Today's post comes to us from Sara Hafezi, a Tax Associate who started in our Chicago office back in August of this year. Sara will be sharing with us today how her first couple months have gone and what you might expect if you join us as a new Associate in the future.
...it will fly by. That is the best way I can describe what your first few months at McGladrey will be like.
Here’s how my first few months have gone. Right before I started, in August, I went to a BBQ thrown by McGladrey’s Chicago Financial Services Group. Everyone there was welcoming and friendly, and I was excited to start. That Monday, the whirlwind began with training, and, before I knew it, I was at work until 10:00pm preparing tax returns for the September 15th deadline.
It was hard work, unlike any all-nighters or finals prep in college. It is an experience that no one can understand besides the people you work with. Bonding over that shared relief on the night of September 15th is one of the things that makes it all worthwhile and makes McGladrey a wonderful place to work.
On September 16th, though, it was back to work. I got to go back to my alma mater, University of Illinois, to help with recruiting. Let me tell you, it was MUCH better being on this side of it! When we got back to Chicago, it was time to prepare the next round of tax returns for the October 15th deadline.
In less than 3 months I have been with McGladrey, I have learned an incredible amount, experienced a lot of things and met a lot of smart and amazing people.
Based on how fast these months have gone by, I have a feeling that the regular tax season will be here and gone, and before I know it, maybe YOU will be preparing tax returns with me for the September 2012 deadline, too!
RSM
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
McGladrey's Desk Free Volunteer Day - Oct. 21, 2010
As mentioned in the previous post, Desk Free Days are becoming a very popular way for McGladrey employees to better connect with our clients and to get out and support our communities. The most recent Desk Free Day, held on Thursday, October 21, 2010, was specifically designed for our employees to get out and volunteer with local charity and community organizations. Over 1650 employees participated in over 100 events around the country.
Over the past two years, McGladrey has made a determined effort to support local and national charity and community organizations, but never before were so many employees so directly involved on a single day like they were last Thursday. Our employees appeared to have a great time for a great cause. You can see for yourself on a photo album that resides on the McGladrey Careers Facebook Page.
Over the past two years, McGladrey has made a determined effort to support local and national charity and community organizations, but never before were so many employees so directly involved on a single day like they were last Thursday. Our employees appeared to have a great time for a great cause. You can see for yourself on a photo album that resides on the McGladrey Careers Facebook Page.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
National Desk Free Day: Getting Out and Giving Back
Today's post comes to us from Leila Shamas, a Marketing Specialist and Campus Recruiter based in our Denver, CO office. Desk Free Day is a relatively new concept here at McGladrey, and Leila shares with us some of what happened on the first Desk Free Day back in July.McGladrey employees recently began participating in Desk Free Day, a quarterly event aimed at getting all of our employees out of the office, in front of our clients and into our communities in both the spirit of volunteering and building our brand in the marketplace. July 28th was our inaugural Desk Free Day across the country with employees participating in a wide variety of tasks and events ranging from volunteering with local not-for-profits to networking with peers in the industry or treating clients to lunch.
After the inaugural Desk Free Day, employees participated in a contest to vote on the best team effort as the personification of building McGladrey’s brand by doing good work in the community. A Kansas City team that volunteered at a client, the Catholic Charities Thrift Center, “won" the first Desk Free Day contest.
“The client has an amazing operation, and it was a privilege to help them and our community for the day,” said Laura B., a regional marketing communications manager. The outing supported the thrift center, which typically takes in $2,000-$3,000 a day for Kansas City-area needy as well as international programs. “Our efforts benefited a great organization, and along the way, we built a little brand awareness about McGladrey, too.”
The Kansas City team members received a $1,000 donation to the charity, a $35 merchandise certificate to McGladrey’s company store, and a special prize from Team McGladrey. The team planed to deliver our $1,000 check to the client, plus bring an even larger group of volunteers to help with clothing sorting, cleaning, shop floor work, whatever they need for next Desk Free Day.
In second place was a Chicago team that visited its client, one of the Midwest’s largest grocery co-ops, to gain “hands-on” experience by squeezing avocados and sniffing the fresh fruit in its warehouse cooler section!
McGladrey’s next Desk-free Day is this week, on Thursday October 21. Coincidentally, as the first event’s winner exemplifies, community service is the focus. Offices from across the firm will be volunteering their time with not-for-profit clients and prospects. Evidently the Kansas City team had so much fun the group is going back this month for a repeat appearance.
Some of the other planned activities include volunteering at various food banks nationally, Junior Achievement, senior center events, cancer walks, Boys and Girls Club activities, local humane society assistance, Habitat for Humanity, pumpkin carving fundraisers, clean-up events, and many other great activities!
