McGladrey presented with 2012 Mayor’s Business Recognition Award in Baltimore

By Kathleen Novak

Receptionist

Baltimore, MD

McGladrey was one of twelve Baltimore area companies recognized by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake as winners of the 2012 Mayor’s Business Recognition Award.

The award acknowledges area businesses who exhibit corporate leadership, commitment to community, and dedication to volunteering their time and resources to enhance Baltimore neighborhoods. During the annual luncheon event, which was held at the Hyatt Regency, Mayor Rawlings-Blake joined the Baltimore Development Corporation and the Greater Baltimore Committee in presenting the award.

All McGladrey employees are provided with numerous opportunities each year to volunteer their time to firm sponsored community service events. In the Baltimore office, The Baltimore Culture Club Outreach Committee organizes and launches multiple initiatives each year which benefit multiple charities and foundations. Events are held both in and out of the office, encouraging employee engagement and team building while out in the community. Fundraising events benefit charities like Ronald McDonald House, The Good Shepherd Center, the Abilities Network, and Movember and Sons.

Matt Hemelt (Assurance Partner) accepting the 2012 Mayor's Business
Recognition Award for outstanding community service.

Matt Hemelt, Baltimore Partner and chair of the Baltimore Culture Club Outreach Committee, accepted this year’s award for McGladrey.

Matt, who plays an essential role leading the Baltimore office’s charity efforts said, “Community service is part of the culture of McGladrey. We are honored to be among the other award winners who are doing great work in Baltimore.”

This is the second Mayor’s Business Recognition Award for the firm. Baltimore Office Managing Partner Marty Brunk accepted the prestigious award in 2011 for McGladrey’s Community Service Initiative. When discussing 2012’s award Marty had this to say, “McGladrey employees are dedicated to helping their local communities," said Marty Brunk, Baltimore office managing partner with McGladrey. "At McGladrey, we understand the unique needs of each of the communities where our employees live and work."

Preparing for your Busy Season Internship

By Amanda Kerney
Fort Lauderdale Audit Associate January 2013

My name is Amanda Kerney and I completed my assurance internship with McGladrey during the summer of 2011 and will be starting full-time this January! During my internship, I picked up a few tips and I am excited to take what I learned and apply it to my first year as an Audit Associate. I hope that you can find at least one of my tips helpful as you begin your busy season internship.  

1.       Make sure to smile and be excited to learn!

You will not know much going into the internship. But don’t worry - the team will teach you everything you need to know. Remember to ask questions! You will be confused and need double or triple explanations but it’s ok; the team will be willing to answer them!

2.       Dress as if this is your profession

You want to make a good impression on your team and superiors so make sure you are formally dressed for the job.

3.       Be proud of yourself for being granted an internship

This is a chance for you to learn about the industry and if you would like to pursue accounting as a career.

4.       Remember to take notes

During the internship, you will be given tasks that might be tedious and long. Make sure to be prepared to write notes when the team describes the process to you.

5.       Remember to bring supplies (Pencil, Pen, Laptop)

If going into Auditing, you will be given tasks where you need to make small marking on the audit paperwork. Make sure to remember to bring a pencil instead of having to ask the team for it.

6.       During downtime, make sure to use it wisely

If your team has granted you downtime (duration when you have finished your work and are waiting on more work to be given), then try to increase your knowledge of the team, software (learn tutorials), or read up on the client you are currently on.

7.       Be on time for work and take into account traffic

Try to research the location of the client (for audit) and make sure you leave ample time to arrive on time

8.       If the firm is having events, try to attend

This will give you a chance to meet the rest of the firm employees and learn about their experiences

9.       Make sure to connect with your co-workers on LinkedIn

This will give you a chance to stay connected with your team after you finish your internship and before you start working fulltime. If you have questions about the firm or the accounting industry, you can connect through LinkedIn.

