| July is almost over and what does that mean? | | | | the greatest changes in decades. You could head |
| Students will soon be returning to campus and for | | | | over to the FASB's website and read the |
| seniors and some juniors the common question | | | | several 100+ page accounting pronouncements. |
| will be - What am I going to do when I graduate? | | | | Or, simply surf over to Big4Guru.com to |
| Employers will be asking themselves a similar | | | | download the need-to-know info quickly and easily. |
| question - Who are we going to hire this year? | | | | 3) Know your Future Employers From as early as |
| Yes, it is time for the busiest hiring time of the | | | | the first accounting class accounting students are |
| year - the fall campus recruiting season. | | | | hit over the head with one goal - when you |
| For accounting and finance students it is a | | | | graduate you will land a job with one of the Big 4. |
| dog-eat-dog world out there. With the market | | | | (If you have read this far you surely know the |
| turning sour and the pace of hiring lagging behind | | | | Big 4 - PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Deloitte |
| the supply of graduates, it is imperative for | | | | & Touche, Ernst & Young). Anything other than |
| juniors and seniors to get on the right track. This | | | | these is considered a second-rate option. While |
| means dusting off the resume (or creating a new | | | | the merits of working for a Big 4 are open to |
| one), pulling out the old suit and getting ready for | | | | debate, you need to know why you want to get |
| a whirlwind of interviews. The competition will be | | | | on board with one of them. (hint - you will be |
| fierce, but with the right information and the right | | | | asked this question in an interview). The first step |
| tools students can navigate this process with | | | | in building your answer is to learn as much as you |
| ease. Below are 5 lessons to be a campus | | | | can about each company. Fortunately, each |
| recruiting all-star! | | | | company has a wealth of information on their |
| 1) e-Recruiting Far and away, the best place to | | | | website. Check 'em out. |
| begin is eRecruiting is the nation’s largest | | | | 4) Career Fair Bootcamp - During the campus |
| network of students, employers and universities. | | | | recruiting process, the Big 4 will often make |
| Essentially the site is a gateway to connect you, | | | | themselves available at a career fair. While these |
| as a student, to the Big 4 companies. A word of | | | | all work a little differently, the basic premise is the |
| caution, you have to be affiliated with a university | | | | same: representatives from each firm stand |
| that has partnered with eRecruiting. Fortunately, | | | | around a large room, pass out information and |
| most schools have gotten on board. | | | | collect resumes. Even if you have already |
| Once you sign up for eRecruiting you will be able | | | | submitted your resume Online, and especially if |
| to you will be able to complete a profile, upload | | | | you haven't, it is imperative that you attend this |
| your resume and apply to jobs that are posted | | | | function and generate some face time with the |
| by the Big 4 Recruiters. This site is an absolutely | | | | elusive Big 4 staff. However, this is not as simple |
| essential component of the Big 4's campus | | | | as it sounds. Checkout the following for a crash |
| recruiting process and, in some cases, will be their | | | | course on mastering the career fair: |
| sole source of collecting resumes and applications | | | | 5) Stay Positive - While this may all sound |
| for the positions they are looking to fill. If your | | | | overwhelming, its not as scary as it sounds. |
| school offers this service it is imperative that you | | | | Campus recruiters know that students have |
| make use of it to its full potential. | | | | limited experience with interviews and therefore |
| 2) Learn Your FASBs While you have | | | | don't expect the world. The information contained |
| day-dreamed away your summer, the world of | | | | here is more than enough to give you the tools |
| accounting has turned on its head. From fair value | | | | and techniques that you can use to rise above |
| accounting pronouncements to the FASB's | | | | your competition. Give it a little time, take a good |
| convergence with IFRS, the world of accounting | | | | look at these resources and you will be well on |
| you will be entering as an employee is undergoing | | | | your way to landing the job of your dreams! |