Student Spotlight: Sarah Wilson (’22) Starts New Job as Global Mobility Associate and Tax Associate

Sarah Wilson, a member of the Class of 2022, after two internships, is starting a job as a Global Mobility Associate and Tax Associate at PwC next fall! On campus, she’s an Accounting major, a track and field athlete, RA, and has worked multiple jobs.

Congratulations on your new position. Can you tell us a little bit about why you chose to work there? What makes this company a great place to work?

The three biggest things I look for when applying are the people I work with, Where people want a mentor and want to see you succeed, room to grow. I didn’t want an entry level for 10 years, wanted goals and a ladder to continue to grow, and job security after the pandemic. I really wanted it to correlate with my major.

How did you find this position, and can you tell us a little bit about what you do there?

My Internship was the silver lining of Covid. I was running track in the spring, but when Covid hit, I started looking for internships. I applied for PwC, and worked it out with my coach to do both. I’m on the Global Mobility Team, I help employees in different companies with assignments in other countries, making sure there’s no double taxes and helping financially.

Can you talk us through the process of finding and applying for your internship?

I’ve done multiple internships through college, the best thing about my hiring process was that an associate from PwC called to answer questions. I got to get general questions answered, the ones I couldn’t ask during the interview because you get so focused and worried about looking good. I ended up meeting with two partners during the interview, ones that I work with now.

How did you prepare for the interview? What was it like, and do you have any tips on interview techniques or questions?

To prepare, I did a lot of research on the company, went over basic interview questions, went through questions I wanted to ask, and kept track of those questions as I went along to make sure they weren’t already answered.

How did the O’Brien Center help with getting prepared to apply, with the interview or with the job search?

While the O’Brien Center didn’t specifically help with this one, they have helped out with all other internships I’ve held through college. Joe Jenkins helped with past interview questions, and taught me how to apply. And Professor Michael Hyman was a huge help, I had three separate accounting classes with him which helped me figure out what I wanted to pursue.

In general, how did Merrimack contribute to your career development? What resources did you use?

I went through every aspect of business before I landed on Accounting, and Merrimack helped me figure out what I wanted to do through the content I learned in classes, and the mentors who encouraged me. When you go into business, it’s all about who you know, and I’m the first in the family to do business and had no connections, and Merrimack helped me get those connections.

What surprised you about your internship experience? Were there any situations that came up that you were unprepared for?

I got to meet with my partner a bunch, got to get lunch with my partner and connect with them.

What skills have you developed working for this company and what do you wish you had known prior to starting the internship there?

I’ve definitely learned how to talk in a more corporate tone, in terms of emails, clients, bosses, figuring out tone and having mentors proofread, and people skills, and how the industry is a lot more than I thought, more than taxes and audit.

Any campus shout-outs to folks who have helped you along the way in getting you to this point?

I want to thank Mike Hymen and Joe Jenkins for all their help. 

Speaking of your time at Merrimack, how did you grow in your time here? Were there any influential clubs, jobs, professors, or moments for you?

I was a Get Hired Up intern at the O’Brien Center, so I know how hard they work helping people prepare for a career. I found it’s so much easier to learn when you teach, which helped me figure out what I wanted to do.

Seven Things You Don’t Know About Sarah!

  • What has been your favorite Merrimack memory so far? Sophomore year homecoming, which was the first big campus event I had.
  • What is the best dining location on campus? And your favorite Merrimack food? Smoothie Bar at the Den
  • If you could dine with any person, dead or alive, who would it be? Ally Raizman, 2012 Olympic Athlete
  • What are your favorite musical artist(s)? Queen
  • What is one thing we would never guess about you? I thought I was gonna be an athletic trainer.
  • Best career advice you ever heard? Ask as many questions as you can and get as much experience as you can, ask for more experience.
  • What stands out as Merrimack’s greatest feature? The O’Brien Center for career development, you’re here to find a job and they are here to help with that.
By Casey Stevenson
Casey Stevenson Communication & Copywriting Intern