10.   Do not focus on worrying about whether or not you will get the full-tome offer

Try to focus on your performance during the internship and remember to ask for feedback throughout the period.  The internship is designed for you to learn about the firm and if you fit well with the firm’s culture. Not for you to have mastered your job/work papers. 

McGladrey Volunteer Day 2012

More than 2,500 McGladrey employees and clients stepped away from the office to participate in 190 volunteer initiatives across the country through the firm's Volunteer Day this fall. Check out a sample of photos to see where we’ve been volunteering this year.

Learn more about McGladrey's community involvement here.

Davenport, IA - Gilda's Club

Davenport, IA - Gilda's Club

Davenport, IA - Humility of Mary

Des Moines, IA

Minneapolis, MN - Urban Ventures

Janesville, WI - Downtown Cleanup Development Alliance

Indianapolis, IN - Lymphoma & Leukemia Society

Dubuque, IA - Teresa Shelter

Philadelphia - Philabundance

Rochester, MN - Rochester Art Center

Sioux Falls, SD - Food Bank

Sioux Falls, SD - Food Bank

5 Employees headed to The McGladrey Classic

The third McGladrey Classic will be in full swing October 15 - 21 at beautiful Sea Island, Georgia. It’s going to be an exciting week for McGladrey and for five lucky McGladrey employees. McGladrey is sending one employee from each of the firm’s five regions to The Classic as winners of an all-employee contest, The Classic Tweet. Through the contest, employees competed for an opportunity to go to The Classic to serve as on-the-ground reporters, sharing their personal experiences from Sea Island with their fellow employees. Interested employees submitted compelling “tweets” (140 characters or less, in the spirit of Twitter) about why they should be chosen for this opportunity. Employees from across the firm then voted on their favorite submissions, ultimately selecting the five contest winners.  

In anticipation of their visit to The McGladrey Classic, we asked each contest winners what they are looking forward to most in Sea Island, Georgia. You can read their reactions below:  

Stephen Cramer, Risk Advisory Associate, Kansas City

What excites me about The McGladrey Classic is having the opportunity to be an integral part of an event that depicts McGladrey’s core values and strategies on a level that allows people across the nation to see. Along with being part of the event, getting to spend time with clients, coworkers and the people that have organized this fantastic event and made it what it is today is exciting. I feel honored to have a once-in-a-lifetime, behind the scenes, opportunity to not only represent McGladrey’s core values but my values as well – and it never hurts to be treated like royalty during the process.

Sam Edvalson, Tax Associate, Seattle

There are so many reasons why I am looking forward to the McGladrey Classic. The fantastic venue, all the golf pros, charitable causes, and the great firm that is putting it all on – each of these things contribute to the excitement I have for attending The Classic. How many firms host a first-rate golf tournament? I am proud to work for a firm that can put together such a complete event. Whether you are a golfer or not, this is going to be an amazing tournament; I can’t wait to see it all!

Scott Moran, Tax Associate, Chicago

I have enjoyed both playing and following golf my entire life and have always been a Davis Love III fan. I was very excited when McGladrey and Davis’s foundation decided to team up for this event a few years ago. I know that McGladrey and the Davis Love III Foundation will put together an incredible experience for fans, clients and employees. It is an experience I am greatly looking forward to being a part of.

Shirley Rennie, Consulting Manager, Boston

Representing the Northeast Region at the McGladrey Classic is quite an honor. What I’m looking forward to most is meeting the players and the McGladrey team that makes us so great. I worked on an implementation project at Sea Island this past year, and I can truly say the people and the resort are second-to-none. It will be quite an event, McGladrey-style!

Jennifer Sulzer, Tax Associate, Orlando

As I am probably the biggest golf fan at McGladrey, I am looking forward to getting a behind-the-scenes look at one of the best tournaments on the PGA TOUR’S Fall Series. Also, who wouldn’t want to get to stay on Sea Island and attend a party at DL3’s house and meet many of the players I watch play on TV every week? J

Don’t miss out on the action! Follow the McGladrey Golf Blog to stay up-to-the-minute with the Classic.

