Taking Full Advantage
Chris Reardon took full advantage of his MSCPA student membership. He attended Society networking events, career fairs and workshops which he leveraged into landing a position at EY as an auditor. Learn about how Chris transitioned from a civil engineering student, to the military, to pursuing a rewarding accounting career and his plans to tackle the CPA Exam.
1. Could you please introduce yourself, tell us your name, where you are from and a little bit about yourself?
My name is Chris Reardon, and I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston in the Summer of 2015. I was born in Miami, FL and lived there until I was 15 years old. After my freshman year of high school my family and I moved to New Jersey. After graduating from high school I left my new home in New Jersey and moved to Boston, which has been my home base ever since. I have a twin sister, a younger brother, three step brothers, and my sidekick, Liz, who I married in 2013.
2. So how did you get interested in studying accounting?
I started studying Accounting in 2013, however this was not the first choice for my career. I originally attended Northeastern University as a Civil Engineering Student. During my Junior year I went to Scotland for six months and worked as a Civil Engineer. I enjoyed every moment of living overseas. The independence, adventure, and challenge of living alone in a foreign land molded me into who I am today. Towards the end of my internship I decided to make a career change, and I pursued a business degree. There was a lot of thought put into my career change, however it came down to a few important factors. I wanted a career I would enjoy, that has great opportunities for growth and learning, and be a part of a growing industry. After weighing these factors along with my ambitions and skills, I decided that Accounting was my best choice.
“I wanted a career I would enjoy, that has great opportunities for growth and learning, and be a part of a growing industry. After weighing these factors along with my ambitions and skills, I decided that Accounting was my best choice.”
3. What do you like the most and least about the accounting field?
I currently work as an auditor so I can only speak about life as an auditor. Since I am still very new to the field, a lot of my experiences have been eye-opening. There has been a very steep learning curve since day one of my new job. One of my goals was to have great opportunities for growth and learning, and my current job is providing me that. At this stage, the only thing I could think of that I like least would be the long hours at work. At first, this does take a toll on your personal life, but I knew this would be the case as a new hire, so it was expected.
4. You had quite the interesting career before becoming an accountant. Can you please describe the other fields you worked in?
I was a Civil Engineering Student before I went into Accounting. I worked for about three years as a Civil Engineer until I decided to make my career change. I knew I wanted to become an Accountant but I needed a way to get there. I had already completed the majority of my core classes as an engineering student, so my goal was to complete my Accounting degree within two years. During my transition to my new career, I joined the military and I am entering my sixth year of service. I joined the military to challenge myself, learn new skills, and I also gained some great benefits, like free tuition. After three years on military duties out-of-state, I returned to Boston and enrolled at The University of Massachusetts Boston.
5. Are there certain skills you employ now that you learned from your previous careers?
I have found that the most impactful skills I have learned are social and networking skills.
6. You attended a good number of events as an MSCPA student member. Which ones were your favorites and what did you learn/gain from them?
Being around like-minded individuals always motivated me to do better. Joining the MSCPA as a student member allowed me to do just that. I have attended several career fairs and networking events, which inevitably landed me my current job. However, one event stood out as being very insightful and useful. One month before starting my current job, I attended the Partner Track Roundtable discussion panel where partners from various firms offered great advice for rising professionals. Each one of them shared their experiences throughout their careers and answered any questions the members asked. I took note of their advice, and used it to help plan my career goals.
“I have attended several career fairs and networking events, which inevitably landed me my current job.”
7. I understand you are now working at EY, congratulations, how has the transition from student to accounting professional been?
Prior to starting at EY, I set realistic expectations for myself, so the initial transition was relatively smooth. I based my expectations on what my peers had prepared me for and on my previous professional experiences. I am currently in my first year as an Auditor at EY and the learning curve is steep. However, I feel that the transition to life as an auditor highly depends upon your first engagement. After my initial training at EY I was placed on a client whose year-end had just passed, therefore, my first audit was during busy season. As most accountants experience, the learning never ends, which is not much different than life as a student. One of the most rewarding parts of working at EY is the wealth of knowledge I am surrounded by on a daily basis. My next big task is passing the CPA Exam while balancing my current work demands.
8. Do you have a plan for sitting for the CPA Exam?
I have my first exam scheduled before Thanksgiving. My goal is to complete all 4 sections by September 1, 2016. During the winter months (i.e. busy season for an Auditor) I will not be studying or sitting for any exams. I plan on taking the remainder of my exams between April and August of 2016.
9. What advice would you give MSCPA student members looking to launch their career?
Get involved with the resources currently available to you. Constantly seek advice from your peers, including your classmates, professors, career advisers, and professional organizations. Take control of your career by getting a head start. I began searching for jobs/internships within the first week of studying accounting. Most importantly, set goals for yourself and work relentlessly to achieve them. However, do not get discouraged along the way. I stayed optimistic no matter the hurdle by creating opportunities from every failure or setback.
“Most importantly, set goals for yourself and work relentlessly to achieve them. However, do not get discouraged along the way. I stayed optimistic no matter the hurdle by creating opportunities from every failure or setback.”
10. Final question, outside of a day of work, what would the ideal day for Chris Reardon be and what activities would you partake in?
An ideal day for Chris Reardon would be a day in a foreign city with my wife. I love to travel and enjoy all the feelings associated with exploring a new city. Since I have not yet left the country with my wife, this would be the ideal day for me. I also would not mind this one day to continue for a few weeks.
On The CPA Track 