Searching for an open position with an accounting firm can be intimidating for anyone preparing to enter the workforce for the first time. There are many factors to consider when thinking about how to start your career and what experiences will be valuable to gain in your first job as an accountant. An accounting internship is a great way test the culture and environment of an accounting firm to see if they're a ‘good fit’ for you.

Public accounting is an interesting and challenging profession that provides an opportunity to learn early in your career. An internship in public accounting will build skills that are not just unique to the profession, but are transferable to different areas of business as discussed further below:

Communication and Relationship Skills

During an internship you will interact with members at the firm by working in teams to complete different projects. These interactions will help develop your communication skills as you convey the status of your projects to various team members and describe problems you’ve solved to clients. Your internship will help you understand how to build relationships with a variety of different team members, a valuable skill as you work with different professionals throughout your career.

Experience With Business Software

Excel is an application that is widely used in business and can make you a more attractive candidate. You will be asked to perform various tasks within Excel as a part of your internship, providing you with practical experiences with functions and features of the program. This will enhance your excel abilities and giving you valuable skills for any business role later in your career. You'll also be exposed to other business and accounting software that will help build your knowledge base.

Technical Knowledge and Practical Context

Your coursework gave you the technical knowledge to understand different concepts. However, there is learning that takes place in the practical application of technical business concepts that can only happen on the job, or through an internship program. In addition to enhancing your resume, practical knowledge can provide better context for your classroom discussions and make you more engaged in your coursework.

Knowing Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Many of the skills needed on the job are different from the skills needed in the classroom. Just as you may be better as a student in certain areas of business, you may be a better ‘Professional’ in other areas of business. An internship will help you identify what you're good at, and what you need to work on.

Benefits Of An Accounting Internship at MRPR

Honing the skills listed above will set you apart from your peers and will make you a more desirable candidate for future positions. An internship at MRPR offers you the opportunity to develop these skills in addition to enjoying some features unique to our company:

Flexibility To Continue Coursework

Our program is flexible to a student’s typical workload during the normal ‘busy season’ schedule. Interns will typically work 15-20 hours per week. Hours are determined based on the workload and are accommodating to a student’s class schedule during the time period.

Workload Balance and Mentorship

Additionally, you will have a manager at the firm invested in your development by assigning work to fill your schedule and discussing progress on your various assignments. This helps to keep the workload manageable and ensure that you are receiving the feedback necessary to help you grow as a part of the internship experience.

Competitive Pay and Great Company Culture

Along with becoming a part of the MRPR culture and enjoying many fun firm activities, interns are paid a competitive hourly rate for their work.

Variety of Client Work

During your internship with us, you will get exposure to many different types of clients and services including attest, tax, and business advisory services. This will be helpful in your career as you figure out which services you enjoy and begin to specialize in those services as you progress in your career.

Opportunity to Make an Impact

The work you will be assigned could include updating fixed assets, year-end accounting, and tax returns for individuals and businesses. These assignments have a direct impact on clients. Consistent with the MRPR core value of ‘Think Like a Business Owner,’ your assignments will give you the opportunity to solve real problems for real clients.