Crosslin is fortunate to have a fabulous audit intern this summer, so we thought it would be fun to get her thoughts on internships, career choices, etc. Thanks, Ashley Coots, for a fabulous interview. We are glad you are part of the Crosslin team!
Where are you in school and what are you studying?
I am going into my senior year at The University of Tennessee at Martin getting a BSBA in Accounting and Finance.
Why did you apply for an internship at Crosslin?
I applied to several accounting and finance firms looking for an internship. I chose Crosslin because of many reasons; however, I will just name the top two. The first one being they were going to give me a full summer internship, and even asked me when I wanted to start and wanted to end, working hands-on within the audit department. With Crosslin, I would be able to go to clients and be a part of a full audit from start to finish. The second, which was a very close second might I add, was the atmosphere Crosslin brings to its employees. If you ask any employee who works at Crosslin what there favorite thing about their job is they will most likely say “the people I work with,” or “the friendliness of the upper management.” It is very important to me to work in an environment where you are happy to be and can be yourself around everyone, and Crosslin brings that atmosphere.
What do you hope to learn during your internship?
During my internship, I hope to learn what an auditor does from day in and day out, some of the struggles a person in this position may face, where you can go with being an auditor, the extra education you must obtain in order to succeed at this job, and if I take interest in this type of work.
What have you done during the first few weeks of your internship?
The first week of my internship I worked on online courses that explain all of the different steps in each type of audit. I worked mainly on the basic audits such as auditing cash, inventory, property plant and equipment, and payroll. My second and third week here I was actually able to go to a client with three other auditors and work on-site. I was able to see how an audit worked from the beginning, and was able to apply what I have been studying to real life situations. This was an amazing experience because this was one of the first times I was able to actually see and understand how a business works, and was able to look at data and prove why the amounts were what they are and why they are there. I did something in a matter of a week into my internship that some interns have to wait until the end of their internship to do.
What are you goals once you graduate?
Once I graduate in May 2018, I hope to obtain a full time job at a local company here in Nashville. During the fall of 2018, I will take online courses to finish up my hours needed towards the required 150 hours for the exam, and then I will start on the process of being a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Being a CPA and/or CMA is something every accountant should try to obtain because it shows employers you are dedicated and are not afraid to take on a challenge.
Would you recommend other college students participate in internship programs in their field? If yes, why?
I would absolutely recommend an internship for any college student, especially going into senior year, in their field. I would recommend it because nobody knows exactly what they like until they actually try it. A career is something you will stick with your whole life, so why not be completely certain this is the career path you want to go down when you graduate. Learning it and actually doing it are two completely different things.
