Hi! My name is Emma, and I am currently a student at the University of Michigan-Dearborn! I will graduate in April of 2023 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a major in Accounting and Finance. After that I’m planning to work on my Master’s and hopefully start taking some CPA exams.

I was initially interested in C&M because I had looked through the company website a lot, and I liked seeing that there was a training setup for interns, and that they were each assigned a buddy as a resource to go to for anything. This made me comfortable with the idea of starting at a brand new place in a field that I didn’t have much real-world experience in. During the interview process and reading through the other employee journals, I appreciated that were was an emphasis on a friendly and open company culture.

I would say C&M is what I expected, plus more! I knew everyone would be helpful and willing to answer questions, but I quickly realized that it was true! It feels like you could message anybody in the firm and they would be willing to take time out of their busy schedules to help you. While I expected C&M to be a friendly environment, I was surprised with how easily you could have a conversation with anyone in the firm, even during a quick ride down the elevator. I also expected to be engaged in client work, but I was surprised with how quickly I was able to start and how much work I would be given.

What I’m looking forward to most is gaining more experience with the different software and having a deeper understanding of the field of accounting. There’s a lot to learn in the beginning weeks, and it can be overwhelming, but the best way to learn is through asking questions, practice, and time. 😊

Month One:

So far my experience has been great! I have been working on a return with my manager, and while we’re waiting on more information from the client, I have been doing other smaller tasks. This week I am also going to start working on 1040s and gift tax returns which I am excited for!

There’s a lot of things that I like about working at C&M! One is that everybody is approachable and willing to help. I really appreciate this because I ask a lot of questions, and nobody has ever made me feel bad about it. In fact, asking questions is highly encouraged! I also like that you get to talk to people throughout all positions in the company. You could easily have a conversation with the president of the firm or a shareholder while walking down the hall. In addition, we do more outings/lunches than I expected, but in a good way! I enjoy them because then you have a chance to get to know your coworkers better and have a good time. Although it’s important to get your work done, C&M also makes sure to have fun too. 😊 The last thing I want to mention is that I really like how interns get a buddy because it’s nice to have someone check in and make sure things are going well. That way you never feel alone or stuck if you’re having an issue.

One particularly memorable moment is when a couple of the tax managers took the interns from the department out for an impromptu lunch and we walked to a nearby Coney Island and I got to eat pancakes. Regarding work itself though, I think any time where I felt confident in what I was doing and didn’t have to ask for too much help was pretty cool. It’s also encouraging to see the end product of something you worked on.

Overall the first month has been great, and I’m looking forward to the coming weeks!