Yes, MCL desires to hire students who have worked as our interns for full-time positions whenever possible. We strive to make full-time offers to interns when there has been a good fit for the student and the firm during the internship. When we feel there is a good fit, we will make offers prior to graduation so the student knows we’d like to have them join us on a full-time basis when they have completed their studies.

A desire to learn is very important. Our interns will be assigned real world accounting work, so the desire to learn and get the most out of an internship is a primary consideration. Part of the desire to learn involves being willing to ask questions, the curiosity to want to understand the bigger picture of the entire engagement and how all the pieces fit together. Pride in the work product is an indication of a good team member and someone who values their role in providing quality services. Being coachable is also a trait we consider valuable, the willingness to receive and apply feedback indicates a desire for personal and professional development which facilitates the growth of the individual and the firm.

Very little travel is involved with any of our positions, intern or full-time. Any travel needed is generally able to be done on a day trip without overnight stays.

New hires and interns are assigned to work with other staff members on assignments. There is the opportunity to work with different members of the team given the assignment. We have developed training materials as resources for new hires and continue to develop new materials as needed. We have regular training sessions for employees around topics that apply to the entire department regardless of the assignment. We also have access to third party training materials as an added resource. Our approach is to begin with tasks appropriate for the experience level and increase responsibilities based on individual progress.

MC&L's take on how this statement is false:Public accounting has different areas of expertise outside of traditional functions: Forensic accounting is involved in investigating possible fraud; New Business Formation identifies start-up capital needs, evaluates borrowing power and determines best business structure for new business ventures; Litigation Support assists clients with legal actions that includes preparing expert witness questions, generating trial exhibits and preparing testimony for depositions and court appearances; Bankruptcy assists clients in navigating the best possible outcome when faced with bankruptcy filing; Auditing exposes our team to many different companies and industries; Estate Planning guides clients through complicated tax laws involving 401k’s, IRAs and annuities to minimize tax burdens. There are also specialized lines of business which require a wide variety of knowledge to serve those areas and they offer options to those with specific business areas of interest.

MC&L's take on how this statement is false: Successful accountants come in all personality types! Accounting can appeal to all personality types based on the different roles accountants perform. It is a profession where both extroverts and introverts find success and fulfillment.

MC&L's take on how this statement is false: Accountants help with a plethora of projects! They go into clients’ offices to work on various projects and work in teams as needed on various assignments. They regularly hold department meetings to discuss upcoming projects, available and necessary resources, any reallocation of resources if needed, and challenges to project completion. They stay up-to-date with ongoing training necessary to remain current on changing laws/regulations.

MC&L's take on how this statement is false: One component of public accounting is anticipating client needs and offering solutions for them, and many options are outside of the compliance functions of tax and audit. Our employees partner with our clients to guide optimum financial performance. Many times this requires creative thinking based on the client’s situation!

MC&L's take on how this statement is false: Every industry has a busy season and deadlines, and public accounting is no exception. The busy season is from late January through the mid-April tax deadline. When firms have adequate staffing levels to manage the workload and consider work-life balance a priority for employees, the hours/week decreases to around the standard of 40 hours/week outside of the busy season.

MC&L's take on how this statement is false: Large firms can offer more geographic options when remote positions aren’t available, they also have larger departments that can be dedicated to a single function. Smaller firms can also offer positive career options: an opportunity to be involved in more areas since they aren’t as large, employees have exposure to different types of projects; more personalized attention to training and development, fewer employees require utilizing the workforce to be as versatile as possible and closer attention to developing needed skills in the workforce; they tend to have a less structured and formal environment (or culture) allowing for open communication within all levels of the firm.

MC&L's take on how this statement is false: Business leaders are found across all industries and professions. CPA firms are led by accountants who must possess essential leadership skills for the organization to thrive.

MC&L's take on how this statement is false: Public accounting is less susceptible to job market fluctuations related to economic conditions. Regardless of the state of the economy, businesses require accounting functions/services to monitor company performance and adjust to economic conditions as needed. Compliance with federal tax law and industry regulations are required in times of a favorable and challenging economy.

MC&L's take on how this statement is false: Accountants often get lumped into the same category as lawyers. People think we all sit in a stuffy office wearing expensive suits. The reality is the field has become more versatile and we have adopted a business casual dress code. We typically dress to mirror our clients when meeting. With the help of computers, cloud-based accounting programs, and other technology, our work can be done entirely remotely when needed. We are no longer tied down to a large, formal, static location.