Joshua Carmichael
- Partner
- Integrated Management & Accounting, LLC
School Information
School: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
College Major: Business
Years at College Works: 2013
Career Information
Working For: Integrated Management & Accounting, LLC
Title: Partner
Industry: AccountingWhat Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?
I landed a great internship with Quad/Graphics that I worked at for a full year. I have also completed all four sections of the CPA exam.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
College Works Painting was an experience that taught me how to manage my time, stay calm under pressure, and how to relate to a variety of different people. I feel like it changed who I was as a person in a positive way.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
My College Works Painting experience gave me a good understanding of how a business works. Prior to the internship I had no business experience, but College Works Painting made me feel like I could start and run my own company. I have not graduated yet, but I feel having College Works Painting on my resume helped me get my previous internship with Quad Graphics.
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
Many of my clients were very understanding and supportive of college students trying to pay for school through this opportunity and that made things a lot easier at times
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
Just because you fail once or things may get really hard, you doesn’t mean can’t still persevere and be successful .
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
I talk to people on my team every now and then, but not as much as I used to. We were all a really tight group during college works though.
If you had to come up with a one line slogan for CW, what would it be?
“Do what you have to do today so you can do what you want to do tomorrow.”
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
It’s going to be really hard and sometimes seem impossible, but it is never impossible. Perseverance is the most important thing with College Works Painting. You have to know how to work really hard for a long period of time.
Many college students struggle to choose between an internship specific to their target industry or doing CW. What advice would you give them on this subject if they wanted to enter your career field?
College Works Painting is great for any college student. I am an accounting Major but felt the College Works Painting opportunity changed my life in a great way. I feel like my level of passion and commitment for any kind of work I do has increased. College works Painting has also influenced my thoughts of building my own business some day.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
If you are in your first or second year of college you are not likely to get an internship directed toward a major because you haven’t been through enough of the upper level classes. For any kind of business major I feel like the College Works Painting experience provides a solid knowledge on how a business works and teaches you work ethic and leadership skills, which are very important for most jobs.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
My favorite memory would probably be the Payroll where we went to the Kalahari. The Kalahari was great, but the next day my DM, half of our team, and I all went up to Green Bay to help another guy on our team out. It was a great team bonding moment and a lot of fun.
Last words of wisdom?
Make sure you actually work hard before you play hard.