Off the Ledger
Your days as a college student are almost numbered. The working world is calling. As you get ready to embark on your career, you have to be thinking, “What am I going to do when I graduate?” “Is a job in public accounting right for me?”
Where do you want to go?
You have so many options. Big firm or small? How do you decide? Where can you go to get the real, honest look at a career in public accounting? What is it REALLY like to be an intern? What will my life be like as a staff accountant?
See your future...
At Porter Keadle Moore, LLP (PKM) we’re here to help. We’ve created this blog site just for you! To help you find answers to these and other questions about working in a public accounting firm. Real interns and brand new staff accountants chronicle their experiences with our firm. Read what they have to say. Ask questions, share your opinions and we’ll respond.
The Small Firm Advantage
Laura Snyder — Director of Marketing
In the July issue of the Journal of Accountancy, James Metzler discusses “The Small Firm Advantage.” Having only worked for one firm — a small firm, I can’t personally speak to the differences between large and small firms, but I can say unequivocally that I will never work for any CPA firm other than PKM. Personally, I can’t imagine any other firm being able to live up to the expectations created by my experience at PKM.
How did PKM achieve such high expectations? The small firm advantage! According to Metzler, small firms have flexibility, creativity and culture on their side — all of which are not only present at PKM but also consciously and continuously monitored and improved. Firm management is fully aware of its advantages and works diligently to raise the bar.
To work at PKM, you truly need to be special. The firm focuses on recruiting only those individuals that blend into our unique culture. This is important because with only 65 employees, personalities play vital roles in our intimate team-based environment. Once individuals join the firm, they are recognized and rewarded for their contributions. With so few employees, it is much easier for management to be flexible and creative and individualize its reward program and thank employees in ways that have special meaning to each individual.
I’m not suggesting that small firms are better than big firms. Big firms have their own distinct advantages. You need to decide which set of advantages is right for you. Do you want to be one of many in a large organization, or a recognized individual in a small organization whose flexibility, creativity and culture are key ingredients to the firm’s success? The choice is yours and should be based on what you want to get out of your work experience.
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