Accounting Careers Trainee

Introduction

Are you seeking career growth within the State of Connecticut? If so, consider this new and exciting opportunity!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Revenue Services (DRS) has current openings and future anticipated openings for the position of Accounting Careers Trainee (ACT) with a target class of Revenue Examiner 1 located in any one of our three dynamic locations throughout the state in Hartford, Norwich, or Waterbury.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• Visit our NEWState Employee Benefits Overview page!
• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.
• The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness. employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• This position is full-time, following a first shift schedule, 40 hours per week, scheduled Monday through Friday with the potential for telework.
• The Accounting Careers Trainee is a training program targeted to college graduates to provide up to a two-year training program to develop the vital tools to work in the professional field of Revenue Examiners.
• In this position you will gain intensive technical tax training, from a combination of classroom style training and job shadowing with experienced examiners within your expected career path of Revenue Examiner 1.

THE PROGRAM

• As an ACT you will be a part of a 1 or 2 year training program depending on your level of education.
• The length of the training program is 2 years for individuals with a Bachelor's degree in accounting or in a closely related business field with at least 15 semester hours in accounting.
• The length of the training program is 1 year for individuals with a Master's degree in accounting or a closely related business field with at least 15 semester hours in accounting. The length of the training program for an individual who earns a Master's degree in accounting or in a closely related business field with at least 15 semester hours in accounting while assigned to this classification is 1 year from the date the Master's degree is conferred or the end of the original 2 year training period, whichever comes first.

ACCOUNTING CAREERS TRAINEE

• As an ACT you will receive hands on training on multiple tax administration computer systems maintained by DRS and other state and federal taxing agencies.
• You will also acquire customer service training through multiple methods of communication including telephone, written correspondence, and direct face to face interactions, in a Call Center environment.

Some of the Subdivisions and Taxes you may get the opportunity to work in/with are:

• Business Tax Subdivision - Corporation Tax, Excise Taxes and Pass-Thru Entity
• Income Tax Subdivision - Personal Income Tax
• Sales & Use Tax - Sales Tax, Business Use Tax, Room Occupancy Tax and Admissions Tax
• Taxpayer Services - Call Center environment, handling routine & complex tax inquiries, and providing tax education to taxpayers

REVENUE EXAMINER 1

• After successfully completing the training program, as a Revenue Examiner, you will complete desk audits and/or field audits for various tax types, such as Excise, Income, Corporation Business Tax and Sales Taxes.
• You will independently conduct in-house examinations of tax returns and other tax related documents.
• As a Revenue Examiner 1, you will also educate taxpayers with respect to filing requirements, record keeping responsibilities and properly assessing taxes due.
• If assigned to perform field audits, in-state and/or out of state travel is required.

SALARY NOTE

Minimum Requirements

Hiring Rate

Completion of 1 Year of Training

Bachelor's degree with at least 15 semester hours
in accounting and/or qualifying experience

$58,311

$62,233

Bachelor's degree with at least 30 semester hours
in accounting

$62,233

$66,170

Master's degree in a related field with at least
15 semester hours in accounting

$62,233

$66,170

Master's degree in a related field with at least
30 semester hours in accounting

$64,208

$66,170

The salary for an employee who completes any of the above minimum requirements after initial appointment to the Accounting Careers Trainee job class will be adjusted commensurate with the schedule above and effective the pay period following the date the degree has been conferred or the pay period following the date the appropriate number of credits as indicated above have been earned.

For current state employees compensation will be in accordance with guidelines for computing salary adjustments set forth by the Department of Administrative Services, Determining Salary Upon Change in Class Manual.
TESTIMONIALS
"When the position of an ACT at DRS was offered to me, I was excited and overwhelmed at the same time. However, when I started the job, I fell in love with the work environment. Everyone at DRS is so friendly and willing to help. What I love about the ACT program is the exposure to different tax types and the opportunity to learn and gain new skills every day. In addition, trainers and mentors are available whenever I need their help. I feel proud and lucky working for a governmental agency like DRS."

- Faouzi Nemlaghi, Accounting Careers Trainee

"The ACT position provided me with the skills and training necessary to grow within the department; I enjoy making a difference everyday by working with local businesses to help guide and to help ensure state tax compliance now and for the future."

- Karen Pollack, Revenue Examiner 2

ABOUT US

The State of CT, DRS endeavors to provide fair, consistent and efficient services to administer the tax laws of the State of CT. We advocate for sound tax policy and strive to collect tax revenue in an accurate, timely and reliable fashion to support and fund the crucial services to all of our CT citizens. We provide the highest degree of integrity, professionalism, and excellent customer service for our tax payers.

Here at DRS, we're committed to administering the state's tax system fairly, courteously, and efficiently. We believe the way to do this is to partner the skills, creativity, and resourcefulness of our workforce with the best technologies available. Our employees are dedicated to public service and have many opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Join our team and discover why we are a phenomenal place to work!

For an inside look at what it's like to work as an employee for the State of Connecticut, please watch the video below!

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Reference Library for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

BEFORE YOU APPLY:

• Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below.
• Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
• Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
• Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.

AFTER YOU APPLY:

• Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
• Prepare For An Interview:Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
• Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SERVICES:

Candidates who are selected for an interview will be required to provide the information listed below:

• A copy of their accredited United States college transcripts or a US Degree Equivalency Assessment Report for a foreign degree.
• Submission instructions will be provided at the appropriate time.

This employment offer will be contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check, including being fingerprinted, State and Federal tax compliance checks, and supervisory reference checks.

QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP:

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Alejandro G. Dávila-Hurtado at Alejandro.Davila-Hurtado@CT.Gov.

Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state agency this class is accountable for mastering the skills necessary to satisfactorily complete the training program for a professional accounting or auditing position.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Receives training in introductory accounting or auditing work for development of skills and knowledge in order to qualify for advancement into a professional agency accounting or auditing position;
• Performs a variety of increasingly difficult duties as skills are acquired during the course of the training period;
• Examines financial records of governmental or private businesses and accounting methods and procedures to ensure compliance with statutes, regulations, guidelines or accepted accounting principles;
• May receive training in such areas as maintaining financial records and accounts, establishing financial statements and schedules, and preparing budget estimates;
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of
  • accounting and auditing principles and practices;
  • business mathematics and statistics;
  • business uses of information technology;
  • effective report writing;
• Ability to
  • read and understand written materials;
  • utilize computer software.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must be able to meet the experience and training requirements of the designated job class at the completion of the development program.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance;
• Experience with Microsoft Excel including functions such as tables and formatting, data manipulation and pivot tables;
• Experience analyzing financial statements and data, such as through coursework, work experience or internships; and
• Experience interacting with diverse groups of individuals through phone, email, and face-to-face communication.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.