My STEP signature project occurred in Grandview Heights in Columbus, Ohio from January 8th through March 1st. I was placed on an engagement team in Columbus and switched halfway through to work on a team based out of Pittsburg. I was an audit and assurance intern which means that I assisted a team in ensuring our client’s financial statements were free of errors or misstatements. These 8 weeks greatly impacted my skills and understanding of my career.
Professional growth was the most prevalent skill that happened throughout my time at EY and was the greatest thing I developed and that I learned about myself. I started this internship with little knowledge of what takes place during an audit, but I left with an abundant amount of new skills and knowledge. I developed certain skills like being inquisitive, and making sure questions were being asked so that I could fully complete tasks the right way without any errors. Along with being inquisitive and asking questions I learned ways to reach out professionally to different people including our client to gain more information. While receiving feedback from the senior on my team, I also received a shortcut sheet for Excel. These shortcuts were some things I had never heard of but were essential to the rest of my internship and helped me succeed promptly. Working with a team in India allowed me to grow in ways I neverimagined. It taught me the importance of diversity and how important it is to be adaptable in the corporate world. It was difficult to communicate with coworkers on the other side of the world, but helped me grow professionally. My assumptions about the corporate world have also changed immensely. Going into this I thought that there would be little flexibility and people working their tails off without any reward. At EY, that is not the case. People would walk around and take breaks by getting coffee or just talking to others. There would be paid lunches to better get to know our teams and many other benefits. These are just some ways I grew professionally and excelled during my internship experience.
Several instances during my internship led me to grow and change my assumptions about the corporate world. I learned about things I can work on and further develop skills through the feedback I was given. Every two weeks I got feedback from a senior on my team, and they gave me tips on things I could improve or work on. This was essential to my growth because it taught me what I was doing poorly and how to fix these small errors. Feedback was vital to my professional growth. My change in the stigma around the corporate world stemmed from my coworker’s interactions. They taught me that is okay to take breaks and go get lunch or that If you communicate properly it is okay to schedule doctor appointments or take time off.
My experience during my internship at EY was one of transition and growth, and it was important for several reasons. First of all, it has improved my capacity to adapt, which is important in both personal and professional settings. Auditing consists of being able to adjust to different circumstances, collaborate with a variety of different teams, and handle challenging situations. My confidence and skill set have increased as a result of this transition, enabling me to succeed in circumstances. I also expanded my knowledge of corporate culture, which was essential to both my academic and long-term career goals of wanting to be an auditor. It will be crucial for me to have a solid ethical basis and an awareness of company culture as I seek a career in audit. All things considered, every moment I experienced during my internship at EY has impacted both my personal and professional development. It has given me priceless views, abilities, and insights that will help me with my future professional aspirations, personal projects, and academic achievements.