Senior Review

On a day to day basis we go out to clients and perform substantive testing across all the balance sheet and p&l. However, we apply a threshold balance to the testing to avoid testing 100% of the population. On a daily basis we engage in conversations with clients and gain an understanding into what has happened across the financial period ie 12 month period or anything greater than 6 months.

Being able to speak in a public environment with confidence and with full knowledge of the subject I am discussing. Furthermore, built substantial audit methodology which I can use in discussions with clients and being able to use professional sceptism to gain comfort over the support received from the client.

The programme is incredibly challenging however it is comforting to know by the end of the 5 year programme that I will be a qualified chartered accountant with 5 years experience in which opens many opportunities for my future career. I enjoy visiting new clients and being able to travel across the UK and EU.

The programme is a 5 year programme in which the exam side of the programme is well structured and in most cases complete 4 exams on a yearly basis, which enables a 2 month window in which there will be no revision required. However, in terms of internal training there is a lack of structure and has resulted in some training courses being repeated as a result of being within the business 2 years greater than a graduate.

We are allocated a buddy and a counsellor when we begin work, the buddy is useful for the first year however onwards from the first year there is minimal interaction. Our councillors we have to meet on a quarterly basis in order to discuss feedback and progression through the firm. However, this is very forced and minimal interaction in regards to any other circumstances that would occur - there is a helpline that is available on the main website.

We are enrolled into Kaplan in which we have to self study the first part of the course and then attend a few days in which a tutor builds on our knowledge and sets homework questions. The tutor makes us aware that they are contactable on any occasion via email which is extremely helpful and provides support during the exam process.

The exams we are studying for help us understand the different businesses we go into and audit. Ie for example hedging we learn as part of our qualification previously I had no internal training therefore studying this has enable me to understand and be able to engage in conversations with the client and understand the methods they have used to hedge a forex receivable.

Yes there is extra curricular activies - these are more for those teams that work in the office on a regular as being an auditor you are out and about at different clients it is harder to be involved with these. There is football, netball, tennis and there is other clubs such as muslim unite in which they all go out for dinner each quarter.

No

Over the past year I feel there has been a lack of support within my role which has as a result pressured the work life balance and has resulted in greater proportion of the time working 6/7 day weeks rather than detaching and recharging over the week. The workload has increased massively however exam technicalities have too resulting in a struggle to maintain the equilibrium position.

Before applying I would encourage those to take read the job description and reach out to other individuals who work at the place of work via linked in and ask a few questions. During the recruitment process ask lots of questions ie if there is a lot of travelling, exam requirements, exam attempts to understand the pressres and requirements during the training contract.