As their summer internship comes to an end we caught up with our two interns to find out more about their time with the firm. Megan McGarrity graduates next year from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Business with French. Damon Kelly will graduate next year too; his degree’s in Economics with Finance from Queen’s University Belfast.
Megan and Damon – great to have you with us. How did you hear about the internship at Baker Tilly Mooney Moore and what made you take the leap and apply?
Megan: I was looking for a summer internship online and came across this one. I’d heard of Baker Tilly Mooney Moore before, so it caught my eye straight away. I knew the firm provides various professional services and works with lots of businesses, so I was drawn to an internship at a dynamic place where I would learn a lot quickly.
Damon: I saw the ad online too actually. I’d been looking for an internship for a while, and wanted to get much more knowledge of the world of work so there was no better place for it. I’d learned about some of the services in class, so was really keen to see it happening outside lectures.
What was the best part about your internship?
Damon: Seeing what my degree actually meant in the real world. It wasn’t looking at numbers in a lecture hall – it was looking at real information, real time and learning from it. It was the first opportunity I’ve had to turn the theory I learned at uni into practice, so from that perspective it’s been invaluable. It was also an amazing opportunity to get to work with so many clients.
Megan: Working with clients was definitely a big part of it for me too. We were learning at a firm that puts clients at the top of the list, which has been really rewarding. We both had the chance to work in the Audit and Accounts and Restructuring & Insolvency departments so it has been a great experience.
What advice would you give to current students who are thinking about an internship?
Megan: Don’t hesitate. I’ve been able to discover all the avenues out there that are open to me that you just don’t hear about when you’re studying. At university, you’re only imagining what it would be like to go into the world of work, so to do an internship is like a real-life case study that you get to pick all the best bits from.
Damon: When you leave uni, you’ll be up against so many different people, competing for the same jobs. You need to do something now to get your head and shoulders above the rest. An internship is your way of saying that you’re serious about learning as much as you can at the start of your career, so don’t hold back.
To find out more about career opportunities for graduates or internships click here or contact our Careers Department careers@bakertillymm.co.uk