Business Insight Review

I was able to go round the different lines of service at PwC (consulting, assurance and tax) and spend a day in each, shadowing members of that department. On the last day, we got together in groups with other Business Insight students to work on an actual client project.

We learnt a lot about developing employability skills, such as interview skills, whilst the group project also helped me develop my teamwork and communication skills.

I really enjoyed the programme. It was very useful for finding out more about what a professional services company like PwC actually does which was my main aim for the week. Everyone was also very friendly and welcoming and made it easy to fit in.

The programme was very well structured and organised. It was nice to meet all the other students who managed to get on the programme on the induction day. We were also given booklets that we could refer to if we were ever unsure of what was going on.

we learnt a lot as our buddy ( the one you have to follow for the week ) is extremely helpful and gives you a great insight

My buddy throughout the week was always available to answer any queries I had during the week which made me feel comfortable in my surroundings. By also having the partner around who I interviewed, this meant that if a buddy could not answer a question, then I could speak to the partner. i now have a clear idea of my future career.

My salary of £423 for the week was more than enough to cover my costs. In fact, PwC were happy to reimburse my travel costs and expenses, so the money was more of a reward for my hard work. In fact, many work experience weeks are not paid, so I considered my salary to be very generous. however if you live locally in London a few quid reimbursed would compare to the grand weekly salary so it shouldn't be a problem

yes, though out the week all interns has loads of meeting with employees and higher executives which gave us a great insight in to the workplace.

Yes

The application process will pay off for me in the future, as I now know that there can be many parts to gaining the main goal of getting either work experience or a job. The psychometric tests teach you how to deal with situations under pressure. A telephone interview is always good practice and learning to express yourself without actually seeing the interviewer is a key skill. Gaining real work experience at the age of 17 can stand you in good stead and even if you do not pursue a career in finance, knowing what a business environment is like can help to decide what career path you want to take.

When preparing for the psychometric tests, I would say practice, practice, practice. The time pressure can be daunting at first but the more tests you complete before the real test, the better results you will get. PwC can also provide you with information on how you did on the practice tests to see where you need to improve on. Before the interview, do as much research on the Business Insight Week and PwC as much as you can. Keep in mind of the future undergraduate schemes and graduate schemes that you may want to participate on in the future. Once you are on the week, ask as many questions as you can think off and remember no question is stupid. After the week, you may regret not asking the question and you do not want to leave with any regrets.