Didn't get an offer after internship – how bad is this?

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  • #185095
    P51
    Member

    I have 1 semester of undergrad left (I’ll be like 8 credits short of 150) and I’ll finish my internship at the end of the month.

    Did a full busy season internship at a top 30 revenue public firm working 65 hours a week full tax and audit.

    Well about 50% of us (about 20 interns) didn’t get an offer. Those who did were able to work right away as they were done with school or had 150. In fact I was the only inten not in grad school or at 150 (only one without a bachelors even). Basically I think I didn’t get an offer because I still have school and these other people are way ahead of me.

    So how screwed am I? Am I going to look like damaged goods with no offer during the recuriting season in the fall? Any advice?

Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
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  • #545948
    halfhoot
    Member

    You're going to be fine, especially since you can go through another recruiting season. Firms will appreciate that you already have experience, so highlight that in your interviews.

    A classmate of mine was told he was “never going to catch on to tax” at his first internship last year, and didn't get an offer. He took an internship with a different firm this spring and was one of two (out of twenty-ish, I think?) to receive an offer.

    REG: July 14
    AUD: 2014
    BEC: 2015
    FAR: 2015

    #545956
    halfhoot
    Member

    You're going to be fine, especially since you can go through another recruiting season. Firms will appreciate that you already have experience, so highlight that in your interviews.

    A classmate of mine was told he was “never going to catch on to tax” at his first internship last year, and didn't get an offer. He took an internship with a different firm this spring and was one of two (out of twenty-ish, I think?) to receive an offer.

    REG: July 14
    AUD: 2014
    BEC: 2015
    FAR: 2015

    #545950
    acamp
    Participant

    This firm headquartered in the Bay Area? I've heard of a particular firm around here that purposely over staffs interns knowing they will only extend an offer to 50% or so; so you're not necessarily bad goods, you've just been tossed out of their use and abuse program. The Big4 I work at, its the exception when an intern doesn't get an offer as generally all of them get offers

    Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

    California CPA - Big4 Aud Manager Alum - Private Accounting at Startups

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    California CPA

    #545958
    acamp
    Participant

    This firm headquartered in the Bay Area? I've heard of a particular firm around here that purposely over staffs interns knowing they will only extend an offer to 50% or so; so you're not necessarily bad goods, you've just been tossed out of their use and abuse program. The Big4 I work at, its the exception when an intern doesn't get an offer as generally all of them get offers

    Self proclaimed: Highest ratio of Replies to Others v. Posts Created on A71

    California CPA - Big4 Aud Manager Alum - Private Accounting at Startups

    FAR, REG and BEC with Ninja Notes + WTB Only

    Ninja + Wiley Test Bank: [FAR - 81] [REG - 76] [BEC - 88] [AUD - 73](doh!)

    Becker Videos: [AUD - 82]

    California CPA

    #545952

    Agreed you will be fine. A lot of firms will over hire interns because they are cheap labor. More than likely they took on twice as many interns as spots to fill for that purpose. In addition, some HR depts are really picky about having a degree and how far in advance they can make an offer to somebody who doesn't yet have one. This is firm/company specific but that could have a lot to do with it too, since it seemed most of the others in your group already had a degree and are ready to roll on board. I would say it gives you a definite edge over somebody with no internship experience. As a cherry on top I would get as many references from your intern firm as you can. They might be helpful when you need to start looking.

    MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

    #545959

    Agreed you will be fine. A lot of firms will over hire interns because they are cheap labor. More than likely they took on twice as many interns as spots to fill for that purpose. In addition, some HR depts are really picky about having a degree and how far in advance they can make an offer to somebody who doesn't yet have one. This is firm/company specific but that could have a lot to do with it too, since it seemed most of the others in your group already had a degree and are ready to roll on board. I would say it gives you a definite edge over somebody with no internship experience. As a cherry on top I would get as many references from your intern firm as you can. They might be helpful when you need to start looking.

    MBA,CMA,CPA, CFF?, ABV?

