KPMG, one of the Big 4 Accounting Firms, has taken their investment in new hires and candidates to a whole new level. This investment is seen in the form of their sprawling KPMG Lakehouse campus in Orlando, Florida where new and tenured professionals go to build their skills, participate in training, and grow their network. 

One particular immersion that KPMG has at Lakehouse is their Talent Sync program where intern and full-time candidates gather to learn what life is like at KPMG and to get better acquainted with the firm.

While the benefits of Talent Sync are vast, we’ve identified a few main allures through conversations with participants and facilitators of the program. Whether it is simulated work experiences and first-hand narratives of personal journeys or networking and team-building exercises, KPMG Talent Sync is an excellent opportunity for early-career candidates looking to jumpstart their professional services careers and immerse themselves into a vibrant work culture.

Seeing Yourself in Their Shoes

One of the main benefits of Talent Sync is that prospective interns, new hires, and candidates get the chance to interact with professionals from all different levels of the firm. The goal of the program is to provide an opportunity for participants to imagine their own career trajectories at the firm.

Jacob went on to say how inspiring it was listening to leaders in the same field he was interested in talk with so much passion. This motivated him to set similar goals for himself and choose KPMG as the place where he wants to begin his career.

When we spoke with Courtney Kelly, a manager on the University Talent Acquisition team who helped facilitate Talent Sync, she explained how “interns aren’t always thinking about years down the line, so by having multiple levels of professionals on-site at Talent Sync, candidates are better able to picture themselves in different positions within the company.” Looking at Jacob’s story, it’s clear that KPMG’s efforts did just that.

A Behind The Scenes Look at What Life Is Like at KPMG

Another great allure of KPMG Talent Sync is the opportunity for prospective interns and new hires to see what life is really like at KPMG. This means learning about both the work you’re going to be doing and the benefits you get as an employee.

In the practice breakout rooms at the program, Audit, Tax, and Advisory professionals with various levels of experience lead interactive sessions on a range of topics relevant to their respective practices. These sessions offer participants a unique opportunity to engage with professionals in a small group setting and gain insights into the work performed on their teams.  

Talent Sync goes as far as having designated location-specific cohorts on-site to help candidates understand what life at KPMG is like. This past year, Audit Senior Associate, Brady Blanton had the privilege of being an on-site cohort captain. While Brady helped participants at Talent Sync understand everything involved with the actual work they will be doing, he also offered them insight into everything outside the work of a KPMG professional as well.

The fact that KPMG has someone like Brady on-site at Talent Sync to show these participants a really accurate portrayal of the firm’s culture and work-life just goes to show how much they invest in candidates before the job even starts. By the end of our conversation with Brady, it was clear that KPMG was making an effort to show these candidates that they really wanted them to work for the firm and cared about their future. 

Building Career-Long Relationships

When KPMG invites candidates to Talent Sync, they do so with the intention of compelling them to accept their offer to join a firm with incredible opportunities to grow their careers and their network. 

Talent Sync naturally becomes a place where career-long relationships begin.

KPMG knows what it takes to be successful in the accounting industry and clearly values strong networking opportunities. Whether it’s to start career-long relationships or see a real inside look at what life is like at the firm and what your career could consist of, Talent Sync is one of the most unique opportunities for early-career candidates interested in professional services.

If you want to learn what it takes to grow and develop yourself at one of the Big 4 accounting firms, take a look at some of the open roles and job opportunities at KPMG on their WayUp profile or www.kpmguscareers.com/job-search.

Some or all of the services described herein may not be permissible for KPMG audit clients and their affiliates or related entities.

The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.

© 2023 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.

The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization.

The post A Future-Ready Workforce at KPMG: Investing Ahead of the Curve appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

When it comes to finding your first job, would-be accountants and consultants don’t usually have too much trouble. Plenty of major firms hire new classes of interns and entry-level folks every year. And so does Crowe—a top ten firm in a global network that stretches across 130 countries and hundreds of offices.

However, given Crowe’s position in the market—as both an industry leader and a nimble, mid-sized firm—they’re able to offer their employees a different style of work and company culture. Remote work, a relaxed dress code, and the wide variety of work opportunities are just the tip of the iceberg.

