Are you an accounting student who is feeling overwhelmed by the recruiting process?
This column is a series intended to help you succeed as you begin your journey with the accounting profession.
Here are things you should do when it comes to your internship:
- Ask questions. Employers expect you to not know very much, and they anticipate that you will ask questions and learn on the job.
- Take notes and refer to them—keep a notepad and carry it with you to meetings or when you ask questions.
- Attend events—firm dinner, happy hours, deadline parties, etc. It never hurts to have lunch with coworkers too.
- Dress to impress—even if your firm allows “smart casual” (denim), it doesn’t hurt to wear nice dress pants frequently too.
- Be communicative. If your internship is during the semester, be sure to let your employer know when you have exams coming up so that you can change your schedule around when needed.
- Take on new tasks that are presented to you even if they seem challenging. Try giving it your best effort before asking for help too!
Here are things you should NOT do when it comes to your internship:
- Do not show up late.
- Do not act disinterested, rude, or lose your temper.
- Do not gossip or talk badly about any of your coworkers.
BONUS TIP: take the job seriously—internships often times lead to future opportunities, whether that be additional internships or even a full-time job offer.
Here is how my progression with BS&P happened:
Summer leadership program -> junior year tax internship -> senior year tax internship -> part-time staff accountant during Spring MSA year -> full-time job.
Hear from Recent Interns who Chose to Start Their Careers at BS&P
“One of my favorite things I appreciated a lot as an intern was how helpful everyone was during training and preparing the first initial sets of tax returns. If I ever had any questions, I knew I could ask someone around me or send them a message and they would come over to help as soon as they could.
Another thing I like about BS&P is how communication is encouraged among all levels of seniority. As an intern and entry-level staff, I never felt nervous about emailing or talking to a partner about a question I had regarding a client’s return. I felt like the work I completed was always valued and appreciated, despite the level of my position. Lastly, I always enjoy the firm retreats and deadline parties, as it is a nice way to relax and chat with coworkers and celebrate our hard work!”
– Sarah Paquette, Staff Accountant
“My favorite part of interning was getting to know my coworkers. They were all super friendly and welcoming, and getting to know everyone made my interning experience even better. It was easy to meet other staff since I attended the events outside of work. I also really enjoyed learning about both tax and audit. Getting that real-world experience teaches you more about working in the field than school can.”
-Gabe Glahe, Staff Accountant
“My favorite thing about interning at BS&P was how everyone made me feel welcome and was very helpful throughout my internship. I also enjoyed all of the little events during tax season such as trivia and BINGO night.”
-Olivia Gates, Staff Accountant
“One of my favorite things during my summer internship at BS&P was the diverse workload I was exposed to. I got to work on a variety of
tax projects as well as audit field work. It was a great way to get an understanding of both on the job. Applying what I learned in school helped me to grasp if this was ultimately the path I wanted to take to start my career. My other favorite thing about the summer
internship was getting to know people at the firm on a more personal level. After my internship, I was invited back for the next tax season to work part-time. I am so happy I did and that I am continuing my career at BS&P.
-Allura Taylor, Staff Accountant
Written by Katie Kriner, Staff Accountant