For a brief time before he was accepted to Brooklyn College, Arthur Khaimov ’06 thought he might not get in. An administrative glitch in his application made it appear like he missed the deadline. Rather than applying elsewhere, he stayed committed and worked hard to get in. He had heard from family members, friends, and professionals in Brooklyn’s business community that Brooklyn College was the school where serious, hardworking students thrived. He was determined to be one of them.
The glitch was fixed, and Khaimov was in. From day one, he knew he would be taking business classes, with the idea that an accounting degree could support a future career in law. But then he started an internship at PBS and became absorbed in his role working for an executive producer affiliated with the station. It was his first exposure to the inner workings of a professional accounting environment. “The executive producer was working on a biographical piece for the network,” says Khaimov. “We interns were in the back office working on finances and tax-related items.”
“It was pretty awesome going back and seeing people who had helped prepare me for my career, polishing my résumé and interview style, among other things.” Khaimov also received help through the Harvey L. Young ’59 Family Scholarship in Accounting, graduating magna cum laude in 2006.
Today, Khaimov is a real estate tax partner at global accounting, tax, and advisory firm EisnerAmper. He also serves as a director-at-large for the Brooklyn College Alumni Association, regularly returning to speak with students and offer the same kind of guidance he once sought.
When asked what advice he gives prospective business students, he doesn’t hesitate. “Hard work matters. Proactiveness matters even more,” says Khaimov. He stresses that, especially in accounting, what students learn in class truly follows them into their careers. He also says that employers can teach technical details, “but they can’t teach work ethic or initiative.” Those qualities, which he sees consistently in Brooklyn College students, are what set them apart.