We sat down with some current employees and interns to learn what makes Crowe different—and why that’s good news for recent grads and current students.

1. They’re Part Of A Global Network—With Global Opportunities

One of the most exciting features of working at Crowe, the team told us, is the ability to take on opportunities around the firm, and—consequently—around the world.

These opportunities to depart from your initial office and department are like “extracurricular activities,” at least according to Allison, a six-year veteran of Crowe who just got promoted into a manager role on the Audit team.

“I started in Nashville, but I told my career coaches”—another feature of working at Crowe—”that I wanted to move to Southern California eventually. A year later, there was a staffing need for people of my level in the Los Angeles offices, and I was able to make the move across the country and haven’t looked back since.”

And while she didn’t look back, Crowe did allow her to look forward: A couple years later, Allison participated in a secondment with another office in the Crowe Global network. Basically, she got to spend six months living and working in another country while still having her primary job in LA secured. 

Her destination? The Cayman Islands.

“I was able to experience working and living in a different environment,” Allison explains. “And I was literally in paradise!”

But this, Allison tells us, is just one of the many ways the Crowe experience for relatively new talent is different from other firms.

2. You Get Total Trust And Real Responsibility From Day One

When you’re on the Crowe team, no matter what level of seniority you are, they’re going to treat you like an equal. That means taking on real responsibilities—with plenty of help from your peers—and having the respect of the company from the very start.

That’s why policies like a relaxed dress code (when you’re not working on-site with a client) and remote working arrangements aren’t reserved for upper management like they frequently are at other companies. 

“This requires trust in our employees that they can both get the job done and know when to reach out for assistance,” Allison explains.

And that trust comes with real responsibility—something that Crowe people, even at the intern level, love about the company.

“When I was new at Crowe I was assigned a fixed asset project using a new depreciation calculation software,” David, a recent tax intern, recounts. “I did well on it, and ever since then I’ve been referred to as the ‘depreciation expert’ by people on my team.”

And that was just the beginning of David’s high-impact projects. He credits the wide variety of opportunities to Crowe’s unique combination of clients and superior resources.

“Crowe has a strong mix of small, medium, and large clients. Exposure to the variety of sizes allows you to learn gradually without the pressure or expectation to learn everything all at once,” David explains. “Because of the experience you acquire working with smaller clients and seeing the entire process with them, you are able to apply the same approach on a larger scale. Being able to take on more responsibility early on really accelerates your learning curve.”

3. Train The Way You Work—And Never Stop Learning

Something everyone we spoke to emphasized: The approach to training at Crowe makes perfect sense for the industry.

“The initial training is very hands-on with the group working together on case studies and collaborating just like we do on actual engagements,” Brandon, a senior staff member on the Audit team, tells us. This approach is especially helpful for new grads, who have had plenty of theoretical and textbook education but less experience in real working scenarios.

“The training helped me prepare for some of the technical skills I would have to utilize as well as some business etiquette, like talking to clients and how to present ourselves,” Evelyn, an Analytics Consultant, says.

In addition to the intensive, hands-on onboarding process, Crowe sets everyone up with Crowe University—an online learning platform that enables team members to learn new skills as needed and on the fly.

Of course, more than any formal education program, Crowe cultivates a culture of collaboration and mentorship. Everyone we spoke to at Crowe had both formal and informal mentors on their teams and on the senior staff, all of whom were willing to lend their expertise and advice whenever it was needed.

“The people at Crowe make the entry-level program here stand out in general,” Katelin, a Senior Auditor, tells us. “We have a vast group of people with different personalities, but everyone cares. Crowe looks for people who are willing to Care, Share, Invest, and Grow, and it shows.”

Looking for a unique career path in professional services? Check out open opportunities from Crowe on WayUp!

The post 3 Ways Crowe Isn’t Like Other Accounting Firms (And Why That’s Great News For You) appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

You might not associate the accounting industry with innovative technology, but these days, emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and blockchain are making their way into many of the major firms’ processes.

