Boosting FP&A Careers: The Power of Internships

"Rise Above The Numbers" by FP&HEY

Want to increase your chances of being successful in your FP&A career?

Land an internship to get experience and hire interns often to find the best talent.

Learn how two CFOs and founders got their start as interns.

Show Notes

* 00:15 - Internships are an FP&A career cheat code

* 01:50 - Internships help you compete against the best

* 03:30 - How the fastest person in Excel got their start

* 05:45 - Learn Excel AND walk the production floor

* 08:05 - Internships are the most thorough interview process

* 11:05 - Yarty got his edge by putting himself out there AND following up

* 13:10 - Careers are daunting, internships are great stepping stones

* 15:00 - Closing thought and why internships are freaking awesome

What is an internship?

School and education are important.

But the real world of FP&A jobs is a whole different animal.

Do you know what the best way to learn a job is?

Doing the job (insert internship).

Internships offer students the chance to gain experience in short-term jobs.

Why do Internships and Interns Matter?

How do you know you like a career if you never worked in it?

That’s a big roll of the dice.

Same with hiring.

Does a 1-hour interview guarantee someone can do the job?

Instead, try hiring an intern first.

You’ll spend more time with them than your family (sad but true during work days).

And you’ll learn EXACTLY what they’re capable of.

🔥TIP: FP&A could be a good career choice for you.

What Interns Should Focus On

Try a bunch of different things.

🔥TIP: Role rotation is a thing for interns and full-time FP&A jobs.

Figure out what you like and double down on it (having fun is important).

Find what you don’t like, and learn to avoid that job in the future.

Have a continuous learning mindset.

What Managers of Interns Should Focus On

Assess their hustle (show up first, leave last).

Challenge them (see what they’re capable of).

Get them in front of co-workers and spreadsheets to grow their skills.

🔥TIP: Teach them Excel lookups on day 1.

Be their mentor (you’ll build a forever relationship).

Conclusion: Internships are FP&A Career Making Machines

Jump-start your FP&A career by doing an internship.

You’ll be miles ahead of those who don’t (no matter where they go to school).

And hire interns to support your team.

You’ll make more informed hiring decisions as a result.

Keep learning and having fun.

Resources

▪️ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fpandhey

▪️ Email us your burning FP&A questions at info [at] fpandhey.com

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