Accounting Assistant Review

I am a trainee accountant in the Accounting & Business Advisory department. My role includes a wide variety of activities revolving around accounts production. I work as part of a team, so as well as doing jobs independently I will also complete bits of work to contribute to an overall larger job being worked on by others in my department.

I have learnt a lot during my time, primarily teamwork and flexibility due to the nature of work being done. Jobs will come up with higher priority than others so I have to be flexible to fit in with the whole department and office. On the other hand though I've learnt a lot about interacting with others, which includes letting people know if/when I can start jobs for them so they understand my workload.

I very much enjoy my programme at the moment. I'm in a great environment for learning as things I learn at college I can apply at work and vice-versa. Everyone is very helpful and supportive around me as well which is very important to my progression. The programme has exceeded my expectations so far in terms of responsibility handed to me, learning and progression.

I feel highly valued by RSM as I have been integrated into the department from the start. Feedback has been positive and has shown me that my work is appreciated by my manager and supervisors. I am genuinly involved in many jobs going on in the department and understand while I'm still new and relatively on the fringe of what's going on, my role is still an important one.

The programme is very well structured. I have known what my planned progression is from the start in terms of qualifications I will be working towards and when I'm expected to reach these targets. My induction process was thorough, including lots of residential training courses to give me a solid grounding for starting work with the firm. I have had several progress meetings to check how I'm getting on and to get some feedback on my progression which has been useful also.

I receive a lot of support from my training provider. The tutors are very helpful and I can contact pretty much whenever I want via email. Support in and out of college has always been very good, my questions have always been answered in a timely manner if I've had any. The tutors have always had a good attitude towards teaching as well, they are enthusiastic and keen to help us out if we have an issue.

I receive a lot of support from my employer as well. The HR department is very useful for most queries I might have and I can phone or email them largely as and when I might need. I feel comfortable speaking to any of my colleagues about things, whether they are work related, college related etc. My managers have been good in feeding back to my in light of my performance as well.

My salary is very good and well exceeds my costs. My travel costs are fairly low as I get the train to work and my living costs are low as I still live at home. The salary is competitive and a real motivation for me to perform well and earn it. The salary is clearly very competitive with the market and is well above the National Apprentice minimum wage as well.

There are lots of oppurtunities outside of work that are currently available to me. Socially, there have been plenty of nights out with colleagues which has been very good for helping me settle and get to know people better. There is a group within the firm working towards promoting recruitment in the local area which I voluntarily joined when I started. This has seen me go into colleges in the local area to speak about my experience with RSM and RSM as a whole.

Yes

RSM is a fantastic company to work for. It is a real leader in its market and is constantly moving forward. The school leaver programme is a great programme in terms of clear career-development and helping you towards well-recognised qualifications. The learning is all sponsored by the firm provided you achieve the targets set out for you. This is a great incentive when compared with the high cost of going to university particularly.

Take the application process seriously. Practise interview techniques, research the firm and the role you are applying for before your interview so you are well equipped when you get to the interview. The psychometric tests used on the assessment days are available online to practise so definitely give them a go. Take on all the feedback you get, at the beginning everyone is just looking out for you and trying to help you settle in as smoothly as possible.