Getting to work with that technology has helped to automate and accelerate the more menial tasks involved in practices like auditing—as well as find new data points and patterns that enable modern accounting professionals to provide better insight to their clients.

We spoke to Steven Morrison, an audit partner at CohnReznick—one of the country’s leading accounting, tax, and consulting firms—about the ways technology has changed the industry, and how many of the most basic practices of accounting are actually bolstered by new technology.

How AI, Machine Learning, And Blockchain Factor Into The Accounting Industry

As auditors, Morrison and his team handle a ton of data. The purpose of any audit is to provide an objective, third-party examination of financial records. For CohnReznick’s clients, the audit is an essential step toward a myriad of important strategic decisions, establishing credibility with the public, and—ultimately—growing their businesses.

With so much on the line—and so much competition in the accounting industry—Morrison and his team employ a variety of technologies to increase efficiency and provide higher quality insights to CohnReznick’s clients.

Machine learning and AI can help parse massive quantities of data, spotting patterns and, more importantly, anomalies. With hundreds of thousands of individual data points, the ability to use programs that call the attention of auditors to the most important focus areas can allow auditors to use their expertise and brain power to solve the toughest problems, rather than waste their time on painstaking manual entry and sorting of data.

CohnReznick, Morrison tells us, has a history of innovating and creating proprietary tools and software to create these sort of efficiencies. But some even more incredible advancements are coming down the line, with the use of blockchain ledgers becoming increasingly common.

The use of shared ledger technology—yes, the same technology that powers cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum—has similar time- and energy-saving effects, especially when it comes to reconciliation (the practice of comparing individually kept accounting records and looking for differences).

While it’s rare to see a client that has already adopted blockchain ledgers, Morrison says, the technology is certainly capable of changing the industry landscape in the future.

Becoming Tech-Enabled Accountants Means Looking Ahead—With A Focus On The Foundational Skills

That’s something that’s true of all these technologies, though. We’re only on the cusp of understanding the potential impact of blockchain and artificial intelligence on so many areas of business and, Morrison tells us, that makes it a particularly exciting time to be entering the accounting industry.

“We’re able to process certain data in different ways. We can improvise and adapt. It’s not something that becomes push-button or robotic. We’re still applying the same level of professional skepticism,” Morrison says.

However, he tells us, “What our people spend their time on will likely shift to higher-level thinking.”

That’s actually one of the biggest misconceptions, Morrison says, about the role of technology in accounting. It’s not replacing anyone’s jobs or “automating” the core processes. At the end of the day, technology merely enables accounting professionals to focus on the part of their work that’s most challenging and exciting, and that’s why tech-enabled accounting is such an incredible development.

“I think it is a great time to be entering the CPA profession. There is a big appetite for ‘what can we do better, faster, and more of,’ and the more tools in the toolbox our staff has will present amazing opportunities,” Morrison says. And it’s up to you to figure out what to do with them.

Share a passion for tech-enabled efficiency and strategic insight? Check out open opportunities at CohnReznick on WayUp!

The post I Work With AI And Blockchain Technology—And I’m An Auditor At An Accounting Firm appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

It might not seem like professional services is the most exciting industry. However, the job of an accountant at a major firm might actually involve understanding a variety of high-tech practices (like using AI and blockchain) or groundbreaking work in emerging industries (like cannabis and renewable energy). But if you’re an employee at CohnReznick, your job might even be more interesting than that.

That’s because CohnReznick has formed an alliance with MLB to power the Business of Baseball—a series that explores the complex economic and cultural impacts of the industry—and that’s not all the sponsorship means for the elite accounting firm.

To learn a bit more about the decision to team up—and how it’s just one of the incredible aspects of CohnReznick’s business—we spoke to CEO Frank Longobardi.

Why CohnReznick Teamed Up With Major League Baseball

CohnReznick and MLB is a natural fit, Longobardi tells us.

“We love the idea that many of the teams, including the league, had foundations and players that were giving money back to the community,” he explains. “That aligned very well with our values.”

But it wasn’t just the ethical values of the league and its teams that CohnReznick gravitated toward, it was their way of doing business, too.

