Networking & Recruiting Handbook

Transcription

1 Georgia State University - School of Accountancy s Networking & Recruiting Handbook By: David J. Bram & Bret Keyes, Tau Alpha Chi Hopefully by now, you have heard time and time again how important networking is in order to obtain an internship or entry-level full-time position in the accounting field, but usually no one tells you exactly what networking entails. We have put this handbook together as professionals in the field who have recently gone through the recruiting process, including additional notes from firm recruiting experts. This handbook s purpose is to bridge that gap between the process of knowing about networking and how to properly execute it. There are two different types of students during the recruiting process: Prepared Recruits & Unprepared Recruits The Accounting Boot Camp and this handbook are provided to help inform you on how to best become a prepared recruit. Successful networking requires building a good rapport with firm representatives and this cannot be done by simply going to one or two events. The most prepared and successful recruits are the ones who go to every recruiting event. Firms pre-identify students through these events, so the more they meet you, the more you will stand out. How to Prepare Use all your resources to the fullest Networking is all about building relationships. Use your professors, fellow students, alumni network, graduate students, accounting organizations, Robinson Career Connection (RCC), and the Career Management Center to learn how to prepare and create connections. This field is as much about the people you know as it is what you know. With this in mind, do not ask someone to pass along your résumé without getting to know them first, as that person will be vouching for you. Join one or more student accounting organizations and get involved These organizations provide exclusive access and opportunities for firms to meet and identify potential recruits. Firms look for well-rounded students in leadership positions on campus that are outside of the classroom. A full list of these student accounting organizations is provided further below in the handbook. Attend as many networking events with firms as possible Joining a student organization for the résumé boost is not enough, you also must attend as many events you can and meet and interact with professionals. The firms are spending their resources in order to give you the opportunity to become acquainted. The recruiting process is heavily dependent on building relationships with firm representatives and recruiters. This is not possible without attending as many events as you can and actually talking to them. Build your LinkedIn account If you do not have one yet, create one immediately and fully build your account with information on your education and experience. If you choose to include a picture, be sure it is professional. There are various viewpoints on the inclusion or exclusion of pictures, but for the campus recruiting process it can help recruiters and professionals identify and remember meeting you. LinkedIn is an exceptional tool to use to expand your network and stay in contact with fellow students and professionals you meet. Most professionals in the business world are on LinkedIn now, and there are ample recruiting tools and opportunities available through the site. Be sure to use this to your benefit in order to grow your reach. Do not underestimate the benefit of connecting with students now in order to use them in the future! Secure your Facebook and other social media Make sure your social media pages, especially Facebook are secure and tame to the public eye. You will be searched online during the recruiting process and you do not want any questionable images or information to be broadcast for all to see. Do not assume privacy settings are strong enough, firms may ask someone you are friends with to see your Facebook page. Shutting down your Facebook during recruiting is not a bad idea. Try searching for your own name on Google and evaluate the results from the perspective of a potential employer. The safest bet is not to post, upload, or share anything you would not be completely comfortable with a parent, grandparent, or other respected figure in your life seeing. Elevator Speech Have a well-rehearsed brief summary about yourself that lasts about seconds. It is key to make a proper first introduction to professionals. Be sure to include your name, degree and/or major, year in school, expected graduation date, and position you are interested in (intern/full-time, tax/audit/advisory).