Meet McGladrey’s 2012 Working Mother of the Year

In the excitement of announcing McGladrey has been selected for the sixth time by Working Mother as one of its 2012 Working Mother 100 Best Companies we would also like to take this time to recognize our very own working mother of the year. Cindy Berg, assurance director in our Davenport office, is a perfect example of what it means to “make it work” both personally and professionally.

Assurance partners Michelle Horaney and Steve McCann nominated Cindy because of her significant contributions to McGladrey, her family and her community. Mom to two children, Kirsten, 5, and Tanner, 7, and wife to Matt, Cindy has found ways to successfully meet the needs of her busy family and the regular demands of her job.



Cindy and family



Michelle praises Cindy for her commitment to “making McGladrey famous” in the higher education arena and supporting employees across the country in their quest to gain experience and knowledge in this industry.

Steve attributes Cindy’s career success to her character and willingness to put what’s right for the firm ahead of her own career goals. Cindy used to work part of the year in financial institutions and part of the year in higher education. Steve recalls, “While working in financial institutions, Cindy expressed interest to focus more on higher education. At the time, financial institutions did not have anyone to replace Cindy’s talent. She was patient before we could transfer her to the education team. That speaks volumes about the kind of person she is.”

Cindy takes advantage of McGladrey’s flexible work options, operating on a reduced schedule. In the nomination process, Steve and Michelle said you would never know Cindy is on a flexible work arrangement because it’s seamless to her clients and coworkers. “Her flexible work arrangement is how she balances her kids’ activities and her work. She takes great responsibility and care to ensure this arrangement works for her family and the firm—to be fully present in both aspects of her life.”

“McGladrey’s commitment to flexibility and the support of my partners and team members are why children at my son’s school know me as ‘Tanner’s mom,’” says Cindy. “Having the flexibility to be involved in the PTA, scouts and Junior Achievement has been a lot of fun for me. They give me an opportunity to stretch my creative side!" 

Cindy offers the following tips for leveraging flexible work solutions:

·         Flexibility is required on everyone’s part. I am asking McGladrey to be flexible with me so I can focus on what’s important in my personal life. But I also need to be flexible with McGladrey when a key deadline or client issue arises.

·         Prioritizing is critical

·         When making decisions around how to flex your schedule, think about how the decision will impact you and those around you in the next ten minutes, ten days and ten years.

·         Surround yourself with a good support system

Congratulations, Cindy! Yours is just one example of how McGladrey's WorkLife benefits make a difference in the lives of our employees.

Explore career opportunities at McGladrey.

McGladrey Recognized by Working Mother and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

We are excited to announce that today Working Mother named McGladrey as one of its 2012 Working Mother 100 Best Companies. The companies are recognized in the October/November issue of the magazine, on workingmother.com and will be honored at the Work Life Congress in October.

Working Mother recognized companies for their wide array of progressive workplace programs, including child care, flexibility, advancement and paid family leave. This is the 27th year Working Mother has recognized organizations for their initiatives. Each firm on the 2012 list offers family-friendly benefits among them, adoption, paternity, college savings plans, wellness and flexibility. 

"This year's 100 Best Companies are leading the way for the rest of the nation," said Carol Evans, president of Working Mother Media. "They have created not only essential benefits, like flexible work options and telecommuting, but have also shown their commitment in new ways like elder care referral and legal assistance to help busy parents manage their personal lives as well as their careers."

"McGladrey is focused on being a good steward to our people. We understand the importance of flexibility to their personal and professional success, and our business-based approach enables them to find solutions to support that success while also providing the best possible service to our clients," said Katie Lamkin, national human resources lead for McGladrey. "We are honored that our family-friendly benefits and strong culture of work-life flexibility have earned McGladrey a spot on this important list for the sixth year."

McGladrey has also earned recognition recently for its innovative benefits by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, which listed the firm among its list of the "100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces" list.

