Candid conversations:  Meet Neil Basu, a Deloitte intern

July 26, 2018

Over the next five years, New York native Neil Basu is planning to complete a Master’s in Accounting and establish himself as a leader in the field of audit and accounting. Neil is currently looking forward to his senior year at the University at Albany, SUNY, where he will complete a double major in accounting and business administration with concentrations in finance and information systems and business analytics.

Neil seems to be well on his way to carving out a successful career in the accounting field with two summer internships at Deloitte under his belt, and one in progress as an intern in the Audit & Assurance practice. We sat down with him to find out more about his internship experience at Deloitte and his advice for success.

Why did you select Deloitte for your internship?

During my freshmen year, I applied to a ridiculous number of internships, of which most required students who had at least completed their sophomore year. After participating in an online Deloitte workshop, my recruiter informed me of a new internship, designed for rising sophomores that Deloitte was offering for the first time. My relationship with Deloitte started to really grow from this point onwards, as I got to experience the quality and variety of opportunities that Deloitte provides, and the amazing people that you can meet here. I chose Deloitte because of the immense value they invest in their people as well as the innovation and energy that flows through all their professional services.

What were your goals going into your internship?

My goals going into my internship were to further my understanding about what a career in audit entails and learn more about the accounting profession. I also want to learn what the Deloitte culture is all about and to network with professionals and my peers.

What are you most proud of from your internship experience so far?

My most satisfying accomplishment has been the ability to apply concepts from my audit class to actual client engagements. It is incredibly rewarding to see that what you studied in class is applicable and relevant to your career.

What skills have you gained from your internships?

A summer internship fully immerses you in the accounting profession, Deloitte culture, and an expansive network of professionals and peers. The technical and soft skills that you learn from being involved in client service engagements gives you a greater depth of context and understanding for the concepts covered in classes. It is tremendously helpful to be able to see how vague concepts are applied to a real career.

What advice would you give to other students who want to be successful during their internship?

My advice for others who want to be successful during their internship is relatively simple. While technical skills and accounting knowledge are important, it is crucial to have people skills that allow you to be an effective worker, communicator, and leader.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

In the next five years, I see myself graduated from a Master’s of Accounting program and well established in my career. It is bittersweet to see my college career and many happy times come to an end, but I am excited to see what opportunities lie ahead.

Learn more about internship opportunities at Deloitte, or view our events to find out when we’ll be on your campus.