Academics, Applied Experience Brings Success For Philadelphia Executive
Lori Reiner is partner-in-charge for EisnerAmper's at their Philadelphia office. EisnerAmper provides corporate finance, accounting, and advisory services, internal auditing, tax services, as well as many other services. EisnerAmper can be found in several locations worldwide.
What is your educational background?
"I'm a proud graduate of Temple University, where I received my B.B.A.. The Philadelphia region has an impressive array of world-class educational institutions, and Temple University is one of them. The knowledge I acquired during my time as an undergrad has served me well in my field. At EisnerAmper, we place a high importance on education when reviewing potential interns. We know the value of a quality internship and have a long history of bringing Temple students on board as interns. Many times these interns do such an exceptional job that we wind up hiring them."
What is your background in management?
"Currently, I'm the partner-in-charge of EisnerAmper's Philadelphia practice. Being the first woman in the firm's history to head an office is a tremendous honor, but leaders are born out of experience and knowledge and I'm grateful to have acquired both during my career. I actually started out in the accounting industry as an intern at Goldenberg Rosenthal, a predecessor firm to EisnerAmper. I then became a staff accountant elsewhere and worked for one other firm before I came back to this firm and became a partner. As I progressed through my career, I developed my skill set, took on new responsibilities and learned from those around me. Having worked with many talented people over the years, I place a high value on mentorship and make sure to pay it forward as much as I can."
How has your education fueled your management success?
"Education is very important because it provides the foundation for success. But, what you do with your education is even more important. What I learned at Temple was incredibly valuable because it helped open doors for me when starting out in my career. The most successful managers are those with a mix of academic and applied experience. To me, the academic experience is like learning a new language – you only remain fluent if you speak it every day. I still remember and apply learnings from my time at Temple, and I also continue to educate myself. Being on top of industry trends, news and best practices is important because education is an ongoing process."
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
"Get as much experience as possible and network. For those getting into the field, internships are a great way to demonstrate your skills and potential and get the experience you need to stand head and shoulders above the competition. Companies want to hire people with the most relevant experience and potential to grow, so getting internships under your belt is a great way to do this. Networking is also equally important. I wouldn't be where I am today without the support and guidance of my mentors and colleagues. Schedule informational interviews with successful people you admire, join professional associations to get face time with influencers in your field and attend networking events. Building up those connections early on in your career and nurturing them along the way will only yield positive results."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.