News & Stories
MAC student perspectives: Meet the firms
We had the opportunity to speak with multiple accounting firms and corporations. During the two-day event, we heard from and interacted with many knowledgeable individuals concerning their experiences in the field and specifically with their respective firm or company.
Firms were allotted 45-minute time slots to help us understand who they are and begin to understand where we will fit in best. Some firms chose to give a brief presentation while focusing the majority of their time on the personal networking experience. Other firms chose to play a quick game, like trivia, to help us learn a little about themselves and to break the ice. There were a variety of formats each of the firms could’ve used to help us all understand the them a little better. All firms allowed for some time to network with their associates, partners, and recruiters.
All in all, this event was extremely worthwhile. My classmates and I have all been continuously talking about how impressed we were with the presentation of the firms and their overall personable nature. The mere fact that the UNC MAC program allows us these kinds of opportunities is utterly invaluable.
By Marcy McLamb (MAC ’19)
Meet the Firms was an extraordinary event set up by the UNC MAC program to help me meet and network with a multitude of professionals. Everyone I met at this event was more than happy to take time to talk with me and informative about their experiences at their respective firms. I enjoyed the diversity that many of the firms had in regards to staff experiences, backgrounds, location, and personality which helped reinforce that accounting is not a one size fits all kind of career but instead, it is one that I can mold into what I want it to be.
Additionally, this event was well thought out and organized, allowing for me to relax and stress less about an event that was stressful in nature just due to the weight it holds in the recruiting process. To that point, however, due to organizational structure, I felt that I was able to focus more on meeting professionals and my performance was enhanced from what it could have been.
A final note about the Meet the Firms event that struck me is just how much the professionals at each firm want to see me (and everyone in the program) succeed. Typically, when you think of a job search, you think of it being the employer judging your every move. However, after this event, it feels more like the employers are trying to help me make the rights moves in order to secure a job. Meet the Firms was an amazing, informative and helpful event.
By Jacob Wrenn (MAC ’19)