When Daniel Trupin, an alumnus of the B.S. Accounting program, received a phone call informing him he had been offered a position with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), he was elated. The offer was the culmination of countless hours spent researching, preparing, and interviewing. For Trupin, landing a position with PwC, the second-largest professional services organization and one of the Big Four accounting firms, was a dream, but also a long shot.
He recounts how selective the organization is, “PwC looks for certain qualities in all their new hires: business acumen, tech-savvy capabilities, the ability to develop new relationships, and experience working with a wide variety of people. I was lucky enough to meet these qualifications, but I know there are countless qualified people who just aren’t what this particular firm is looking for.”
Working with a recruiter for several months, Trupin was finally invited to interview with the state and local tax division of PwC. During this time, he was also offered positions with other firms. Not wanting to give up on his dream job, Trupin reached out to his recruiter and learned he was not selected for the position, but that he might be a good fit for an opening in the international tax division. This opportunity perfectly blended Trupin’s degree in international studies at NYU and his degree in accounting from Saint Mary’s. Even better, he did not have to re-interview for it; the committee would contact him with their decision.
“Two days later I got a call that my job offer would be emailed to me later that afternoon, and I was ecstatic. I was overwhelmed with joy because this is exactly the position I had wanted and had been working so hard to get,” Trupin said.
He credits his success to months of determination and his preparation in the accounting program. He said the instructors in the program were knowledgeable and offered many valuable resources. He also points out that though there were many long nights of studying, the content was manageable and classwork was about more than just doing the work for a grade – an experience he has not always had in his educational journey.
Trupin advises current and incoming students to delve into the program content. He also encourages students to dive into the workforce while in school, and remember that internships or other work experience are attractive to employers and convey an ability to balance commitments.
Trupin looks forward to his new opportunity with PwC and is preparing to take the CPA exam. While he’s considering Saint Mary’s master’s program in the future, for now, he’ll focus on excelling at his dream job.
Story by McKayla Collins