We asked one of our interns, Amélie Bédard, to share her tips for a successful internship.
An internship can be stressful. Indeed, for some, it represents their first work experience in their field of study, which increases apprehension. What’s more, as interns, we want to stand out and leave our employer with a positive impression of ourselves. This article provides a non-exhaustive list of tips and tricks to help you prepare for your internship. Here are the five tips discussed in this article:
- Introduce yourself to your contacts as soon as possible;
- Accept the fact that our accounting knowledge is very limited… and that this is normal!
- Be open to feedback on tasks performed;
- Be prepared to mingle with colleagues as much as possible;
- Getting to know your accounting firm.
Why do an internship with an accounting firm?
As a candidate to the profession, a 24-month internship is required to obtain the CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant) designation.
This experience in an accounting firm will not only benefit your career, it will also help you better grasp the concepts you’ve learned about during your university studies.
1. Introduce yourself to your contacts as soon as possible
By contacts, we mean your coach and buddy, who are assigned to you through a special program we’ve set up to make your integration as smooth as possible.
You’ll be interacting with them very often, so you need to be comfortable with them.
So introduce yourself to them at every opportunity to break the ice.
Helping you prepare your CPA internship report
Not only can your coach answer your questions, but he or she is also the person who will help you declare your internships on the Ordre des CPA website once you are a candidate to the profession.
Assistance with day-to-day requests
As for your buddy, he’s essential for the various questions you’ll have throughout your internship.
Whether it’s helping you import a trial balance, finding the best place to luncheon near the office, keeping you company on Teams if you’re able to telecommute, or figuring out how to claim mileage, your buddy will be there to help.
2. Accept the fact that your accounting knowledge is limited… and that this is normal!
Despite the training offered at the start of your internship, as a trainee you may have very limited knowledge.
The important thing to remember is that this is normal; other trainees are most likely at the same level as you, and your colleagues are well aware that you still have a lot to learn.
So don’t try to be the best, but listen carefully and see everything as a learning opportunity.
To learn, of course, you must not hesitate to ask questions.
As mentioned earlier in this article, many people, such as your coach and buddy , are available to answer your questions, but so are the people you’ll be working with on the assignments.
For example, ask questions when you’re stuck on a task, but go even further than that.
In fact, push your thinking and don’t hesitate to question what you’re doing.
What’s more, when you’re given a task (such as filling in a certain Excel file), don’t hesitate to dig deeper to understand the purpose of that file.
All in all, the internship should be seen as an opportunity to put into practice the theory learned at school and to constantly improve.
What’s more, once you understand what you’re doing, your work will become much more interesting and stimulating.
3. Be open to feedback on tasks performed
It’s important to be open to the feedback you receive throughout your internship.
This will help you identify areas for improvement, demonstrate your willingness to learn and better understand your employer’s expectations.
Above all, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback when it isn’t immediately forthcoming.
4. Be prepared to mingle with colleagues as much as possible
According to the members of your team, it’s important to mingle with your colleagues to facilitate your integration and leave a positive image.
You should therefore try as much as possible to overcome your discomfort.
This can be done by dining in the kitchen with others, or by taking part in various events (social activities, volunteering, networking activities, Christmas dinner, etc.).
The positives
Firstly, attending events, or just being in the office and talking to others allows you to understand what other departments are doing and target contacts in those various departments.
Talking to the tax people, the consulting team or marketing can really help you understand how your firm works, without having to attend all the networking events.
Finally, it helps you get to know the people with whom you’ll be working more closely in the future on various mandates.
Socializing with your fellow trainees is also important.
Having good relationships with other interns helps create a sense of belonging, support each other in the challenges encountered during the internship and make fellow students for the rest of your study program, as well as for the Common Final Examination.
If you’re telecommuting, for example, you can organize among interns to come into the office all at the same time and make it a weekly event.
In short, mingling with your colleagues has many benefits and helps you to adapt better to life in the office.
5. Getting to know the firm
It’s very important to know the firm where you’ll be doing your internship.
This makes it easier to adapt and to know what is and isn’t allowed, so as to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Getting to know the firm starts as early as your internship search, during networking activities and interview preparation.
From your very first days, you can also find out more about the firm’s various policies or anything else you deem relevant.
This can be done by delving into the resources available to you in your spare time, or by chatting with your colleagues (yet another reason to mingle!).
Getting to know the firm early in your internship is a plus and will help you feel more at ease, faster!
These five tips and tricks will help you prepare for your internship in an accounting firm and feel comfortable in the role as quickly as possible.
The most important thing to remember is that your internship is the perfect opportunity to develop both professionally and personally, and to make progress towards achieving your CPA designation.
