6 answers
Majo
Student
Lake Forest, Illinois
1
Question
Asked
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What area regarding internship should I look for if I want to be a international tax accountant/consultant?
What do I have to do to also built my resume so I look attractive to the companies I will be applying to.
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6 answers
Andrew Packer
Tech Strategy Consulting
4
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Andrew’s Answer
Hey Majo! I got my start in this space before pivoting into my current role. I'd advise aiming specifically for tax accounting internships at accounting firms. Most firms have internships for degree earning students between their 3rd and 4th years of college, and sometimes for between 2nd and 3rd year students if you qualify based on your background. 9 times out of 10, they let you select the group you want to work with, which is when you can specify international tax.
The great thing about tax accounting is that you don't need to have a background in accounting when getting started, it's more about your ability to learn. I'd suggest finding something you're passionate about and getting involved - service projects, research, etc. - involvement is key. If you're not ready to look at tax accounting roles, focus in on anything with a numeric component - city halls normally have great finance department internships, you could work at a local mom in pop, but anything related to numbers is good.
Ultimately, companies are looking for people they would want to work with - focus on getting to know folks and companies you hope to work for, and TAKE CLASSES THAT COUNT TOWARDS YOUR CPA LICENSE!!!
Best of luck!
The great thing about tax accounting is that you don't need to have a background in accounting when getting started, it's more about your ability to learn. I'd suggest finding something you're passionate about and getting involved - service projects, research, etc. - involvement is key. If you're not ready to look at tax accounting roles, focus in on anything with a numeric component - city halls normally have great finance department internships, you could work at a local mom in pop, but anything related to numbers is good.
Ultimately, companies are looking for people they would want to work with - focus on getting to know folks and companies you hope to work for, and TAKE CLASSES THAT COUNT TOWARDS YOUR CPA LICENSE!!!
Best of luck!
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
6183
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Dear Majo,
Here's your guide to securing an internship in International Tax Accounting/Consulting:
For a successful career in international tax accounting or consulting, it's vital to gain pertinent experience via internships that expose you to global tax laws, regulations, and practices. Consider these key sectors for your internship search:
1. Public Accounting Firms: Secure an internship at a well-known public accounting firm with a robust international tax practice. This will equip you with experience in handling multinational clients, understanding cross-border tax challenges, and navigating intricate international tax regulations.
2. Multinational Corporations: An internship in the tax department of a multinational corporation will provide firsthand experience in managing international tax compliance, transfer pricing, and global operation-specific tax planning strategies.
3. Government Agencies: Internships at government agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Department of Treasury can offer insights into the creation, enforcement, and interpretation of international tax policies.
4. International Tax Consulting Firms: Interning at specialized international tax consulting firms can expose you to a broad spectrum of international tax issues encountered by clients across various industries and jurisdictions.
How to Boost Your Resume for International Tax Accounting/Consulting Roles:
To make your resume appealing to companies in the international tax accounting/consulting field, consider these strategies:
1. Academic Excellence: Maintain high academic performance, particularly in courses related to taxation, accounting, finance, and international business.
2. Professional Certifications: Pursue relevant professional certifications like Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA), or Certified International Tax Analyst (CITA) to showcase your field expertise.
3. Relevant Experience: Gain practical experience and industry exposure by seeking internships or part-time positions in taxation, accounting, or finance.
4. Language Skills: Cultivate proficiency in foreign languages, particularly those frequently used in international business transactions, to add value when working with multinational clients.
5. Networking: Participate in industry events, career fairs, and networking sessions to connect with professionals in international tax accounting/consulting and discover potential internship opportunities.
6. Soft Skills: Emphasize soft skills like analytical thinking, attention to detail, communication skills, and cultural awareness on your resume to demonstrate your potential to thrive in a global business setting.
By focusing on these areas and crafting a comprehensive resume that highlights your academic accomplishments, professional certifications, relevant experience, language skills, networking endeavors, and soft skills, you can increase your appeal to companies when applying for internships in international tax accounting/consulting roles.
Top 3 Reliable Sources Used:
1. Deloitte: A leading global provider of audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services. Their insights on international taxation trends and best practices are highly respected in the industry.
2. PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers): A multinational professional services network known for its tax advisory services expertise. Their research reports and publications provide valuable insights into international tax issues.
3. Ernst & Young (EY): One of the largest professional services firms worldwide, offering insights into international tax planning strategies and regulatory developments through their thought leadership materials.
May God bless you!
James Constantine Frangos.
Here's your guide to securing an internship in International Tax Accounting/Consulting:
For a successful career in international tax accounting or consulting, it's vital to gain pertinent experience via internships that expose you to global tax laws, regulations, and practices. Consider these key sectors for your internship search:
1. Public Accounting Firms: Secure an internship at a well-known public accounting firm with a robust international tax practice. This will equip you with experience in handling multinational clients, understanding cross-border tax challenges, and navigating intricate international tax regulations.
2. Multinational Corporations: An internship in the tax department of a multinational corporation will provide firsthand experience in managing international tax compliance, transfer pricing, and global operation-specific tax planning strategies.
3. Government Agencies: Internships at government agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Department of Treasury can offer insights into the creation, enforcement, and interpretation of international tax policies.
4. International Tax Consulting Firms: Interning at specialized international tax consulting firms can expose you to a broad spectrum of international tax issues encountered by clients across various industries and jurisdictions.
How to Boost Your Resume for International Tax Accounting/Consulting Roles:
To make your resume appealing to companies in the international tax accounting/consulting field, consider these strategies:
1. Academic Excellence: Maintain high academic performance, particularly in courses related to taxation, accounting, finance, and international business.
2. Professional Certifications: Pursue relevant professional certifications like Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA), or Certified International Tax Analyst (CITA) to showcase your field expertise.
3. Relevant Experience: Gain practical experience and industry exposure by seeking internships or part-time positions in taxation, accounting, or finance.
4. Language Skills: Cultivate proficiency in foreign languages, particularly those frequently used in international business transactions, to add value when working with multinational clients.
5. Networking: Participate in industry events, career fairs, and networking sessions to connect with professionals in international tax accounting/consulting and discover potential internship opportunities.
6. Soft Skills: Emphasize soft skills like analytical thinking, attention to detail, communication skills, and cultural awareness on your resume to demonstrate your potential to thrive in a global business setting.
By focusing on these areas and crafting a comprehensive resume that highlights your academic accomplishments, professional certifications, relevant experience, language skills, networking endeavors, and soft skills, you can increase your appeal to companies when applying for internships in international tax accounting/consulting roles.
Top 3 Reliable Sources Used:
1. Deloitte: A leading global provider of audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services. Their insights on international taxation trends and best practices are highly respected in the industry.
2. PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers): A multinational professional services network known for its tax advisory services expertise. Their research reports and publications provide valuable insights into international tax issues.
3. Ernst & Young (EY): One of the largest professional services firms worldwide, offering insights into international tax planning strategies and regulatory developments through their thought leadership materials.
May God bless you!
James Constantine Frangos.
Amanda Lee
Tax professional
12
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Amanda’s Answer
Great answer Andrew!
An internship at an accounting firm is a great way to start a career in International Tax (which is the field I am in!). Internships are a great way to 1) learn more about the job/field 2) kickstart your full-time career, since many firms give return offers. The second half of your sophomore year, I would start keeping tabs on the companies you would want to intern at-- the internship application likely opens in the fall of your junior year. These internships can be directly in the field of International Tax, or related fields such as State & Local Tax, M&A Tax, Transfer Pricing, or Core Tax. The full time offer you receive from your internship is likely in the same field as your internship, but if you recruit independently for a full-time International Tax job (irrespective of your return offer), any of these would provide great experience to secure an International Tax job.
In terms of the background/experience needed to secure an internship-- don't worry about getting tax-specific work experience! It feels like it's a must, but companies are generally not looking for your tax expertise as an intern or first-year associate. Do work that is interesting to you-- as Andrew said above, volunteering and research is great! Economics, business analytics, project management, policy work, consulting etc. roles all illustrate transferrable skills that are great for tax accounting/international tax. Take your time drafting your resume to highlight the transferrable skills.