2 Try to be as outgoing and sociable as possible Work on your small talk and social skills as they will be judged on how well you can hold a conversation and keep the person interested in you. If you are more of an introverted individual, you will need to make the additional effort to be outgoing. Have backup discussion topics such as your hobbies and other interests. Have a few questions on hand to ask firm representatives. Asking them about their own experiences in their chosen firm and/or their decision-making process is often a great way to get them talking. Good Questions to Ask You should be asking thoughtful and engaging questions to learn more about the people you network with and their firms. Do not simply ask yes or no questions, and definitely do not try to ask highly technical questions with the objective of stumping the professional. Use the following as a guide to spark your own questions. Do not just copy these: Give me an example of a time you made a mistake and describe how your superiors dealt with it. How does your firm prevent conflicting assignments for low level staff between two different supervisors? Give me some examples of how your firm distinguishes itself from the competition. What is one realistic thing you wish you could change about your job? Does your firm's culture reward employees who get outside their comfort zone and take on new challenges, even if they make mistakes while trying something new? Continuously improve your résumé Your résumé is always a work in progress and it never hurts to have others take a look at it. The more feedback you get, the more developed it can become. Firms receive thousands of résumés each recruiting season and will receive more than 200 from the GSU career fair alone. Small details stand out when being compared to such a large candidate base. Remember that accounting itself is extremely detail-oriented, so your first step in proving your attention to detail is ensuring that your résumé is in impeccable condition. Do not rely on your career counselors to point out inconsistencies, take the initiative to hold yourself to a high standard. Ask your roommates, parents, peers, and others in your network to help you, you can never have enough people critique it. Read your résumé backwards to help highlight inconsistencies. When it comes to content, know everything that is on your résumé and be prepared to talk about it with the professionals you meet in detail. Have some goals in mind You should have an idea of some of your short-term and long-term goals. For example, some short-term goals might be to obtain an internship or finish your degree, while long-term goals might be to pass the CPA Exam, decide on the service line you want to go into, and determine where you might want to be in 5-10 years. Be able to answer the question Why Audit or Why Tax? The firms are looking to see if you have put significant effort into deciding what you want to do with your career. While you probably do not know what you want to do for sure, it is extremely important to pick one or the other during the recruiting process. Firms do not like to see candidates that are undecided. Generally during career fairs, firms have three stacks: Audit, Tax, and Undecided. Most only take into consideration two of those stacks. Stay current with Firm news and activities Most firms will either frequently be cited in the news or actively post their own articles on their firm s website. Be sure to keep up with this information to obtain relevant conversation topics and show that you are interested in the firm. It is also very important to extensively research the websites of the firms you are interested in. Take note of activities or areas of practice you find from your research in order to ask representatives about it. Share hobbies and interests outside accounting While it is important to show your commitment to the firm and field of accounting, the firms want to make sure that you are a well-rounded and interesting person that they can comfortably work beside throughout the long hours of busy season. Showing your personal side is just as important as showing your professional side. Once your qualifications meet firm expectations, your personality is what will matter most to them. Professional Attire Never be underdressed. It will never look bad to dress more professionally (make sure your clothes fit well). Conservative is always better, be sure to conceal tattoos and do not wear anything too revealing. Regardless of what an invitation may read, if you know you are going in for an interview (i.e. office visits), wearing a suit is appropriate. Thank You Notes In most circumstances, is an appropriate form of sending thank you notes as it is faster and more convenient. Always send an to every professional you speak to at each event within 24 hours of meeting them. If this was at a small event and was the first time you met them, attaching your résumé is a good idea. Firm professionals meet hundreds if not thousands of students throughout the year, and if you do not follow up quickly, they are likely to forget who you are and the connection you made will be lost. If you legitimately have a question for the professional, you can include it in this follow-up . However, be careful not to ask questions just for the sake of asking questions. Remember that these professionals and recruiters are meeting a ton of candidates AND they that they have very demanding jobs in the first place, so do your best to respect their time. Be sure to review your s multiple times for errors before sending them. Avoid sending or responding to s from your mobile device unless you triple-check to ensure there are no errors.

