High school accounting internships: Here is a guide for you

Internships are no more for college students only. High school students can also join for learning, gain experience, and build up resumes. High school accounting internships are a great way to fill the gap between school days and getting a great job. Accounting internships are pretty common. These provide high school students with valuable on-the-job experience on different account aspects from professionals, who are experts in their respective fields. And at the end of the internship, a student gains the knowledge and experience to decide on the right career path.

High school accounting internships overview

High school accounting interns get a unique learn while working in a real accounting department of a business or an accounting firm. The interns help in research, prepare reports, assist in accounts reconciliation and perform several other accounting functions. They should shadow the accounting staff of the organization. The goal of high school accounting internships is to learn all activities of daily accounting and to take part in professional risks and responsibilities. It is an entry-level position. The interns make data entries, check financial statements, assist in balance sheet preparation, organize readily accessible financial filing, and learn from the professional around them. Internships can have a duration of a few weeks to several months and can be paid or unpaid.

How to find high school accounting internships

A great way to start looking for a high school account internship is to go to the home page of horizonworldwide.org, which has a master list of high school internships on the home page. Above the master list high school internship table, there are dropdowns where you can filter internships by category. Select the category of “many fields.” This way, you will get a list of organizations that offer high schoolers internships in a variety of fields – some may even provide accounting internships.

You can also do the following:

• Schools usually have career centers that help a student get an internship. Some schools have a counselor for this. The counselors provide students with a list of organizations where earlier students enjoyed good experiences as interns.
• One can also make a list of accounting organizations and then contact these organizations through email or make a call, or visit in person, and ask if they have any provisions for high school accounting internships and how to apply for them.
• Be persistent in your outreach and never get disappointed with a lack of response to your emails and phone calls. There should be regular follow-ups every week or in 10 days.
• If a company says that they have no internship options. Maybe they are not explicitly saying that they are not in favor of paid interns. Mention if an unpaid internship suits you. They may be encouraged to reconsider your application.

Google searches also yield helpful information. You can search the followings:

• Ineternships.com: Aspiring students can find various intern opportunities on this website. You can filter search results based on location, subject, etc.
• SummerInternships.com: It lets students search for summer accounting internships based locations.
• LinkedIn: This social networking platform focus on the professional accomplishments of individuals. It also includes thousands of intern opportunities to choose from.
• Monster.com: Students can also search this career search engine to find accounting intern opportunities. It lets one filter based on skills, location, industry, functions, etc.
• Indeed.com: It is also a useful website to search for accounting internship job opportunities. Indeed displays internship opportunities based on job titles and locations.

Benefits of high school accounting internships

Accounts internships can be great for high school students. Here are a few advantages that students can derive.

• A student learns more about an accounting career by connecting classroom knowledge to the real world. It helps to solidify plans. Students can also use this in future courses and jobs.
• The on-the-job experience gives one an edge over other candidates and it helps to increase marketability. Students completing account internships also bloom with great confidence. These become vital for future employment.
• Account internships provide students with soft skills required in the workplace. It also helps to spot the strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, students have more personal and professional developments.
• An accounts internship puts students into a networking environment. Networking with the leaders allows a student to build valuable relationships. Thus, one builds up connections.  It has a great impact on finding jobs afterward.
• Students also learn professional workplace operations like how an organization manages its finance and accounts to excel. It helps to grow interests, provides enough motivation, and makes one dedicated to the chosen field.
• One gets to know different management styles and learn from the professionals. As they get involves in sponge-like soaking of information, they learn the ins and outs of the job. Moreover, internships help students know what they like or dislike and lend opportunities to explore different career options.

When to seek accounting internships

Accounting students have a very high demand. For this reason, most employers tend to recruit full-time interns in the fall semester. They often look out for sophomores and juniors. Many employers also hire almost a year in advance. So, aspiring students should start looking well in advance.

Academic credit for accounting internship

Students with declared accounting majors may earn a maximum of 3 hours of undergraduate academic credit in Accounting 4510 if they have completed ACCT 3030. They must also have at least a 2.5 GPA and have worked 60 clock hours per credit hour in an approved position by the Internship Coordinator.

Different types of accounting internships

A student needs a deep understanding of the skills to start a career in accounting. Accounting internships give the right opportunity for that. They can perform diverse tasks under professional guidance.

One can consider the following internships.

• Certified public accountant internship
• Tax accountant intern internship
• Forensic account internships
• Investment accountant internships
• Auditor internship
• Project accountant internship

Passing words

Students interested in finance and accounts can always benefit from high school accounting internships. These empower students with hands-on experience for their future careers. While it may demand more from a student who already has a busy schedule, the experience is worthy of the time and effort invested. Now that you have a fair idea of accounting internships, join one for a prospecting career.

Other resources

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My post on high school accounting internships.

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