Accounting Recruitment Week Connects Firms with UAA Students
September 8, 2021For accounting students, the search for a job placement can begin as soon as their first semester of study. The Department of Accounting & Finance, along with the UAA Accounting Club, have built a supportive environment that encourages students to connect with each other – and with potential employers – early.
UAA Career Services is an important part of this network too. Each fall it hosts Accounting Recruitment Week (ARW), which offers students the opportunity to develop their resumes, meet accounting firms, participate in both mock and real interviews, and potentially walk away with a career-boosting internship or position offer. Although traditionally still called Accounting Recruitment Week, ARW activities and events take place over several weeks, from early September to late October.
“It's never too soon to start participating in these events, to ask questions, and to make connections with people in the field,” advised Sarah Shives, an Employer Relations Coordinator with UAA’s Career Services. Shives works to connect students and alumni to meaningful careers and prospective employers to great talent. “Accounting firms want to interact with students early and often. Connections made at Accounting Recruitment Week often lead to internships, which can then lead to a career.”
A career in accounting can mean a lot of different things, and firms vary widely in terms of size, culture, and mission. Employers encourage students to explore these differences early and look for a good fit.
Meet the Firms gives students a chance to speak directly with employers and begin exploring some of those differences. It is one of the main events of ARW, and is coming up on Thursday, September 16 from 11 am to 1 pm in Rasmuson Hall’s first floor lobby. It will feature a career fair-style booth format with eleven employers looking to fill accounting positions:
- Alaska Division of Legislative Audit
- Aldrich CPAs + Advisors
- Altman, Rogers & Co.
- BDO USA, LLP
- ConocoPhillips
- KPMG LLP
- Newhouse & Vogler, CPAs
- Porter & Allison, Inc.
- Swalling & Associates, PC
- The Brandon Skinner Group, P.C.
- Thomas, Head & Greisen, PC
The best things to bring to Meet the Firms are questions and curiosity, said Shives. For those looking to apply for internships or jobs soon, a polished resume and business casual outfit are also encouraged.
ARW is officially October 4-8, which features on-campus and virtual interviews for internships and full-time positions. Students are eligible for internships as early as when they are enrolled in 200-level accounting classes.
Another top highlight of ARW is the UAA Accounting Club Fall Social, where students, faculty and employers can mingle in a more informal setting. This year’s event is on Friday, October 1 from 6-9 pm at the Crowne Plaza in midtown Anchorage. Tickets are available from the UAA Accounting Club.
Career Services developed an extensive ARW website that details these events, along with other key dates and advice for students. Additionally, Shives and accounting professor Stasia Straley hosted an ARW orientation that provides in-depth information to students about what to expect when participating in the accounting recruitment process.