Accounting intern navigates COVID-19 hurdles to land job offer

COVID-19 may have interrupted Andrew Horst’s last semester of college and subsequent graduation plans but didn’t deter his path to a full-time job, which he landed directly from his summer internship.

The recent Bloomsburg University accounting graduate persevered through unexpected challenges of the ongoing pandemic to not only complete his internship with Boyer & Ritter LLC — a recognized leader in tax, accounting and consulting services — but impressed the Pennsylvanian firm enough to make the opportunity more permanent.

Horst ’20, who is currently pursuing a Master of Accountancy (M.Acc.), says he was drawn to the internship through Boyer and Ritter’s active involvement on campus at Alumni and Professional Engagement career expos and Accounting Club meetings.

“I was able to connect with them through these interactions and caught a glimpse of what it would be like to work with them,” Horst says. “Their firm had a strong emphasis on their culture, community outreach programs, strong work and life balance, and professionalism.”

He adds, “You could tell the people employed by the firm enjoyed who they worked for and the people around them. That was extremely important to me.”

As an intern auditor in the employee benefits plan division, Horst says he spent a lot of time in the office due to COVID-19 with occasional visits to clients. Among his specific tasks included:

• testing data and eligibility of participants within the plans
• testing distributions of the plans made throughout the year
• testing participants’ contributions to the plans performing quality control measures
• sending confirmations out to clients

“I’m proud of how well I performed my job during the six weeks I was there,” Horst says. “A lot of employers expect you to not know anything about the profession until you experience it firsthand.”

Horst was an exception, having brought a firm foundation of accountancy to the internship because of his time at Bloomsburg.

“I feel like Bloomsburg and my auditing class really prepared me for the job,” Horst says. “The most challenging part was learning how to use the programs the firm used. Once I mastered that, I hit the ground running. I was a fast learner, asked many questions, was efficient, and made an impression.”

That impression, according to Horst, led to a job offer.

“During my exit interview, I was told by (my third week) HR was getting emails saying they need to hire me,” Horst says. “I have a full-time position waiting for me.”

Interning during the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t short on its own challenges.

“Most of my coworkers were working from home, so this posed a challenge for them to organize the audits and assign work for me at times,” Horst says. “I also missed out on important experiences dealing with communication. I didn’t get to interact with coworkers or clients as much as I usually would. A lot of my time was spent at my cubicle or at my house.”

Despite these unique hurdles, Horst says he found the experience to be very rewarding and beneficial to his future — including securing a full-time position following graduate school.

“This experience fit right into my career plans and goals,” Horst says. “My short-term goal is to become a CPA and work in public accounting for a few years. After that, I’m open to whatever opportunities come my way.”

Those opening doors can be attributed to BU’s accounting program, according to Horst.

“I was well-prepared for the job and expectations of a professional,” Horst says. “I felt like I was ahead of my competition due to my work ethic and what Bloomsburg has taught me. The accounting program and internship prepared me for my future by showing me what’s expected and how to perform.”

He adds, “The professors here really set a good example and guide you to success. The work experience I gained and knowledge will keep me going higher and higher within my field.”