The Intern Adventure 15: 13th Week

I worked for 6 days this week and almost ten hours each day because we were so busy at the office. I worked at the reception area for the most of the week so I was able to talk to a lot of our clients and I really had so much fun! It always makes me feel good when I know that I was able to help someone by answering their questions about their accounting and tax problems. I really have the most supportive and encouraging colleagues at work and they are all helping me to excel in my job.

On my last journal, I mentioned that I don't think I will be given the chance to do tax returns. I was wrong - I actually learned it and was able to make ten tax returns this week. I can't just do it for the most part of the week because lots of people were coming in to have their tax returns done we do not have a full time receptionist so I have to help the reception area. Working at the reception area was so fun especially when the clients were so happy that they will be getting some money back from the government and their reactions were funny. There were also some times when some clients were not really pleased when they would know that they owe money instead of having a tax refund. Being a receptionist also taught me a lot of things and it made me feel more comfortable facing and talking to clients. Even interviewing them - which was something that I really didn't want to do before - is now one of my most favourite part of my job.

One thing that I am just nervous about is the upcoming deadline to file for individual income tax returns. There were still a lot of tax returns that are not done yet and they supposed to be done already. Due to the lack of employees that are really knowledgeable about taxes, we always receive complaints from clients for not having their tax returns done on time. As students, we can only do limited things and we weren't really able to get enough training for doing tax returns, but we are doing our best. Working with Brendan, Adam and Serena made things easier for me, for all of us in the office. When I talked to Loretta this week, she told me that when she first heard that there would be four coop student who would work in the firm, she did not really like it. But now that we became really close with each other, she now does not want us to leave in August. I am really glad that I am working in a firm that values its employees. We might be experiencing stress with our jobs, but knowing that we are all working together to reach the common goal of getting everything done by the tax deadline makes things a lot easier.

The Intern Adventure 14: 12th Week

I have learned a lot of new things for this week. I was able to work at the reception area which was for me was the scariest place in the office before. I call it as "scariest" because that is the place where I will have to talk to a lot of people and answer a lot of questions. But I never thought that I would enjoy it so much! I guess I have been doing a lot of "behind-the-scenes" tasks and being in the reception area was a new experience for me.

As we are getting closer to the deadline for filing personal tax returns, I am actually starting to get worried that we might not be able to finish all of our personal clients' tax returns on time. Last year, there were more than five persons in the office who were doing tax returns but this year, there are only three. I am doing my best to finish the bookkeeping jobs on my desk. Because it was so busy, no one in the office really has the time to train us in doing income tax returns. I don't think Brendan, Serena, and I will have the chance to do tax returns for this tax season but we are all hoping that we can learn after the tax season is over. For now, we are all busy helping each other out to get all the bookkeeping jobs done and hoping that we will be done before the tax deadline.

Going back to being at the reception area, I also had some problems. There were a lot of times when I really don't know the answer to some of our clients' questions. I had the same problem when answering phone calls. I found it really disappointing for myself, but I learned to deal with it eventually with the help of my supportive colleagues. At first, I was always thinking the negative side of it, which was always feeling stupid everytime I don't know the answer to a client's question, but now, I view it as a learning opportunity.

One of my objectives was to know the Canadian income tax return more closely. Working at the reception area made me realize that I was still not really that familiar with many things about the income tax act because I was always doing the bookkeeping part, which was all accounting-related. I am pretty sure that we will be receiving a lot of questions from customers as we hit the tax deadline and I am really positive that I will learn a lot from them.

The Intern Adventure 13: 11th Week

It was kind of a "social week" at the office this week. First, it was our boss's birthday and we had a little lunch party, and second, we went to a St. Patrick's party last night. We have been crazily busy at the office this week and having those little get-together to have fun were really awesome. I even heard Loretta saying, "We should change the stereotype that accountants are boring" before we went to the party last night. It was really fun!

On the other side, since it's the busy time of the year in the office, we are receiving a lot of phone calls than usual. I am the only one in the office who has not been trained yet at the reception area, but I am trying my best to help them by answering phone calls. I was really hesitant with answering phones before if that was not for me, but with this busy season, I feel like I am training myself. There was one lady who called to ask if wigs are a deductible medical expense and since I completely don't know the answer, I have to tell her that I will phone her back. What really surprised me was that no one in the office knows the answer and Ted, one of the firm's partners, had to search for it. I phoned the client back and told her that wigs are deductible medical expenses and she was really glad to know it. She was actually not the only one who was quite happy about it, but everyone in the office since that was kind of a new knowledge on that day. This experience made me realize that clients also bring new knowledge to the people in the office. I was always scared to answer phone calls because I am scared of not knowing the answers to every client's inquiry and will eventually hurt the firm's image. Because of that little experience, I became more confident in answering phone calls without having the fear of not being able to help them.

Another story of my week was when I filed the GST return of one of my clients and phoned her to tell her how much she owe for GST. She did not know that the GST for most of her expenses can be deducted from the total GST that she collected so she was expecting to pay more than the actual amount that she has to. I told her how I calculated her GST and she was really glad to know about it because her business was a newly GST-registered one. It made me feel good because I know that the client was really happy with my service and it made me realize how important my job was.

Because of my work, I realize that small accounting firms like A1 Accounting are really important especially to the people who do not really know much about tax and accounting. I am always thinking that helping people is really a satisfying job. Working with this small firm gave me the chance to help those people with their taxes and accounting and it was always nice to see them being able to understand the things that I explain to them. It was really fulfilling and it makes me love being an accountant even more - no matter how stressful it might be.

The Intern Adventure 12: 9th Week

They said that a Canadian tax season for Canadian accounting and tax professionals is a really stressful time of the year. Everyone wanted to have their taxes done few days after they dropped their tax slips and receipts off in the office. I witnessed it and I appreciate more the job of an accountant - I appreciate my future self more. But this tax season for me is more of a learning opportunity, some of the skills that I hoped to develop are really coming to life now.

Just for this week, I dealt with four clients and I cannot believe that I was able to finish the bookkeeping and GST filing jobs for them. If I was the same person before, I do not think that I could do that because my multitasking skills were not really good. I can now say that my multitasking skills are improving (Objective A, second bullet). I am really happy that another week has ended and I know that I accomplished something good not only for the company, but for myself as well.

Since I have been talking to four clients, it is not surprising how I become more confident in talking to them. Talking to the phone was something that I really do not want to do before because it is so uncomfortable for me. I love how I can just easily pick up the phone when someone's calling me without feeling nervous or uneasy. I love how I can just easily dial people's numbers when I have to call them without shaking my hands. I would say my interpersonal skills are improving as well and I can now interact with people more comfortably (Objective A, second bullet).

What I love the most about A1 Accounting is the freedom that they give to us to learn things on our own while giving us full support whenever we need them. They never pressure us to get things done but the trust that they give to us that we can do the tasks assigned to us is something that inspires us to do well.