Thoughts for the 2019 Graduating Class of Accountants

Research the company you are interviewing for, but also ask questions. When you are meeting with a company, you are also interviewing the company to see if it is a good fit for you. Be genuinely yourself throughout the interview process. If you have a hint that you would need to be anything other than that to fit with a company, keep searching. There is a fit for everyone but some searches take longer than others.

Balance can be an overused word or a term that makes people only think of scheduling options.  Achieving balance is about being realistic about what will be satisfying to you as a person. Too much of a good thing can be just that, too much. Broccoli is a healthy food if someone only consumes broccoli they will be missing other crucial nutrients that a balanced diet can provide.  Think of your time and energy this way.

Don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer questions about their career. It helps put you at ease to get them talking about themselves rather than just asking you questions.

Exhibit both confidence and humility.

Just because you might not have much technical expertise as an intern or new hire doesn’t mean you can’t still bring value to a firm. During the interview process, find out how they see you fitting into their business and how they plan on training and helping you gain experience.

If you have a dream, take it upon yourself to make it come true. Don’t wait for others to grant your wishes or, worse yet, to steal your dream.

Listen 90 percent of the time and talk 10 percent of the time. You never know where your next opportunity, friendship or life-changing event will come from. Networking doesn’t end once you’ve found a job. Network so that you have specialists to refer clients to. Network to establish your personal brand in your community and profession.

Read books. Ask questions. Never stop learning. Curious people will turn even mundane tasks into an enlightening experience simply by open up their mind to the opportunity to learn something new.

When it comes to submerging yourself into a new environment, push yourself slightly out of your comfort zone a little more each day. This slight push and willingness to challenge yourself will provide you with opportunities in directions you may have never thought would be possible.

It’s much more productive and rewarding. Don’t glorify being busy just for the sake of being busy. Focus on your current goals, and identify the “busyness” in your life that is distracting you from that goal. At the same time, be willing to let go of a goal if and when life leads you in another direction.

Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is still forward motion. Staying stagnant is the worst thing you can do at the start of your career. Recognize that growth, be it personal or business-related, is messy and nonlinear.