Meet the Firms Part 2: Meeting the Firms

Author: Brittany

Preparation Recap

So before we start talking about what actually happened at Meet the Firms, I’m going to discuss what I did in order to prepare for 4 nights of intense self-marketing.

First, I took all of my suits and dress shirts to the drycleaner a week in advance. I didn’t want any last minute mishaps regarding my wardrobe, because even though the economy has taken a turn for the worse, I don’t have to look like I’ve taken a turn for the worse, too!

In addition to taking my clothes to the drycleaner, I was able to pick out appropriate attire by following the “dress to impress” guidelines I received in our ACC 600 class the other week.

In addition to laying out my clothes ahead of time, I did my research on all of the firms attending the event. Doing research allows you to show that you are interested in the firms and can allow you to set yourself apart from other competing candidates when talking with firm representatives.

What Happened at Meet the Firms

Each of the 4 evenings at Meet the Firms, all of the students were split into 5 or so groups. The groups of students then rotated every thirty minutes among the 5 firms that were attending on that chosen evening.

The firms brought anywhere from 3 representatives to around 15 representatives. Generally we sat through a 10-15 minute presentation about the firm and then we were allowed to speak with the representatives in smaller groups. However, with some firms, I was conversing with representatives on a one-on-one basis. Everyone I had the chance to speak with was very helpful and nice.

Meet the Firms Atmosphere

The general atmosphere at Meet the Firms was more relaxed than an interview, but still professional. I was sure to grab as many business cards as possible and to give out my resume as much as possible. While looking for a job, your resume is essentially your business card.

My Experience at Meet the Firms

Overall, I thought Meet the Firms went well! I had a great experience and learned a lot. Despite the economic downturn, many accounting firms are still growing and need more employees. While there were some firms that were either not currently hiring or were only hiring interns, it was still great networking with them.

It’s always great having the opportunity to network, because you never know when you might run into a networking contact again or if certain opportunities may present themselves in the future as a result of networking!

Do you have any questions about Meet the Firms? If so post your questions in the comments.