From College to Career

*** Today's post comes from a new member of the Upper Midwest Economic Unit's audit team, Guy ***

The major concept to understand and utilize when transitioning between living the collegiate dream to the 'nine-to-five' routine is patience. College gave me the opportunity to learn and practice core accounting concepts, but it wasn’t until my first day, and real business world application of accounting, that my education began. As a result, I’ve been taking my career one day at a time by focusing on the task at hand and trying to fully comprehend what I’ve been taught. This technique has been quite helpful. Thinking big picture is something to be aware of, but as a new hire when trying to learn the methodology and interacting with clients, it may bog you down and lead to confusion rather than comprehension. Therefore, by being patient in the learning process and not being afraid to ask questions or make little mistakes, the transition is a lot smoother.

The work experience I’ve had so far in the first thirty days can be described as diverse. I’ve done everything from standard office tasks, such as making copies, scanning documents, and mailing confirmation letters to working offsite at the client testing accounts and interviewing employees. Working at the client has been great. I’ve been quite fortunate to have been assigned to great audit teams and great clients. Everyone has been very helpful and understanding. By working with clients, it's allowed me to gain confidence in myself and my work. Overall, with consistent patience and practice, a full and successful transition from college to career can be achieved.