SSSB Holds "Top Tier Accounting Firm Night"

On Wednesday, September 2, approximately 150 students from the Sy Syms School of Business attended "Top Tier Accounting Firm Night" in Belfer Hall's Weissberg Commons. The event, which allowed students to meet with representatives from the most prestigious accounting firms, is the first in a series of informational events arranged by the Office of Placement and Career Services for those interested in securing positions in the fields of accounting and management information systems (MIS).

The purpose of the evening, as explained by Associate Dean of SSSB Ira Jaskoll, was to "allow students the opportunity to meet with and make themselves known to representatives from the top seven public accounting firms in a formal environment." Students were also able to gain a sense of what the firms' expectations were regarding prospective applicants. SSSBSC President David Neiss felt that the evening gave students "a little taste of what to expect in the real world and to get some practical information from the representatives of top accounting firms."

In addition to the regular attendees - Arthur Anderson, Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, KPMG Peat Marwick, and Price Waterhouse Coopers, a consolidated version of the former "Big Six" - the event featured representatives from the accounting firms of BDO Seidman and Grant Thorton for the first time. Representatives from all seven firms were available to discuss opportunities in the field of accounting and three of the firms - Arthur Anderson, Deloitte & Touche, and Price Waterhouse Coopers - also provided representatives from their separate MIS divisions. Many of the major public accounting firms seem to be headed in the direction of creating separate computer consulting divisions.

Shaan Elbaum, President of the Sy Syms Accounting Society, described the evening as having given students "an excellent chance to be introduced to representatives from the top tier accounting firms. Also, it leaves an impression on students as to which firms provide career opportunities that best fit their needs and interests."

Most of the representatives present felt that the evening was mutually beneficial. Matthew Koenig, who represented Ernst & Young, felt the evening gave the firms a chance to meet and recruit what he termed as "top talent." The friendly atmosphere was conducive to personal meetings between students and representatives.

Most students felt the event was very useful and informative, and many gained a greater sense of familiarity with those firms they may later be applying to. Eric Schubert, a MIS major remarked that the information given on his field was "presented very well and should prove to be extremely useful in my job search."