Somewhere there is a new stock broker on Wall Street. It's his first day. He jumps into the big sea of new and well-seasoned brokers just before the morning bell. All of his education, accomplishments, and general experience has surely prepared him for the last second decisions and general chaos he is about to encounter as the stock market reopens on this first day. The bell rings. He is suddenly overwhelmed on a crazy day of market fluctuations that has caught most off guard, new brokers that is. He is lost. Buy or sell? Sink or swim? He must decide.
This is, by in large, a metaphor to describe what recruiting season for accounting majors at Georgia State University is truly like.
One may think to themselves when facing the recruiters for the first time, "I have a good resume because RCB said so, I know how to present myself and I have my elevator speech ready, and I have a good GPA". Well, all of this is well and good, but it is not enough. As a recruit, you must be willing to stand out. Which I imagine you as a new recruit are thinking, "well that's what my elevator speech is for". I say kind-of. Standing out is more than your 30 second speech about yourself, and let's not deny it completely the elevator speech is extremely important because most people gather their impression of you within the first 30 seconds of a meeting, some by the first handshake, some by how much you smile, and so on and so forth.
To stand out further I think it requires extra-circular activities such as Beta Alpha Psi, ALPFA, or NABA which are all accounting societies aimed at getting you pertinent face time with recruiters while helping prepare you as professionals outside of a classroom setting. I HIGHLY suggest joining one of them.
Another way to stand out is to go to firm activities as they will often offer throughout the fall. Popular examples of this are pizza socials, ice cream socials, meet and greets, etc. One very, very important activity to apply for are the summer leadership conferences. You can usually apply during the Spring. Getting selected to attend one of these leadership conferences is, I think, a key way to springboard yourself ahead of competition in the fall when the heavy recruiting occurs. You may know the popular real-estate quote, "location, location, location", well I believe for recruiting it is, "face time, face time, face time".
To further stand out to recruiters, do not just join an accounting society it is not enough. You have to participate in the society. Yes, going to meetings is some participation. I am talking above and beyond on community service hours, doing debates (mainly pertaining to Beta Alpha Psi, I will have more on this topic in a later blog), joining a committee, and attending all meetings.
These three ways to stand out of course are from my experience. They are things I did that I feel really helped get the most out of recruiting. I did have trials and tribulations. The first time I talked to a pair of recruiters I fell flat on my face, not really fell but just got off to a really inauspicious beginning.
So with these short tid-bits to get started, I will expand and these and more topics to help you all out. That's what I want to do. Help. Outside the classroom kind of help, peer to peer. It sometimes helps to hear from someone just out of the process, or someone still in it. So ask questions in the comment section. I can't promise I'll be able to answer everything because I have not experienced everything. I know a ton of people just like me who were just as successful at recruiting and I think it is important for everyone to know what we all did. It only helps new recruits as well as Georgia State University and the Robinson College of Business. Firms will want to come recruit at Georgia State.
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I would like to send a big "thank you" for your valuable information.
ReplyDeleteI have a question that any advice would be appreciated. I came back to school as a junior when my baby son is 5 months old. Working part time, being a mother and keeping good GPA took all of my time. I didn't have any chance to participate in any of the activities. (I plan to join NABA this semester) But for the upcoming recruiting season, should I explain to the employers about the reason why I could not join these activities? Or is it considered my personal choice and I should not mention it at all?
Thanks a lot,
Amy
Amy, not right off the bat! Give them your current student situation and build a general relationship. You will know when the right time to elaborate on that is when you start building a deeper relationship with the recruiters. Trust me, the recruiters will just be glad you are in a group at that time. Try to keep your interactions professionally centered first. Now, when you get to really know any one recruiter you could use all of that as how hard you are willing to work for what you want and you have the ability to overcome adversity. Those are attributes that you can possibly use to strengthen your position AT A LATER TIME!
ReplyDeleteRead my second blog I posted today about being brief at first only giving them current info and your position as a student.
Amy, one more thing I would like to emphasize, that is my opinion. You will ultimately do what you feel it right in that time!
ReplyDeleteI would wait on that elaboration on personal life until you have a more time to elaborate. Usually the first meeting is like I said choas and the recruiter will just be looking for general outline of who you are.
The first meeting I guarantee they'll be just looking for your handshake, smile, and your general personality to make it short and sweet and leave off with a good impression!
Do you know of any sources that teaches you how to write and give an elevator speech?
ReplyDeleteYep. Talk to Allison Jacobs for information on elevator speeches. She is the bomb when it comes to giving advice! In my opinion she is the most valuable resource you can have because she has a lot of experience.
ReplyDeleteTalk to her on elevator speeches, she goes over the topic in her ACCT 4020 class.
Great info. Thanks, I needed this.
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for this blog. I think it will be very helpful in clearing up certain questions that we may not think to ask when face to face with a recruiter. I am currently taking a tax class (Chris Fenn, his great) and I’m thinking about specializing in tax. Do you have any advice on how to study and do well in his class? Also, will any of the big four’s or regional firms hire undergrad students in the tax field before we get our masters in tax? How well did the tax curriculum prepare you for your internship?
ReplyDeleteI am happy to do this blog, thank YOU for visiting. I really want to keep the focus of the blog on recruiting only and not so much on help in the classroom, just ask professor Fenn on ways to study, he will be straight with you!
ReplyDeleteNext, as far as hiring, that is a great question for a recruiter of the firm you are interested in. I do not want to answer that because that really is a good question and conversation topic for you to discuss with a recruiter. It also varies from firm to firm so just ask!
As far as the tax curriculum, it was fine it definitely helped in some cases. The training you receive in an internship is great though. They will help you with anything and they have great leadership. My knowledge of tax code was a very minimal concern of theirs as I learned so much as I went day to day.
Hope this helps you, remember to ask that question to the recruiter to strike up some conversation!