Job interview tomorrow. Pessimistic.

[XX55XX]

A few weeks ago, I went on a cold-calling spree, calling up any local CPA firm I could, asking for internships. (I am a junior in college, majoring in accounting, and unlike some of my peers, I failed at getting my hands on one of the Big Four summer internships.)

I wasn't very successful, but one firm suggested that I send in my resume and cover letter. I e-mailed it to the HR person, and to my amazement, she got back to me, and we set up a date for an interview.

Unfortunately, for some odd reason, the HR person wrote to me saying that she could not uphold the date we had originally agreed upon. We re-scheduled, and the interview is tomorrow at 10:30AM sharp.

However, I am rather mystified by the bout of rescheduling. The HR person didn't say why she had to cancel our original engagement, and I am suspicious that they might have found someone better for the internship and might have wanted to interview him/her first instead.

At any rate, it's tomorrow, and I plan to wear the orange/red striped tie I always wear to interviews. I'm pretty sure it might be mostly behavioral, like the interview I had with KPMG last year. At any rate, I am reviewing some basic accounting concepts, just in case the interviewer throws me a curveball.

 

[Matthiasa]

Umm a different tie might help.
Oh and I suggest wearing more then just a tie.

 

[XX55XX]

Umm a different tie might help.
Oh and I suggest wearing more then just a tie.

I am wearing a white shirt, black slacks, and a dark wool jacket. Typical, conservative interview attire.

I don't have many ties - I would say that my orange/red striped tie is the most conservative tie I own.

 

[Rage187]

Debits = Credits

You're welcome.

 

[Matthiasa]

I am wearing a white shirt, black slacks, and a dark wool jacket. Typical, conservative interview attire.

I don't have many ties - I would say that my orange/red striped tie is the most conservative tie I own.

Was it all gotten together as a suit or was it purchased separately?

Properly fitted stuff can make a difference when first appearances are everything.

 

[Ronstang]

Thinking positive in a situation like this is important. She rescheduled, she didn't cancel.

 

[XX55XX]

Was it all gotten together as a suit or was it purchased separately?

Properly fitted stuff can make a difference when first appearances are everything.

It was cobbled together from various sources. Shirt and slacks are from Target. Belt is a hand-me down from my father. Tie came from a Filene's Basement liquidation sale. Jacket was from the Men's Wearhouse. But it looks good enough. It's not tailored or anything.

 

[Bignate603]

However, I am rather mystified by the bout of rescheduling. The HR person didn't say why she had to cancel our original engagement, and I am suspicious that they might have found someone better for the internship and might have wanted to interview him/her first instead.

Getting a better resume from someone else wouldn't cause her to change your appointment. I've never heard of a company interviewing from best to worst. Something came up and she couldn't keep her appointment so she contacted you and rescheduled. Stop reading too much into it.

 

[Chess]

Where do you live...I have a good friend that's in the dc area and could help you out if you near this area.....

 

[XX55XX]

Thinking positive in a situation like this is important. She rescheduled, she didn't cancel.

Naturally.

If I get this, it will be a great victory.

If not, I go back into the grind and beg everyone I know.

But if I don't get a relevant internship this summer, I will never have a chance at Big Four audit fulltime.

I've applied to twenty other internships last month. I am doubtful those will get back to me either, given the volume of resumes received.

Well, if this whole "get a white collar job" thing doesn't pan out, I guess I'll go back to school and become an auto mechanic.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Is there a specific type of work within the firm that you would like to do? Assurance? Tax? Financial services? Consulting? etc

 

[Red Squirrel]

Think of an interview more as a conversation, and not just a bunch of questions, even though that's what it is. If you approach it as it being a conversation, and keep natural, it goes better. Just pretend you are going out to dinner with someone you have not seen in a while and they're just asking you questions about what you've been up to. What kind of work you do, what you're good at etc...

I find all the interviews that I've had actually did feel more like a conversation. They'd start off with the typical questions then normally we'd get caught up on one and go into details and it would just turn into a normal natural discussion. They'd ask more questions but it just seems to flow well once you get into the conversation state and not the "omg I'm being tested" state.

Show up naked. It shows confidence.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Getting a better resume from someone else wouldn't cause her to change your appointment. I've never heard of a company interviewing from best to worst. Something came up and she couldn't keep her appointment so she contacted you and rescheduled. Stop reading too much into it.

This. Internships are way down on the list of priorities for most companies, and they simply had something more important come up.

 

[XX55XX]

Where do you live...I have a good friend that's in the dc area and could help you out if you near this area.....

I live in Boston. I don't quite feel like relocating, but, thanks for the offer.

If you know anyone in the Boston area who wants a kid to do bitch work for audit (like counting inventory) or filling out tax forms for small businesses, please, let me know.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Naturally.

If I get this, it will be a great victory.

If not, I go back into the grind and beg everyone I know.

But if I don't get a relevant internship this summer, I will never have a chance at Big Four audit fulltime.

I've applied to twenty other internships last month. I am doubtful those will get back to me either, given the volume of resumes received.

Well, if this whole "get a white collar job" thing doesn't pan out, I guess I'll go back to school and become an auto mechanic.