A full list of the 2012 Working Mother's "100 Best Companies" can found on Working Mother's website: 2012 100 Best Companies. All 2012 winners will be recognized at the Working Mother 100 Best Companies Gala Awards Dinner on October 10, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis in NYC, as part of the Work Life Congress annual conference.

Explore career opportunities at McGladrey.

About Working Mother Media
Working Mother Media, a division of Bonnier Corporation (bonnier.com), publishes Working Mother magazine and its companion website, workingmother.com, and the Working Mother Research Institute. The National Association for Female Executives (nafe.com ), Diversity Best Practices (diversitybestpractices.com) are also units within WMM. Working Mother Media's mission is to serve as a champion of culture change. Working Mother magazine reaches more than 2 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers; Workingmother.com gives working mothers @home and @work advice, solutions, and ideas. This year marks the 27th anniversary of the magazine's signature research initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, and the 10th year of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Sending a sincere ‘thank-you’ to Staff Sergeant Vince Sacco

We know that here at McGladrey, we have some of the most dedicated and hardworking people. And we’d like to take a post to recognize our Cleveland Assurance Associate, Vince Sacco, and share his story.

After graduating from The Ohio State University, Vince began his McGladrey career in January 2011. Finishing his first busy season on a positive note, he felt more confident in his skills and abilities and was looking forward to the following busy season in hopes of applying his developed expertise and knowledge.

In the spring of 2011, Vince, an airman in the Ohio National Guard, received news that would temporarily interrupt his plans at McGladrey. His unit, the 121^st Air Refueling Wing, Security Forces Squadron, would be deployed to Afghanistan in August 2011.

Stationed at one of the largest U.S. military bases in Afghanistan, Vince remained in contact with the Ohio offices and would often receive McGladrey care packages from coworkers—sent overseas by his career advisor, Dorinna.

“Vince has been such an inspiration to us all, and we sincerely missed him during his deployment,” says Dorinna. “It was great to see the Ohio staff and partners support Vince by sending hundreds of encouraging emails and letters. We even had the opportunity to Skype Vince on a few occasions. He was always appreciative of our support, and I know it meant a lot to him.”

Staff Sergeant Sacco returned home safely in April 2012, and the Ohio offices were excited to welcome him back in May. Vince and several of his fellow squadron members received the Meritorious Unit Award upon their return for outstanding service in direct support of combat operations.

McGladrey would like to thank Vince and all military personnel for their commitment and dedication to our country. We are so proud to have inspirational people, such as Vince, representing McGladrey.

McGladrey's Consulting Team is Hiring

By Jeff Judkins

Talent Acquisition Manager

Omaha, NE

In the Professional Services world there are traditional “busy seasons” for the Tax and Assurance Practices but for Consulting Services the “busy season” is a constant moving part for all of the Firm’s Service Line specializations.  The Technology Solutions practice is experiencing a constant need for talent in the areas of Network Infrastructure support, Application Development, ERP Implementations, Technology Assessments and Telephony consulting.  The Risk Advisory practice has seen a continued need for experienced candidates with a background in IT Audit, SOC Reporting and Compliance consulting while the Financial Advisory practice has a growing need in numerous markets for those professionals that have experience in Process Improvement and Change Management.  Needless to say if you are someone that is considering a change, looking for a new challenge or would like to be part of a High Performing Professional Services Consulting Firm now is the time to reach out to one of our Experienced Hire Recruiters!

Reach out on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/mcgladrey/careers?trk=tabs_biz_career

Visit our Careers Site: http://jobs.mcgladrey.com/

My Summer with McGladrey

By Gianna Migliaccio

Assurance Intern

New York, NY

 

I cannot believe that I am writing my final blog post back in Syracuse already.  Where did this summer go? I guess the old saying is true—time really does fly when you’re having fun! This summer with McGladrey was an absolute success and I don’t even know how to begin reflecting on my experiences. I just wish that I could go back and start again for such a variety of reasons.