3 The Accounting Employers Showcase (AES) - September 13, AM 1PM All your preparation above is to succeed at Georgia State s big accounting career fair (AES). Most firms in the Atlanta metro area (as well as outside it) recruit at this event and meet almost all of their hiring needs for the next 12 months during the fall recruiting season. This makes it essential that you attend this event. Bring plenty of résumés, wear your best business professional attire, and prepare to network the entire time with recruiters and professionals. The goal is to convince these people that you are someone they want to work with. Manage your time effectively as you want to make it to as many companies as possible. Also, it is more important to speak with a firm s HR and firm representatives that work in your area of interest. If you are interested in tax, focus your time with tax professionals and vice versa. Unless you have already built a great relationship with your firm of choice, consider making a couple stops before getting to your #1 ideal employer s table. Use this as a chance to get warmed up. You are probably going to feel awkward and nervous standing around in a big convention center, waiting in line to talk to a stranger, and hand them a résumé. That is why you do not want to start out at your top choice and make a terrible impression. Besides, by doing this you might discover a few firms that you like more than you thought you would. Get comfortable and then move to the booths of your favorite firms. Before and after attending AES, apply to jobs you are interested in through RCC: via the On Campus Recruiting (OCR) tab. Note: If you are unable to apply for a selection position, please check the following: 1. GPA - if your GPA is below the company-specified threshold, you will be ineligible to apply. If your GPA Is incorrect in RCC, Bent Winner (bwinner@gsu.edu). 2. Graduation date - Companies will specify eligible graduation dates, and if yours falls outside of that range, you may not be eligible. If your graduation date legitimately falls within the specified range, but is not correct in RCC, you will need to edit that field within your RCC profile. 3. Disclaimer: Do not under any circumstance manipulate this information just to be able to apply to positions, it will only serve to complicate the process going forward and will jeopardize your candidacy. If you have an extenuating circumstance around your GPA or other limitation, do not be afraid to professionally confront the recruiter. Exceptions are made in certain circumstances, but do not expect to receive them. Common Mistakes Talking too long to a single person At networking events, leave them wanting more for the next time you meet. Limit conversations to no more than 5 minutes. It is always better to talk to multiple people for a few minutes than one person for a long time. The more people you meet, the more good impressions you can make. With this in mind, make sure the few minutes you do spend with each person are meaningful and effective. Asking boring or generic questions Boring questions get boring answers. Avoid yes or no questions. If you ask meaningful questions, you can steer the conversation where you want it to go and create a more memorable discussion. Poor handshake Give a firm handshake with proper eye contact. It should be (not too hard, but not too soft. Practice with peers or stroll up to the Career Management Center for help if you are unsure. You hear this all the time, but it is still a very common problem with candidates and is such an important first impression aspect to the process. Not speaking loud enough It is going to be crowded and loud at networking events and especially at the AES. You must talk loud enough to be heard. Otherwise, you are just wasting your breath and do not appear confident. On the subject of speaking, be sure your breath is fresh! Bring mints with you when attending networking events to ensure this. Assuming a strong GPA and résumé are enough to get the job These will get you in the door, strong networking and communication skills will get the job. This is achieved by attending as many events as possible and building relationships. Having the attitude of finding a job instead of starting a career It is just as important that you find the firm that fits you as it is for you to fit with the firm. Do your due diligence to research the firms to find the one that is the best fit for you. Bringing up politics, religion, or other topics with strong personal beliefs One would think everyone knows that it is off limits to bring these types of topics into discussion during the interview process, but it still happens every year. Be prepared to have thoughtful conversations throughout the process so that you do not accidentally use politics and religion to fall back on. You do not know what beliefs those you are talking to have and bringing up conflicting views will put you in a negative light. If someone (even a firm representative) around you brings up a potentially controversial topic, do not engage in any resulting conversation. Just do your best to diffuse the situation by attempting to change the topic of the conversation.

