Accounting firms have long been hot destinations for students interested in business and finance. The recession hasn’t changed that, and though some firms are scaling back, most are still hiring interns and recent grads for entry-level positions. What has changed is that students are widening their scope and looking to smaller firms for opportunities. Nina Guthrie, the national director of university recruiting at Grant Thornton LLP, shares how a gig at her firm can offer benefits that a Big Four firm might not—like rubbing elbows with the CEO.
Has Grant Thornton’s hiring changed due to the recession?
We are seeing that, like most firms, our pace has leveled off. But this environment is good for us because it’s allowed students to be more open and widen their pool outside the Big Four to make sure they’ve got options. As a result, we’ve had a lot more people interviewing.
So what can recent grads do to make their applications stand out?
We want students who can demonstrate what they’ve done—and it doesn’t have to be audit experience. Tell us about a job you had that you were able to hold down. We also want to see that you excelled at teamwork and juggling lots of competing priorities. It’s important to us, as well, to feel like you’re sincerely interested in the firm and willing to go the extra mile. As firms tighten up, new hires will be called on to do more and more, and a can-do attitude will serve you well.
You mentioned that students are widening their nets. What advantages does Grant Thornton have over a Big Four firm?
Similar to the Big Four, we offer opportunities within a range of service lines—audit, tax, and advisory—and we offer assignments in a variety of industries. We’re also international, which gives our people a chance to work abroad. But what makes us different is that our local offices work in smaller teams. That means our recruits have an opportunity to interact with client leadership early on in their careers and develop their business skills faster than they would in a larger firm.
What can interns expect to do at the firm?
Tax interns help develop strategies for clients through information gathering, organizing client information, working with specialized tax software, and assembling final tax returns. Audit interns work closely with experienced team members to test information from clients, including some of the country’s most successful private and public companies. Advisory interns work on the IT or process side, or both, to guide businesses, establish internal controls, and use information to improve performance.
Our interns are also asked to work on firm enhancement projects. Some of their ideas have been presented to top leadership and successfully implemented. Last year, our interns also had the opportunity to produce a short video highlighting their experience. The top interns were flown to Chicago to have lunch with the CEO.
What advice would you give to students applying for jobs in the accounting industry during a recession?
You should start early, because simply responding on the Internet won’t get you a job. The most important tool is being highly networked. Build relationships with the firm, speak with alumni, and utilize professors. Professors are a great resource because they are involved in several industry organizations and hold leadership roles. In general, I’d recommend using social networking sites like LinkedIn. A lot of college students don’t know about it because it’s geared toward professionals.
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