INCPAS Scholar alum Annie Geronimo is only a junior at Butler University, but she already has several internships under her belt!
She landed a co-op audit internship with Dean Dorton in 2023–24, a full-time audit internship with PwC in 2024, and currently serves as an audit intern at Forvis Mazars. Further, in her “down time,” she has connected with Big 4 and accounting firms around Indiana in her role as founder of the Collective of Professional Accounting Students.
We asked Annie to share tips for internship success with fellow students who could benefit from her tried-and-true techniques.
My Advice for Students Seeking Accounting Internships
Obtaining internships became easy once I started following these key strategies when actively searching:
Tip #1: Connect in Person
All the opportunities and internships I’ve secured have come from building personal connections with recruiters, staff members or partners early on. Professors, career fairs and INCPAS are my go-to resources when connecting with firms.
However, before meeting someone in person, I do research the company. Even if it’s just a quick one-minute search while waiting in line to meet them or looking up the recruiter on LinkedIn, having something to discuss beyond the “script” makes me more memorable and establishes a personal connection. I always ask about the company culture, favorite office activities year-round, company culture, etc.
"Having something to discuss beyond the 'script' makes me more memorable and establishes a personal connection."
After having a great conversation, I always make sure to:
Tip #2: Follow Up
Whenever I ask staff or recruiters about the most important thing I should do after an event, they always emphasize the art of following up. By showing initiative, I:
- Express that I enjoyed the conversation.
- Recall specific points that interested me.
- Tell them I would like to discuss the position further.
This personal connection with the recruiter often lands me higher on their list of candidates because it demonstrates my commitment and communication skills. I also set up coffee chats with associates or managers from the company to ask questions about the company, their specific roles and regular life. This builds a deeper connection with them.
If am invited for an interview, I always make sure to:
Tip #3: Treat the Interview as a Conversation
Interviews used to be challenging for me because I thought of them as overly formal processes with suits, a script and “business talk.”
However, when I started treating interviews as professional conversations, I noticed how much easier it became to answer questions. I had examples ready in my mind and found it easier to personally connect with the interviewer.
"When I started treating interviews as professional conversations, I noticed how much easier it became to answer questions."
When I talk to recruiters and staff, they always say interviewers care far more about personality and how well I fit with the team than they do about my technical skills. I always remind myself that technical skills can be taught, but interpersonal skills are invaluable.
For more about Annie, read her upcoming “Scholars: Where Are They Now?” interview with INCPAS in the May 2025 Connect magazine.
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