4 The Interview Process After the Accounting Employers Showcase, firms invite students who applied using RCC to interview for internships and full-time positions. The campus recruiting process has two rounds of interviews. The first is conducted on campus at the RCB building. The standard format is one 30 minute interview with a single person (usually a manager, senior manager, or partner) from the firm. Some firms will have you conduct two 30 minute interviews with two different firm representatives, but this is less common. After the campus interview, firms make some cuts and invite the remaining candidates to an office interview (aka office visit ). This takes place at the office of the firm and usually lasts from 9 a.m. until early afternoon. You will go through a welcome and introduction session, receive a tour of the office, conduct three 30 minute interviews, and have lunch with some of the professionals at the firm. At least one of the interviews will be with a partner. The other two will likely be with people at the manager and senior manager level. A junior associate will act as your host for the day. Also, firms may invite you to dinner the night prior to your campus and/or office interview. They may say that this dinner is optional, but it is in your best interest to attend regardless any conflicts you might have. Professors should be understanding about you having firm interviews; work with them to set your priorities in order. You might be selected for a campus interview by many firms. It reflects poorly on a student to turn down campus interview invitations. You should only apply via RCC to a firm if you have every intention of accepting an on-campus interview invitation from them. After you have completed all your campus interviews, it is acceptable to turn down office interview invitations from any firms you are absolutely sure you have no desire to work for. Try not to be nervous. Their goal is to determine if you can have a conversation and communicate effectively. An industry rule-of-thumb is that about 75% of candidates invited to office interviews receive a job offer, so just relax and be yourself. Be competent and able to converse about the business and accounting world. If you cannot keep conversation going for the entire interview session, you will appear rude or uninterested in the job. Stay current with news from the Wall Street Journal, Accounting Today, Current Accountants, the GSCPA and AICPA newsletters, ESPN, etc. During office interviews, show respect to everyone including those at the front desk, staff, and facility workers. You are being evaluated on how you treat every single person you make contact with at the firm. Generally, firms will provide a date when you should hear back from them regarding an offer of employment. Try to be patient and not pester them prior to this date. In many cases, they will let you know their decision within a few days of your office visit, but some firms do take longer or they make another round of offers after they hear back from their first wave of candidates. Firms will include an expiration date for any job offer they make. If you happen to have an offer from one firm that will expire prior to hearing back from the other firm, make sure to notify the firm you are waiting to hear back from about your time constraints. Firms understand this situation and most are willing to do their best to accommodate you. Do not prematurely accept an offer you are not completely sold on. Do not under any circumstance, renege an offer you previously accepted. Immediately contact Lindsey Myers (lmyers@gsu.edu) if you are considering doing this. Hopefully, if you execute everything well, the end result will provide you with one or more offers for an internship or full-time position. If you successfully land multiple offers, be sure to follow up appropriately with the firms you decline offers from. The accounting world is very small and you do not want to alienate yourself by being rude. Do not make them chase you. Remember, they have jobs outside of recruiting new talent - respect their time as professionals. Take the time to call the firms you are rejecting and let them know that you appreciate their offer but there was a different firm that was right for you. It may be tough given the relationships you have built over the past year or more, but know that recruiters and professionals go through this every year. People accept and people decline, it is all part of the process. The call is going to be way more awkward for you than it is for them. Be sure to call everyone you were close with during the recruiting process as a courtesy. You never know when or where you may run into or work for them in the future, so do your best to maintain the relationships you have worked so hard to build.

5 Building Lasting Connections 1. When you meet someone, be sure to listen to them. You do not have to talk dominate the entire conversation. They will often have great advice for you and have important information for you to know. People like to talk, listen to them! 2. Pay attention. Remember as much as you can, so you can engage in the conversation and recall parts later. 3. Exchange business cards or ask for their card/contact information and follow up with them soon after the event. 4. After speaking with a firm representative, step away and take a moment to briefly write everything you remember about them and the conversation on that business card. 5. When you get home, send each person you met a brief thank you . Be sure to note something about your conversation so they can better recall meeting you. If you do no follow up, that is a lost connection. 