“We loved what they were doing to get the customer front and center,” Longobardi says. “And again, that really aligned with our values as well as our clients’ values.”

CohnReznick, as a firm, is known for their commitment to going above and beyond for clients, and MLB’s commitment to the entire fan experience was a topic that not only attracted CohnReznick as a presenting sponsor of the Baseball Winter Meetings, but also as an area of business to explore in their Business of Baseball series.

Breaking Down The Business Of Baseball

The alliance between MLB and CohnReznick has spawned two content series for the MLB Network, one of which, Business of Baseball, takes a look at just that: the complex business behind America’s national pastime.

In one episode, CohnReznick and the MLB Network team explore the renovation of the Braves’ SunTrust Park—and its surrounding neighborhood—in downtown Atlanta.

Like the business of accounting, it’s far more complicated than it might seem—and that’s actually a good thing. The new park project wasn’t just a renovation of a venue, it was the rejuvenation of a whole neighborhood and the creation of a new entertainment district. Shopping, music, food, and—of course—baseball were all essential elements in the engaging fan experience that the Braves and Atlanta wanted to create.

Beyond the media sponsorship, the CohnReznick team also gets to put on client and team events at MLB stadiums. A baseball game viewed from a box suite provides a great opportunity to connect with clients or foster team bonding, so it’s no surprise that the MLB relationship is a hit throughout the organization.

The Learning Is A Two-Way Street

Even though CohnReznick’s team is full of management and accounting experts, there’s still plenty to be learned from their work with MLB, Longobardi tells us.

He and the CohnReznick team were impressed with how MLB used technology to communicate with and provide top-tier products for customers. Both the league and the individual clubs use data collection and analysis to optimize the fan experience and the teams’ in-game performance. In this way, CohnReznick and the league have something in common: They both use technology in subtle-but-impressive ways to compete at a high level.

They’ve also learned a lot about talent development. CohnReznick is one of the Top 10 Most Prestigious accounting firms, so putting young players into the big leagues is exactly what CohnReznick does with its interns and new-graduate hires.

“Leadership development today is so critical,” Longobardi says. “We forget sometimes how young these players are. A lot of these kids are 20 years old, 19 years old. We look at the amount of training and time that goes into developing these players.”

“It resonates with me as CEO of the firm that we’ve got a similar responsibility to our young people,” Longobardi explains. “We need to continue to provide them with the tools to be successful. And unless you’re talking to your people and understanding what they’re going through at the job level, you’ll never know that.”

And between the company’s superb training opportunities and early-ID leadership programs, they’re doing just that.

Sounds like a home run to us.

Want to learn more? Check out open opportunities at CohnReznick on WayUp!

The post Powering The Business Of Baseball Is Just One Part Of What CohnReznick Does—And They’re Hiring appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

It’s never too early to start looking for your dream job. But the process of finding the right role and actually securing a job offer while you’re at is daunting for most people.

Luckily, if you’re an accounting student, you can actually do both of these at the same time with CohnReznick’s Two-Day Summer Breakthrough Program.

CohnReznick is a national leader in accounting, tax, and consulting. They’re in the top 20 of Vault’s Accounting 50 list and in the top 10 of Vault’s Most Prestigious Accounting Firms list. So, finding an internship—and a first full-time job—at the company is a competitive process.

But that’s what makes the Breakthrough Program such an amazing opportunity—and you can participate in it while you’re still a sophomore.

What Is The CohnReznick Breakthrough Program?

The Breakthrough Program is a two-day introduction to the world of public accounting at CohnReznick.

As a participant, you’ll be a part of a handpicked group of accounting students to hear from senior leaders at the company—possibly including the CEO—about life at the firm, the direction of the industry, and what makes a great team member at CohnReznick.

“We’re doing panels and you’re meeting people from the firm,” says Sarah, a Recruiter for CohnReznick who spearheads the Breakthrough Program. “We also do office outings, like baseball games, escape rooms, rooftop dinners,  and things like that.

“But we’ve also designed activities into the program that allow us to evaluate different skill sets of the student,” she says.

