Prepare, Network and Stand Out

Can you tell us about your internship at Grant Thornton? 

I had three interviews before I was accepted. There were three weeks of comprehensive training in preparation for client work. Many of the trainings were followed up by tests that we had to score at least a 75% on to ensure we were retaining the information. In addition, I've taken courses in Data Analytics and Emerging Topics in Finance through the firm. There are over 500+ interns across the USA participating in the internship, which has allowed me to interact with a lot of other interns. 

What is your role at the company and what do you do each day?

I'm interning in the Firms Audit practice. Each day, I follow tasks given to me by my Senior. I have audited employee benefit plans, prepared scoping templates for audits to assess risk, and participated in many different parts of the audit process. For the past couple of weeks, I have been working on a publicly-traded client that is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. It has been interesting. In my downtime, I have been taking courses via LinkedIn Learning which the firm provided for us. The courses have been very educational. 

How did you secure your internship as the pandemic continues? 

Before the pandemic, I was extremely close to securing an internship at Prudential Financial. Unfortunately, it fell through. After that happened, I did whatever I could to make sure this summer I'd have a good internship. I expanded my network and really branched out. I reached out to any recruiter or partner I could find on LinkedIn and cultivated connections. One of the partners I messaged responded to me, and from there the rest is history. It ended up working and I landed an internship at Grant Thornton. 

How did Touro prepare you for your role? 

Mrs. Smolen from Career Services was extremely helpful when it came to preparing my resume and getting ready for interviews. We reviewed and revised the resume numerous times until it was perfect! She conducted mock interviews and kept me in the loop as new internships were posted. My accounting classes have really prepared me well. Professors Chayim Herskowitz and Yossef Neuman were especially helpful this year. The computer class at Touro also prepared me for the usage of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint in the workplace. Lander College for Men has shown me that hard work pays off. With our dual curriculum, we are pushed to be our best and that has certainly helped me in my role. 

Any advice for other students on securing an internship and how to succeed once you are interning?

Network! Reach out to anyone you know in your field. It really works. You need to be proactive in order to get an internship. Once you are interning make sure to bring your "A" game and always be ready to work. Ask good questions and show that you are a team player. 

Make sure to cultivate meaningful relationships in the workplace that will make them remember you. When there is an opportunity to stand out, make sure you take it.