Plotting Your Path: Summer is the Season for Accounting Success

Summer days are often filled with hanging out with friends and family, road trips to sunny locales, massive music festivals and seaside vacations. But for driven accounting students, the warmest months are often spent planning and plotting their journey toward their professional careers.

The early bird gets the schedule

A smooth year starts with prepping for the perfect fall semester. Often, accounting classes are in high demand, so to get the classes you need, the professors you want, and start times that don’t have you waking at the crack of dawn—secure them as early as possible.

Here are some key reasons to create a schedule early to avoid scrambling:

• Avoid the waitlist. Accounting classes often have limited capacity and fill up fast — putting it off could land you at the bottom of the dreaded waitlist. Registering as soon as that window opens helps ensure that you’ll get a seat.
• Graduate on time. Missing out on that one class can shift your graduation from spring commencement to fall or winter. Secure your classes, and then start prepping your mortarboard for the big day.
• Understand your capacity. We all have a preferred time of day: early bird, night owl or something in between. Picking the best time slot for your rhythm helps you tackle heavy math when you’re most alert.
• Get your perfect match: Some professors just click better with your learning style than others. Getting signed up early means you’re likely to get your dream instructor rather than being stuck with the one who makes you wake up in a cold sweat.
• Better work-life balance: Imagine a dream schedule where you actually have time for pickleball, friends, reading or just napping. Whether you need afternoons or mornings free for a job or downtime, you have to move fast to get the ideal schedule.

Securing the ideal internship

If you’ve wrapped up your freshman year, it’s already time to start thinking about internships. While graduation may still seem far off, getting a jumpstart is the best way to get your foot in the door. Many Big Four firms recruit sophomores for their junior year — with recruiting cycles often starting months (or even a year) in advance of the actual internship. While that may feel early, it’s important to have your resume ATS-ready and looking good to wow them with your achievements, abilities and all-around awesomeness.

INCPAS offers resources to help you get started:

• INCPAS Employer Guide: The future CPA’s guide to passing the Exam and finding their dream job.
• Student Member Resources: Access scholarship info, details on free events and more.
• Meet the Profession Night: Network directly with employers for internships and job opportunities.
• INCPAS Scholars Program: Gain insights into the profession as a high school student and apply for college internships.
• Student Ambassador Program: Help connect other students on your college campus with mentors, resources, and internship opportunities.
• Job Board: Search for open jobs.

If you’re looking to snag that dream accounting gig, show them that you’ve got Excel skills for days. Flex those technical skills, but remember to perfect those soft skills, too. Employers want the “whole shebang:” a data-driven, eagle-eyed, proactive communicator who can balance the books and carry on a conversation with clients. And make sure to research firms too — you’re interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Tip: Learn all about Indiana CPA firms in our Employer Guide.

Rounding out the prep, don’t forget the hustle doesn’t stop at a polished resume and new business attire. Staying on top of your game means getting classes lined up and credits locked and loaded. Whether you’re balancing a full course load or picking up specialized certifications, keeping your schedule tight shows you’ve got the organizational chops to handle whatever comes your way. Mapping things out over summer break will make hitting milestones a whole lot easier than waiting until the last minute.

For more information on how to hit the ground running this fall, go to the INCPAS Student Hub.