Frequently Asked Questions

The purpose of this web page is to provide some information on a variety of topics that may be of concern to students entering the interview process for either internship or full time positions.  If you have questions that are not addressed here, please feel free to contact Dr. Zucca and you may see your question (and answer) here in the future!

    Which contact information should I use on my resume and application forms?

Remember that you are seeking a position as an accounting professional.  Thus, your contact information should reflect your professionalism.  Use your Kent State e-mail address (you can easily forward your mail from your KSU address to another service, but make sure that when you reply to any communication from a potential employer that you use your Kent address).  Although you may have been able to use your high school e-mail address (i.e., sungoddess22 or manofsteel16) so far at Kent, it is now time to work on your professional image!  Likewise, your contact phone number should have voice mail capability, AND, make sure that the message on your voice mail is also professional!  Think, in advance, about the impression that you want to make on your potential employer.  Don't forget to remove any potentially embarrassing information or pictures from any websites (if you wouldn't want your grandmother to see what you have posted, you certainly don't want your potential employer to see it!!).  Finally, use the street address where you will most likely be able to receive mail quickly.  For most of you, that will be your campus address unless you are a commuter.

    Should I be interviewing for an internship or a full time position?

If you are a senior or a masters' student, this can be a very difficult question. The State of Ohio requires that a candidate have 150 semester credit hours to take the CPA exam. Some public accounting firms and corporations are only concerned with a student taking 150 credit hours while others want their employees to have a masters' degree to fulfill the 150 hour requirement. Since employers would normally interview in Fall 2008 for full time positions starting in January 2009, June 2009 and August/September 2009, if you will either complete your 150 credit hour requirements or your masters' degree by the end of Summer 2009, you should probably be interviewing for a full time position in Fall 2008 rather than an internship. If you successfully complete an internship during Spring 2009, there may not be an open position with the employer until at least January 2010. If you are in this situation and are uncertain about what to do, you are strongly encouraged to talk to Dr. Zucca  as soon as possible.

    How many employers should I "preselect?"

If you have a good idea about the type of accounting position that you want to pursue, then you should probably limit the employers you pre-select to those in the particular industry sector that you are interested in (i.e., if you know that you want to work in state government, there is no need to pre-select corporate positions). However, most of you probably are fairly unclear about what you might want to do with your accounting degree. In that case, pre-select all of the positions for which you meet the qualifications, which meet your geographical requirements, and which offer some appeal to you. Then, try to talk to all of these employers who are in attendance at Meet The Accountants Night (September 18) to get a better feel for the firms that you would like to interview with. If you are lucky, they will invite you to sign up for an interview!

    An employer has "invited" me to sign up for an interview.  Do I really need to sign up for an interview at exactly 10:00 PM on September 29?

Yes! Many employers "invite" more students to sign up than the number of interview slots they have set up. Usually, these employers will NOT open additional schedules to accommodate students who get shut out of interview slots. Be ready to access the system at 10:00 PM on September 29 if you have been invited to sign up for an interview.

    I have been "invited" to sign up for an interview, but the only open interview slots are during my class times.  What should I do?

Obviously, this is your call. However, if this is a position that you really want, sign up for the interview and then talk with your instructor about missing the class. If you are missing an accounting class, most accounting instructors are very understanding. Remember that if you don't sign up for the interview, you probably won't get the internship.

    I have been "invited" to sign up for interviews with 15 employers. Should I interview with all of them?

Interviewing is an exhausting process. If you try to interview with all of those firms, you can't possibly spend the amount of time preparing for each of the interviews that you should. Research the companies and only interview with those that you think that you would actually like to work in. Also, remember that you still need to go to class and maintain that high GPA!  If you need help with an issue like this, please feel free to contact Dr. Zucca, Career Services, or any of your accounting instructors.

    I have signed up for an interview, and I am very busy. Do I REALLY need to do a Mock Interview?

We STRONGLY suggest that you go through a Mock Interview. I have never met anyone who didn't need to practice their interviewing skills.

    Okay, I signed up for a Mock Interview. Do I need to dress professionally?

Absolutely. The Mock Interview is a practice interview, and a big part of the interview is your personal appearance.

    What is "professional attire?"

Refer to the section of this website devoted to professional attire. If you have questions, ask Dr. Zucca, Career Services, or your accounting instructor.

    How should I prepare for my interview?

You should research each employer that you interview with. Check with Career Services to see if the employer has provided any materials. You should also visit the employer's website to acquire more information about their business and policies. If you can't find any information from these sources, contact Dr. Zucca, Career Services, or your accounting instructor. You should also prepare a list of questions about the employer that you can ask during the interview.  There is also a section of this website that provides some interviewing tips and examples of questions that might be asked during an interview.  It is always a good idea to practice answers to some likely questions! 

    My interview is over. Now what should I do?

As soon as you leave the interview, write down your impression of the company and the people that you talked with. If you asked specific questions or acquired specific information during the interview you should also write down those items. Then, prepare for your next interview, or if this is your last interview, try to relax and wait.  If you want to talk about your interview or the company, always feel free to contact Dr. Zucca or any of your accounting instructors.

    Should I write a thank you note?

Absolutely. This is VERY important. Always remember to ask for a business card from each interviewer so that you have all of the contact information you need for your thank you note.  If you decide to send your thank you note by e-mail, compose your message in a word document first so that you can check your grammar and spelling before copying it into an e-mail.  Your thank you note should have a professional tone.