- Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.
My STEP signature project consisted of interning for the public accounting firm BDO out of their Cleveland, OH office. I worked in their Specialty Tax Services – Compensation & Benefits department. This consisted of various tasks such as dealing with client taxes, retirement planning, and 5500 form preparation.
- What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.
During this internship, I gained valuable knowledge and experience that I believe will benefit me in the future. This was my second time working for BDO so I had a basic understanding of the role I would be in. However, they allowed me more opportunities to grow and allocated more responsibility into my weekly schedule in order to help me as a professional. This gave me valuable insight into the corporate world and showed me how important it truly is to make connections.
I had a mentor throughout the internship who told me to connect with as many people in the firm as possible so that is what I did. Through meeting other colleagues and higher ups, I got a better understanding of the corporate world which led me to the realization that lots of success is based on who you know rather than what you know. Obviously, it is important to know the basics of how a business or sector of the company works, but getting to know and gaining the trust of people in charge will propel you much farther in my observation. This realization transformed how I view the business world and will stick with me as I go about my professional career.
- What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.
A big part of the internship included weekly meetings called “intern hour”. In these sessions, all the interns in the firm would join a teams meeting and listen in on the topic of that week. Some sessions included information on specific sectors of the company while others simply provided information on how to succeed in Corporate America. Each of these sessions were led by employees of the firm who had knowledgeable insight on the topic they were discussing. I was able to pick up on valuable information each week which propelled me through the internship and beyond.
One specific intern hour that stuck with me was one that discussed the path to partner. In this session, a partner described how they got in the position they are in today. They discussed their career path and what it took to move up in the company. I found it interesting how they came from a background that did not even include much accounting yet it provided a strong base for their current position. It showed how having knowledge in a variety of different fields combined with lots of experience can provide you with lots of career opportunities.
Another impactful intern hour I attended was based on the role of an associate. I found this session interesting because it discussed what a typical day looks like for an associate of the firm. Given that I will soon be an associate, it was helpful to get a basic understanding of what my role will be like. The associate who led the session harped on the importance of completing tasks in a timely manner and helping out others on projects whenever possible. He included that getting certifications is also beneficial to moving up in a company.
- Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.
This change in perspective on the business world that I gained over the course of my internship provided me with invaluable experience that will propel my professional career. Seeing how a large firm operates and being given important responsibilities that affect the day-to-day operations of a company allowed me to grow as an individual. This past summer showed me that I am capable of being an effective employee and can have a positive impact given the right mindset. The confidence I gained in myself will stick with me and resonate wherever I end up. My professional goal of one day being at the top of firm started with the foundation I built with BDO. I am certain that because of this experience, I grew as an individual and became a better version of myself.