Reine Totaro
Senior Assurance Associate
RSM US LLP
New York, NY USA
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Going into college I wasn't sure which major I wanted to declare. I ended up choosing criminology (probably the product of watching too much Criminal Minds).
After 2 semesters of criminology, I decided I wanted to go into Business Management in the hopes of running my own dance competition some day.
In the Bus. Management track I had to take intro to financial accounting. This class clicked for me and I ended up switching to Accounting entirely.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Port Charlotte High School
Port Charlotte High School
Career
Senior Assurance Associate
I work as a Senior Associate in the commercial audit practice at RSM US LLP.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Business
Numbers
Working with Others
Day to Day
A typical work day doesn't really exist within the audit profession. At a high level, I typically work on the financial statement audits for my clients. My job as a Senior Associate includes managing first and second year staff on the engagements and communicating status and / or difficulties upwards to supervisors, managers, and partners. An engagement can last anywhere from 1 week to 4-5 months, depending on the size of the client and the work engaged to complete.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
If you're in college, definitely attend recruiting events and meet the representatives from the firms. If you've already graduated, there are experienced hire recruiters at each firm. The great thing about this career is that companies are always hiring to meet the needs of their clients. Reach out to recruiters and make your interest known!
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Teachers:
"I received a lot of discouragement during school when telling recruiters I wanted to work in New York City. As a Florida resident many people told me it would be easier to get a job in Atlanta or in a Florida office. "
