Question

Accounting and finance personal statement examples for internship applications

Answer 1

1.It was when I earned my first pound at the age of ten washing my mother's car that I became interested in the power of money.

Over time it became clear to me that the people who understand the monetary and banking system are capable of understanding the decisions made by governments and the future of society. I want to be one of those people.

To broaden my knowledge of different areas of finance, I have read a number of different books on the subject - from "How the City of London Works" to "Rich Dad Poor Dad". I am also a regular reader of the Economist magazine.

I believe that reading such books and magazines has given me insight into topics not covered at school, for example how Japanese management in Chinese factories caused unrest among the workforce due to the Chinese workers' dislike of the Japanese management style, and how this affected the share price of companies such as Honda.

Reading about such things has made me realise how the subject of Finance and the economy affects everybody's lives, and has strengthened my desire to further study the subject.

The A-level subjects I am studying give me a firm foundation for studying Finance at University. Business Studies at A-level has greatly improved my analytical and writing skills.

I have particularly enjoyed the part of the course which concerns how a firm selects financial strategies and how managers choose which aspect of a firm needs the most investment.

German has improved my communication skills and self-confidence and has also made me more appreciative and open to other cultures.

Alongside the logical method of thinking that I have developed from Mathematics at A-level, I believe that I am well prepared to take on a degree course in Finance at University.

My part-time job as a receptionist at a sports and leisure club has given me some insight into the demands of working life. Having worked there since May, I now feel I am an able employee and because of the nature of the job. I have learned how to communicate with colleagues, my employer and of course, customers.

I often have to work alone so I have learned to use my own initiative and how to be independent - skills which are of paramount importance if I want to work in the financial industry.

Since the age of eleven, a hobby and a major interest of mine is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This year I won the Welsh Open under 18 absolute division and in 2010 I won a silver medal in the under 18 lightweight division in the European Championships.

My previous successes include being the team captain for the Indonesian National Children's team, where we won the Pan Asian team Championships, beating The Philippines in the final. Balancing my academic life with the rigours of playing a sport at such a level has been very challenging at times.

The weeks and months leading up to a major competition are usually pretty stressful, but, as I have now been through the experience many times, I have learned how to deal with immense pressure - and how to enjoy the success which comes afterwards!

In addition to this, I have learned about commitment and dedication as well as honour and how to handle a major loss, and also how to remain humble in victory. The things I have learned from Jiu-Jitsu will help me throughout my life; not only during University, but during my career and long afterwards.

I am taking a gap year so I can earn some money in order to travel and to pay for some of the costs of university. I intend to keep my job as a receptionist and also to take on some teaching at the sports and leisure club and, when I have enough money, I am planning to travel around Europe and South America.

I believe this experience will be worthwhile as I will come to university with greater maturity after experiencing other cultures.

A possible career option is to do something involved in banking or investments - I certainly hope I will never have to wash another car again!

2.As a result of studying Commerce in school I developed a passion to study Accounting. My ambition is to become a Chartered Accountant or achieve Masters in Accountancy, Finance and Taxation. I enjoy working with numbers, hence, anything to do with numbers such as accounting and book keeping, have been my favourite subjects.

The other key influence has been practical work experience in a related field. I have also been motivated towards an Accountancy career as a result of helping in my uncle's business.

My uncle owns a small family business and I have helped him in maintaining the records. This has given me a basic foundation in bookkeeping and has encouraged me to try to develop further skills in accounting.

The combination of my A-Level subjects, Mathematics, ICT, Business studies and Law has had many linkages. Learning statistics has helped me to make decisions and forecasts which are a must in a practical life and ICT has helped me analyse information technologically.

The ICT spreadsheet coursework had been my favourite topic as I was used to using a spreadsheet.

I had to choose a business and set up a system/programme for the business where they can record everything needed in the business which will make the business efficient. I chose my old Secondary school and made an administration system for them.

Overall the system was very good and was able to preform any tasks that my user needed.

As I hadn't taken Business Studies for my GCSE, the beginning of the course was difficult for me as I had to learn the basic and the AS- Level together. However, I enjoyed People and Operation and accounting topics where it has allowed me to understand the business cultures, business behaviour and roles.

I am able to understand procedures and instructions and to be able to think critically and logically. These are key elements in moving towards a team concept in this challenging world.

My leadership skills are demonstrated by my involvement as the Chair Person of the Secondary Youth Club and prefect in my secondary school.

This has motivated me to strive for the highest achievements. My greatest achievement is winning the “Shipway District Competition” for Business Enterprise in which I presented, and also received best presentation awards. My role in the company was as a secretary and finance officer.

Some of my jobs included, book keeping, recording the money coming in and going out, taking legal responsibilities and recording minutes. This was a valuable experience of working as a team and meeting deadlines. Taking part in the business enterprise has given me a glimpse into the real world of business.

I enjoy taking part in extra curricular activities. Good organisation has enabled me to balance study with other activities. I have taken part in debates, speech competition, talent shows, charity shows and sports competitions.

In addition, I enjoy reading novels which include Mallory Blackman as one of my favourite writers.

I did work experience in Debenhams. It was a fantastic six weeks for me where I worked with different age groups, learned how to communicate with customers and learned to use my initiative. I have a part time job as a waitress in a café. These experiences have come with hard work and hard work always payed off in the end.

Living in different countries between Europe and Asia all my life has helped me gain confidence and so adjusting to different situations and environment is not a problem for me.

Your institute has inspired me to believe that it is the beginning of achieving my ambition. With all the skills and qualities I have gained from my education and experience, I am certain that this course is the correct choice and my commitment to the study assured.