This is where you get to put that insider insight into practice. You’ll participate in business case scenarios alongside real members of the CohnReznick team. All the while, you’ll be networking with peers and making a positive impression on key decision-makers at the company.

Plus, you’ll gain the insight you need to make your decision, too. It’s a rare opportunity to see what it’s like to be a part of company before an offer is even extended.

At The End Of The Program, You Can Receive An Offer For A Winter Or Summer Internship

Throughout the course of the Breakthrough Program and its activities, CohnReznick leaders and recruiters are keeping an eye on top talent. They’re looking to see who’s asking the best questions, working well with others in business cases, and providing the kinds of insights for which CohnReznick is known.

“This is really how students secure their internship with CohnReznick,” Sarah explains. “We offer internships two times out of the year: summer, which is a 10 week program, and then winter, which runs from January to April over 12 weeks. And we hire those students from these Breakthrough Leadership Programs.”

An internship with an elite firm like CohnReznick is the primary gateway to securing a full-time job offer—and to making your resume competitive.

Instead of spending your junior year hunting for an internship and filling out hundreds of applications, you can secure a spot in an incredible program—one which has been featured on the Top 100 Internship Programs list three years running, by the way— before it even begins.

How To Secure Your Invitation To CohnReznick’s Breakthrough Program

Ready to go? There are a couple of different ways that you can secure your invitation to a Breakthrough Program event.

You can apply through CohnReznick on WayUp. You can also meet CohnReznick on campus during your school’s career fairs. Either way, don’t forget to update your resume and brush up on your accounting basics. Good luck!

The post CohnReznick’s Early-ID Program Can Get You An Internship—And Your First Job appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

The junior-year internship is an essential stepping stone between accounting student and fully employed accounting professional, but getting that internship has become more competitive than ever.

One great way to secure that offer for yourself—and way ahead of time—is to attend a summer early-identification session with a prestigious firm.

Here’s how an early-ID event like the Breakthrough Program at CohnReznick—a national leader in accounting, tax, and consulting and Top 10 Most Prestigious Firms list honoree—can help you get a jumpstart on your career, before you even enter your junior year.

The First Step: Secure An Invitation And Prepare For The Event

Before you can begin the process of securing your internship, you have to secure an invitation to an early-ID event. You can apply online through a career platform like WayUp or meet a CohnReznick Recruiter at an on-campus career fair.

Last year, between May and July, CohnReznick held events in Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; Bethesda, MD; Hartford, CT; New York; San Diego; Roseland, NJ; Long Island; Los Angeles; Chicago; and Woodland Hills, CA—so there are plenty of options depending on where you live.

Once that’s done, you’ll need to prepare for the event itself. So, prepare some answers for basic accounting career questions and do your homework on the firm’s history and values.

Network With Senior Leaders, Learn About The Industry, And Get An Internship Offer

The actual Breakthrough Program event is made up of various learning, networking, and working opportunities. You’ll hear from senior leaders at the firm—possibly including the CEO—about the state of the industry, lessons they wish they knew early on in their career, and the values that make the firm what it is.

You’ll also have the opportunity to put your skills and knowledge to work in business case scenarios and activities designed to bring out your best qualities. These are important tests both of your accounting acumen and your ability to work with others in a collaborative and respectful way–a key tenet of CohnReznick’s values.

Finally, through fun networking events and outings like baseball games, escape rooms and rooftop dinners, you’ll meet leaders, current CohnReznick employees, and people who may become peers in the CohnReznick internship program (or maybe just friends!).

If you listened well, worked hard, and made a good impression throughout the two-day event, you should receive an internship offer for the following winter or summer within a few days.

The Early-ID Advantage

Besides the obvious professional advantage of meeting senior leaders at a firm before even starting your internship, one of the biggest advantages of securing your offer before the school year begins is that you’ll be free to focus on your studies and personal development.

While your peers are stressing about the dozens of internship applications they have to submit, you’ll be squared away and able to focus on the content of your actual accounting classes. Plus, with some of that extra time, you can learn about and practice with accounting technologies, like data visualization and wrangling tools. These technologies are used in most top-tier accounting firms and are hard to get experience with while you’re still in school.