Desk-free Volunteer Day is a fun way to make a difference for others in the communities in which we live and work. . . we’ve all really enjoyed the opportunity so far and are really looking forward to Thursday!
Stay tuned for more information about this week's Desk Free Day activities.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
How Joining a Professional Association Made an Impact On My Life and Career
Networking is one of the most critical aspects to a successful job search. There is probably no better way to grow and action your network than by joining and becoming a leader in professional associations. To help illustrate what a leadership role in a professional association can do for you to help grow your career, Kathy Leal, an Associate in our Ft. Lauderdale, FL office, describes for us her experience getting involved with the ALPFA and Beta Alpha Psi chapters at her University, and the impact that it had on her life and her career.
At the beginning of my junior year in the spring of 2007 at Florida International University (FIU), I was encouraged by a friend to join the Accounting Association/ALPFA Miami Student Chapter. I was hesitant to attend the first meeting, afraid that I wouldn’t know anyone besides my friend. The moment I walked in I was greeted by friendly members of the executive board and immediately felt at home and decided to join.
That first meeting made me realize how unprepared I was to enter the real world and pursue a career in accounting. I met people who motivated and guided me to do better in school, work, and life. To this day I am still pushed to always do my best. I was extremely active my first semester in the organization and was top member. I made many lifelong friends, learned about the accounting field, and pushed myself into a world of new experiences. I decided to run for a position on the executive board, even though public speaking was one of my biggest fears and inherently from the fear, a weakness. I felt it was my duty to give back to this organization that had helped me grow so much in just a few months. I became secretary for the fall 2007 semester and with every meeting, my fear of public speaking and shyness gradually disappeared. As secretary, I was able to not only perform my duties on the board, but also the duties of many others as well. I learned an invaluable lesson about teamwork. I went on to be President-Elect, President, and Consulting Officer of my school's ALPFA Chapter. My last semester at FIU, I joined Beta Alpha Psi. I was able to expand my network and get to know more of my future colleagues by being a member of both organizations.
Many say they run for the executive board so that they can get a job, but there is so much more to it. It’s hard work, but if done right, can be incredibly rewarding. I grew as a person and became more confident in my abilities. Had I not joined any organization, I would not have met all the great people I now call my friends and, more importantly, I would not be able to say I work for McGladrey. I encourage everyone to get involved and stay involved beyond school. Continue to work hard and not give up until you have achieved your goals.
That first meeting made me realize how unprepared I was to enter the real world and pursue a career in accounting. I met people who motivated and guided me to do better in school, work, and life. To this day I am still pushed to always do my best. I was extremely active my first semester in the organization and was top member. I made many lifelong friends, learned about the accounting field, and pushed myself into a world of new experiences. I decided to run for a position on the executive board, even though public speaking was one of my biggest fears and inherently from the fear, a weakness. I felt it was my duty to give back to this organization that had helped me grow so much in just a few months. I became secretary for the fall 2007 semester and with every meeting, my fear of public speaking and shyness gradually disappeared. As secretary, I was able to not only perform my duties on the board, but also the duties of many others as well. I learned an invaluable lesson about teamwork. I went on to be President-Elect, President, and Consulting Officer of my school's ALPFA Chapter. My last semester at FIU, I joined Beta Alpha Psi. I was able to expand my network and get to know more of my future colleagues by being a member of both organizations.
Many say they run for the executive board so that they can get a job, but there is so much more to it. It’s hard work, but if done right, can be incredibly rewarding. I grew as a person and became more confident in my abilities. Had I not joined any organization, I would not have met all the great people I now call my friends and, more importantly, I would not be able to say I work for McGladrey. I encourage everyone to get involved and stay involved beyond school. Continue to work hard and not give up until you have achieved your goals.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
The Campus Interview - Are You "Interview" Ready?
Today's post comes from Trina Moody, McGladrey's Western Region Campus Recruiting Lead, who provides some great advice on how to prepare for an interview. Trina is based out of our Dallas, TX location, and can be found this fall actively recruiting at campuses including the Univ. of North Texas, Texas Christian Univ., Southern Methodist Univ., and the Univ. of Texas at Dallas.
Interviewing for an internship or full time employment opportunity does not have to be a scary process! Think of it as conversation between you and a representative of the firm, where the purpose of the meeting is to decide if there is a fit between what you’re looking for and what the firm has to offer. Here are a few tips on what you can do to prepare for “Interview Day.”
Tip #1) Research the organization: It is important for you to do your homework—learn as much as you can about the firm (s) that you are interviewing with. Speaking with your professors and peers about the firms that you’re interested in, is a great starting point; however, take it to the next level-do internet research. Look at the firms’ websites, company literature, different news articles that feature them, blogs, Twitter—most firms are even on Facebook as well! You’ll learn more than you think!
