A Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide by 2015 Intern, Rachael Creger: Part #5

"The Thank You Card"

The handwritten thank you card is a lost art. We have become so dependent on technology that a quick email feels like it is good enough. I’m not a recruiter, or an interviewer making hiring decisions, but I truly believe that my handwritten thank you notes have made a difference. Like I mentioned in my second post, I left last year’s recruiting event with 3 companies in mind. And each person from those three companies got a handwritten note. After my on campus interviews, each of my interviewers also got a thank you card. There’s a lot of good templates on various websites of basic patterns to follow. Because there are so many other resources out there, I’m not going to tell you what to put in your thank you card, but I will share how to master the lost art of the handwritten thank you.

• First and foremost get some nice stationary. Blank cards, with a very basic design or ones that simply say "thank you" on the outside in a nice font. I found my favorite set of cards at Target last year. Of course office supply stores have some basic stuff as well. If you’re design savvy and have a nice printer, consider making up some nice custom cards on thick paper instead!
• Practice, practice, practice! You just spent money on nice cards, and you should be writing them in black or blue ink. Write out your entire thank you card on some loose-leaf. Then very slowly, copy your message over. If you mess up, don’t cross through it or white it out. Start over.
• Make sure you are properly addressing them. If the firm has multiple offices, make sure it is going to the one that your interviewer is actually at. Clear handwriting is key! The outside of this envelope is the first thing they’ll see. Again, if you’re design savvy or have a nice printer, make some nice labels!
• Now this part, might just be my own personal belief. But the stamp you use matters! Go to the nearest post office and buy a sheet of nice stamps. Don’t use stamps with cartoons or celebrities on it. Avoid ones with political connotations. Last year I used a nice set of stamps with bonsai trees because it matches the color scheme of most of my cards. Simple stamps with a nature image or a simplistic design are the best.

P.S. Now I said that those notes from the interview would come in handy… use that info here. Reference your previous conversations.

~ Rachael (2015 Spring & Summer Intern)

A Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide by 2015 Intern, Rachael Creger: Part #4

"The Second Date"

Like I said in my last post, these recruiting events are like first dates. If things go well, and you don’t forget to apply for the on campus interview (like I did once), you’ll hopefully get invited to interview! This past recruitment season, I was invited to a few on campus interviews, and one phone interview. Obviously, if you’ve made it this far, you’ve made a great impression. On campus interviews, at least at UofL, are held in the career center. My first on campus interview was a total flop! And I will openly admit to it. I kind of knew what to expect… but not really. I didn’t have the best questions to ask the interviewer. But it was good practice. If your career center offers mock interviews, do it! Not taking advantage of that opportunity has been a big regret of mine. Tying back to my previous post, showing how you are different and making sure you stand out is crucial. At this point, the playing field has been narrowed. Chances are there is somewhere between 6 to 12 students per university being interviewed. Okay, so that is still a lot of competition, but now is your time to shine. Once you get invited to interview, do some more research! Yeah you might have skimmed their website before the previous recruiting event, but how much do you really know? Go see if you can find news articles about the firm. If you know who your interviewer will be, research them too! Being a very knowledgeable candidate is any easy way to make yourself stand out. Professional appearance and prepared questions are another two ways to show yourself off.

Bring copies of your resume with you. Granted, they will probably have a copy of it already from recruiting or from your application but showing that you are prepared for anything reflects very well on you! Make sure you have somewhere you can take notes. Don’t carry in a notebook with tattered edges, or the huge 3-ring binder you’ve been lugging around for 2 or 3 years. Go invest in a nice portfolio. Campus bookstores usually sell them, or you can find them at most office supply stores. It might cost a bit more than you’d like to spend, but remember it is an investment towards your professional future. Guys, if you’re wearing a black suit, with a black belt and black shoes, do not get a tan leather portfolio! It is always best to get something that is versatile. Personally I chose a blue leather portfolio, my nicest suit is navy and I like wearing blue tops a lot because it brings out my eyes. Yeah it sounds a little conceited, but I look put together and the blue is different! Inside this portfolio, stash away a few copies of your resume, as well as a legal notepad. On this legal notepad, jot down some ideas and questions you want to ask. A lot of these questions will get answered by your interviewer during the course of the conversation. Don’t forget to take notes, if not during then stop somewhere immediately after and jot down your thoughts. This will come in handy later. At the end they always ask if you have any questions, and even if they already answered the ones you prepared, make sure you ask them something! Of course I’m not going to share my personal favorite end-of-interview question… But there’s some pretty great articles out there. But a good thing to ask about is the follow up procedure or what their next step is. Some companies will email you within a week inviting you to a second interview or gently letting you know they’ve found other candidates. Others have weeks left of on campus interviews and won’t be making a decision for a month or so. Knowing a company’s follow up procedure takes the guess work out of waiting. If they say they’re going to make a decision by October 20th, just chill out until the 20th!
 