Honestly, you should get rid of the "I must have Big 4 experience or I will never make a career for myself" mentality.

I'm not discrediting the huge benefits of having exp with one of them, but you can have a very successful career as an accountant w/o working for them.

 

[XX55XX]

Is there a specific type of work within the firm that you would like to do? Assurance? Tax? Financial services? Consulting? etc

My primary interest lies in audit/tax. Any industry.

 

[Gibson486]

Naturally.

If I get this, it will be a great victory.

If not, I go back into the grind and beg everyone I know.

But if I don't get a relevant internship this summer, I will never have a chance at Big Four audit fulltime.

I've applied to twenty other internships last month. I am doubtful those will get back to me either, given the volume of resumes received.

Well, if this whole "get a white collar job" thing doesn't pan out, I guess I'll go back to school and become an auto mechanic.

Are you one of those people who say if they do not get a big 4 job their life is over? i have news for you, it's not glamorous at all working for those firms. Just get experience and call it a day. When my fiancee got an internship at Deloitte, she had no idea what Deloitte was. She just got it and when she went to school next semester, she learned it was a big 4. She has no plans at working at any of those firms as she loves life doing university accounting. Big 4 looks good, but it is not end all be all.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

It was cobbled together from various sources. Shirt and slacks are from Target. Belt is a hand-me down from my father. Tie came from a Filene's Basement liquidation sale. Jacket was from the Men's Wearhouse. But it looks good enough. It's not tailored or anything.

Oh dear.

 

[XX55XX]

Thanks, guys. I am a little more less leary now. I have printed versions of my transcript and resume ready, as the HR person has requested. I am bringing my driver's license so that I won't be turned away from the elevator.

Honestly, you should get rid of the "I must have Big 4 experience or I will never make a career for myself" mentality.

I'm not discrediting the huge benefits of having exp with one of them, but you can have a very successful career as an accountant w/o working for them.

A lot of my accounting major friends have internships lined up with the Big Four next summer. I am rather envious. But, at the same time, I know none of them will have a life once they graduate from college. Audit is brutal in particular. I've talked to many alumni about it - many of them just want to quit and go work in private industry.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Thanks, guys. I am a little more less leary now. I have printed versions of my transcript and resume ready, as the HR person has requested. I am bringing my driver's license so that I won't be turned away from the elevator.



A lot of my accounting major friends have internships lined up with the Big Four next summer. I am rather envious. But, at the same time, I know none of them will have a life once they graduate from college. Audit is brutal in particular. I've talked to many alumni about it - many of them just want to quit and go work in private industry.

Any good firm will be busy as hell (tax or audit) from Jan - May. Hell, even in the summer it can get busy too.

I work for a local (~200 employees) firm in the audit dept and yeah it's busy. Summer will be busy too with benefit plan audits.

But going through busy seasons is how you will learn the most and ultimately allow you to be where you want to be (like working as a CFO or something).

 

[Udgnim]

However, I am rather mystified by the bout of rescheduling. The HR person didn't say why she had to cancel our original engagement, and I am suspicious that they might have found someone better for the internship and might have wanted to interview him/her first instead.

things can come up

people might not be aware of other people's schedules

do not worry about it and focus on how well you can present yourself to the interviewer, not on how others might interview (whether phantom or real)

 

[the DRIZZLE]

A company rescheduling an interview means absolutely nothing other than people had other obligations. For an internship they are going to be looking for you to have a strong in interest in the industry, have a good work ethic, and have some relevant knowledge and skills. Be prepared to tell them why you like accounting and why you want to work for this firm.

Also, in the future get a real suit (not black) and get it tailored. You are young so people will cut you some slack but a suit is the standard attire for white collar job interviews.

 

[Bill Brasky]

A company rescheduling an interview means absolutely nothing other than people had other obligations. For an internship they are going to be looking for you to have a strong in interest in the industry, have a good work ethic, and have some relevant knowledge and skills. Be prepared to tell them why you like accounting and why you want to work for this firm.

Also, in the future get a real suit (not black) and get it tailored. You are young so people will cut you some slack but a suit is the standard attire for white collar job interviews.

Why no black suits? That seems like a silly requirement. The color of a suit has no correlation with it's quality. Personally, I'm not a fan a flat black suits, but it seems petty to rule out that color.

 

[Schfifty Five]

A company rescheduling an interview means absolutely nothing other than people had other obligations. For an internship they are going to be looking for you to have a strong in interest in the industry, have a good work ethic, and have some relevant knowledge and skills. Be prepared to tell them why you like accounting and why you want to work for this firm.

Also, in the future get a real suit (not black) and get it tailored. You are young so people will cut you some slack but a suit is the standard attire for white collar job interviews.

Nothing wrong with a black suit that fits well.

 

[terry107]

A lot of my accounting major friends have internships lined up with the Big Four next summer. I am rather envious. But, at the same time, I know none of them will have a life once they graduate from college. Audit is brutal in particular. I've talked to many alumni about it - many of them just want to quit and go work in private industry.

If I could do it all over again, I would have forgone the Big 4. It was pushed hard in college and I ended up doing 4 years with PwC before getting into industry. Be open to industry positions - especially internal audit/tax if that's what you like.