Category Archives: Career

recruiting, internship, professional development, career workshops and events

Busy season – Give me everything you got!

From coast to coast, accounting internships are underway. Whether one has signed on with a local firm, midcap, or the traditional Big 4…the real world of accounting is upon each of us.

This spring, I will be spending the first half of it in Denver, CO for my internship. I chose to sign with the largest Big 4 firm in the area in hopes of getting on an engagement with an amazing client. But before I can even part take in this fun, I am required by the firm and by the law to do a lot of training. Let me clarify…a lot of training is an understatement. My first week has been great getting to know the new interns that are in my group as well as some new people around the office. Everyone here, as I am sure people do at other firms, treat you so well. Perhaps this is why BusinessWeek ranks the Big 4 at the top of places to start your career. Continue reading Busy season – Give me everything you got!

MPA program helps cure “undecideds” like me

Wow–I can’t believe it’s already mid-November. This semester has flown by! I am still wondering where the cold weather is, though. Hopefully it’s here by December, or else I’ll have no incentive to stay inside and study for finals. Instead, I’ll keep enjoying these beautiful 70-degree days outdoors and not getting near as much work done as I should. Continue reading MPA program helps cure “undecideds” like me

The good life

“The good life” requires some semblance of balance between work, play, service, family, friends, hobbies, health, travel, personal development, and eating at In-N-Out. We all know this.

However, it’s not always easy to

1 – Understand our own priorities

and

2 – Spend our time and efforts according to those priorities.

Fortunately, my good friends, I have it all figured out*. And so, without further ado, I give you . . . [drum roll crescendo and gong sound] . . . Continue reading The good life

Late-October letters

Dear Future Self,

Don’t worry. Even though I’ve been slammed with homework and interviews for quite some time now and have barely had time to keep up with my one show (Heroes), I’m going to continue pushing through to the end to provide you with a great foundation of accounting knowledge, good grades, and, if all goes well, a job. I’m very invested in your career, as you know. And I don’t mind that you’re enjoying the fruits of MY labor. Because, hey! You’re a great guy. And you deserve it.

Sincerely,

Present Self

——————————————–

Dear Audit Mid-Term Exam II,

I didn’t know any one test could cover so many lists. I’m really impressed! Way to go.

Sincerely,

Audit student who woke up quite early this morning to review several pages of lists about internal controls

Continue reading Late-October letters

Don’t make it a chore

Guess where I am? I am at a boutique hotel in downtown Houston. And, no, I am not playing hooky. Quite to the contrary, I am here on important business. I am here, by invitation of a public accounting firm, for my second-round interview at the office where I will potentially be working. Luckily, since I have had some experience participating in undergraduate recruiting, the concept of office visit is not foreign to me. Nevertheless, the whole recruiting process is still nerve-wracking and requires a lot of preparation. Since I am at the eve of the end of the process, let me just briefly walk you through my experience recruiting as a traditional MPA student so far.

Continue reading Don’t make it a chore