In Times Of Difficulty, There Are Opportunities To Learn

Last fall, after applying for a summer internship, I had my first conversation with members of the CJBS team via a virtual interview. Right away I knew that CJBS would be a perfect fit. Both Ryan and Susan were welcoming on the call and we connected over their description that accounting is like puzzle solving. After the interview, I kept in touch with both of them and they offered me the audit internship in early January, which I accepted before leaving for Madrid to study for spring semester.

As I boarded the plane, I looked forward to learning Spanish and growing a relationship with my host family. As my time in Spain evolved, I grew more excited to apply the skills I was learning to my summer internship at CJBS. However, no one could have predicted the challenges that were to unfold this year due to COVID-19. After being sent home early due to the virus, I was left with many uncertainties and did not know what would occur in the following months. With the continuous spread of COVID-19, many internships were canceled leaving a lot of students without summer opportunities. Despite this, CJBS kept the audit internship open for me for 9 weeks!

During the first week of my internship, the CJBS community welcomed me into their strong company culture. They provided an environment that was always responsive to my questions or concerns. Right at the start of the internship I was taught many new skills through Engagement and SMART docs. As the summer continued, I was able to take on many more tasks on my own such as SOC1, allocation testing, and data participant testing. Furthermore, the CJBS team allowed me to use many of my mathematical and communication skills while also helping me develop new software skills, which I applied to new tasks each day to help me grow and help with company and client success.

Due to the virus, CJBS implemented safety protocols such as temperature checks, wearing masks in the office, hand sanitizing stations, and separate ‘in-office’ workdays to limit the number of workers in the office each day. Additionally, every morning and afternoon there were automatic temperature checks at the front of the office. Throughout the internship, I learned a great deal about accounting while I developed great relationships, new skills, and worked hard in a safe environment. Overall, CJBS consistently went out of their way to make sure I felt safe and supported throughout the whole summer.

My experience at CJBS has had a profound effect on my life. Given my background and love for mathematics, my summer internship at CJBS has significantly increased my interest in an accounting career, and I’m excited to see what the future holds after graduation. Ultimately, I am so grateful for having had this opportunity, and I value and appreciate how dedicated the CJBS team was to keep the internship program open. I offer a special thank you to everyone I worked with throughout the summer for their support and knowledge.

Charlotte Mary Gregg