Jayce Simpson - Audit Intern

Over the years, Monster.com has received thousands of questions related to careers in accounting. They thought it would be beneficial to answer the most commonly posted questions all in one place for our convenience. Here are some of those questions you’ve been burning to know the answers to…

Can I advance in accounting without a CPA or CMA designation? While employers tend to prefer a CPA to non-CPA candidate, plenty of accountants work without one. Those with a CPA tend to receive higher salaries as well. The average salary for an accountant with either certification is $102,400 versus $80,700 for those without a CPA or CMA.

What jobs can I get with an accounting degree, but no experience? In public accounting, entry-level positions include that of a staff accountant or junior auditor. Before you graduate, you should be able to find work as an accounting assistant or accounting clerk. When you reach your junior year, you should have no trouble finding a summer internship.

How hard is the CPA exam? Very hard, so hard that fewer than half of those taking the test in the first quarter of 2007 passed any section. Don’t let this discourage you - there are plenty of study options available.

What do I have to do to become a CPA? First, you will need to choose where you want to practice. Each state sets its own rules for CPAs. Most require 150 hours of education and at least a year of accounting experience. They differ on whether that experience has to be public accounting or gained under the supervision of a CPA. They also differ on how long you must work before you are eligible to be licensed.

For more questions and answers view the entire article.

Sarah McCracken - Tax Intern

A career in public accounting can cause for stressful times, especially during the busy season. Even if your career does not lead you into accounting, it is almost guaranteed there will be stress related to your job. A recent article in Atlanta Woman states that today, 90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are stress-related. Stress is the number one disability in the world and it is time that we start taking the necessary steps to better our health. The following are five tips to de-stress your life.

1. Schedule Mini-Vacations - You can create a “mini-vacation” by doing things you would usually do while on vacation. This could be anything from taking a walk outside to going to a local art festival. Don’t waste your vacation time - use these days to take a long weekend or even a half-day one afternoon. Spend this time with friends and loved ones.
2. Eat Mindfully - When you experience food for all it has to offer, your body will be well nourished. Take time to eat your meals and stop always eating on the go. Foods that are rich in vitamin B-6, such as bananas, mangos, peppers, chicken, and sweet potatoes, are excellent in reducing stress. Also, eating at least three servings of fish a week will help protect your brain from the diseases of aging, as well as other health benefits.
3. Stay Connected with Family and Friends - A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reported that individuals with strong social ties had dramatically lower rates of disease and premature death than those who felt isolated or alone. So call up your friends and family and get together for lunch, dinner, or anything you can do to spend time with others.
4. Create Rituals in Your Life - Establish daily rituals by setting time for family, dinners, or time just for yourself. You should also plan events to look forward to throughout the week. Research shows people just anticipating watching a funny movie had 27 percent more beta-endorphins.
5. Laugh as Often as Possible - Laughing releases endorphins, or “healing hormones.” Studies show that laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexion, triggers the release of endorphins, and boosts immune function.

Nick Head - Audit Staff

Your resume will be the first impression you make with future employers and writing a resume that gets interviews is not as hard as one may think.

An article from Yahoo! Hot Jobs titled “How to Write a Resume That Gets Interviews” lays out four simple tips to ensure your resume will be a hit!

1. Keep It Simple- Make sure your resume is easy to understand and clearly communicates you possess the knowledge and experience needed for the particular job you are applying for.
2. Features versus Benefits - Do not just list your skills and features, show the employer how you can benefit their company. Think about the times you went above and beyond the call of duty!
3. Truth in Advertising - If you lie on your resume, more than likely you will be caught! Make sure you have actually done what you write in your resume. Lying on a resume is waste of time for both the employer and yourself.
4. It Takes Two - Don’t rely solely on your spelling and grammar checks when proofreading your resume. Find someone you trust to read over your resume before submitting it to any employers.

One more thing to remember when writing your resume - avoid the use of fancy words. Doing this to try to sound intelligent or qualified may just annoy the employer.

Dorian Bafas - Audit Staff

This past summer I was able to complete a summer internship with PKM and it was a great experience. Not only did it allow me to see what public accounting was about, I had a great experience with the firm. It was wonderful working with many different people and gaining experience with different types of jobs. I was able to do internal audits, SOX 404 work, helped wrap up an external audit and had a week on a 401K audit.

The firm made sure there were different events where we could let our hair down and get to know people in the firm. It also allowed us to meet other people that we might not have been able to work with, such as the tax and IT staff. The events ranged from small groups of us going out to ice cream, to a great time at Agatha’s Murder Mystery Dinner. I also had the experience of working with people from all levels of the firm — all the way up to partners. One of the things I enjoyed the most about our firm is when you sit in the office you can hear people laughing. We have a light-hearted firm where joking and laughing is acceptable and an environment that promotes this. We work hard, but get to have fun while doing it!

When my internship was finished, I knew PKM was the place I wanted to work. I felt comfortable with the people I had worked with and really enjoyed everything we did all summer. I recently finished my MBA and started working full-time at PKM. Not much has changed since going from an intern to a full time employee. The same great people are here and the job is still fun. I am learning something new every day. If you have the opportunity to experience an internship while you are in college, do it! Get your feet wet and see what “the real world” is really like. This could help you focus on classes that would really help you later and will hopefully help you find a great place to work, just like it helped me find PKM!

Kelly Newman - Tax Staff

According to Measure-X, a consulting firm that teaches organizations how to increase business performance, CARING is a key acronym to client service.

CARING client service implies that everyone needs to commit to delivering exceptional service with every client interaction, every day!

Consistent — Being consistent will show your clients that you value their business. Attentive — Take time to listen to your clients and give them 100% of your attention. Reliable — Be reliable by taking responsibility for meeting your clients’ needs and keep any promises that you make. Individualized — No two clients are exactly the same — you must learn how to respond to your clients based on their particular style. Notable — Greet and treat your clients as you would a friend, being warm and friendly will exceed most clients’ expectations. Generous — Go the extra mile for your clients, reward and congratulate them.

For more tips visit Measure-X.

Nicole Knox - Tax Intern

As discussed in a September 2007 article in Business Week, a career in accounting has greatly increased in popularity for new college grads. Accounting firms dominated their second annual ranking of the best companies for new college graduates.

Accountants have typically been stereotyped as “bean counters”, but all that changed this year. The article gives credit for this increase to massive demand and the “mad scramble” to recruit the best and the brightest of the new generation.

The number of students graduating from college with a degree in accounting has risen approximately 29% in recent years, but how are these companies going about the recruiting process? The new generation of college grads have different expectations about their careers and companies will have to take this into consideration.

Some firms, like PKM are researching the use of social networking sites such as Facebook and others are showing their more hip side by creating rap videos and sitcoms. Some have also created more incentives such as more vacation time and four-day weekends several times during the summer.

View the entire article here.