Tip #2) Be aware of what behavioral interviewing is: Behavioral Interviewing is one of the most popular techniques of interviewing used during campus recruiting. It focuses on the belief that the best predictor of future performance is past performance. So, what does this mean for you? Be ready to reference personal situations, in your past, that positively highlight how you’ve dealt with different situations (obstacles, working with difficult team members).
Tip #3) Dress to Impress: Remember that you only have once chance to make a first impression and when in doubt, dress above the standard. Be sure to know the difference between business professional (suits, skirts, tie, and etc.) and business casual (collared shirt, knee length dresses, polo shirts, and etc.) Leave flashy jewelry and strong scents at home.
Tip #4) Follow up: Make sure you leave your interview with the name of your interviewer and the address where he/she can be contacted. Write a brief thank-you note on a note card, or type a brief letter. (In this day and age, e-mail thanks are gaining acceptance, as well, but the ‘hard copy’ approach is still preferred.) Use this opportunity to thank your interviewer for his/her time and remind him/her of your strengths and what you bring to the table.
Once again, interviewing does not have to be a scary process. Implementing a few of these tips, will help make sure that you’re ready. We hope you find these tips helpful, as you embark upon your interviewing process!
Interviewing for an internship or full time employment opportunity does not have to be a scary process! Think of it as conversation between you and a representative of the firm, where the purpose of the meeting is to decide if there is a fit between what you’re looking for and what the firm has to offer. Here are a few tips on what you can do to prepare for “Interview Day.”
Tip #1) Research the organization: It is important for you to do your homework—learn as much as you can about the firm (s) that you are interviewing with. Speaking with your professors and peers about the firms that you’re interested in, is a great starting point; however, take it to the next level-do internet research. Look at the firms’ websites, company literature, different news articles that feature them, blogs, Twitter—most firms are even on Facebook as well! You’ll learn more than you think!
Tip #2) Be aware of what behavioral interviewing is: Behavioral Interviewing is one of the most popular techniques of interviewing used during campus recruiting. It focuses on the belief that the best predictor of future performance is past performance. So, what does this mean for you? Be ready to reference personal situations, in your past, that positively highlight how you’ve dealt with different situations (obstacles, working with difficult team members).
Tip #3) Dress to Impress: Remember that you only have once chance to make a first impression and when in doubt, dress above the standard. Be sure to know the difference between business professional (suits, skirts, tie, and etc.) and business casual (collared shirt, knee length dresses, polo shirts, and etc.) Leave flashy jewelry and strong scents at home.
Tip #4) Follow up: Make sure you leave your interview with the name of your interviewer and the address where he/she can be contacted. Write a brief thank-you note on a note card, or type a brief letter. (In this day and age, e-mail thanks are gaining acceptance, as well, but the ‘hard copy’ approach is still preferred.) Use this opportunity to thank your interviewer for his/her time and remind him/her of your strengths and what you bring to the table.
Once again, interviewing does not have to be a scary process. Implementing a few of these tips, will help make sure that you’re ready. We hope you find these tips helpful, as you embark upon your interviewing process!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Names McGladrey as Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace
For the second straight year, McGladrey has been named by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption as one of the best adoption-friendly workplaces in the country. The Foundation collected survey data from nearly 500 employers to determine the winners, and based upon the adoption benefits that McGladrey offers, including a $5,000 reimbursement for adoption-related expenses and up to six weeks of paid-time-off for adoptive parents, McGladrey was again considered one of the best. Additional programs including New Parent Coaching, Coach-on-Call and Employee Assistance were also taken into consideration.To illustrate further the many great adoption-related benefits that McGladrey has to offer, we invite you to listen to the Podcast below, where John Keyser, a Partner/Managing Director in our Las Vegas, NV office, talks about how he and his wife accessed McGladrey's benefits to help their family grow through adoption.
Click here to listen to the Podcast
Friday, October 1, 2010
1660 People 'Like' Us. Do You?
On the occasion of the release of The Social Network, I wanted to draw attention to our own social network, the one that it alive and thriving on the McGladrey Careers Facebook Page. In addition to pictures and videos, there is a constant conversation going on with multiple questions coming in daily from candidates who want to learn more about our process or who just want to say hi. It's proven over the past year to be a great opportunity to interact with the Recruiting
professionals here at McGladrey.
So 'Like' us today, take a look around and feel free to ask a question or just leave a comment (all inquiries are responded to). You'll be glad you did!
professionals here at McGladrey.
So 'Like' us today, take a look around and feel free to ask a question or just leave a comment (all inquiries are responded to). You'll be glad you did!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)