by Kevin
As a college student, there are so many careers to choose from, it can undoubtedly be overwhelming. Even after you narrow down your educational goals to a major, such as accounting, there are still a multitude of opportunities at different companies and firms to navigate. I have meandered my way through this maze myself, and have watched countless others do the same. Still, I have never seen anyone more successful at attracting offers than Nick Stephens. Seriously, I think very highly of Nick, but it was mesmerizing to monitor the several suitors strongly seeking Nick’s services.
Therefore, I asked Nick to provide his playbook to build relationships with accounting firms. I believe this post will not only be helpful to accounting majors, but also to every college student looking to land their first job and even—perhaps—receiving multiple offers along the way, just like Nick!
First, a little more background on Nick. Nick graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2015, majoring in Accounting and Finance with a minor in Economics. Nick is currently an Investment Accounting Associate at Asana Partners. Prior to that, Nick worked four years as an auditor for both PwC and KPMG. During college he landed an internship with the accounting firm BKD.
by Nick Stephens
Public accounting recruitment is a year-round process that seems to start earlier and earlier each year. There are many ways to navigate the recruitment process. I will discuss factors that you will have to consider, which events to attend, and individuals to develop a relationship with in order to have the most success.
The first factor to consider is whether you are interested in pursuing a career in audit or in tax. When I was first asked this question, I had no idea. I felt like I knew so little about both that it was essentially a coin toss. I asked around to get various opinions and try to determine the pros and cons of each option. Once you have an idea of which area of practice you would like to pursue, it is important to meet individuals that work in that practice of the firm. Firms are so large that the recruitment process can be very siloed. Each practice of the firm is recruiting for their own office and practice. Because of this, it is important to spend your time getting to know those in the city and field that you would like to work in, as those are the individuals who will have the greatest say in who to ultimately hire.
Beginning in the fall of sophomore year, firms will start to host events to get to know new students as well as maintain relationships with students that they already know. Firms rely heavily on recent hires to understand which candidates they should focus on, as recent graduates have the best knowledge of the current accounting students. Because of this, the first thing that younger accounting students should do is develop relationships with upperclassmen. When those upperclassmen get hired by various firms, they are going to recommend students that they know and would enjoy working with.
Firms host a variety of events on campus - some are open to all accounting students while others are invitation only. I would encourage students to attend as many events as they can. These events are a great way for the firms to get to know students, but just as importantly, they are a great way for students to get to know the individuals at the firms and learn who they best connect with. Everyone will have varying advice about what to look for when deciding on a firm, but one of the most important factors is the people that you will work with day in and day out. When attending events, make an effort to meet individuals at all levels from associate to partner. While you will begin your career working closely with associates, individuals at all levels of the firm will have a strong impact on your career.
It is also important to develop a relationship with the campus recruiter at each firm. These are the individuals that plan firm events on campus and are a great contact to have during the recruitment process. Campus recruiters will reach out to the students that they know and have developed a relationship with. Again, the best way to develop a relationship with them is to attend as many events as possible. There are so many students going through the recruitment process that you want to be known by the firms to avoid being overlooked.
Once the interview process begins, candidates will apply for the firms that they are interested in. The first thing that firms do is check GPAs, only considering those candidates that meet the requirements. Once they have a list of candidates that meet their requirements, they will first focus on students who they have a relationship with. Those that have attended recruiting events and maintained communication have a large leg up over those that the firm has never met.
Everyone’s recruitment process will vary, but there are a few things that you can do to differentiate yourself. This begins with meeting as many people as you can early on. Once you have met several firms, try to focus your efforts on a select few where you can see yourself beginning your career. The recruitment process can be overwhelming and if you can focus on a few firms and a few cities early on, it will allow you to build better relationships and have a better understanding of which firm is the best fit for you.