Caption: Student studying on laptop Photo by Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
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“Only 50% of students that choose to pursue an accounting major will actually finish their degree and be successful.” That’s something I heard, and you will probably hear all the time after you decide to pursue a degree and career in Accounting. I’m so glad I did not listen, and I hope that you don’t listen either!
As a first-generation student, I had little guidance when I started the pursuit of my accounting degree and career, so I exhausted every single one of my resources to become the best possible candidate I could be. I have learned extensively over the last few years from my professors, peers, bosses, coworkers, and mentors about everything you need to become a successful candidate in what’s a very competitive industry, and I am so incredibly thankful to have had them to guide me.
After obtaining my Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, having extensive involvement in organizations, and successfully completing 6 internships in various Accounting areas, I am so excited to share with you my tips to not only become a great candidate, but to be sure that the path you choose is the right one for you.
- Get Involved with Accounting School Organizations
This is your starting point and one of the most rewarding decisions you will make. During my first semester of junior year, I joined the Accounting Society and Beta Alpha Psi at my undergraduate school. Join the equivalent of those at your institution, I beg you! The students in the organization will usually have more experience than you do and have already been through at least one recruiting season, so the guidance they can give you is from their first-hand experience. It does not get more reliable than that. This is probably the best source for you to ask the questions that you’re probably afraid to ask professionals at this point of your journey.
I encourage you to not only join the organizations but become involved with them. Through my leadership positions at these organizations, I developed an amazing network of both professionals and students. You will hear this many times: the accounting world is a small world. The more people you know, the better! Join the organization, become involved, and start those conversations. Accounting is an industry where you need mentors, coaches, buddies, and individuals that can help guide you through it. These organizations give you an amazing opportunity to get started.
- Do your Own Research
If you’re anything like me, you don’t rely entirely on what you hear. You owe it to yourself to do your own research! Aren’t you glad we’re in the 21st century and can find out anything with just a few clicks? I encourage you to google your questions, watch YouTube videos, join Facebook groups, and read anonymous communities like Reddit. There is a vast amount of information out there about our industry and answers to almost any question you have. Just remember that a lot of the facts (such as pay, availability of roles, career progression, etcetera) can vary based on office location, state, and firm, so make sure you’re educating yourself on those differences.
- Network, Network, Network!
Networking is truly my favorite word. It really is everything in this industry, and you just have to get used to it. I consider myself an introverted extrovert, as I’m sure many of you do. It takes a lot of energy for me to network and be an active listener in conversations with other people, and then having to go home and recharge my battery.
Well, I had to learn to make a habit out of pushing myself out there during career fairs, “meet the firm” events, panels, firm networking events, you name it. Your junior and senior years can truly shape where you start your career, and if there’s any time to step out of your shell, it’s then. Networking with professionals is an amazing opportunity that has benefits for both parties: You (the candidate) get to learn about the firm, the practice, and the industry with real-time answers, and they (the firm) get to meet you as a candidate and see if you would be a good fit for them. That’s the beauty of networking!
- Only Audit or Tax? No! – Start Getting Experience Early
I remember hearing at my accounting orientation about opportunities in Audit and Tax and I can assure, you will mostly hear about those two as well. However, after doing tons of research (as you will too), I learned that there are many (many) career paths to follow with an accounting degree.
I did not want to blindly choose between those two options and end up in a job I did not like, so I decided to start getting experience early. I wanted to be able to make an informed decision about my future so I sook opportunities in various areas of accounting including tax, audit, corporate accounting, controllership, and consulting.
That is probably the best decision I made as a student. Was it hard to do all of my internships while completing my degree? Absolutely. Do you need to do 6 internships too to make your decision? Absolutely not. I’m not encouraging you to do every single internship that exists, but I will encourage you to choose those areas that you’re most interested in and pursue opportunities in those while you have the time to do so as a student. Don’t be scared of being vocal about it to firms; you can be extremely confident in yourself and your abilities, and still have doubts about which path you want to follow. It’s only fair! You haven’t worked in audit or tax before, how could you know? Pursue those different opportunities.
- Believe in Yourself
This is definitely the most important piece of advice I could ever give you and it applies to any path you choose to follow. Our industry is very competitive, and you will have to push yourself out of your comfort zone many times. You will have to get up and keep going after you do worse than expected on a tax exam, after an interview with a firm did not go as you planned, after you had a “cringey” or awkward conversation at career fair, after you were rejected from an internship position, after you realize the internship of your dreams was not what you expected, after you fail a CPA exam… I could keep going.
If the path was easy, then it would not be worth it. Block out the negative noise and be confident in yourself and your abilities. Know when to admit that you do not know something and search for the answer, ask the difficult questions, get up when you fall, and reach for your dreams. Your research, networking, involvement, resume, etcetera, can only take you so far as to when it’s the first day of your new job. It is then where you need that built-in confidence to apply all you’ve learned and show them what you’re made of. After all, we do not go through hard undergraduate courses, tougher master’s courses, long and difficult CPA exams, challenging internships, and nerve-wracking interviews for nothing! Go out there prepared and with the attitude of a student/intern willing to soak up everything the world of accounting has to offer you, and nothing will stop you!
