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Benefits April 24, 2007
Internships Make Big Impact for Entry-Level Finance and Accounting Applicants
April 24, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Half of chief
financial officers (CFOs) say that internships make a
substantial difference in their entry-level hiring decisions,
according to a recent poll by online job service
Accountemps.
Reported by Adrien Martin
The poll of 1,400 CFOs showed that apart from functional knowledge, 50% of executives say that whether or not entry-level accounting and finance applicants had an internship heavily influences their hiring decisions.
Other hiring influences citing by CFOs included referrals (24%), college alma mater (8%) or grade point average (5%).
“One of the biggest challenges new graduates face is a lack of professional experience,” said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps, in a news release. “Students who complete one or more internships appeal to prospective employers because they often require less training and can begin contributing immediately in their roles.”