It was the spring semester of my junior year in the Adkerson School of Accountancy at Mississippi State University. I knew I wanted to do an internship somewhere near Jackson, MS, but I also wanted something that would be comparable to the Big 4 experience that everyone hears so much about. So, I began researching and found HORNE. After attending their Full Potential Leadership Program for college students and going through the interview process, I knew this is where I wanted to be. I met a firm that wanted to invest in me reaching my full potential, loves feedback and is evolving with the future.
Once the spring semester of my senior year rolled around, I began my internship at HORNE. As all my friends were loading up to head back to Starkville to start their last semester, it really hit me that I would be back home working in my internship for the next three months without my friends.
On my first day I was super nervous. But that quickly faded as I was welcomed in and treated as an actual team member! HORNE truly values creating a sense of belonging for others and that made the transition so easy for me. As an intern, I was worried that I would be doing a lot of busywork (filing papers, making copies, coffee runs) however, this was not the case. My team trusted me with the same tasks that young associates would be performing. I always say that I learned more during my internship than in my years of school. It was such a great hands-on experience.
At first, I wondered, “What is my full potential, and why does HORNE care about that?” Once I began working there I realized why. My buddy who helped guide me through day-to-day things at the office, and my performance advisor was there to support and give me feedback on how I was performing at my job. For me, this was huge because I like to know the things I am doing well and things I need to work on being better at. I want to be more than just a team member — I want to be improving continually. I finished out my internship with a full-time offer to work for HORNE. I was so excited to accept the offer and join the HORNE family full-time.
Now, I am back at work and thankful to work for a firm like HORNE. A firm that is constantly adapting and capitalizing on the changes in technology in our profession. As a young professional who has grown up with technology, I believe this is our biggest advantage. While entering into the profession at a young age can be scary and intimidating, HORNE has gone above and beyond to make me feel prepared, comfortable and welcomed. If you’re scouting firms, I hope we can do the same for you!
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