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Campus Blog: Success is about how you get back up

By Hailey Wang

Tax Analyst, Tax

Each fall, Deloitte receives hundreds, if not thousands, of applications from undergraduate students. Unfortunately, there are always more candidates than there are spots. What do you do if you are not successful in your first attempt?

I was in that exact position three years ago. Despite going through several interviews, I didn’t get the phone call I was waiting for. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t expecting one. Throughout the process, I couldn’t see myself landing an offer and the lack of self-confidence must have shown.

It was very hard for me at first. I felt that I had done everything possible, but I couldn’t figure out what more I could have done. Then I told myself there must be something I can work on. This led to my decision to start giving 110% to succeed in the following year.

I started applying to other accounting co-op positions, and was lucky enough to get a position at a firm that specialized in U.S.-Canadian cross-border tax. While there, I found that most of the people came from one of the Big Four firms. I learned a lot about public accounting work processes and what the expectations were for a CA/CPA. My co-op experience sparked my interest in tax, which was the reason I applied to the direct-to-tax route at Deloitte.

Later that same year, I went on a volunteer assignment to Nairobi, Kenya as part of a UBC initiative. Our team coached young people on what it takes to build a small business, and what fundamentals were crucial to developing a business plan. The trip changed my understanding of the world, and made me realize what I was capable of doing.

During the fall recruitment, I felt much more confident about myself and had a much stronger drive to pursue the CA/CPA designation.

This is my advice to undergraduates applying to Deloitte:

1. Mentally prepare yourself

Know your competition and that it isn’t the end of the world if you do not make it the first time around.

2. Seek alternative work experiences

Having previous experiences in your portfolio elevates you above other candidates.

3. Look outside the box

Being worldly isn’t just about adding to your resume, but rather an experience you can look back on.

Don’t give up!

 

Hailey graduated from UBC in May of 2014. She majored in Bcom and is a Tax Analyst with our Tax Practice in British Columbia.

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