    #545954
    P51
    Member

    Acamp

    No, but I think I know of that firm as well lol. My friend interned there a few years back and that happened to him. Not sure what came of him as I lost touch.

    How do you know about this practice though? Is it common knowledge in the industry of which firms do this?

    #545961
    P51
    Member

    Acamp

    No, but I think I know of that firm as well lol. My friend interned there a few years back and that happened to him. Not sure what came of him as I lost touch.

    How do you know about this practice though? Is it common knowledge in the industry of which firms do this?

    #545955
    M_Knight
    Member

    The same type of situation happened to me, except somewhat worse. I secured my first internship for a regional firm doing tax and began it the month after I graduated college. There were two of us tax interns. The internship went great and I did well. I was banking on getting an offer after it because I was SOL if not. Alas, as luck would have it, the other intern had his CPA done somehow right when he graduated grad school at the age of 22, which is unheard of. They told me they were offering him the full time job because he already had his CPA done. By the way, they told me this 3 weeks after my internship was over! This was all a year ago. However, I found it very hard trying to get back into public accounting. I was introduced and met people indirectly, and was invited to CPA firms to meet staff and have preliminary interviews. The unfortunate thing was that there were not any firms that I found were hiring so as I met with these firms, I was being told to “stay in touch and when we are hiring we will let you know”. My advice is to try to network somehow, ask around, let people know you're looking and hope to god you get lucky and something opens up. It's tough finding entry level in public after you graduated since they fill spots directly from college recruiting so you're going to have to find an “in” somehow. Just stay at it, get your name out there, and hopefully something will work out

    #545963
    M_Knight
    Member

    The same type of situation happened to me, except somewhat worse. I secured my first internship for a regional firm doing tax and began it the month after I graduated college. There were two of us tax interns. The internship went great and I did well. I was banking on getting an offer after it because I was SOL if not. Alas, as luck would have it, the other intern had his CPA done somehow right when he graduated grad school at the age of 22, which is unheard of. They told me they were offering him the full time job because he already had his CPA done. By the way, they told me this 3 weeks after my internship was over! This was all a year ago. However, I found it very hard trying to get back into public accounting. I was introduced and met people indirectly, and was invited to CPA firms to meet staff and have preliminary interviews. The unfortunate thing was that there were not any firms that I found were hiring so as I met with these firms, I was being told to “stay in touch and when we are hiring we will let you know”. My advice is to try to network somehow, ask around, let people know you're looking and hope to god you get lucky and something opens up. It's tough finding entry level in public after you graduated since they fill spots directly from college recruiting so you're going to have to find an “in” somehow. Just stay at it, get your name out there, and hopefully something will work out

    #545957
    fuzyfro89
    Participant

    Not a big issue. I know Big 4 firms try to hire the majority of their interns (90% if I had to pick a number), but obviously some companies are different. My first internship was as a business analyst intern (not accounting related at all), and if I remember correctly I think the offer range was around 75%, so obviously they were using the internship as a sort of trial period and to get some work done.

    Having a ton of interns, especially during tax season, can be very beneficial to replace some of the need to hire a bunch of entry level full time people. You're definitely not screwed. I knew some people who rejected their first offers after their internship because they wanted something different (Big 4 intern and wanted smaller firm or vice versa).

    Take your experience and OT pay and look for the next best thing!

    #545965
    fuzyfro89
    Participant

    Not a big issue. I know Big 4 firms try to hire the majority of their interns (90% if I had to pick a number), but obviously some companies are different. My first internship was as a business analyst intern (not accounting related at all), and if I remember correctly I think the offer range was around 75%, so obviously they were using the internship as a sort of trial period and to get some work done.

    Having a ton of interns, especially during tax season, can be very beneficial to replace some of the need to hire a bunch of entry level full time people. You're definitely not screwed. I knew some people who rejected their first offers after their internship because they wanted something different (Big 4 intern and wanted smaller firm or vice versa).

    Take your experience and OT pay and look for the next best thing!

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