An internship at an accounting firm is a great way to start a career in International Tax (which is the field I am in!). Internships are a great way to 1) learn more about the job/field 2) kickstart your full-time career, since many firms give return offers. The second half of your sophomore year, I would start keeping tabs on the companies you would want to intern at-- the internship application likely opens in the fall of your junior year. These internships can be directly in the field of International Tax, or related fields such as State & Local Tax, M&A Tax, Transfer Pricing, or Core Tax. The full time offer you receive from your internship is likely in the same field as your internship, but if you recruit independently for a full-time International Tax job (irrespective of your return offer), any of these would provide great experience to secure an International Tax job.
In terms of the background/experience needed to secure an internship-- don't worry about getting tax-specific work experience! It feels like it's a must, but companies are generally not looking for your tax expertise as an intern or first-year associate. Do work that is interesting to you-- as Andrew said above, volunteering and research is great! Economics, business analytics, project management, policy work, consulting etc. roles all illustrate transferrable skills that are great for tax accounting/international tax. Take your time drafting your resume to highlight the transferrable skills.
Ariana Montero Pille
Public Accountant
2
Answers
Kelseyville, California
Updated
Ariana’s Answer
Hello Majo!
Actively seek out tax-related opportunities. These could be internships or even on-campus jobs that allow you to apply the knowledge you're gaining.
Ensure you're up-to-date with your classes and the prerequisites for your CPA. This will guide you in understanding what's needed to secure your desired job.
Consider participating in clubs and organizations. It's a great way to broaden your network and learn about new opportunities.
If you're curious about your future career path, Access Your Potential’s website is a great resource. You can explore potential career paths, internships, and paid consulting externships for nonprofits. For more information, visit: http://accessyourpotential.pwc.com/.
Actively seek out tax-related opportunities. These could be internships or even on-campus jobs that allow you to apply the knowledge you're gaining.
Ensure you're up-to-date with your classes and the prerequisites for your CPA. This will guide you in understanding what's needed to secure your desired job.
Consider participating in clubs and organizations. It's a great way to broaden your network and learn about new opportunities.
If you're curious about your future career path, Access Your Potential’s website is a great resource. You can explore potential career paths, internships, and paid consulting externships for nonprofits. For more information, visit: http://accessyourpotential.pwc.com/.
pohching tan
1
Answer
Singapore
Updated
pohching’s Answer
First, start by acquiring fundamental accounting skills, like obtaining a diploma. This will prepare you for internships. Begin with smaller companies to gain valuable work experience before moving on to international firms. Consider taking on these roles as summer jobs. Continue to further your education by studying accounting modules and ultimately earning an accounting degree.
Rose de Boer
International Tax Manager
3
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Rose’s Answer
Hi Majo,
Welcome to the fascinating international tax world! Working in the international tax group at Deloitte, hopefully I can be of help. I see you already got some great answers here. Although, I am not sure if I agree with the comment that recommends you to start working at smaller firms, unless its during your studies. I think once you gain experience full time, the bigger the practice the better. Not just for more exposure but also career wise. Its generally easier to switch from a bigger firm to a smaller firm than vice versa.
Of course, focus on your grades, but additionally networking is important. I would definitely recommend visiting career fairs etc., where big4 companies are represented and to connect with them. Once you speak with someone within the firm and you have their contact info, reach out. Send them an email saying you enjoyed talking to them and that you would like to stay in touch. Add them on LinkedIn. Try to do a summer internship with the international tax team as fulltime offers are almost guaranteed once you become an intern.
I hope this was helpful, happy to answer any more questions!
Welcome to the fascinating international tax world! Working in the international tax group at Deloitte, hopefully I can be of help. I see you already got some great answers here. Although, I am not sure if I agree with the comment that recommends you to start working at smaller firms, unless its during your studies. I think once you gain experience full time, the bigger the practice the better. Not just for more exposure but also career wise. Its generally easier to switch from a bigger firm to a smaller firm than vice versa.
Of course, focus on your grades, but additionally networking is important. I would definitely recommend visiting career fairs etc., where big4 companies are represented and to connect with them. Once you speak with someone within the firm and you have their contact info, reach out. Send them an email saying you enjoyed talking to them and that you would like to stay in touch. Add them on LinkedIn. Try to do a summer internship with the international tax team as fulltime offers are almost guaranteed once you become an intern.
I hope this was helpful, happy to answer any more questions!