<p>This interview is going to be with one of the CPAs at a nearby CPA firm. How do I impress him and land the internship?</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help.</p>
<p>Impress him? Lol
There are ways…</p>
<p>Like should I emphasize my degree? should i tell him I’m eager to learn quickbooks, tax prep etc.</p>
<p>Nothing vulgar.</p>
<p>Okay nothing vulgar.</p>
<p>How did you get the interview? Was it a cold call? </p>
<p>If it was a cold call, you probably got the job and he just wants to know more about you.</p>
<p>If it was through some other means, you should just act yourself. Emphasize your desire to learn things, that you are a fast learner, etc. He might ask you whether you want to do tax or audit…be prepared for that just in case. Other than that, it most likely will be a standard interview…questions about your resume, extra-currics. Shouldn’t be difficult. Since it’s a small CPA firm, the main goal is to make the interview seem as much like a conversation as possible. Ask questions (what will you be doing? how many clients does he have? etc.) Show a lot of interest in their firm and the work they do there. CPA’s love that. Check their website if you haven’t already.</p>
<p>He might also ask you what you want to do after you plan to graduate.</p>
<p>I already graduated and the listing was on craigslist.</p>
<p>That’s nice…</p>
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<p>It all depends on what he is looking for. At a CPA firm that’s as small as I assume this one is, they may be looking for more technical expertise than a large CPA firm would. </p>
<p>Large CPA firms (Big 4 and regional) tend do a behavioral interview. These are questions such as “Tell me about a time you were in a leadership position and had a problem that you had to resolve,”. What they are looking for in these questions is, of course, how you behave in situations you might encounter in the workplace. It also gives them insight to your personality, work ethic, and allows you to provide concerete examples of what soft skills you have. </p>
<p>My strategy in the dozens of behavioral interviews I did and the strategy used by successful interviewees I have come across (I am a “certified” interviewer for Big4 firm) is to have ~10 stories to apply to any behavioral question they asked. 5 situations you were in that had a positiVe result and 5 that were less than positive. Your ability to adapt these stories to the question is what they (we) look for. </p>
<p>However, a very small CPA firm does not have the resources to mold and train new employees on tHeir own methods. Large firms look for a certain personality and the ability to learn, so technical expertise is a nonfactor in interviews. However, a small firm may want you to come in with expertise that will be beneficial to them immediately. </p>
<p>The key to any interview is preparation. Google “behavioral interviews” to find some common questions and practice them. You might also want to research what interviews for smaller firms are like.</p>