Colleges imprint on you all the benefits of an internship. I have always listened to my professors at Virginia Tech and stressed about how or where I would intern. Well, I got lucky when I heard about a particular internship position. I had the opportunity to intern over my winter and summer breaks with the accounting training firm known as GAAP Dynamics.

Becoming a part of the GAAP D team was exciting. I came in to interview and ended up staying the rest of the day to train. It was intimidating, don’t get me wrong; as a public relations major working in an accounting training firm, I didn’t know what to expect. After throwing myself into my internship, I learned how to record audio, edit the sound in Adobe Audition, and then, how to take the audio and create animated videos on Vyond. These videos that I created are used in eLearning modules to train accountants seeking CPE credits online.

There are other programmers like me in the office and many of them have different backgrounds with digital media and public relations, and of course, we have our fantastic CPAs as well. Everyone, no matter their position in the office, has welcomed me and aided me with my day-to-day tasks.

Everyone from the CPAs to the programmers to the CEO himself has made GAAP Dynamics feel like home.

I have learned many things here while interning. Here are some things I learned in the process of making GAAP Dynamics home... 

• Workdays: That 9-5, five days a week grind is long. Being an intern, I had flexible hours. Some days, though, I would try and stay until five to get a feel for what it would be like after graduation. I witnessed examples of office procedure, the dynamics between employees/superiors, as well as what to wear. The environment will differ in every office but my main advice to adapt would be…
• Learn how to copycat: Your coworkers know their job, and they know how the office operates. It is safe to say that if you mimic their behavior, you’ll survive a day or two in the office. Do what they do and behave how they do, at least until you get your bearings.
• Speak up: This is something I was shy about in the beginning because I am one of those people who likes to figure things out for herself. I was also scared that I would not relate to my coworkers or that they wouldn’t like me. My talkative personality got over that pretty quickly and I was able to ask for help and talk about what I did outside of work.
• How to become more confident in yourself: When I first began at GAAP D, I felt that I needed the approval of my coworkers about everything. Now, I know when my work is good, what expectations people have of me, and when the job’s complete. Honestly, this comes with experience. I have only been with the company for a few months, but in that short time, I have increased proficiently in my skillset. Gaining experience is probably one of the reasons why colleges recommend internships to their students. With it, I have become comfortable with my position, more sure-footed in the details, and ready for more challenges.
• Be thankful: I want to take away as much as possible from the people whom I now consider coworkers. They have helped me with so many of my assignments, and without them, I might have pulled my hair out. I am so grateful for all of their help, support, and the environment they created in the office because work never felt like work.

Becoming a part of this company has proven to become a priceless opportunity. The people, the creative flow, and the overall experiences they have given me will prove to be applicable for years to come. For all of this, I thank GAAP Dynamics.

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