Tag Archives: internships

Career, Employment, Events, Melissa, Recruiting, Student Life

“Grew up in DFW, lived in Paris, loves cycling”

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Tonight I attended the MPA: Building Connections workshop at McCombs. The workshop was led by Michelle Polkinghorn and she brushed us up on some crucial networking skills in preparation for the “Meet the Firms” recruiting kickoff this week at DKR Texas Memorial Stadium. For those of you who are not, or have not, recruited recently, “Meet the Firms” is an opportunity for students and firms to meet and connect with each other in a structured setting.

We were given a bunch of important tips but one particularly resonated with me.  When I returned home, I turned on The Office while I worked on some audit homework, and I was reminded of this tip and now feel obliged to pass it on to you all.

Michelle suggested that after talking with a recruiter, and receiving their business card, you should write on the back a few key facts about the recruiter or memorable talking points. Of course, this should be done out of view of the recruiter. Suggested were writing things such as “UT alum” or “Talked about our love for cycling.” Anything that will help you to create an actual memorable relationship with the person.

Tell me which sounds better:

1. “Oh, hi…do you remember me? We, um, talked before…at the event last week…”

OR

2. “Hello *recruiter’s name*, how are you doing? Did you ever get a chance to check out that bike trail we talked about last week at the brief and meet?”

I know I have a tendency to be extreme, but I hope you see my point.

Now back to The Office. This particular episode pits Dwight and Michael against each other competing for a big client. Although we can all agree that Michael can be a little bit radical and unreasonable in his business methods, he successfully employs this business card tip! In Michael’s case, he writes down facts about his clients’ families and likes/dislikes. Therefore, in a business setting, Michael delights his clients using the information he had written down.

Personal facts show his clients (and in our case, recruiters) that he cares about them and helps to maintain, as well as strengthen, their relationship.

My favorite clip from the episode reveals Michael’s thoughts on Dwight:

Academics, Employment, Feature, Melissa, Recruiting, Student Life

“Okay, employers don’t REALLY look at my Facebook, right?”

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WRONG!

YOU control your online persona

For me, Facebook has always been a positive thing- barring it’s impeccable ability to distract during finals week. Facebook is an efficient way to keep up with old friends and family, and to stay in touch with friends around the world. It is often entertaining, and merely a way for everyone to share their life with each other. However, Facebook is not all fun and games.

Facebook holds us all to a new level of accountability. There are countless stories of employees who have misled their employers. And now, in a world governed by social media, employees’ indiscretions are being discovered via Facebook. Take, for example, the story of Kevin Colvin, a NYC bank employee who asked off for a family emergency that just so coincidently landed on Halloween weekend. When pictures surfaced of Colvin in costume celebrating the holiday, he was promptly discovered. Many other employees have chosen Facebook as their channel of communication with which to rant about their employer, and thus are discovered as well.

While recruiting –and even when you secure a job– it is important to remember that your Facebook is NOT completely separate from your work life. Any online representation of you is free to the public. Anything that you post online should match the reputation that you are trying to withhold.

What it all boils down to, is that if you question whether or not something should be posted online, the answer is probably that it shouldn’t.  Be smart about what you post because you aren’t just sharing it with your friends, you are sharing it with the internet- aka anyone who inquires.

Sidenote: If you read through this and thought, “Oh, this is ridiculous. Obviously this girl doesn’t understand that Facebook has privacy settings.” Although a valid point, Facebook updates often reset your settings back to “default” (not private!) and anyway, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Employment, Feature, Melissa, Recruiting

Cities (Probably) Overlooked During Recruiting: Part 2

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Beautiful Boston Skyline

Greetings from Red Sox Nation, home of the Boston Tea Party, Beantown or whatever you like to call it. Clearly Boston is a city full of life (and United States History).

As I said before, Austin is a city with many accolades, but we should consider all the alternatives during recruiting. All Big 4 have offices in Boston!

The Skyline is beautiful especially at night. I’m sure many of you would argue that it holds no candle to the skyline of Austin, but I’m still a big fan.

Apart from the skyline, Boston has a lot of other great sites to see.

1. Fenway Park: I may have mentioned before that I am not the biggest sports fan (other than the Longhorns, of course.) But nothing beats the atmosphere and camaraderie of Fenway Park.  The park opened in 1912 and is considered one of the most iconic sports venues in the world. If you get the chance to intern in the city, I definitely recommend you check out a Red Sox game. And if you can, sit on the Green Monster!

My cousin and I on the Green Monster at Fenway

2. North End: Akin to New York City’s “Little Italy,” the North End is a historic neighborhood in Massachusetts that has been inhabited since the 1600s. The neighborhood is rich in Italian culture and DELICIOUS food. If you visit the North End, be sure to check out Mike’s Pastry- best pastries and cookies you will ever have! Continue reading Cities (Probably) Overlooked During Recruiting: Part 2 →

Career, Employment, Feature, Melissa, Recruiting

Cities (Probably) Overlooked During Recruiting: Part 1

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Dinner in San Fran with my brother and cousin

Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope you all survived finals. I know it can be a rough time of year.

This is the first MPA blog from California!
If not, my apologies to the MPA blogger of the past for stealing your thunder.

Spring recruiting is coming up for us third-years, and I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite cities that I will be visiting over the holidays.  Don’t be afraid to recruit for an internship in a city that isn’t Austin. Of course, Austin is one of the best cities in the world, but let’s not forget the other contenders.

First stop, San Francisco!

I’m here in San Francisco visiting some family and am reminded of my love for the city. There is just so much to do and see.

Disclaimer: All Big 4 firms have offices in San Fran, as well as tons of midcap and boutique firms. Could be a good life for an accountant!

There are lots of great things to do in and around the city, as well. Some of my favorite spots are: 

1. Exploratorium: This famous science museum in San Fran is fun for everyone. I have always been a nerd, and I proudly embrace it. Thus, my first time at the Exploratorium I was wide-eyed and grinning the whole time. And to this day, it is still an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. If we are being honest, when I visit the Exploratorium today, I probably still sport the same cheesy grin I did when I was a kid. Continue reading Cities (Probably) Overlooked During Recruiting: Part 1 →

Career, Darrin

Top Ten List

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The phrase is, “Time flies when you are having fun.” The end of my internship came so fast, I couldn’t believe it was truly over. Waking up early on Monday, I was close to preparing for another day of work.  Instead I went back to bed for another three hours.  🙂

I guess in the end, it is just human nature to reflect. But to keep the air a little bit lighter, I will reflect in a manner that David Letterman would be proud of.

Top Ten Reasons…to be an Auditor for a Big 4 Firm! Continue reading Top Ten List →