Assistant Tax Advisor Review

1) I'm an assistant tax advisor at EY. I will be required to complete several administrative tasks daily such as setting up sales trackers and billing. I check my emails daily to see if anybody needs assistance with any work. I'm responsible for tasks being up-to-date and keeping people informed on any projects I'm working on so these can move along more quickly & that a status of progression is established so people are aware when the project may finish. Projects I've worked on include reviewing client documentation providing improvements and preparing tax memorandums to analyse tax models to suggest improvements.

2) While I'm in the office the majority of the time, I have to complete a qualification in accounting which helps relate to some of the tasks I perform in the office. I also do internal tax training to assist with the changing tax rules. This helps with the qualification when it comes to doing tax courses. You learn a lot about the internal processes of the company like completing client due diligence and discounts applied on our projects to hit a budget. Additionally, by sending a lot of emails, you learn to format & express them in a more professional manner.

3) By keeping busy and working is a way of enjoying your work. By preparing tax memorandums, this task becomes more enjoyable as it feels like you're more used to preparing them. The other big benefit is being put into the working world and getting actual work experience which will help further down the line so this has met my expectations of working and learning on the job. The team I work with are also very supportive and very helpful so this supports me in my day to day tasks.

4) I feel valued by the people I'm working with mostly. This ranges from new projects where the experience is fairly new and the managers feel I've picked up appropriate skills by doing that project for the first time. You can also achieve recognition awards by putting in a long shift to hit deadlines. Even by performing routine tasks, this helps managers focus on other bigger tasks so they are very thankful for what you do & this makes you feel valued.

5) The programme is well structured as it provides time to go out to college & to study for exams, prior to the sitting. Training happens infrequently also. Exams are spaced out which helps as it's not too disruptive to work & projects I'm doing in the office. The tasks I'm delegated from people upwards are all ones which I can perform to help other people which is a good culture for the business for getting experience. You occasionally get support from a counselling manager usually & they have been helpful in answering all anomalies I've been unsure about nearer the start.

You are given a tutor to help you with your studies. They provide you with an email address at the start of every course in case you require support with your studies and if you have any specific questions that need answering. They have been on hand to answer questions during the lessons which is helpful to keep up with speed of the course. They provide a process to answering complex problems as well which helps when the exam comes.

You are given a counselling manager immediately when you join. This is helpful in supporting you with general problems like unknown processes like settling into the business & how a timesheet and time forecasting works within this business. They are normally available to help if you need it & will set up time to see you which shows commitment and a good attitude. The company will also want you to be happy where you are and will move you if you aren't happy in your current department.

The salary is fine in providing support for rent & travel expenses. All daily costs are covered also. It has also been helpful for me personally as the salary allows you to enjoy a social life outside of work and usually every month one all living, social & travel expenses have been paid, there is money that can be put aside which can be used for costs of becoming a homeowner in the future or put towards a holiday.

There are several opportunities both inside and outside the company. Work socials come around a few times a year which is meeting at the pub or a team lunches to socialise with each other. I make time to meet up with friends on the weekends and help out with youth groups some weekly is important to me to keep a good work-life balance. If I have an exam coming up, I also tend to revise when I'm not working

Yes

By starting your career with EY, you get work experience from day 1 which is extremely helpful towards adapting into that environment. You also get a real salary when starting so this is helpful towards paying all travel & rent expenses. By doing a degree, you won't always get that work experience & you will usually end up with a debt by the time you've completed your course instead of earning money

You want to have a hunger to work & get stuck in immediately when you start. The application process consists of questions based on the decisions you make, a phone interview and an assessment centre. For the interview, look up the sort of questions you may get asked & practice replying to them. For example, why do you want to work here? You may also have to prepare a presentation. Pick something you know about and are passionate about.