Accountant Review

The work experience involved a taster of the four different streams that BDO operates in within accountancy: Audit, Tax, Business Services and Advisory. There were talks and presentations by senior staff and entry level colleagues across these four deperments. In order to bring everything we learnt together, we took part in a small project within groups where we had to complete a SWOT analysis based on a given case study. This resembled what staff at BDO actually do on a day-to-day basis. There were also mentoring sessions with senior BDO colleagues where we were given advice on how to approach a career in accountancy.

One of the main skills I developed was how to connect with others via LinkedIn. We were given a training session on how to use LinkedIn effectively, whether it be to stay up to date or connect with others in order to establish a professional network. Whilst we did not gain any qualifications, we were given in-depth introductions into the qualifications that BDO offers upon joining the company.

I really enjoyed the whole work experience week, as the hosts were fun and engaging throughout. It certainly met my expectations as all speakers tried their very best to ensure that I enjoyed the work experience. The tasks given were also very fun, although they were quite short but suited our ability.

It was really well organised with the programme structure developed really well and established in advance. An introduction was given at the start of the work experience and at the start of each day in order to introduce the day to everyone and ensure everyone knew what they were doing. The support was excellent as the team made it clear that if there were any problems, we should contact them immediately.

The excellent company culture was established from the very start and I could see myself fitting in from the outset. The friendly and helpful atmosphere was clearly evident from the way staff interacted with each other. All the staff knew the company culture and values and agreed on how great it was. We were told how the culture was what made some of the colleagues come to BDO from larger companies.

The work experience gave me a lot of insight into roles within accountancy and expanded my perspective of accountancy. A lot of guidance was given into how to enter accountancy and genuine perspectives of employees' was given, including postives and negatives. A meeting with a senior colleague was also allocated in order for them to act as a mentor to you.

No reimbursement was necessary as it was online. However, the company provided hoodies, a metal bottle and notepad as a welcome pack.

There were a lot of opportunites to network with other employees at BDO. Meetings were allocated in order to talk to a variety of colleagues in order to gain more insight from their perspective as well as network with them via LinkedIn. In the mentoring session, we were encouraged to network by senior staff.

Yes

BDO is a welcoming and inclusive company, where culture really counts. It is clear from the start that this is a place where staff are valued and they enjoy working here. All the employees are bound together by the culture and know it really well. The environement is not at all stressful and a lot of support is in place for the employees in order for them to excel.

This is a firm that values technology and innovation a lot, therefore ensure that you also value technology and stay up to date with developments. Also make sure to stay up to date with latest business news in order to show your interest. Also, BDO has a strong culture where people who connect well with each other are more likely to go further and so ensure that you show that you can work well with other people.