6. For the connections you want to keep in touch with, you can send brief s on occasion to update them on how things are going. However, please keep in mind that most professionals have very busy lives, so be sure not to write lengthy s or send them too frequently (~6+ months is a good break), especially during the height of busy seasons. GSU Student Accounting Organizations Important Resources Beta Alpha Psi International Honor Organization for Accounting, Finance, MIS students Tau Alpha Chi The National Honorary Tax Association NABA National Association of Black Accountants ASCEND Pan-Asian Leaders ALPFA Latino Business Leaders IIA Institute of Internal Auditors IMA Institute of Management Accountants - OrgSync Robinson Career Management Center Robinson Career Connection An absolutely necessary resource to use in order to assist you with the recruiting process. See the Student Career Guide for more advice on how to further prepare and operate RCC to get the most out of it. More detailed information about RCM/RCC are provided in the Career Guidelines to Follow section. Professional Organizations AICPA The American Institute of CPAs Student membership is free. GSCPA The Georgia Society of CPAs Student Membership GSCPA offers many networking and scholarship opportunities. Student members also receive discounts on eight different CPA exam review courses, invitations to the professional development seminars, recruiting and networking events, and to special student-focused events. GSCPA Contact - Nikelle Klareich - Manager, Foundation & Student Initiatives at GSCPA Contact her at nklareich@gscpa.org or with any questions you may have Contact Information We have put this handbook together based on experiences from both sides of the recruiting process, as students as well as public accounting firm representatives. We also solicited feedback from several experienced recruiters, including Lindsey Myers. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would also appreciate feedback on how effective this handbook has been for you. Contact us during and after fall recruiting season to let us know how it worked out! Keep building that network and be on the lookout for us at networking events and the Accounting Employers Showcase! David J. Bram Bret Keyes, MTx, MPA Lindsey Myers, CPA Past President Tau Alpha Chi VP of Networking Tau Alpha Chi GSU Graduate Career Counselor Bennett Thrasher Firm Rep Ernst & Young Firm Rep Previous Big 4 Firm Recruiter dbram@btcpa.net keyes.bret@gmail.com lmyers@gsu.edu

6 Notes on Business Attire The following suggestions are important notes on attire provided by Beta Alpha Psi. The Basics Be well groomed and up to date! Watch dressing according to fashion fads. Watch colognes and perfumes Carry breath mints with you Groom your fingernails Keep shoes, handbags, belts, and briefcases in top condition Professional vs. Business Casual When is professional dress appropriate? Interview situation Formal client meetings When is business casual appropriate? In the office Casual business lunches and dinners Some office visits Business Casual Dress Rule #1: If you have to question it, do not wear it! Make sure that your business casual attire still says that you mean business Always be prepared to go on impromptu business calls. Professional Attire Professional Image for Men Make sure to be well groomed and shave Ties to be well knotted & end in middle of your belt Over the calf socks in black, brown, or navy Professional suit colors are navy, gray, and charcoal Belt should match shoes Dressing for an Interview for Men Wear a dark suit and conservative tie Light colored long sleeve shirt (white or light blue) Professional Image for Women One ring per hand, quality watch, nothing flashy Pay attention to hose if worn and socks Hose should be sheer, neutral, or off-black Professional suit colors are navy, gray, taupe, & burgundy Make sure skirt or pants are not too tight Dressing for an Interview for Women Wear a suit, pantsuit, or blouse/skirt/jacket Business Casual Acceptable Clothing Polos Pressed Oxford Shirts Turtlenecks and sweaters Blouses Acceptable Shoes Loafers Flat shoes Dress shoes and dress socks Conservative heels or pumps Unacceptable Clothing Tee shirts, tank tops, jeans, and collarless shirts Halter/midriff tops Sweatshirts Untucked shirts and shirttails Unacceptable Shoes Sneakers and casual footwear Hiking boots Athletic socks Non-dressy sandals and flip flops

7 Important Tips for Interns and Entry-level Hires By: David J. Bram These tips are based on experiences in public accounting, but the basis can be applied to all entry-level positions. You can also use this information to formulate questions during the recruiting process. Many firms treat interns the same as entry-level full-time hires, so the following information is equally relevant to both. These tips include general advice to ease the transition from student to professional and help you be successful, keep these tips for when you start! Do not expect to know everything at the start. You are going to end up feeling like you know very little and realize that your accounting classes do not teach you real world practice, rather they provide you with a foundation of accounting principles. This is completely normal and expected. The firm will provide extensive training and expect you to take longer at the beginning to learn the firm's procedures, software, and how to prepare the work. Do not get discouraged, be ready to absorb new information and learn. Communication is the key to success. Having strong communication skills including: being able to explain problems, update seniors and managers on a project s status, and generate timely communication between coworkers is vital to becoming part of the team and firm. You will be expected to be a team player and to be able to appropriately communicate any issues you may have. Do not be afraid to speak up, but also realize there is a time and place for everything. If you know your senior is working on a project with a close deadline, it is best to wait or send an rather than walking up to them. Double check everything before putting any work into review to your senior or manager. Spending an extra minutes to go over everything and catching mistakes will save your reviewer, who bills out at a much higher rate than you, a lot of time and you will be perceived and valued as a higher performing employee. Bring a pen and notepad with you everywhere. A senior asks you over to their desk to show you something? Bring a notepad. Meeting with a manager about a new project? Bring a notepad. A senior is asking you to drop by for a second without explaining why? Bring a notepad. Senior/Manager is ready to review a project with you? Bring a notepad. Create a reference guide for yourself. Whether it is all the notes you take while meeting with managers, or seniors showing you tips or advice, you should transcribe it all on a notepad. Then as soon as you