Overworked and unpaid are two words synonymous with the stereotypical narrative surrounding internships. While it is true that unpaid internships are still common practice, the majority (60%) of U.S. internships these days are actually paid, according to Chegg1. Further, the image Hollywood imposes of the frazzled intern charged with an entire department’s Starbucks coffee order are exaggerated at best, entirely fictional at worst. Even if you do find yourself on a coffee run, most professionals will attest that coffee runs are a critical rotating duty all have and continue to perform. The truth is, if you really want to know what it’s like to intern for a major accounting firm…you should probably talk to someone that actually did The Thing.
“Taking a busy season (spring) auditing internship last year, though daunting because of the need to postpone my graduation for an extra semester, was an incredible experience that has shaped my professional growth,” says MICPA Student Champion Kellie Suave of her experience interning with Deloitte in 2021 where she virtually collaborated with their office in Midland, MI on the Dow Inc.’s 10-K. “Over the course of the next three months, I would help to complete the 10-K, finishing at a record early date for Dow, as well as help to prepare for statutory audits of international subsidiaries to be completed throughout the year.”
Far from the myths about monotony, Kellie reports her work was varied and interesting. “Though each day was different from the last, my main tasks involved tie-outs of financial statements, assisting with the testing of controls, and working on various other assigned portions of the 10-K and statutory audits, even reaching out to team members in each of Dow’s international offices to collect updates and information!”
Not only did she emerge from her internship with a resume full of fresh experiences, but she also walked away with a renewed sense of confidence in the path she has chosen in accounting and desire to do more. “Throughout the internship, I gained confidence in my choice to pursue accounting, specifically auditing, as a career.” She adds, “This confidence motivated me to attain two additional internships, one with Dow Inc. in the finance/accounting department this past summer, and an audit internship with EY this coming summer.”
While that first spring internship seemed risky initially, Kellie has zero regrets. “Taking the ‘risk’ to put school on hold for a semester in order to complete a spring accounting internship has definitely been one of the highlights of my professional career so far and continues to prove its worth to this day!”
References:
- “Internships by the Numbers.” Chegg. 8 Sept. 2020. Accessed on 28 Apr. 2022.