P.S. My pre-interview ritual consists of Googling "Job Interview Tips" and reading a random article from a reputable source. You might learn something new at the last minute, and it will push some good ideas towards the front of your mind. That’s how I found my favorite question to ask, minutes before walking into my interview for Monroe Shine.

~ Rachael (2015 Spring & Summer Intern)

A Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide by 2015 Intern, Rachael Creger: Part #3

"Put yourself out there!" 

This may or may not be the best analogy, but recruiting events are like first dates. You’re just meeting each other, asking basic questions, trying to get to know each other, testing the waters. Similarly to first dates, how it goes plays a big difference in whether or not there is a second date. Things may go great and you’ve got that second date in the bag! They may go alright and you might be getting a second chance, I mean date… Or they might decide that they really don’t want to go out on a second date.

Putting yourselves out there at these recruiting events is the first step towards your future. Get out there, shake all the hands you possibly can, make sure the recruiters know you’re interested! For me, it took some trial and error to land my dream internship with an amazing company like Monroe Shine, but if anything I’ve learned a thing or two from the recruiting process these past few years.

• If you don't have a LinkedIn account, get one and make it professional!
• Spend some time working on your resume, and make sure to have your school's career center take a look at it!
• Buy yourself a new tie or blouse, because everyone feels awesome in new clothes. Think of it as investing in your future business professional wardrobe!
• Do some research. The recruiters love it when you have an educated question that is specific to their company and not a generic one!
• Make sure to include when you'll have your 150 credit hours needed to get your CPA license, as well as your accounting class only GPA listed on your resume. Recruiters will ask those questions and it's good to have that info included for their review later.

Remember that these recruiters are meeting hundreds of students at a handful of schools. What makes you different? It’s the tiniest things that make the difference. At the end of the day, a high GPA or extracurricular activities aren’t the final factor between you and the next candidate. They care about who you are as a person. What do you care passionately about? What are your goals and aspirations? Why do you want to work in this field?

And P.S. A handwritten thank you card is rare nowadays, so go buy some nice stationary. Happy Recruiting! Good luck this fall, both in and out of the classroom!
~ Rachael (2015 Spring & Summer Intern)

A Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide by 2015 Intern, Rachael Creger: Part #2

"Tis the season - recruiting season that is!"

Recruiting season is an interesting time of the year. Starting just a week or so after the beginning of fall semester, sometimes pursuing an internship can feel like an extra course. Each university does things a bit differently, so of course our paths may be different during recruitment. I know from experience that UofL’s College of Business – Ulmer Career Management Center does so much for the students. Each university has their own way of doing accounting internship recruiting, some have huge career fairs, and some have small fun events like UofL’s Accounting Social. The Accounting Social has been a great kick off to my fall semesters. I first attended as a sophomore, freshly transferred to UofL from Ball State University. I remember being so nervous to go up to the tables and chat with the representatives from so many companies, both big and small. Once you get past that little bump in the road, it becomes so much fun! Of course all the companies send their friendliest, funniest employees, and everyone is so nice and welcoming. Having just transferred to UofL I was kind of in an awkward place; I had to retake a few classes for which credits didn’t transfer, and kind of do things out of order to catch up with my classmates. Some of the representatives from other companies made it clear exactly what they were looking for and I knew I wasn’t qualified. That day I met Butch Shaw and Mallary Snyder from Monroe Shine, and I guess you could say that was a bit of a turning point in my college career. They were so welcoming and gave me tons of great information about themselves and Monroe Shine. After chatting with them, I had some hope!


