A good fit
Jessica Schilling started out as an economics major, but after a year or so, decided it wasn't the field for her. After a friend told her about public accounting, she applied for internships at several prestigious firms. KPMG liked her so much during her internship, they invited her back after graduation for a full-time job in Washington, D.C.
Money and politics
During high school and early in college, Jessica interned in Ohio Congressman Steve Chabot's office. She had always been interested in politics, so moving to D.C. helped her combine accounting with government. As an auditor at KPMG, she checks financial statements for organizations like the Department of Homeland Security and big non-profits.
Mobile worker
Jessica doesn't have one particular office that she works at everyday. Instead, she works from her laptop when she visits client sites and often works from home. "It's great because I don't do the same thing every day," she says. "It can be tiring but not monotonous. I get to meet a lot of different people, and it challenges me to be more analytical."
International experience
During her semester of study abroad in Luxembourg, Jessica interned at the U.S. Embassy in the country's capital. Under the U.S. Commercial Service's international arm, Jessica's work included recruiting companies to set up headquarters in Luxembourg. "It was a small staff, and I felt like one of the team," she said. "I got to do a lot."
Ready for the world
Jessica is currently earning a master's degree in accounting at George Washington University and then will take her CPA exam to become a full-fledged public accountant. For now, she loves KPMG and definitely wants to stay involved with government. "The breadth of experiences is great, and I get the inside look at how executive branch agencies work," she says. "We work hard and play hard. There is a huge market for public accounting, and it's a great background for anyone interested in business. Finances are always involved."
