Trainee Auditor Review

Trainee Auditor. Auditing - Several sections, these increase with difficulty over time. Stock takes - in your first few years you tend to be booked to several stocktakes, this then reduces as your grade lowers.

I am currently studying to gain the CFAB quialification. I use Excel every day & therefore my ability to use this programme has improved. I have been given the opportunity to give presentations & enjoyed challenging myself & my comfort zones to do this.

I enjoy working for BDO, the teams that I work in are, more often than not, good to work in - the people are great and supportive. My expectations have probably been met, if not exceeded!

My counselling manager is fantastic, she is supportive & understanding. The feedback system in place enables the senior & manager on each job to provide their own view of my performance, this is very helpful & shows that BDO is commited to enabling people to develop. When working on each job I do feel involved and as though I am contributing, this helps me to feel valued.

Induction was good - the school leavers were brought together and taken through each part of the programme to ensure we knew what was happening. There is also a two week induction for all of the company's intake, this is very well organised, and whilst the days are long, there is a lot to learn & it is not all work! Whilst the exam timetable had not been finalised for school leavers when we first joined, as soon as it had been an email was sent around to give us an idea of when they will be. Team hierarchy, whilst I know that I am the most junior person in the office, it is not overly obvious, some jobs are delegated to me as I am the 'cheapest!', but I understand this & know this won't be the way forever. The programme is organised & there is plenty of opportunity to provide feedback.

BPP provide an apprenticeship overseer. She is fine and offers as much support as she can, however I don't really feel anything really happens with the feedback I give! BPP tutors - I have only been to college once ,the other exams have been self taught, however there is online support and tutor details provided should any problems/questions arise.

The managers I have worked for have been great, they are approachable, friendly & always willing to help/explain things if and when needed. Whilst I have not had to much involvement with the HR team, whenever I have they have been helpful & friendly. On joining BDO every trainee is assigned a 'buddy' who has been through exactly what we are going through & can therefore offer support & advice. Support is easily available and can be relied on as much or as little as one wants.

The starting salary enables me to meet all costs that I incur, whilst this is the case, it is reassuring to know that my salary will increase over time, as my grade lowers & experience increases.

there are SCASS events, these enabler networking with other trainees at several firms in the South. these events are well organised and fun. There are company sport teams, with internal tournaments as well as matches against other firms. There are company events annually.

Yes

The people, the support, the qualification

- Interviews & Assessment Days. Prepare, research online typical interview quesitons & write up/bullet point areas that you think you should talk about. Be yourself. •Talk to people. First-hand experience is fantastic, but when you don’t have that, talking to others who have done what you are considering can be just as helpful •Research your options. Look into any university courses and school leaver programmes that you are interested in. Find out what you would be doing; think about whether you would be suited to it and the time you would need to invest in it. •Think about and decide what you want to do. There are some careers that need specific degrees in order for someone to practice in a particular profession. However, there are careers that don’t require degrees and you need to consider what a degree would help you do; will it add value to your CV; will it help you get a job; is it worth the debt? •Attend Insight Days and University Open Days. It’s always worth attending university open days to get an idea of the campus, the course, etc. I would also recommend attending Insight days by firms that you are interested in. BDO holds several Insight days at the office in Southampton and it’s a great opportunity to be able to visit the office, meet existing trainees who can answer any questions you may have, hear from people working in different departments and to get advice on your application and the process you should take.