[Pete]

Hello,

Is it normal to feel that an internship is fairly overwhelming on the second day? I’m nervous that i’m not moving fast enough on various tasks. Each task usually takes me a few hours (1-2) to really figure out what i’m doing. At that point it clicks and I start really cranking through it as fast as I can, but I’m a little nervous i’m not moving fast enough. I have been asking a ton of questions, but it’s still very confusing. Like I said, once it click, a light-bulb goes off in my head; it just usually takes a few hours for this to happen.

Does anyone have any tips on increasing my learning speed or is it normal to move this slowly at this point? How can I leave the best impression during this internship as I really want it to go full-time?

B=84 This exam was such a b**** that I thought I failed-don't know how these things work
A=76 Slacker I am, I'll happily take it
R=81 I LOVE taxes
F=80 I don't wanna get banned for an expletive I'm thinking with "yea" proceeding it

[Missy]

The first fee weeks will be a roller coaster. Totally normal.

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[livealittle]

what tasks are you doing/learning?

BEC - 8/8/16
REG - 66, 77
AUD - 81
FAR - 9/8/16

[Pete]

I've been doing a few audit functions as well as preparing AR schedules for the consulting department. I like the challenge of doing multiple things like that as it keeps everything interesting; however, each new task has a learning curve. I'm just nervous i'm taking to long to learn things.

B=84 This exam was such a b**** that I thought I failed-don't know how these things work
A=76 Slacker I am, I'll happily take it
R=81 I LOVE taxes
F=80 I don't wanna get banned for an expletive I'm thinking with "yea" proceeding it

[GinjaNinja]

Quality over quantity! In my experience, it is better to take too long and get it correct than to get it done fast and have errors. This is especially important when you first start a job. Employers realize things will take you longer because you are new, but what they are really looking for is if you can do it right.

FAR: 79 (7/25/16)
AUD: 89 (10/3/16)
REG: 69 (1/9/17); 83 (8/21/17)
BEC: 74 (3/6/17); 90 (5/31/17)

 

[JMG]

First off, you are not alone. Secondly, the people on your team are fully aware of your limited knowledge and experience. I'm at the tale end of my internship and yeah it was overwhelming at first, but hang in there, ask lots of questions and take some of the pressure off yourself. And remember, they're not just evaluating you on the work you do. Try to maintain a positive attitude, good communication skills, professionalism, and all that good stuff.

Your fail scores are like battle scars, so wear them proudly!

REG - 76 (expired 7/31/18)

BEC - 69, 72, 80

AUD - 62, 70, 74

FAR - 50, 60

[livealittle]

I second whoever said get it RIGHT rather than get it done quick.

true story, I am a supervisor at a CPA firm. I needed someone to import banking transactions into the accounting software and match up the existing checks and then reconcile the bank accounts. I spent about 3 hours showing this new person how to do it. We did one where I showed the new person and then we did one together. The new person said they understood, I said come ask me if you have any issues. The next day, this person said that everything went smooth and they were finished.

WRONG! they imported the transactions in but didn't match anything, so now all transactions were doubled. The client ran payroll in the file so the new transactions were only the net checks NOT the gross wages with payroll tax expenses (company paid) added to it. So now there's all these payroll checks that never clear the bank and duplicate checks that are marked as cleared. Only the duplicate checks are for the net check instead of the gross with deductions. What a disaster! It's taken me hours to fix it. I went back to this person and tried to get them to fix it, but they did the exact same thing again and wrote “reconciled” at the top of every bank statement.

ugh! I am still trying to get this all redone.

please please please ask questions and make sure you understand what you are trying to do and why it's important to do it right. Yeah, the banks are reconciled, but they really aren't and I can't use any information in the file now. I asked this person if they didn't notice that the payroll checks weren't clearing the bank and that the client's books were several hundred thousand dollars overdrawn? these are the client's real books, you can't run a business hundreds of thousands of dollars in the red all the time, didn't that look strange to them?

anyway, I try not to get too frustrated, and consider it a lack of training on my part, but all this person had to do was ask me to look at one before they continued to make sure they were on the right track. Instead they did 8 months wrong and now it's a huge ordeal to fix it.

BEC - 8/8/16
REG - 66, 77
AUD - 81
FAR - 9/8/16

[hasy]

@ratfus,

Congrats on your position! I know I've seen your post around and you've been working really hard at finding a new position. I hope this internship works out!

AUD - 83
BEC - 80
FAR - 83
REG - 78

BEC - 80 (Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB)

FAR - 72; 83 (Roger + NINJA MCQ)

AUD - 83 (Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB)

REG - 52; 78 (Roger + NINJA MCQ)

Ethics - 68, 96 (how I dislike you)
-
This forum is more addictive than drugs. Still returning after licensure.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved - Helen Keller

-

BEC 80 (10/23/15)
FAR 72 (4/2/15); 83 (7/11/16)
REG 52 (4/28/15)
AUD (9/9/16)

Roger + NINJA MCQ + WTB

[Author]

Replies