The Importance of Experience

From the very beginning of my college education at Ohio University, I knew that I wanted to be a Certified Public Accountant. Along the way of getting my accounting degree, professors were persistently stressing the importance of an internship and how instrumental it is to your professional development and future career. I wanted to obtain an internship early on, but getting into the recruiting process was difficult for me. Being on the cross-country team at OU, I was constantly traveling and this caused me to miss recruiting events that many of my fellow classmates would attend. Going into my senior year with my cross-country career soon coming to an end, I finally had the opportunity to get involved in the recruiting process and see what all the excitement was about.  

I began the process of landing an internship by going to the career fair at OU; this is where I would have my first interaction with Schneider Downs and many other firms. The career fair would end up leading to an onsite interview with Schneider Downs. I was nervous at first, but when I walked in the lobby and saw “Please Welcome Jake Gentile” on the television, my nerves immediately calmed. After a lengthy interview process with numerous firms, it was clear to me that Schneider Downs would be an ideal fit because of what the Audit Internship Position offered and the location being in Columbus. At that point, I kept my fingers crossed and waited for the white envelope with the blue Schneider Downs logo. Fortunately, two weeks later I got the letter I had been waiting for, and I accepted the summer internship.

After a couple days of orientation and learning to use the programs, I was officially ready to be out in the field helping clients. Working on engagements in the field is where I gained most of the invaluable experience that my professors had been preaching about. Getting hands-on experience and directly interacting with clients enabled me to apply the concepts I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world situations, allowing me to grow as a professional. Overall, I can say that I’ve learned just as much about accounting in eight weeks at Schneider Downs as I have in my four years of college. My time spent at Schneider Downs this summer has been a great experience, and I’m truly grateful to have met so many great people.

Contact us if you have questions regarding the Schneider Downs internship opportunities.

Visit the Our Thoughts On blog to read more about Schneider Downs internships.

 

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The Schneider Downs Our Thoughts On blog exists to create a dialogue on issues that are important to organizations and individuals. While we enjoy sharing our ideas and insights, we’re especially interested in what you may have to say. If you have a question or a comment about this article – or any article from the Our Thoughts On blog – we hope you’ll share it with us. After all, a dialogue is an exchange of ideas, and we’d like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].

Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice.

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our thoughts on
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Starting from Scratch: My First Internship
Internship BY Haddae Allen
More Than Just Public Accounting
“Trust” Me, Interning at Schneider Downs is a Rewarding Experience
Student-athlete to Accountant
Impacting Through Interning
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