 

Since my last post I have many updates to write about.  Although my fantastic team (team 4) did not win the audit project, we are still so proud of ourselves and the work that we did. Our final presentation went better than any of our practice runs and we couldn’t have been happier. To maintain a competitive advantage many of the intern groups kept their concepts a secret from each other, which became quite difficult since we were always together. We would sneak around the office with our supplies and hid our board until our presentation, which is pretty funny to think back on.  However, since the internship is over, now I can finally reveal details about our presentation! We made McGladopoly, a McGladrey version of the classic game Monopoly to detail the steps of an audit.  Each space on the board was specific to McGladrey and to New York City. Although we didn’t win the audit project, my group was able to win the tax project! Since I was out of the office working on an audit for a new client during the time of the tax project I was not able to share their victory, but it was a win-win for all of us.  Oh the life of an auditor--you really never know where you’ll be!

 

However, the travel and client work is part of what drew me to audit in the first place.  My desire to be in audit was reinforced through this audit especially. I love teamwork and the notion of an ever-changing work environment and luckily for me, this client was in the city! This didn’t change my commute, which was kind of a relief since this audit lasted for the duration of my internship. But overall, this experience provided me with more than I had expected when I was first assigned to it.  My time was extended and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I valued my team, and they were great teachers.  It was really exciting to be able to sign off on parts of the audit myself and to also be confident in the work that I was doing.  And as a result of this experience I realized that I absolutely love financial services, which I never anticipated.  I always thought I’d want to work in commercial, but now I’m positive that financial services is the sector for me!

 

The fact that I was out of the office for the last few weeks of the internship was bittersweet to say the least.  I wouldn’t have traded that opportunity, but I did miss being in the office with the rest of the interns.  We had become so close over the summer, that I found myself missing them and our dynamic as a whole. But, spending the last day at the Mets game with everyone was a great way to end the summer and have a fun relaxing day with both interns and employees outside of the office. It was as if we were campers all grouped together in matching t-shirts.  I loved it.

 

But overall, I truly believe that you can do the same job anywhere, especially in this field, but it is the people that make the difference.  This summer, I learned a lot, I met great people and made new friends that I know I will be close with for years to come.  And now, I am back at school embarking on my Masters degree and am thrilled to know that next fall I will be starting my career with McGladrey.  I can remember back to sophomore year attending my first event with the firm, and to now know that I will be working there is the greatest way to start this year and an even sweeter way to end the summer.  

Success Started Here

By Lyndsey Lawson
Assurance Intern
Irvine, CA

To say that time has flown by is an understatement. I remember my first day here and being more nervous than I’ve ever felt before. Now, I have experience working in the audit field with some of the most intelligent people I have ever encountered. I can honestly say I’m going to miss all this auditing fun when my internship comes to an end.

The life of an auditor (never in the office!)

As much as I love sitting at a desk for 8 hours, I always want to do a little victory dance when my schedule gets updated and I see that I get to go out to a client. It seems as though the auditors are almost NEVER in the office, and I love being at a client so I must be fit for auditing! Interning at McGladrey has allowed me to go out to several different clients and I’ve had a blast at every single one of them. You might be thinking, “How is that possible? Work isn’t supposed to be fun.” But I’m not lying. Among all the work, there were plenty of opportunities for fun and new learning experiences. I never expected that I would be cracking up constantly and making jokes at one another while working (efficiently, of course). And the work is awesome! Not gonna lie, I half expected I was going to be doing “grunt” work and tasks that people often think of when they hear the word “intern.” But besides making copies and running job-related errands, I got to do actual audit work. I’ve worked on a 401K audit, an SEC review, and a few others. I was able to perform some test work for audits and I got to shadow another team member during walk-throughs, which was pretty awesome because I got to hear the language/conversations and see how auditors interact with clients. And on a side note, I now totally feel like an Excel pro.