Last fall, my junior year, I attended the Accounting Social with my intentions set. I knew exactly who I wanted to talk to. I researched a handful of companies and had worked tirelessly the last year to make myself a more marketable candidate. I polished up my resume, perfected my LinkedIn profile, and went in there with the end goal in mind. Of course, I got to chat with Butch and Mallary again! That afternoon I left with three companies in mind (Monroe Shine being one of them) and told myself that I was going to try my hardest to score an internship with one of them! That evening I spent a few hours applying to as many on-campus interviews as I possibly could. For the UofL accounting majors reading my post, the Accounting Social this year is September 1^st, 4-6:30pm in the Brown & Williamson Club which is inside Papa John's Stadium. IU, IUS, UK and Bellarmine students, be sure to check our "College Opportunities" page on our website to see when we will be on visiting your campus next! We can't wait to meet you!

http://monroeshine.com/collegerecruiting.php

And P.S. The Accounting Social always has great snacks. And who doesn’t love free food!?

~ Rachael (2015 Spring & Summer Intern

A Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide by 2015 Intern, Rachael Creger: Part #1

"Why Intern?!"

Hey all! My name is Rachael Creger and I am currently a senior at University of Louisville. I’ve been a spring and summer intern in our Louisville office. These last 7 months or so have been an amazing and rewarding experience. Professors and parents always tell us that real-world, hands-on experience teaches you more than lectures do, and up until this spring I didn’t really believe that. After surviving my first busy-season, as well as a much quieter summer, I can wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I have learned so much during my time at Monroe Shine from my coworkers, the partners, and other interns. A lot of students shy away from interning because they don’t want to take a semester off, or only take a partial course load, or a variety of other excuses. Regardless of what you need to do, what strings you need to pull, an internship is 100% worth it! If you are on the fence about trying to land an internship this school year, this is your sign that you need to do it!

During my past two recruitment seasons I’ve gotten a lot of great advice from professors and my school’s Career Center, but I wished I had a good friend who had already gone through an internship at a firm who would just tell it like it is. So welcome to my Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide. Over the next few weeks of recruiting season I’ll be posting little chunks of wisdom and some fun anecdotes. Enjoy!

~ Rachael (2015 Spring and Summer Intern)

College Recruitment is Officially Here!

Monroe Shine is excited to be returning to several college campuses over the next few weeks! We will be looking for driven and hardworking students who are eager to either find a great internship opportunity, or are hungry to begin a career. If you are a student at one of the colleges listed below, be sure to come visit us at one of  our 2015’s recruiting events. We can't wait to meet you!

• Bellarmine University - Accounting Association Presentation & Tour of Monroe Shine's Louisville Office: 
  • Date: Monday, August 31^st
  • Time: 6:00 pm
  • Location: Monroe Shine & Co., Inc. 1200 Forest Bridge Road, Suite 200, Louisville, KY 40223
• University of Louisville - Fall 2015 Accounting Social: 
  • Date: Tuesday, September 1^st 
  • Time: 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm
  • Location: Brown & Williamson Club in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
• Indiana University, Southeast - Accounting Career Day: 
  • Date: Friday, September 11^th
  • Time: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
  • Location: University Center North - Hoosier Room
• Indiana University, Southeast - School of Business Golf Scramble: 
  • Date: Friday, September 25^th
  • Time: 8:00 am
  • Location: Champions Pointe Golf Club

 
This fall, we will be interviewing for 2016 Tax Season Internship positions!  Below is a list of dates we will be conducting on-campus interviews.

• Bellarmine University - Wednesday, September 16^th 
• University of Louisville - Thursday, September 17^th
• Indiana University, Southeast - Tuesday, September 22^nd
• University of Kentucky - Wednesday, September 30^th
• Indiana University - Monday, October 12th

Office fun at Monroe Shine!

At Monroe Shine, we have a team approach that extends outside of the work we do everyday. We have fun activities during busy season, a family picnic, a holiday party, an after tax season celebration party, employee get-togethers, an employee golf scramble, and even a team in the CPA basketball league!! We are proud to say, in 2015 our team won the big championship tournament and brought home the trophy!! It is proudly displayed in our Louisville office!

The league begins right at the beginning of tax season, so we cannot wait to add our new intern recruits to the team!!