have time, transfer the notes into your reference guide that you are making in a word document or note organizing software program. This reference guide will eliminate your need to pester people with repeat questions. Do your best not to make the same mistake twice. The point of putting together a reference guide is to help you remember and refer back to questions you have seen before and cannot remember the answer to. You do not want to go back to your senior or put something into review with the same mistake over and over again. Being aware of mistakes and putting in the effort to make sure you do not repeat them will show that you are learning and progressing as you need to be. It is important to ask questions, but be smart about it. If you have a question that does not impede you from continuing to work, write it down and move on. Make a list of questions that your senior can answer all at one time rather than periodically asking single questions over a short duration. When asking for help, be sure to ask them to come at their own convenience if it is not time sensitive. If you are completely stuck, let them know and work on something else until they have the time to help you. Attempt to build closer relationships with other interns and new hires. Work with each other to solve problems before going straight to a senior. The seniors will appreciate it, especially during busy times. Seniors tend to have the roughest time during busy season as they are responsible for helping interns and new hires, preparing their own work, reviewing others work, and progressing themselves towards a more supervisory role. Treat your seniors well and try not to pepper them with questions. If you have several seniors you can go to, try to even your questions out between them. It is okay to say you do not understand something. Do not try to act like you know what a senior or manager is talking about if you are unsure. This will impede your learning process and cause further confusion later on. If you do not understand something or it is being explained too quickly, ask them to explain again and slow down. You do not want to become lost after getting deep into a project and have it re-explained to you. Strive to understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. While it is okay to not understand something, you should be working towards realizing what purpose there is to your work. This will be difficult at the beginning and you are not expected to fully grasp everything as you start. Attempt to make a conscious effort to do more than simple data entry and take note of why you are doing specific tasks. Also try to learn the client and how the work relates to the client. If you discover ways to be more productive at work, do not be shy about it. Time is money, especially during busy season. If you realize certain tasks are inefficient and you know of a way to expedite their completion, take the initiative to bring it to someone s attention and be sure to properly document your suggestions.

8 Do NOT eat your time when tracking the time you work on projects. You may think this will make you look better and show you are performing better, but it actually hurts everyone, including you. Future projects may be budgeted for fewer hours if it looks like you are performing faster. It varies depending on the firm, but generally budgeted hours are just estimates of how long projects should take based off of the prior year, currently known information for this year, and the level of preparer working on the project. If you understate your time, the manager will not effectively know how long the project took to complete. It could take longer this year because there was a lot more work that they had not noticed, or there were specific complications that arose that were not present in years past. An inaccurate budget may result for the next year, hurt the ability to judge how difficult the project is for a new employee, and probably most importantly, reduce the amount of hours billed to the client, thus reducing revenue for the firm. Be aware of office politics and try not to get caught up in them. Every firm has its own office politics and you will eventually find out who you can trust and who likes to run their mouth. Be careful what you say to people, especially as an intern still trying to get that job offer. However, it is important to stay personable with your coworkers. You do not want to act like a recluse who does not talk to anyone. But you do not want to go talking to a coworker about your drinking days last semester, who in turn tells your manager how crazy you are. Try to keep your relationships in the office professional. It is fine to get to know your coworkers better and to have fun sharing stories and life experiences, as well as just regular daily socializing. However, you need to remember that you are also there to work and make an impression as well. You do not want to get caught talking to a coworker about your weekend when you have several projects that need to get out the door. It can be a difficult transition going from school into busy season at a public accounting firm, especially if you have not worked those kind of overtime hours before. Try to find a good balance between socializing with your coworkers and getting your work done. If you are being paid by the hour, it does not look good if you are charging the firm to talk about the concerts you went to recently. Keep a keen eye out to see who you can really connect with to have as a mentor. It may differ depending on your firm, but you should be assigned a senior as your buddy, and a manager as your coach. You should try to confide in them as you are making adjustments into the field of accounting. It may turn out that your assigned buddy/coach ends up being one of these people, but you may also find that there is someone else you feel you can go to for advice. It is important to build these relationships to help bolster your progression. Work on setting a plan to manage a balance in your personal life in preparation for the upcoming busy season. You probably know that you will end up working long hours for several weeks which will limit your time to do things outside of work. A proper diet and exercise are important for having sufficient energy throughout the long days at