December 2000

Annual Career Day Provides Insight into Diverse Profession

Seventy New York City high school students from the Academy of Finance learned about the many options available to CPAs during the New York State Society of CPAs Recruitment for CPA Careers Committee’s Annual Career Day on Oct. 27. The Academy of Finance is a learning community comprised of students within public high schools. Academy students take classes centered around a career theme in finance. The event, which took place at Society headquarters, included presentations, mock interviews, and firm tours.

Speakers discussed the various fields available to CPAs, how they first became interested in the profession, and how they have reached their goals. They covered the areas of audit, tax, education, and human resources and answered numerous questions from students curious about the profession. Speakers included committee Chair Marc Zand and members Kathleen G. Brown, Barbara Ann O’Connell, Don Kiamie, Angela Jervis, Alex Ampadu, Thomas Boyd, Mindy Chrystal, and Susan Kent. Michael Gaines, human resources director for Friedman Alpren & Green, also spoke at the event.

The auditing presentations caught the attention of Anna Ruditser, a John Dewey high school senior and COAP 2000 alumna.

“The presentations were very insightful and provided a lot of information,” Ruditser said. “The program actually made me think about becoming an auditor, because it sounded very interesting.”

After the presentations, Chrystal and Gaines conducted mock interviews. The “interviewers” asked questions as if they were hiring for a real position in a firm—and the two student “interviewees” made a great first impression.

Students visited five firms to experience first-hand the accounting workplace. The Recruitment for CPA Careers Committee would like to thank Arthur Andersen LLP, Ernst & Young LLP, KPMG LLP, Richard A. Eisner & Co. LLP, and Shapiro & Lobel for providing the tours.

For more information about the Society’s recruitment programs or to volunteer, contact Sanjay Paranandi at (212) 719-8364 or sparanandi@nysscpa.org.