Make time to figure out what you're going to do,
sometimes you're set on a path that you picked
when you didn't have all the pieces.

An F&C Journey

When I was studying at Oklahoma Baptist University, pursuing a degree in Professional Accountancy, I had to complete an internship as part of my degree. In my junior year, I asked around for recommendations on where to apply for internships and my boss at the time (I had a part-time blue-collar job) recommended Finley and Cook as he was a client at one point and had a really positive experience. 
 
I got an interview, where I spent almost two hours or so talking to my future manager, supervisor, and one of the partners (Scott Huebert). This is where I was first really impressed by F&C, because I hadn’t been exposed to the different career paths that an accountant can actually take, the majority of the interview Scott Huebert was explaining the importance and unique aspects of Tribal accounting. 
 
An internship that was supposed to last one summer ended up lasting a year and a half. I enjoyed working with my team, my supervisors walked me though any difficulties I would run into, I was able to have a very flexible schedule and felt like I was truly helping my team keep up with the daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. 
But in my senior year, and especially my last semester, I had to come face-to-face with the realization that Accounting may not be the best career path for me. I initially picked the broad field of business out of pragmatism and then landed on accounting as the degree that because, as I was told, it would give me the most flexibility in terms of what career I can build for myself.
 
I decided to finish my degree but knew I’d have to figure something out. 
 
As I was approaching my graduation, I decided to leave F&C to try and find the career field that would fit me better than accounting, and I was also considering moving to a different city.
 
After graduation, I spent a lot of time reflecting on what I wanted to do. Which is something students are expected to have figured out straight out of high school. I had some time to breathe after finals, spent time with family, got more involved at church, and looked back on what I learned. 
 
I decided I would like to do something more client facing, something where I can use my degree, something that is focused on helping others solve issues, but not just purely restricted to accounting. I even changed my LinkedIn to say, “Aspiring Consultant”. 

I hadn't been exposed to the different career paths that an accountant can actually take.

Sometime later, I received a phone call from Scott Huebert, checking in on me, at which point he mentioned that there is a position open at F&C for a software consultant. 
 
The job description was very intriguing and after some consideration, interviews, and back and forth. I was hired as a full-time Software Consultant. This ended up being a great fit for me, as it was the balance of tasks/responsibilities that I was looking for, at a company that I had already known and had a great experience at. 
 
I had always heard things like “it’s not what you know, but who you know” and the importance of internships, but it was only later that
I realized how true those things are. I also experienced how crucial
it is to find a place that is willing to put effort into training their
new employees. 
 
As beneficial as my education was, both as a Tribal Accounting Intern and as a Software Consultant, it is the patience and effort of my
teams that allowed me to become a competent team member
and employee. 
If I were to give advice to someone who is in a position I was in as a student, I would tell them to take things one step at a time, make the best they can out of what they have, look at classes, jobs, internships as opportunities not just to learn about the subject or earn some money, but learn what you enjoy and what you are good at.
 
If you figure out that something is not for you?
 
Great, that’s one less thing to worry about.
 
Make time to figure out what you’re going to do, sometimes you’re set on a path that you picked when you didn’t have all the pieces. 
 

"Look for good environments, where others want to help you to succeed, not just a job title. "