Accounting and Finance Internship Guide

Internship opportunities in accounting and finance are plentiful. They can be found in public accounting firms, private companies, non-profits, and government organizations; in Fortune 500 companies and small businesses; in your back yard or across the country.

Getting Started

  • RESUME! Creating your resume is the first step of any internship search. Come to Career Services for examples, advice, and resume review.
  • Brainstorm – what would you like to do, for what kind of organization?
    • In accounting, you can work for a public accounting firm, primarily during tax season. You can also find internships performing a variety of accounting functions in private industry.
    • In finance, internships are available in financial planning, analysis, and budget.

Internship Postings

Many internship opportunities can be found online:

  • The RU Career Account:
    This account must be set up by Career Services. It gives access to internship postings sent directly to Rockhurst from employers. Sign up for an account at weekly workshops offered Tuesdays at 3:30 pm, Wednesdays at 10:00 am, and Thursdays at 1:00pm. 
    • NACE Link 
      This database is offered through the RU Career Account and is a good resource if you are seeking opportunities outside of Kansas City, especially in major metropolitan areas.
  • Company Websites:
    Many companies post internships on their own websites.

Timeline

Public accounting internships have a specific timeline. Firms recruit in the fall for tax season and summer internships. You should have your resume ready and be prepared to interview as soon as the fall semester begins if you want a spring or summer internship.

Other opportunities arise throughout the year. 3-6 months prior to when you want to start your internship: create you resume, research companies and programs, take your resume to Career Services, begin applications and practice interviewing. Companies want to hire students who know the company well, so do your research!

Kansas City Organizations

Resources for researching organizations in Kansas City:

Accounting Firms:

Finance Firms:

Finance internships can often be found at large companies such as Cerner, Hallmark, and Time Warner. To learn more about the largest companies in Kansas City, come to Career Services and use the Kansas City Business Journal’s Book of Lists.

Searching in Other Cities

Use the same resources; simply focus them on other cities. NACE Link, an internship/job database through the RU Career Account, is connected to 500 other colleges nationwide. Additionally, many Jesuit universities offer reciprocal career services. Contact RU Career Services to find out if you can receive services from another Jesuit university in the city you want to search in.