Hired Before Graduation – Jenna Stienstra
Name: Jenna Stienstra
Hometown: Hazel Green, Wisconsin
Graduation date: May 19, 2018
Area of study: Accounting
Place of employment: I started at Crescent Electric (East, Dubuque, Illinois) on Dec. 4, 2017 as an accounting intern and was offered and accepted a job in February as an accounting clerk.
Job responsibilities: My job responsibilities include completing bank and branch reconciliations, receiving and paying invoices, helping vendors with any problems that arise, and completing inventory and sales for Creslanes, a bowling alley Crescent Electric owns. (Jenna will also start at Franklin University in August 2018 and double major in accounting and forensic accounting. While attending Franklin, she will earn her Leadership Certificate through Southwest Tech and final credits to be able to take her CPA exam.)
How did Southwest Tech prepare you for your current position? Southwest Tech prepared me first, by helping me put together a resume correctly. Next, expressing different techniques for a professional interview, and lastly, being able to build relationships with instructors by having in- and out-of-class discussions.
Why did you choose your current field? The time that I chose accounting was my junior year of high school. My high school business/accounting teacher was the one who pushed me to like the field. The way she taught the classes made me realize how many jobs are out there and how much I enjoy working with numbers and problem solving.
What advice would you have for younger students who are thinking about their future? Advice I would give to younger students is to take every chance you can, give all the effort you have, but also make sure you have a work/school-life balance.