Another essential and seemingly difficult task at McGladrey is lunch. Yes, lunch. Lunch is a big thing around here. When eating with other team members (which always happens when at a client), you have to figure out who’s dining out, what everyone does and doesn’t like, and most importantly, where we’re eating today. I’ve gone to so many delicious and wonderful places to eat with some of the McGladrey team. I feel like I’ve tried almost every type of food there is. I even tried Peruvian (yum!), which is a big step for someone like me who doesn’t ever branch out. Despite my love for food, going out to lunch with other McGladrey members almost every day gave me the opportunity to really get to know everyone on a more relaxed and personal basis. We’d talk about movies/music and tell tons of funny stories. McGladrey knows how to have a good lunch.

A very smart woman once told me to treat this opportunity as a career, not just a job. If there’s work to finish, take it home. The accounting world doesn’t only operate from 9-5. That advice coupled with my amazing experience at McGladrey has set me up for success. I have joined, grown, and succeeded.

Shout out to Mike(s) (T. & L.J) and all the other Irvine people for making my time here so enjoyable! And a big thanks to McGladrey, I couldn’t have asked for a better interning experience.

Never a Dull Moment

By Lyndsey Lawson
Assurance Intern
Irvine, CA

Work never gets boring at McGladrey, and I absolutely love this reality. Whether I’m at a client or a social event, I’m always happy to be busy. In my first week as an intern, I was told that I was going to be participating in McGladrey’s Pathways Program. For those who aren’t familiar with this program, it’s an opportunity for accounting students to interact with the firm in a business and social setting. I was ecstatic to be a part of such an advantageous and beneficial program available to students just like myself. The awesome part of it was being on the other side, where I was able to speak with the students about my own experiences and give them advice for their own “pathway.” The events included in the program that I participated in were people bingo, bowling, a few presentations (Becker-CPA licensing, very helpful!), and a community service event.

Bowling was a ton of fun. I like to think of myself as a “skilled” amateur, which I’m sure many can relate, so I always love when the McGladrey team goes bowling. We were split up into 5 mini-teams. Among my team were three Pathways participants and a Partner. I don’t know what it is about McGladrey Partners, but I think they’re all in some sort of professional bowling league (I have yet to win against one, or even come close, for that matter). Anyway, it was an incredibly fun event filled with good bowling, good conversation, and of course a little goofing off. J

I’d have to say my favorite part of being involved in Pathways was the community service piece that took place at Easter Seals, a not-for-profit organization that is truly inspiring. Easter Seals strives to provide assistance to those with disabilities so that they can interact and thrive within their communities. When the McGladrey team arrived, we each got a nice cowboy hat planted on our head, as the theme was Western, of course. The volunteers and staff of Easter Seals had several entertaining and interactive activities set up for the participants. We all had a blast helping those who needed it. We participated in many Western themed events such as Cactus Lasso, Horseshoe Toss, and Square Dancing. We even played my favorite, Charades! I was fortunate to meet an elder man, Michael, during my time at Easter Seals. My friend and fellow intern, Charmaine, and I had the pleasure of spending our day with him. He took the initiative and struck up a conversation with us during the activities and told us all about his love of polka music, Elvis and Disneyland. We were immediately hooked. He’s an absolute gem, a sweetheart, and probably the happiest person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

I had a great time participating in McGladrey’s Pathways Program. Not only did I get the opportunity to make an impression on the students, but I also gained insight and knowledge that I can take from the experience. I can’t say enough about being able to participate in helping out my community. Overall, it was very rewarding! 

Update on my Internship

Chicago, IL

Written by Deevy Bhakta

Intern

One month down and one to go!  To say time has flown by is an understatement.  In this short time, I know I have gained a tremendous amount of valuable experience.  Working with clients, on site, and seeing McGladrey experts in action, has helped me fine-tune my own professional skills.  I have no doubt that this next month will probably fly by just like the first. 

The day to day work life is a story of its own.  Briana, the other intern on my team and I constantly work with financial documents in Prophix.  While it sounds as fun as a box of nails, applying my current skills into more and more documents is helping me build a sound foundation for the rest of my career.  If that’s not enough, I can always turn around and see a beautiful view of the city, when I get tired of looking at the computer screen.

