Audit Associate Review

My role is within the Assurance serviceline, i'm sat in Audit whereby on a day to day basis I interact with clients to obtain financial information that helps us to perform our testing and procedures. This ultimately feeds into the opinion that's issued at the end of the Audit

I have developed my professional etiquette and communication skills drastically since joining EY as the constant interaction with management ant various companies in industry has enabled me to do so. I have also acquired new skills specific to Audit such as performing different types of testing and how to audit certain accounts. In addition to this i have been to college twice to study for two different Exams in accounting and assurance so my technical knowledge on these topics has also given me new skills and understanding to apply to my audit work.

I thoroughly enjoy my programme for various reasons. One of which being the work-life balance its very flexible and centered around you the individual as long as team/client needs are met this is very much the culture of the comapany, work in a way that suits you whilst also completing what is expected. In addition I have found that throughout my time at Ey and on the programme so far the teams I have worked in have been exceptional in terms of coaching and flexible working they are willing to put time aside to focus on your development as I think there's a widespread understanding that investing that time in us now will mean good things for the future of the firm.

The reward and recognition schemes at EY do make me feel a valuable member of the company in the way that there is the opportunity to receive praise and development points through our feedback system which managers can also approve on. There is also various awards that can be won and that you can be nominated for to show recognition for the employees of the firm's hard work throughout the year. Regular meetings with your career coach also enable good feedback to be shared and gives recognition to your work up to date.

The programme itself is well structured however i feel some of the training/exams could have came sooner in order to prepare us that little bit more for working life. However the immmersion technique of placing us straight into client work has worked very well. The support offered is second to none with career coaches, Technical support and a resource team dedicated to planning your diary and keeping you up to date makes for a very well structured programme.

I feel that after college there is little support received in terms of face to face time with tutors or members of that company and so i tend to rely mainly on people from the firm to guide me.

I feel I receive a lot more support from EY itself than the course providers once college is over however this is mainly due to the fact i'm here more often and so its easier to ask questions to members of the firm. More senior team members who have been through the exams themselves are generally very good at answering questions and giving support. So to are the HR team and resource coordinators who are very accepting of the fact you may need reduced client work in order to study and pass your exams.

The salary i believe is adequate for the costs incurred, it allows you to live comfortably i believe however i do not live on my own so it could be different for those supporting themselves. The closer to the office you are and if you drive then i think the salary is great from my perspective. However the further away you are i believe it could become more difficult to manage taking into account the travel costs to and from clients etc...

The opportunities for outside of work events is phenomenal with plenty of socials taking place to allow colleagues to gel and build that professional as well as personal relationship all the time helping to expand your network. The firm also grants a set number of days that you're allowed to take off for voluntary work to aid the CSR initiative. Its worth mentioning that there also various sports teams and committees to join if you want to advertise work socials/events so there's never a shortage of out of work opportunities.

Yes

Primarily because of its value for its emplpoyees and understanding of the need to work flexibly but also because the potential career progression it holds is perfect for those seeking a career in the corporate world. Finally, I would also mention that the reputation of EY for being one of the most inclusive/diverse firms globally also enhances its attractiveness as a great employer.

Be confident regardless of educational background/ability. Be personal and show your personality as ultimately this plays a big part in client interaction and winning new business. I would also say put time aside and use any resources provided to you by the firm when preparing for any assessment days/interviews.