Accounting, Whittemore School of Business and Economics, Class of 2013

Accounting Intern, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Summer 2011 and 2012

What would you tell your peers they need to do to find a great internship?

When searching for an internship, you really have to put yourself out there.  You have to go to the campus career fairs, resume reviews, company info sessions, and basically any other professional networking event you can find.  You can even start as a freshman, so recruiters can see your face and remember you the next year. It’s also good conversation material for when you have interviews with them.  After that, it’s all about choosing what company, culture, and location that you’re looking for.  Do your research on the companies that you are interested in, and then decide how far you are willing to commute or if you need a paid internship.

What did you learn from your internship search that you will apply in future job searches?

I got lucky by finding my internship with C&S - they wanted an accounting student and luckily they are based out of my hometown, so it worked out for both of us.  Before all of my interviews with them, I made sure that I looked at every link on their website and found different topics that I wanted to ask questions about.  I also made sure I mentally prepared answers for a variety of standard interview questions so the conversation wouldn’t seem halted.  I was a little over prepared, but I wouldn’t have done i t any other way.  For another job search, I would prepare the same exact ways as I did for C&S – learn the company, their values, the culture, and why I would want to work there.

What skills are you using and/or learning at your internship that you can use in entry-level jobs?

My internship at C&S was basically an entry-level job.  Due to staff changes when I started work, I was basically given the same responsibilities of a staff accountant.  I approved and coded invoices, reported the expenses for five different overhead departments, and contributed to the weekly financial statements.  I used a variety of accounting systems and software to perform my everyday activities and my Excel skills majorly improved this summer.  I also had to communicate with various VP’s and Directors so my people skills were also improved as well as my email etiquette. All of these skills and experiences will definitely ease the transition from student to full-time employee after graduation.

What is one highlight from your internship experience?

Choosing just one experience from my internship to highlight is very difficult. I was given so much resp onsibility and respect that choosing just one moment or event would be near impossible. Therefore, I would say that the highlight of my internship would be the week vacation that my supervisor took towards the end of the summer when and I was basically ‘flying solo’.  By the time she left for vacation, I was settled into a comfortable routine so it wasn’t incredibly stressful.  However, by not having her there to double check any emails or numbers, it really made me feel like a professional and not like an intern.  The trust and responsibilities that the accounting department gave me this summer were unexpected and very rewarding - it really was emphasized by the fact that they felt comfortable enough to leave me alone for a week.

What is the most valuable part of your internship experience?  

The most valuable part of my internship experience would be the overall exposure to ‘real world’ expense reporting. It was interesting to learn how C&S records its expenses and how each department within the company has its own budget. It was challenge to learn how to code invoices to the appropriate locations because C&S is just so huge. I think that this exposure on such a large scale will really help me adjust to working life and help me put things into perspective after I graduate from UNH.