work. It will be hard to motivate yourself to keep to this if you do not have any set plan beforehand. Also, it becomes more difficult to do simple tasks during those long hours that you probably would not think of until they are upon you. Some of these tasks include: going to the bank or paying bills, doing laundry, doing the dishes, keeping the home tidy, keeping in touch with friends and family, exercising, grocery shopping, and other routine tasks that may not get done in the absence of free time. Do not expect to plan a vacation during your firm s busy season. Document your workpapers as you prepare work so that it is clear what you have done and why you did it. References are important so that the reviewer knows where to go to see where you obtained information and what your thought process was preparing it. You want your reviewer to be able to spend as little time as possible with the least amount of confusion while they are going over your work. It is worth taking the extra time to document and reference work for your reviewer. It is most efficient to document as you go along, but it also can be worth going back to reference and further document as well. Remember, your reviewer bills out at a much higher rate than you, thus their time is much more important. Make the extra effort to save them time. Organization is important. Whether it is keeping track of your s, going through client workpapers, or as simple as keeping your desk tidy, keeping proper organization will make you more efficient and reduce stress. You do not want to be in the height of busy season unable to find an important document on a time sensitive project you are working on. Setting a plan stay organized with all of your work will greatly decrease the amount of time it takes to find items and reduce stress. Be aware of your budgeted time on a project. With all this talk about spending extra time to save others time, it is also important to not go over budget without communicating it. Generally, you should be preparing a project with enough time left in your budget to have it returned to you in order to clear review notes and process the return. However, as said earlier other circumstances can cause you to go over budget. It is important to be aware of the budget and speak up if you are approaching the limit, especially during busy season. You do not want to go hours over budget without notifying anyone when it turned out you were spinning your wheels over an issue that could have been handled much more efficiently. Congratulations on your new job and best of luck with the start of your career!

9 Career Guidelines to Follow Timing is very important. Companies will be recruiting this fall (2013) for spring/summer 2014 internships and full-time positions that will begin next fall (fall 2014) and sometimes even January 2015, so it is imperative that you have a plan in place for your program completion and participation in recruiting. It is NEVER too early to participate in recruiting congrats on taking the first step in the right direction, we re glad you re at Boot Camp! Where You Fit Internship & Full Time Positions: > Big Four and large regional accounting firms: o Internships are generally completed months prior to final graduation date (with Master s or 150 hours). See chart below. o o While it is inarguable that internships are beneficial, they are not absolutely required there will be firms on campus recruiting for full time positions. Many of these firms have a stated minimum/cutoff GPA of around a 3.2 (consult each firm individually to verify), though they typically favor higher (approx. 3.5+). > Corporate Accounting positions & local / small regional firms: o Typically much more flexible with the timing of their internships (in terms of your academic progression). o o Many of these internships are only offered in spring or only offered during the summer. You will need to evaluate each of these opportunities on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility/feasibility. Companies & smaller firms will also be recruiting for full time positions. Steps & Tips for Success: 1) Know what you want and when you want it three things recruiters are going to want to know are as follows: a. Desired function (audit/tax/advisory/corporate/internal audit/etc.) b. What you re seeking internship vs. full time (refer to where you fit above it is important to know what you qualify for at the various firms and companies) & when you are seeking it (i.e. full-time position beginning in fall 2014). c. Location preference. Develop your list of top 3 cities if you are open to/seeking relocation. You need to have a compelling reason for choosing each city on your list. 2) Update your resume This is one of the most important elements of branding yourself. Graduate and undergraduate versions of an example resume are included in this publication for use in reviewing and formatting your own resume. Please consult these example resumes prior to submitting your resume for review in RCC. These resumes have been created to reflect the format and content that campus recruiters are seeking. 3) Network, Network, Network! What are you doing to expand your professional network? If you can t easily answer that question, we strongly advise you to develop a plan to do so. The School of Accountancy (SOA) has numerous opportunities for networking, so make sure you take advantage of every opportunity you can, even if it doesn t seem directly relevant to the career path you are immediately pursuing or isn t with a firm/company that s on your top list at the moment. In this market, putting all of your eggs even in just a few baskets is risky business. Simply applying online to positions will very rarely result in success you must become engaged in the recruiting process and professional networking activities. Consider becoming involved with either the student and/or professional chapters of any SOA organization (a list is within this document). Just paying the dues isn t enough you must take advantage of the meetings and opportunities in order to realize the full benefits. We understand that many of you are working or have other obligations; however, if you are serious about landing a job, some sacrifices may have to be made in the short term to ultimately get you where you want to go.