And, of course, you can relax until it’s time to bring it at your internship. How’s that for an advantage?

Interested in getting your own head start? Apply for an invitation to a Breakthrough Program event at CohnReznick on WayUp!

The post How To Break Into The Accounting And Consulting Industry—Before You’re Even A Junior appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

If you’re an accounting student, then you’ve probably heard of KPMG but have you heard about the KPMG Master of Accounting with Data & Analytics Program (MADA)?

KPMG is one of the most prestigious employers for top-tier accounting students, known for state-of-the-art training and development programs. They even ranked first on the 2018 WayUp Top 100 Internship Programs list.

But they’re also offering something else to top accounting students: the opportunity to receive a funded master’s degree that emphasizes data and analytics from a leading university. In addition to tuition funding and a stipend towards room and board, participants in KPMG’s Master Program will receive a paid spring semester internship and a full-time job when they graduate.

To get a full picture of this first of its kind program—and what type of student is the right fit—we sat down with Amy, a Campus Recruiter at KPMG for the MADA program.

What Is The MADA Program?

The program is an opportunity to pursue a masters in accounting or tax with a special focus on data and analytics—funded by KPMG. You’ll simultaneously earn 30 semester credits toward CPA license eligibility and gain critical D&A skills

Understanding data and analytics is essential for future CPAs and leaders at KPMG, Amy says. “These are skills that our employees will need to have, and the people who go through this program will come to KPMG with those skills ready to hit the ground running. It’ll give them a jump-start when they begin their career,” she says.

How Does The Program Work?

The competitive program takes grads with a proven track record of academic success in an accounting program and gives them the opportunity to attend a one-year master’s degree program in accounting or taxation with data and analytics at leading schools across the U.S. like Villanova University and the University of Southern California.

Another amazing perk? KPMG takes care of tuition and provides a cost-of-living stipend to help cover expenses like room and board, so that you can focus on your studies.

You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in a paid spring semester internship at KPMG. This allows you to earn money and prepare for the full-time role you’ll start after graduation.

Who’s Right For The MADA Program?

While many of the program’s past participants have been former KPMG interns, the MADA program is open to any accounting (or accounting equivalent) majors who excel in school and love all things tech-related.

“We look for someone with a healthy GPA, because we want them to be able to withstand the rigors of this program,” Amy says. “But we also want them to be interested in technology—the application of ‘data and analytics’ should be appealing to them.”

At its core, the program is an excellent opportunity to jumpstart your career, Amy stresses.

“When they start, program participants join KPMG as an Experienced Associates,” she says. “If they excel, they could be on track to reach a manager position in only four years.”

Free tuition? Fast track to leadership? Future-proof technology skills? That’s just the beginning of what the KPMG Master of Accounting with Data and Analytics Program can do for you.

Interested in getting your Master’s Degree (and your first job) with a company that invests in you? Learn more about the prestigious firm and the MADA program at KPMG on WayUp!

The post KPMG’s Master’s Program Provides An Unparalleled Experience appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

We’ve all witnessed the inspiring side of disaster recovery: Raising awareness, sharing links, and seeing total donations rise. Most of us just trust that donated money actually gets where it needs to go. But some people—like the folks at CohnReznick—actually make sure of that.

There’s a lot to be said for the painstaking administration of billions of dollars’ worth of relief money that goes into helping people and communities recover after natural disasters. With so much experience doing just that, it’s something CohnReznick inherently understands.

Looking Out For Hurricane Victims…And The Taxpayer

One of the country’s premier accounting and advisory firms, CohnReznick sets and shatters industry standards for disaster recovery consulting. At the height of a natural disaster, the government puts billions of dollars aside for recovery efforts. But they don’t let just anyone manage those funds.

When they need to be sure that the money is handled properly and efficiently, they go to CohnReznick.

There’s so much more on the line than just collecting receipts and satisfying regulations. Organizations providing food and water need to have the money to buy those critical supplies. Private contractors need the go-ahead to start repairing roads and powerlines. People need money to buy hotel rooms and food for their families. It’s not just money—it’s the difference between homelessness and shelter, access and isolation, and even life and death.

