How about coming to work for an accounting firm right in the middle of tax season without having worked in the public accounting world before?
Like lots of people, the pandemic caused Gi Feather to re-evaluate what she was doing. For her, that involved a move back to the Columbus, OH area from Annapolis, MD. Columbus is home to 2 of her children and grandchildren along with the rest of her family.
Gi was looking for a change of pace. Well, as the saying goes…sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. She got it! And she loves it.
Why Harper & Company CPAs Plus?
According to Gi, she knew Immediately that Harper & Company was a perfect fit for her skill set and what she was looking for in a career. It came down to two words, ‘the people.’ During her interview process, she asked what was it about the company people liked best. And, “What is it that keeps you here?” she asked Ashley, who is part of the administrative team.
“The people.”
This was what she needed to hear.
Coming in from the outside
When we asked Gi how it felt stepping into a new company, new industry, new role, and all during the busiest season of the year, the word ‘whirlwind’ came to mind. The good news is that Gi thrives in a fast-paced environment. The other good news is that the stage was set up front that the right people and processes were in place to keep the last weeks of tax season from encroaching on personal lives. Positive culture, people helping others, and balance are paramount at Harper & Co.
As Gi puts it, “Every day I was learning something new. And even at the end of tax season, the environment was calm.”
She was assured from the beginning there is no reason to feel pressure during tax season. Processes are in place for clients and for the team. And the best place to start learning? Client phone calls.
What she learned
Coming from a background of more than 25 years assisting executives in the real estate industry with everything from preparing for board meetings to managing schedules, she says, “this is not like any executive assistant position I’ve had in my career.”
Not afraid to dig in, Gi started answering the phones. She loved working with clients, and found it to be very rewarding to be able to answer questions for them. When asked how she was able to find the answers to clients questions that were coming in at a pretty high volume, she responded that the other administrative assistants on the team are very organized and helpful. Additionally, there is a library of step by step processes documented in the firm’s document management system.
All of a sudden, Gi was in her element, learning new things, supporting the team’s accountants and clients…and having a ball doing it.
Wait, this happens during tax season?
“After being here for 2 days, Glenn said we are taking the afternoon off to relax a bit, and we’re going to go watch Ohio State basketball. It’s so obvious that hard work is appreciated here. Everyone’s work is appreciated. In most companies, you are going to hear about the bad, but you don’t necessarily hear the good!”
“I knew I was in the right place.”
