Audit Associate Review

Job Title: Audit Associate. Daily tasks would be to do preliminary testing on items on the balance sheet and profit and loss account, as well as support the wider engagement team on various ad-hoc tasks. The job is 95% client based, so expect a lot of travel. There is a lot of client interaction from day one, so previous experience in a client facing environment would really be of benefit (for e.g retail). First year associates usually interact with varied members of the client finance team, some have even spoken to CFO's. You will be given a lot of responsibility early on in your career and be challenged constantly.

Currently studying for the ACA, while working full time. This is a real challenge but you will really see the fruits later on the your career. Having the ACA and experience at a big 4 will really put you in a good stead later on in your career. The support given by the firm is more than adequate, we get plenty of study leave and the exams are more spread out and manageable compared. There are a lot of internal trainings to benefit from, either compulsory or optional. I have been on a lot of soft/ hard skills trainings and really see them materialise in my work life.

Working in audit will mean that you will get to analyse the nuts and bolts of an organisation and find out how they really work. If you are very commercially acute and interested in the business world in general then it would be the perfect place to start your career. The people at Deloitte are very friendly and keen to help you, so you wont be thrown into the deep end without anyone there to support you every step of the way. The job and work life at Deloitte surpassed my expectations in terms of the responsibilities I was given and the culture of the firm.

I was told at my final interview that I would be treated no less than a graduate. I have experience at a previous Big4 firm, where apprentices were treated like ' 2nd class citizens ', in the sense that the graduates would be given preference for more interesting work and the apprentices would be left doing the admin nitty gritty stuff. As a first year school leaver, you are treated the same as a first year graduate, same responsibilities, same expectation and same level of career progression. What really stood out to me was, the fact that your opinions count no matter how inexperienced you are, a partner would want to hear your take !

The programme is very structured in the sense that, you know exactly what you're supposed to be doing. There is a very helpful support system in place in each department to guide you through the exam process and provide with as much support you need. The best support comes from the people you work with, people who have been in your shoes and give you advice on how to overcome any issues you may have. Me personally I have found the second year associates really relatable and they can help you a lot since it was not long ago when they were in your shoes. There's a very structured system in place where you have buddies and appraisers at your disposal whenever you need them. But most of your support will honestly be from your colleagues who you meet on the job. There's a real nurturing culture at Deloitte, everyone is keen to help you especially at the early stages.

Kaplan is very helpful, they go above and beyond their remit to help you succeed in your exams. Deloitte has a contract in place where you can even receive additional time with your tutor, at the expense of the firm. The study time off is very generous, and despite the exams get harder the more your progress in the qualification, the support level increases which is why you will see that despite the professional+ exam stages being harder the pass rate is almost 100%!

Deloitte are very big on professional development, as mentioned before there are structured support systems in place for each new starter upon joining the firm, however the support you get from the team you work with and the new colleagues you will meet will really leave a lasting effect on you. People are quick to come to your aid and everybody can relate to you because they were once in your shoes. Everyone is keen to help you especially at the early stages. Whenever you need additional support you will always be able to reach out to senior members of the team and peers. The culture at Deloitte is very nurturing and everybody is friendly and approachable.

Considering you would be 18 when you join the firm, the remuneration package is generous, but I would advise staying at home for the first year unless you really have to move out. As you progress within the qualification and the firm the pay-scale gets better and better. Consider this, if you're 18 when you join, by the time you qualify you'll be 22 years debt free and a manager at a big 4!

There are many events you can get involved with outside work, many charitable organisations to give time to etc. Deloitte is big on CSR so you would be encouraged to engage in giving back to the community whenever you can.

Yes

If you are looking to get into professional services, straight from college. Deloitte is the best place for you, hands down. I have had experience in other big 4 firms and I can say from experience, that you are treated as an apprentice on the other school leaver programmes, wheras at Deloitte you are, the way a partner at my final interview put it 'grad without a degree'.

Make sure you really do research the firm and the service line you are applying to. Make sure you know why you want to apply for the job and how it aligns to your future aspirations. Places like the student room etc really helped in understanding the interview process and how to nail them. 50% of applicants shockingly fail the online tests, the best remedy for that would be buying a test pack from assessment days and practicing as much as you can. Research facts about Deloitte, such as how many employees, how much revenue made etc etc it really goes a long way and shows you are interested in the job not just in having a job.