Why did you decide to work for the company who are now working for?

 

As an introduction to the accounting profession, you are required to interview an accounting professional. It can be anyone. The objectives of this assignment are two-fold: (1) to actually introduce you to someone in the profession so as to provide you a window (however small) into the profession; and (2) to get you used to interviewing people. The business world is all about personal relationships; you will be expected to interview various colleagues, clients, etc., starting day one of your career.

The good news is: this task is easier than it sounds; most people love to talk about themselves and/or their work. Therefore, if you properly construct “open-ended” questions, this assignment should be a slam-dunk. For those of you who do not know what they are, “open-ended” questions are questions that require more than a yes/no and/or a one word answer. The proto-typical open-ended question is: “Can you tell me a little something about yourself?”

Assignment: find a professional and interview him/her about their experiences at their job. Questions could include, among others:

1. Why did you decide to work for the company who are now working for?

2. Describe what you do in a typical day / week / month / year.

3. How many hours do you work in a typical day/week?

4. How many hours in a typical week – outside of the office (i.e., on your own time) – do you spend on firm related/career matters?

5. How does your job match with what your expectations were when you took the job?

6. Does your company value your contributions? What are their expectations of you today and (say) one year/five years from now.

7. In that regard, does your firm provide training/continuing education opportunities?