Unfortunately, great moments of need are also great windows of opportunity for corruption and abuse. That’s why CohnReznick’s team needs to be more than just altruistically-minded. They’re watchdogs.

And they’ve caught and stopped plenty of attempts to make phony claims. In fact, the company audited more than 1,000 claims related to the largest financial fraud case in US history.

Consulting As A Superpower

At CohnReznick, consulting is more than just a job, it’s a pathway to a fulfilling life.

With so many different consulting career paths, they truly have a way for everyone to engage with what they’re passionate about.

You could work as a forensic accountant—hunting down and verifying information to bust fraudsters or acquire information on companies in the acquisition process. You could also work in advisory, helping businesses design and execute strategies to get a competitive advantage. Researcher types can become experts on the tax code and work as accountants or advisors in that division.

But providing their team members with fulfilling careers isn’t why CohnReznick stands out. It’s that its employees act on their values with more than just money. It’s a business that makes it its business to do the most painstaking parts of life-saving work.

Do you want to turn your passion for business, tax law, and all things financial into a career that saves lives? Check out opportunities from CohnReznick on WayUp right now!

The post This Company Helps People Recover From Disasters Like Hurricane Irma—And They’re Hiring appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

School’s back in session and it’s not all classes and books. The fall semester is also the biggest time of year for recruiting—especially when it comes to the most competitive, sought-after jobs for business, accounting, and finance students.

1. Be Excellent

Now if this one seems kind of obvious, then just hear us out. Big 4 Accounting Firm jobs and internships are incredibly competitive. Preparing for them can take years of school, clubs, and other accomplishments. If you’re a sophomore and you’re finding yourself a lackluster candidate compared to your peers, it’s gonna be hard to beat them in the process without some sort of miraculous, stand-out trait (and the ability to prove it). You can take a semester (or even a year) to beef up your application just in case it doesn’t get accepted the first time around.

All that’s to say, make sure you’re at the top of your game before you apply to one of the Big 4 accounting firms (or even other top accounting firms). There are thousands of would-be accountants and consultants all over the world hoping to secure a spot in one of the top global internship programs in professional services. You should be a leader among leaders, an ace in the classroom, and a dedicated worker.

But just being excellent isn’t always everything…

2. Show Them That Excellence, Stand Out

But if you’re here, chances are you’re ALREADY excellent. So let’s talk about how to make that really count: Show it on your resume and in your application.

For example, let’s say you’re the President of the Accountants For Good Club at your school. It’s a club that combines charity with the magic of accounting. Sounds pretty good, right? Even something as relevant and impressive as this should be properly showcased, though, if you want to get the proper mileage out of it.

Here’s why.

Being the President of the Accountants For Good club is great, but there are a ton of club presidents at a ton of great schools. Some might even have experience more relevant than an accounting and community service club. So, in order to stand out among stand-outs, you’ve gotta know how to translate that club experience into working experience, right there on the resume page.

It’s all about how you say it.

Take that accomplishment and explain why it matters. For example, under “President of the Accountants For Good Club,” list out some of the things that happened under your leadership. For example, “raised $15,000 for victims of Hurricane Irene in Puerto Rico.”

This can be followed up with some relevant business skills, too. One example: “Executed transfer of funds to charity.” You could also try, “managed collections of funds,” or “created a system for tracking funds.”

Basically, that’s everything that has to happen with every club fundraiser, but you just said it in a way that translates it perfectly into actual skills. And it doesn’t have to be about accounting, either. This can be done with leadership skills, management skills, event-planning skills—really anything you can think of that’s done in a club or organizational setting.

Let them know that your activities and experiences are preparing you to work for them.

3. Pursue Your Passion (At The Firm)

The Big 4 Accounting Firms (and many of the other ones, too) are massive corporations with tens of thousands of employees. Their people work in all different departments and offer a ton of different services (that’s why most of them prefer to be called “professional services firms,” rather than just “accounting firms”). They offer clients assistance in the form of business management, tax, accounting, IT, and even human resources consulting.

