TSCPA Student Ambassador Profile - Amelia Yann

Amelia Yann

Middle Tennessee State University

May 2022

Meet TSCPA Student Ambassador Amelia Yann! Amelia is an accounting student at MTSU. Her goal after graduation is to work at one of the Big Four firms as an auditor while she studies for the CPA exam. She then wants to find a position that will offer her long-term growth and success. Amelia encourages others to go after opportunities that are offered to you as a student and become involved to prepare for life after graduation.

Amelia’s friends would describe her as thoughtful, a perfectionist and artist. She loves to make candles and macramé and currently has a job decorating gourmet donuts.

Have a question for Amelia? Email her at amelia.yann@gmail.com.

Finding Personal and Professional Success as an Accounting Student

By Amelia Yann, Middle Tennessee State University TSCPA Student Ambassador

Achievements in academics can lead to future success as a professional. Your coursework and activities are preparing you to handle a real-world job situation, which can require extra effort and time. Nowadays, that extra time is hard to find for many people. The time required to also have a social life and take care of yourself can seem impossible to find, but a well-adjusted work and social life can play a big part in your academic success. Balancing school with everything else might present some challenges, but hopefully the following points can guide you towards behaviors and habits that lead to success as a student and future professional.

Prioritize and Organize
This can be applied to anything, from your day-to-day schedule to your yearly calendar. Take a step back and look at the big picture of your life. When do your classes or organizations begin and end? How many hours can you work weekly? What big projects or deadlines require more time or planning? Asking yourself these things can help you set “big picture” goals. These goals can then be broken down into weekly and daily tasks that are more manageable and therefore more achievable! Writing daily and weekly tasks in one place and organizing them by deadline and importance will help you focus on what you need to do and when you need to get things done.

“NO” Your Limits
Many students have other obligations outside of class. Commitments like jobs, clubs and hobbies are helpful to developing yourself as an individual but might demand quite a bit of your time. Create a schedule that balances your academic and work obligations with your social life, and do not be afraid to set boundaries. If you do not feel like you have the time or interest in something, say “no” and stick to it. Find the groups and activities that bring meaning to your student experience and that you genuinely like. It will make college much more enjoyable for you!

Build a Network
It is so important to have both a professional network and a personal support network to be successful in college. The teachers and professionals you interact with during college are there as resources and supporters as you continue to grow. They want to help you become better, so do not be afraid to reach out and ask questions! You should also surround yourself with people (in and out of your major) that care about you. Peers, friends and family can help you through a difficult time or even just listen and give advice - their perspective could help you see or approach things in your life in a different way.

Take Care of Yourself!
Maintaining your mental, physical and emotional health is crucial to your long-term success. Create easy daily routines that prioritize your health. Also, take time for breaks from your work. It can be something as simple as a five-minute walk or even taking a night to eat dinner with a friend. Stepping away from your work is an excellent opportunity to check in and make sure you are still able to give your best to what you are doing.

Virtual Interview Tips for College Students

By Drew Hendrickson, CPA, CIPP, CCSFP

LBMC

While companies continue to innovate ways to manage their businesses during the pandemic, they have also had to pivot on how they interview candidates and the recruiting process as a whole. Many events continue to be postponed and cancelled altogether, making it harder for students and companies to interact. Fortunately, companies have moved to virtual events, allowing students opportunities to learn more about them, and to ask questions from multiple individuals from the organization. This has led to interviews, especially at the campus level, occurring virtually. While virtual interviews may provide some challenges, many of these can be overcome, and you can still stand out to the company and interviewer (or interviewers).  Below are some tips to consider when preparing for your virtual interview:

·       Turn the camera on – It will likely be expected for you to be on camera during the interview. Have your camera on when starting the interview. Test the camera and the location before and ensure that the lighting doesn’t cast a shadow on yourself so the interviewer can easily see you. If this just isn’t possible or an option for you, ask the company up front if a phone call is an option.

·       Test your technology – Ensure your internet access is good and allows for good video quality and the tool needed for the interview (Zoom, WebEx, Teams, etc.) is installed and operating effectively. If you are having trouble, don’t hesitate to reach out to the company interviewing you. They can likely help with the tool and help you think through locations that will work to ensure you have no bandwidth issues during the interview. Your campus may also have options.

·       Be early – Don’t show up late to a virtual interview, ever. In fact, you should be at least five minutes early, if not more. This ensures you also have time for any last-minute technology issues. There almost always is an issue, so plan on it ahead of time to ensure you are there and ready when the interviewer logs on.

·       Dress for the job – When interviews were occurring in the office, candidates would dress for the job, if not above (some jobs require business casual, but candidates might wear a suit, and other jobs might have a casual dress code, but candidates might wear something more formal). Even though your interview might be virtual, you should still wear the attire you would be expected to wear when performing the duties of the job if not “dressing to impress.” While you won’t solely be judged on your attire, it will show the interviewer you are excited for the opportunity.

·       Eye contact – Remember that your camera likely isn’t where your eyes want to go to, which is looking at the person on the screen you are talking to. If possible, when talking look directly in your camera to show you are engaged. This shows the interviewer you are not distracted. If that is just too awkward or hard for you, it’s more important to keep your eyes on the screen in general, even if not directly at the camera. If you are constantly glancing at another monitor or around the room the interviewer may become disengaged or believe you are not interested in the position.

·       Bonus tip – This tip may not apply to the virtual interview but should help you as you prepare regardless! Always come with questions to your interview. Most interviewers will at some point ask you if you have any questions and saying “no” or “I’ve asked everything I can think of in prior discussions” can give the perception that you aren’t interested in the position. Even if you’ve spoken to other individuals at the company, you can ask the same question. The interviewer doesn’t know what you know, and you may be surprised at different perspectives you get from different individuals answering the same question. It may also reveal consistency or issues with the organization. Remember, you are interviewing them too!

Many of these items may appear to be self-explanatory, but unfortunately these mistakes are happening all too frequently in today’s “virtual interview” world. Everyone is a bit more forgiving in this environment (it’s just not always possible to keep your dog from barking or to keep a toddler from walking in your room!) but taking these steps will show those you are interviewing with that you are prepared and ensure you have a seamless interview. The care and attention you can put into a successful virtual interview will no doubt pay dividends for you leading to that offer!