Accounting conference showcases career opportunities

A young man with his back to the camera faces a woman sitting on stage with her hands clasped. To the right is a young man with his arms crossed. — Amanda Danielson speaks with students following a panel discussion. (Photo by Steven Mantilla)

What began as an idea by a group of students in the spring became a reality on Sept. 24 as the East Carolina University College of Business (COB) hosted its first accounting conference in the Main Campus Student Center.

The event, which welcomed 155 attendees from ECU, University of Mount Olive, Lenoir Community College, Pitt Community College and Wayne Community College, was student-planned and executed. Senior Hiroki Cruz of Newport was one of the organizers and said the idea of the event came from conversations with his peers.

“As a student talking to other students, we realized there’s a big disconnect between entering into our profession and choosing what path we want to take,” he said. “This could be tax consulting, starting our own firm, going into public accounting, or private accounting. The hiring cycle continues to move forward, with freshmen and sophomores expected to apply for internships they’ll undertake during their junior or senior year, typically one to two years in advance. So, we decided to hold this conference to help bridge the gap and help understand the different pathways in accounting and how wide the range is.”

The event featured speaker sessions with ECU alumni covering career paths in accounting: public accounting, including tax, audit and consulting; certified public accounting (CPA) firm creation; and private industry accounting.

Dr. Cal Christian, professor of accounting, moderated the first session with panelists Jerry Wilson, Samantha Schisler and Tracey Dail. Wilson is an international tax partner for RSM, an audit, tax and consulting firm. Schisler is a risk consultant supervisor for RSM and Dail is an audit partner for PBMares CPAs and consultants. All three panelists earned bachelor’s degrees in a field other than accounting before earning master’s degrees in accounting. They explained what made them pursue the field and discussed how students can explore different career paths in tax, auditing and consulting as well as the necessary skills for success.

Cliff Thomas, founder of Raleigh-based accounting firm TJT, discussed his career journey in the second session. He outlined things to consider in advance before establishing a firm. He suggested spending a minimum of three years working for someone else, making a list of what you would need to start a business, having clients in advance and developing a culture for your firm.

Christian moderated the final session with Hope Evans, a senior accounting analyst for Valicy, and Amanda Danielson, an internal audit supervisor for ECU, serving as panelists. Evans and Danielson discussed how prepared they felt from their college experience when they started their first jobs. Having worked in both public and private industry settings, Evans recommended students go into public accounting first because of the learning opportunities that exist before moving into industry. Danielson discussed the importance of communication and building relationships, so colleagues understand that auditors are trying to improve processes and not shed light on potential mistakes.

Senior Abbie Cargile of Williamston attended the event looking to network and gain experience.

“I liked hearing more about industry accounting,” she said. “I feel like a lot of people talk about public accounting, but less about industry. I realized that there are a lot of opportunities and room for growth regardless of which path I take.”

Cruz hopes that his peers came away from the event with a greater sense of clarity.

“I hope they gain a clearer and better understanding of the different pathways in accounting, and it helps guide them in what internship or career path they choose to take after college,” he said.