Since my last update, I have worked on many projects involving accounting and taxes. My two main projects involve matching transactions from two different statements. Then, I color-code them to make sure the transactions are being recorded correctly. One specific project is an extensive excel workbook with over 190,000 separate banking transactions. I have to be careful when using filters to organize the transactions because they can easily be changed incorrectly. The staff member who is working on this project is teaching me about vlookups. This makes it easier to match the data, so I only have to manually match some of the data. This week, I was asked to draft a business letter to inform a client of the current tax exemption for electric vehicles. Once I researched the topic, I prepared the letter and learned more about the concept. I am looking forward to wrapping up these projects in the last few weeks of my internship at Devaney and Durkin.

The most important skill I have learned during this time is communication. Using multiple forms of communication with different staff members is hard to organize, but it has gotten easier over time. Another aspect of communication that has been difficult to manage is knowing what task to complete first when multiple staff members need something done. They often ask me to coordinate between them, which is tricky. Over the last couple of weeks, I have learned which tasks are most important and which ones to tackle first. Another transferrable skill I have gained through this experience is time management. When I am completing projects for the staff members, I have to balance working efficiently and completing the work accurately. Most of the work that I do is repetitive, so I have to be careful not to overwrite a transaction or type the wrong analysis. Because I am a detail-oriented person, I could spend hours double or triple checking my completed tasks. But, at the same time, the projects have deadlines. Therefore, I have to work efficiently and correctly. This is difficult for me to balance, but this experience has taught me how to manage it.

During my internship, I have learned a multitude of skills in Excel. I use this application every day because the company prefers it over other programs. The first thing I have learned about Excel is macros. These are keys that you can set up to perform different functions. For one project, the macro was set up to generate a specific color and use it twice before generating a new color. I used this function to match two transactions from different Excel workbooks. In addition, I have learned several shortcuts using the Ctrl and Shift keys. I can use these shortcuts to add a new row and save multiple workbooks at the same time. Another valuable skill I have learned is how to set up and analyze pivot tables. Although I have used pivot tables in my classes, it is a different experience to use them with a large amount of data. The pivot tables summarize the data and help me decide what transactions still need attention. Vlookup is another function that the staff members at Devaney and Durkin use often. The extensive project with over 190,000 transactions uses three different Vlookup functions to match the transactions. One of the staff members generates a unique ID combining the date, amount, and member number. The unique ID is then used to match each of the 190,000 transactions to the bank records.

I have also learned how to use other programs, such as Adobe and Nuance PDF. The staff members use these applications to edit and rearrange the pages of PDFs. I have also used the program to split a bank statement into two separate documents. All the experiences I have gained with these programs will help me in my future job. Another skill I have learned is how to take notes about instructions for a project. I am often on a zoom call when I am given directions. I have to take good notes, so I remember how to correctly complete the task on my own.

This internship has certainly strengthened my technical and transferrable skills. Along with these skills, I have learned how to navigate cross-cultural situations. I have learned how to communicate with clients, how taxes are collected, and how coworkers interact in another country. When I run into miscommunications, I now know how to handle the situation. This internship has given me a unique opportunity to explore how business is conducted in a country across the world.