Students search for co-op, job opportunities at Public Accounting Expo

Students interested in co-ops, internships or future careers as certified public accountants, auditors and more came armed with resumes and questions whilst connecting with representatives from Greater Cincinnati-based public accounting firms, as well as nationwide companies. First- through third-year accounting students all were encouraged to attend the Expo.

Michael Nuttle, assistant director, Lindner Career Services, expressed his gratitude to the employers present for their flexibility, since inclement weather forced the postponement of the Expo by a week.

“It is nice to see employers back on campus to engage with students,” Nuttle said. “I also was very pleased with seeing a good number of first- and second-year students take advantage of this great opportunity to start connecting with companies and practice their networking.”

Brianna Jarrell, a third-year accounting major, attended the Expo and spoke with eight companies regarding potential internships and job opportunities.

“They could tell that I was prepared for this event and that I was curious to know more about their companies, and potential internship and/or career opportunities,” Jarrell said.

Companies had their eyes on candidates searching for opportunities in 2023. Diane Glover, recruiting director for Kirsch CPA Group — based in Hamilton, a city about 25 miles north of UC’s campus — said Kirsch is looking for 2023 interns and 2023 graduates.

“We’re a smaller firm, so we have to build our name maybe more than some of these bigger guys do. This is a huge opportunity for us to do that,” said Glover, a Lindner graduate. “UC’s also amazingly supportive in helping us fill our positions every year. I call and say, ‘I need two more.’ They talk to the students, share that there are jobs available, and I get resumes almost every time. We have a great relationship.”

Mackenzie Metzinger, senior tax associate at Grant Thornton, praised the UC’s co-op program — ranked No. 4 in the country — for supplying students with “more experience than other schools.”

“Typically, we’re hiring new graduates for associate positions,” Metzinger said. “A lot of them have interned with us in the past and stay full-time. That’s our preferred way to hire a UC grad.”

When pressed for advice and abilities that accounting students should focus on, Glover said “problem-solving skills” and “critical-thinking skills.”

“You are handed someone’s financial situation and looking for ways to help them be profitable and looking for solutions to problems,” Glover said. “Sometimes in accounting, people think they get a straight line; we need someone that can think outside of that straight line to look at the opportunities to tell that business owner, ‘Your profitability is down. Here are some solutions to improve that.’”

Jarrell, a member of Business Fellows, is majoring in accounting because of her aspiration to start her own company one day.

“I believe that the knowledge I am obtaining from majoring in accounting will lead me to a successful career as accountant, while I am on my journey to establish a company of my own to better the community."

Featured image: An accounting student and a company representative look at the student’s resume. All photos by Danielle Lawrence.