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Paul Jacobson

Employee Highlight: Paul Jacobson

Read our Q&A with Hirons’ accounting specialist Paul Jacobson.

How did you become interested in accounting? How did you break into the industry and land your first job?

I went into college as an accounting major because I always enjoyed math in school, but I stuck with it because I enjoyed the first couple of accounting classes I had. I had an auditing position with the State Board of Accounts right out of college, but soon realized that my initial interest in accounting was more attributed to the bookkeeping side rather than the audit and assurance side.

What would you consider the specializations/most important tools of the trade?

Building clear and organized spreadsheets is huge. It makes inputting data easier and makes them easier to read for coworkers.

What characteristics do you need to be successful in the industry?

I’ll frequently build specific financial reports, so it helps to be a good listener to understand my coworkers’ wants and ask questions to get down to specific pieces if they have a broad idea of what they want but don’t know specifics. Meticulous note taking is incredibly helpful in order to remember how or why I did a certain thing when a coworker has a question about it.

Do you have any interesting hobbies/second jobs/bits of information that make you pop as an individual?

I’ve never really fit the mold of the typical accountant; people frequently assumed I was an English or journalism major in college, most likely because I wrote music reviews for the school’s newspaper (I still do so on occasion). That being said, I’m incredibly interested in music and some of my favorite bands are Anathallo, American Football, My Bloody Valentine and Sufjan Stevens. Outside of that, you can catch me bouldering at Hoosier Heights, cheering in Warren’s Warriors at Pacer games and occasionally performing improv comedy at ComedySportz.

When and where do you have your best ideas?

Generally when I’m alone, whether that’s at home, out riding my bike or out on a walk. I journal a lot, and that’s usually when I get most of my thinking done.

What has been the most exciting project/campaign that you’ve worked on at Hirons?

I’ve built a bunch of separate spreadsheets that all pull data from and feed into one another. That’s been a timesaver.

Why is effective advertising/PR so important for the growth and success of organizations?

Your company may have a certain set of values, but you need to make sure that your customers (both current and future) know what those values are. PR can help in crafting messages that incorporate and communicate those values to others.

What’s one important tip you would share with anyone looking to go into the agency world?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Pick the brains of your superiors.

What is the most meaningful part of your job?

Being able to create a spreadsheet that streamlines our processes or a report that fits the needs of my coworker’s requests.

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