I quickly learned the environment at McGladrey goes beyond the nine-to-five grind.  The people in the Chicago office have made this an unforgettable experience.  Briana and I consider ourselves very lucky for receiving this opportunity.  Our director, Karen, and navigator, Lucica, have perfectly constructed a schedule that offers the perfect workload.  Nothing during first half has been overwhelming.  Even when we were on a time crunch both of them made sure that they were available if we had questions.  It is always nice to have a good team no matter the circumstance.

Words cannot describe the first month of my internship.  Sadly, in less than 3 weeks, I will no longer get to look forward to the lively streets of downtown Chicago.  With that in mind, my goal is to keep working with the flow and soak it all in.

Things to Consider before Leaving Public Accounting

Interviewee: Shelby, Sr. Assurance Associate
Interviewer: Terra, Sr. Talent Acquisition Specialist

If you’ve worked a busy season or two in public accounting, you may have questioned your decision to work in public long term.  You might even consider a career move to opportunities outside of public accounting.  Making a professional change is a big decision and sometimes we don’t always take the time to truly reflect on what it is we are looking for or what it is that we already have.

At McGladrey, we sometimes have employees leave for opportunities outside of public accounting only to return, because they didn’t realize what they’d be missing.  We hear the same story time and time again about what brought them back.  We sat down with Shelby, Senior Assurance Associate to talk about important things for public accounting professionals to consider before making a significant career change. 

Q.  Shelby, I understand that you left McGladrey for an industry accounting opportunity.  Can you tell us why you decided to accept a position outside of public accounting?

A. I primarily left public accounting because I thought that a job with a set schedule of 8 am to 5 pm would allow for more balance in my life. I don’t have any children yet, but based on my first three busy seasons in public accounting, I didn’t think that I would be able to get the work-life balance I needed and wanted.

Q.  What made you decide to return to public accounting?

A. I decided to return to public accounting for multiple reasons. First, I realized having a “normal” schedule of 8 am to 5 pm wasn’t as convenient as I thought it would be. I started in public accounting right out of college, and I took the flexibility that public accounting offers for granted. By flexibility, I mean being able to choose the hours you work and where you work those hours. At my job in industry, I was expected to be at work for 8.5-9 hours each day at the same set time, and working remotely wasn’t really an option ever. At McGladrey, I am able to set my own work hours (within reason) as long as my assignments get completed by due dates. I can also work remotely, which I really appreciate.

Second, I realized that public accounting isn’t the only job that requires you to work some weekends or unusual hours. Within a couple of days of being at my job in industry, I was assigned multiple Saturdays that I would have to work.

Last, I was extremely bored. I realized that I would much rather be challenged and doing something I enjoy, than be bored at work.

Q. Obviously there are other public accounting firms besides McGladrey, what do you think makes us different? Why did you choose to come back to McGladrey instead of looking at positions with other firms?

A. The main reason I didn’t look at other public accounting firms is because I knew I couldn’t find another firm with a better culture or coworkers. I am lucky to be part of a team filled with great people who make me laugh frequently and teach me a lot.  

Q.  What advice would you give to anyone considering a professional move out of public accounting? What should they think about before considering other jobs?

A.  If you enjoy auditing, I would recommend talking to a trusted career advisor and making sure that the reasons why you’re debating on leaving public accounting can’t be resolved. I wish I would have spoke with my career advisor before accepting an offer from industry. My career advisor and other partners brought up many things that I hadn’t given much consideration. However, at that point I felt that it was too late since I already accepted another job.

One example for me is the amount of travel that I had. I traveled a lot during my first three years, and that was one of the largest factors that made it difficult for me to accomplish the work-life balance I needed. When I returned to the firm, my schedule was adjusted and multiple travel engagements were removed from my schedule. McGladrey was able to work with me to get a schedule that met both my needs and the firm’s.