For college students that are looking to pursue a career that has plenty of job opportunities and potential for growth, going into accounting could be a great option. Accountants are currently highly in demand and are only going to be more sought after as regulation continues to increase. For those that have an interest in accounting, it is very important that they find an internship to work prior to graduating. For those that are looking for a good accounting internship, there are several tips that should be followed to ensure they find the best one possible.
Start Applying Early
The first tip to find a good accounting internship is to start the application process as early as possible. For summer internships, it is very common that accounting firms will start their hiring in the late fall of the preceding cool year, nearly six months before the internship even begins. While most students don’t realize this, those that start applying and looking for opportunities as early as possible will have the best chance of landing the best job. Depending on the school that you go to, the career counseling department could help you find out when the top accounting firms are starting to accept applications.
Think About What You Want to Do
Another important tip for getting the best accounting job possible is thinking about what you want to do before the interview. Accounting is a very broad field, so it would be beneficial to understand all of the different jobs that you could do. If you have an interest in one particular field, such as financial statement preparation, auditing, or forensic accounting, it would be a good idea to pursue a job in that field. Having a specific interest will also show that you have a true interest in the field, which will make you more attractive to employers.
Practice Interviewing Skills
Another important thing to do to ensure that you get the best job possible is to practice your interviewing skills. Most students that apply for internships do not have very refined interviewing skills, so those that do practice will really stand out with employers. You should practice through sample and mock interviews through your career center and think up of good answers for common interview questions. It would also be a good idea to come up with a list of questions that you should ask while in the interview.
Follow Up
The fourth tip that you should follow is that you should always follow up when you are done with an interview. You should always get an employer’s contact information so you can thank them for taking the time to meet with you. After a few weeks if you have not heard anything else from the employer, it would be a good opportunity to contact them to see if they need any more information.
In conclusion, finding an accounting internship is very important as it will help someone eventually land their first job and could lead to plenty of career opportunities. For those that are looking for an internship, there are several tips that should be followed, which will help them get the best opportunity possible.
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