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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP) was selected as a 2024 Campus Forward Award Winner for their unwavering commitment to seeking out and hiring early career talent and investments in nurturing and retaining the next generation of diverse talent. Please see below for the highlights of their approach to early career recruitment.
Multi-Faceted and Thoughtful Approach to University Recruitment
CLA takes a personalized approach to sourcing and recruiting early career talent, providing each person an exceptional experience. The firm offers in-person and remote events, provides one-on-one time with hiring teams, and hosts events throughout the year that allow committed hires to stay connected to CLA while attending school. Committed hires are encouraged to bring a friend to these events. CLA engages with candidates through connections such as Meet the Firms, Beta Alpha Psi meetings, and classroom presentations. Local offices showcase CLA's family culture, educate students about services and industries, and provide mock interviews to refine interview skills. CLA uses a campus recruiting video aligned with its social media strategy and digital recruiting efforts to foster a broad inclusive reach for guiding inspired careers.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
CLA welcomes and cares for the whole person, supported by its culture of inclusion, belonging, and acceptance, with an emphasis on building relationships. This also applies to campus recruiting efforts, providing campus teams with training related to unconscious bias and inclusive recruiting. CLA continually expands its current campus relationships and explores relationships with new schools that can offer more diverse talent. The firm continues to elevate efforts while increasing its presence at minority serving institutions (MSI) and participates in various student NABA, ALPFA, and ASCEND events across the country. Currently, 88 of the 343 campuses that CLA is present on are MSIs.
Impactful Internship Program
CLA's internship program delivers an immersive professional experience, allowing interns to closely collaborate with experienced professionals and engage directly with clients across diverse industries and service lines. These interactions foster practical skills and a profound understanding of the profession. The program emphasizes valuable coaching, guidance, and regular feedback for professional development. Embracing a collaborative and inclusive environment, interns connect with peers, engage in teamwork, and build networks. Prior to joining CLA, each intern is paired with a peer advisor, fostering an instant connection to an associate and integration into CLA's family culture through an eight-week playbook. This comprehensive approach includes a detailed onboarding plan with immersive case studies, job shadow experiences, and hands-on activities, giving early career talent exposure to all aspects of the business.