These accounting firms are full of all stripes of business brainiacs. It’s fine if you’re interested in one of the less traditional routes. It can actually be an advantage for you to have unique interests. If you’ve got a classic business background in school, but an extracurricular interest in technology, then you could be the ideal candidate for someone specializing in business technology.

There are a couple ways to leverage this. First, you can see if the department that interests you the most is available directly through the application. Then, just be sure to optimize your resume toward that department and check the right box on your application. Another way is to actually ask a recruiter about it: either in person or over email. Let’s say you really are the President of the Accountants For Good Club at Your School University. You could ask a Big 4 recruiter whether there are openings in that department and how to apply.

4. Be Professional, Very Professional

All joking aside, this is truly the key to impressing your recruiters: Be professional. You should remain prompt, polite, prepared, and personable at all times. It’s okay to be nervous. But even with nerves, try to show them what you’ve got. Send flawless emails, arrive on time for interviews and events, and be prepared for the interview.

Qualities like these mark leaders and otherwise excellent candidates. While you can still get the job without them, it sure makes it a lot easier to stand out in their memory (or at least not stick out negatively) if you’ve flawlessly executed the simple responsibilities and details of the recruiting process on your end.

A few things that could make the difference: Researching the company, position, and department before your application and interview; answering any phone calls with a polite and professional, “Hello, this is ___.” instead of just a “hey;” following up within 24 hours of the interview thanking them for their time and letting them know you look forward to the next steps.

Now, Go Get Your Dream Job

There’s a place for all types of talent at these (and many other) illustrious accounting firms. They’re a great way to start a career in so many fields, because you gain exposure to the inner workings of not just one company, but all the clients that you’ll handle.

Ready to start your dream career in consulting or accounting? Recruiting season is in full-swing and all the best accounting firms are hiring right now on WayUp!

The post Get The Interview: How To Pass The Recruiting Process At A Big 4 Accounting Firm appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.

Each year, in 11 cities across the US, accounting students gather for CohnReznick’s two-day Summer Leadership Program. The best part? You may walk away from the program with a winter or summer internship at CohnReznick (ranked one of the top internship programs in the country by WayUp). Landing an internship there will also up your chance of landing a job at the firm after graduation.

Here’s what happens during those two days:

You’ll learn what it takes to build a successful career in public accounting
Four-hundred current CohnReznick employees attended the last Summer Leadership Program. They represented all career levels at the firm, all the way up to Partners, giving students a one-of-a-kind networking opportunity and a chance to hear about life at a mid-size national accounting firm from the people who experience it every day. You’ll also walk away with a better understanding of the career opportunities CohnReznick offers.

You’ll participate in a leadership skills workshop
At CohnReznick, leadership isn’t just reserved for employees in top roles at the firm. Interns are encouraged to make their voices and ideas heard. On day one of the program, last year’s students were challenged to define what it meant to be a leader by reading quotes from famous leaders and discussing which ones they identified with the most.

… and a communication skills workshop
Whether you’re a student, an intern, or you’ve been working in the same job for decades, there’s always room to communicate better. For the second workshop of the Summer Leadership Program, students were split into groups and given LEGO blocks. Each member of the group had a specific role in the project, challenging students to communicate clearly and effectively to build the best project possible before time was up. At the end of both workshops, CohnReznick employees reviewed the results of each workshop and gave valuable feedback that students would use to help them win a case competition the following day.

You may walk away with a winter or summer internship
Can a two-day event really change your accounting career? The answer is “yes”. No matter what, you’ll walk away with new skills and a better understanding of the accounting industry, but those 400 CohnReznick employees who attend the Summer Leadership Program are also there to identify students that are a great fit for a CohnReznick internship. How many companies offer an opportunity like that?

Last year, over 200 students from 74 schools across the country attended CohnReznick’s Summer Leadership Program in their city. Will you be one of them this year? Head over to WayUp now and apply.

The post Accounting Majors: This Two-Day Summer Leadership Program Could Get You Into a Top Internship Program appeared first on Job and Internship Advice, Companies to Work for and More | WayUp Blog.