sure about accounting as a profession, consider getting some internships that might be a little bit different, whether it's more finance-oriented or more business administration.
Whatever you think you're interested in, this is definitely the time to explore. So, take the space to try different things; you have the time. I would invest that time into different internship experiences.