Accounting Degree

July is almost over and what does that mean? Students will soon be returning to campus and for seniors and some juniors the common question will be – What am I going to do when I graduate? Employers will be asking themselves a similar question – Who are we going to hire this year? Yes, it is time for the busiest hiring time of the year – the fall campus recruiting season.

For accounting and finance students it is a dog-eat-dog world out there. With the market turning sour and the pace of hiring lagging behind the supply of graduates, it is imperative for juniors and seniors to get on the right track. This means dusting off the resume (or creating a new one), pulling out the old suit and getting ready for a whirlwind of interviews. The competition will be fierce, but with the right information and the right tools students can navigate this process with ease. Below are 5 lessons to be a campus recruiting all-star!

1) e-Recruiting

Far and away, the best place to begin is erecruiting.com. eRecruiting is the nation’s largest network of students, employers and universities. Essentially the site is a gateway to connect you, as a student, to the Big 4 companies. A word of caution, you have to be affiliated with a university that has partnered with eRecruiting. Fortunately, most schools have gotten on board.

Once you sign up for eRecruiting you will be able to you will be able to complete a profile, upload your resume and apply to jobs that are posted by the Big 4 Recruiters. This site is an absolutely essential component of the Big 4’s campus recruiting process and, in some cases, will be their sole source of collecting resumes and applications for the positions they are looking to fill. If your school offers this service it is imperative that you make use of it to its full potential.

2) Learn Your FASBs

While you have day-dreamed away your summer, the world of accounting has turned on its head. From fair value accounting pronouncements to the FASB’s convergence with IFRS, the world of accounting you will be entering as an employee is undergoing the greatest changes in decades. You could head over to the FASB’s website and read the several 100+ page accounting pronouncements. Or, simply surf over to Big4Guru.com to download the need-to-know info quickly and easily.

3) Know your Future Employers

From as early as the first accounting class accounting students are hit over the head with one goal – when you graduate you will land a job with one of the Big 4. (If you have read this far you surely know the Big 4 – PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young). Anything other than these is considered a second-rate option. While the merits of working for a Big 4 are open to debate, you need to know why you want to get on board with one of them. (hint – you will be asked this question in an interview). The first step in building your answer is to learn as much as you can about each company. Fortunately, each company has a wealth of information on their website. Check ‘em out.

4) Career Fair Bootcamp -
During the campus recruiting process, the Big 4 will often make themselves available at a career fair. While these all work a little differently, the basic premise is the same: representatives from each firm stand around a large room, pass out information and collect resumes. Even if you have already submitted your resume Online, and especially if you haven’t, it is imperative that you attend this function and generate some face time with the elusive Big 4 staff. However, this is not as simple as it sounds. Checkout the following for a crash course on mastering the career fair:

http://www.freewebs.com/big4guru/freechapter.htm

5) Stay Positive -

While this may all sound overwhelming, its not as scary as it sounds. Campus recruiters know that students have limited experience with interviews and therefore don’t expect the world. The information contained here is more than enough to give you the tools and techniques that you can use to rise above your competition. Give it a little time, take a good look at these resources and you will be well on your way to landing the job of your dreams!

Tags: Accounting, campus, Easy, Fall, lessons, Recruiting, Season, students, success
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