Feature Stories 2014: Lauren Soares: Internship at KPMG

‌An internship at an elite accounting firm in downtown Boston is the dream of many undergraduates. Lauren Soares '14, Charlton College of Business accounting major, tapped into the resources at UMass Dartmouth to make her dream come true.

Lauren, a Dartmouth resident, completed an internship at KPMG LLP, a leading audit, tax, and advisory services firm with more than 87 offices and 23,000 employees and partners throughout the U.S. That internship led to a job offer from KPMG for Lauren.

Experiencing the life of an auditor firsthand

"I was able to see first-hand what the life of an auditor is like during the busy tax season," she said. "It was an honor to work at such a prestigious company as KPMG, and to see how smoothly things worked even under the most pressure."

"I participated in audit engagements for Wells Fargo and Hasbro and worked with clients such as American Express, JP Morgan, and Chase for advisory services," Lauren added.

"I did a lot of Excel work and tying information out to other documents, as well prep work for tax years, such as documentation roll forward. My supervisors referred to me as their second set of eyes, because I was responsible for making sure that no details were overlooked."

Next steps

"KPMG has offered me a full-time position in audit upon completing my 150 credits—the combination of my undergraduate and graduate work," Lauren said.

"I'll be attending Charlton College of Business for my MBA while working for KPMG in IT advisory this upcoming year."

Making connections with tax professionals and business clients

"One of the greatest benefits of my internship are the connections I’ve made both with KPMG employees and clients—they’ve definitely increased my opportunities for employment. Having KPMG on my resume will be able to open many doors for me."

Lauren’s advice to students is to "utilize your resources at UMass Dartmouth. Go to career fairs, attend events, and be part of campus organizations. By becoming more involved with school, I became more involved with what I wanted for my future."

Finding opportunities and pursuing them

An excellent example of her own advice, Lauren obtained her internship by reaching out to a campus recruiter and working with her to prepare for the internship interview.

Lauren was also active in ENACTUS, a student organization that challenges students to apply business concepts to solve community problems.

"ENACTUS has had a great impact on my life, as a student, as a leader, and as a future career woman. You can open many doors while helping the community around you."

"My amazing professors at the Charlton College of Business helped me realize the opportunities that were available if I put in the effort to pursue them," she said. "And the staff at the Career Development Center are a wonderful resource for students looking for employment, internships, and help with their resume."

More information

• Internships
• Accounting

I was able to see first-hand what the life of an auditor is like during the busy tax season. It was an honor to work at such a prestigious company as KPMG.