10 4) Utilize Career Management Center (CMC) Services be your own success story! CMC Career Fair Accounting Employers Showcase: Friday, September 13 th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta (265 Peachtree St. NE; Atlanta, GA Directions). Additional information will be forthcoming, but plan to be there! Firms expect for you to drop your resume at this event, and will often select interview candidates based on your attendance at this career fair. Robinson Career Connection (RCC): In order to apply for campus interviews this fall (which you must do through the RCC system) or any other active postings, you ll need to have an approved resume in RCC. You have been ed specific instructions related to RCC, or you may consult the CMC website. Make sure your current/revised resume is uploaded and that your graduation date is accurate in RCC before you apply to any positions. If your resume has previously been marked as approved, you will not need to obtain further approval with each version upload. You may also view upcoming CMC events & workshops and register/rsvp for them via RCC. Pay attention to what s on the calendar these are offered as a resource for you to aid you in your career development. Remember you own this process! Questions regarding access or technical questions related to RCC may be directed to Brent Winner at bwinner@gsu.edu. Career Counseling: Undergraduate accounting students - Your designated CMC Career Counselor is Roslyn Davis. Walk-in hours are on Mondays from 12-2pm and on Thursdays from 3-5pm. Graduate accounting students - Your Career Counselor is Lindsey Myers Refer to the CMC website for additional information: 5) Develop a Plan for the CPA Exam (& Notes on Eligibility) While most of you are familiar with the 150 hour / 30 upper level accounting hour requirement for CPA licensure, please note that you only have to have completed 20 of the upper level accounting hours in order to SIT for the CPA exam. Students can often sit for the CPA exam during their last semester of grad school and have it finished before starting work full time. Testing windows & time frame: Remember that there are four months out of the year that are closed for testing (March, June, September, and December). Also note that once you pass your first exam, you will have an 18 month window to apply, schedule, prepare for, and pass the other three parts. Please consult the NASBA website for complete requirements. If you still have questions, the address for the Georgia coordinator is cpaes-ga@nasba.org and the phone number is (615) If you plan to sit as a candidate in another state, please consult that state s specific requirements as they can vary from state to state. If you have questions about the Exam, CPA review options, or creating your own testing/review plan, our designated Becker representative, Misty Blakesley (mblakesley@becker.com), is always happy to help.

11 Fall 2013 Campus Recruiting Timeline Update resume based on included example & upload updated copy to RCC Begin researching desired function (audit, tax, corporate/industry, internal audit, etc.) Aug. Attend Boot Camp check! Get involved Join a SOA club (see list included within the Recruiting Handbook) Attend information sessions, company campus visits, and all networking opportunities Network!! Sept. Continue to Network!! Accounting Employers Showcase Friday, Sept. 13, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM, Hyatt Regency Atlanta Apply for internships via RCC (On-Campus Recruiting tab) Oct./ Nov. On-campus interviews (Career Management Center 6 th floor of RCB) Office visits (2 nd round interviews at firm office) Offers extended & accepted (typically by Dec. 1) The Traditional Recruiting Cycle