Public Accounting Campus Recruiting Guide

Master of Accountancy ambassador Daniel Wallace ’25 shares insights on what he wished he knew before starting his professional recruitment journey.

Introduction

There is so much I wish I had understood before starting school about transitioning from being a full-time student to launching a career in public accounting. An accounting degree offers a foot in the door in various spaces ranging from CPA firms to private industry, government and even not-for-profit organizations. The vast majority of students will opt to begin their career in the public accounting space in either audit, tax or advisory services. This is due to consistent job opportunities and an ability to learn a significant amount in a condensed period of time. Because of this, CPA firms have largely streamlined the recruitment process to reach as many students as possible during their hiring windows.

Looking back on this process as a graduate student, what I found intriguing is that regardless of a firm’s size, be it a “Big 4” firm like Deloitte, a middle-market firm like Grant Thornton or a local firm like Pesta, Finnie & Associates, their campus recruiting processes were remarkably similar. This concept is primarily what brought this article to life! My goal for this guide is to provide a roadmap of both what to expect as an interviewee and suggestions on how to sidestep or overcome potential hurdles during the recruitment process. Let’s dive in!

Meet the Firms

“Meet the Firms” is a recruiting event co-hosted by the Belk College of Business’ Turner School of Accountancy and Beta Alpha Psi each year in late August. It is available to both undergraduate and graduate accounting students. Its purpose is to connect students with (primarily) CPA firms offering either internship or full-time opportunities depending upon how close a student is to completing their educational requirements. I will warn you in advance: this is a grind! The event lasts for twelve hours split up over the course of four nights where you can expect to rotate between (at least) twenty-four potential employers. If you are eligible to attend, you will receive an email from a faculty member to register and attend a required information session beforehand. Be sure to mark this event on your calendar as it is a fantastic opportunity to jumpstart your networking!

Before the Interview

Once you’ve secured an interview, there are several steps you should take beforehand to be fully prepared.

• Meet with Professional Development Coach: I recommend scheduling a one-on-one session with Robin Boswell, our Associate Director of Graduate Student Career & Professional Development. Robin provides resume reviews, job search strategies, and professional development advice. She’ll likely catch mistakes or key details you might have missed on your resume. Robin can also offer personalized guidance tailored to your interview and career goals. In addition, UNC Charlotte’s Career Center offers resume review services for students at no additional charge.

• Leverage LinkedIn: LinkedIn is an excellent resource to learn about your interviewers. Given that first-round interviews typically take place virtually, you will likely be able to see the names of your interviewer(s) in advance via the calendar invitation. You can learn about where they went to school, their previous work experience, and potentially any mutual connections you share. If you are close with any of their mutual connections, let them know “I am interviewing with so-and-so.” Best case scenario, it can result in a positive reference sent to your interviewer in advance. Take advantage of this!
• Attend Pre-Interview Events: Most firms will invite all interviewees to a pre-interview social to give you a chance to interact with everyone, ranging from junior staff to upper management. These socials give you a chance to meet your future coworkers in a more casual setting. Speaking from personal experience, I had a thirty-minute conversation with my interviewer over a drink at Charlotte Beer Garden before officially interviewing with him the following morning. He already felt like a friend, and this made the interview significantly less nerve-wracking.

During the Interview

Each interview will be unique, but there are some common questions you should be prepared to answer.

• “Tell Me About Yourself”: This is likely to be your first interview question from any public accounting firm. Now is the time to utilize your “Elevator Pitch”: a 30-45 second synopsis of your academic experience, relevant skills, and professional goals within the industry. Be sure to rehearse yours in advance for a smooth start to your interview.
• “Tell Me About a Time…”: These questions are likely to be included in some form or fashion. These are best answered utilizing the S.T.A.R method: representing a Situation you faced, the Task you were given, the Action you took, and the Result it created. I recommend formulating answers to common versions of these questions in advance.
• “Do You Have Any Questions?”: Now is your time to stand out! CPA firms know that a strong indicator of a successful employee is tied to both the quantity and quality of questions they ask in the workplace. If you are worried about drawing a blank when prompted, I encourage students to have an “emergency question”: a question they have memorized by heart that applies to everyone in the accounting field. Remember that anyone in the position to be interviewing you has extensive experience, so my question was “What was your favorite opportunity to leave public accounting that you turned down, and why did you elect to stay with your firm?” Feel free to steal it if you like it!

After the Interview

Once the interview is over, there is still work to be done to increase your chances of receiving an offer.

• Send a Thank-you Email: These, when done correctly, can greatly assist you in receiving a job offer. I suggest a brief message to your interviewer(s) thanking them for their time and including something memorable from your conversation. Be sure to copy your campus recruiter on the email chain, as well. If you are looking for anyone’s email address, you can likely refer to the initial virtual interview invitation and find it there.
• Go to Lunch (if invited): Candidates who perform well during the interview stage will likely be invited to lunch with three to five employees of the firm. There is absolutely no downside to attending! Similar to the pre-interview socials, this gives you another chance to explore the firm’s work culture, ask more questions and do not forget: free food.
• Be Patient: Firms are often cycling through dozens (if not hundreds) of resumes and several rounds of campus interviews at a plethora of universities. Please do not harass your recruiter with too many follow-up emails and potentially lose out on an offer. What’s meant for you won’t miss you, and the right opportunity will present itself in due time.

Decision Time

Congratulations on receiving your offer, or in some cases, multiple offers! My one piece of advice for students in the multiple-offers zone: slow down. This part can be especially tricky, as students are typically only given a week or two to decide between one firm or another. If you are truly torn between two internship opportunities, find out if you can say yes to both and schedule them at different times, such as one in the spring and the other over the summer. If your academic timeline only permits one internship, go with your gut. All my Master of Accountancy classmates can confirm that there is an intangible feeling you have when you meet the group of people you know you want to start your career around. I encourage all of you to begin networking as soon as possible and find the right fit for you!