Courtney Crosby and Kelly Ayers are your MPA Peer Career Consultants.  They’ve successfully navigated the MPA recruiting process and want to help you do the same.  Check out their posts here each week for valuable recruiting tips.
MPA Recruiting

Recruiting season is in full swing! Now that the first round of interviews has come to a close, it is time to continue building relationships with each of the firms as you attend a wide array of recruiting events. Below, I will provide you with some insight on the events based on my previous experience to hopefully give you a better idea of what to expect.

  • The goal of these recruiting events is to really show the firm’s personality and demonstrate that accounting can be more than just debits and credits. You will continuously hear that it is the people that make the difference and these recruiting events aim to show you the people you could potentially be working with in the future. While you are determining whether you can see yourself working with these individuals, the firm will also be evaluating if you are a good fit for the company.
  • A big thing to remember is that just because you made it past the first round of interviews, your spot with the firm is never a guarantee. Each firm has different selection methods, but cuts can be made throughout the process. The more familiar you become with the employers, the more comfortable you will feel, but always ensure you are putting your best foot forward and acting professionally because at the end of the day you are being evaluated.
  • Recruiting events include a wide variety of activities and dress. During my recruiting experience, some of the events I attended included a cooking class, game night, golf outings, dinners, etc. The events are not what you might expect from a typical recruiting event, but they are a lot of fun and provide you with a great opportunity to get to know the employers on a more personal level. While these events are intended to be enjoyable, remember again that the main purpose is to assess your fit with the firm. Dress for many of these events tends to be casual, but be sure you still look well kept, put together, and conservative. The recruiters will provide you with all the details of the event including appropriate dress, but if you ever questions don’t hesitate to reach out to them.
  • If you are ever unable to attend an event, whether because of school or a prior commitment with a student organization, notify your recruiter immediately. The employers expect that you will attend all the events offered, but they are very understanding when something comes up as they know this is a busy time for you. Definitely prioritize attending these recruiting events because these are the only opportunities for you to get to know the firm better and vice versa in order to make an informed decision at the end.
  • In addition to always acting professionally, be sure you are always engaged, participating and appreciative. The firms have dedicated a great deal of resources to these events and the employers in attendance have given up their time to be there, so be sure to express your gratitude and show that you are enjoying the event.

Participating in recruiting events will be unlike anything you might have envisioned or previously experienced. One of my biggest pieces of advice is to really enjoy the process, the places you will go, and the people you will meet!

Courtney Crosby and I will be offering you words of advice throughout your recruiting journey this semester, so be sure to check out our posts in the newsletter each week! And, as always, if you have any questions about recruiting and want to talk about how to prepare, please feel free to email us at PeerMPA@mccombs.utexas.edu or come to our walk-in hours on Tuesday 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 – 5 p.m., Wednesday 9 – 11 a.m., and Thursday 11 a.m. – Noon. Until next week…best of luck!

Submitted by Kelly Ayers