Associate - Audit Review

My job role is an Associate, but i am in fact a trainee Auditor which involves travelling to clients and performing required audit procedures in teams which can range from 3-15 depending on the demands of the client work. I maintain daily client interactions, face to face and via email. On each audit I am given work for which I take responsibility for over the course I am on the client.

EY pay for my ACA qualification while I gain the experience working here. We also participate in internal courses from basic excel tutorials to complex audit software tutorials.

The extent to which you enjoy the work depends on the people in your team who you can spend from 2 weeks up to 3 months with at a time, followed by the hours working on the client, and then finally the client itself. So far the people in my teams have been great, which helps time to fly by when the atmosphere is friendly and it is easy to ask any senior people questions. So far everyone I have come into contact with at EY has been willing to help, so I would say EY lives up to its friendly culture persona very well. I have just finished my first busy season at EY, of which the hours were a shock to the system, but remembering that the 50/60 hour weeks are only temporary helped me to get through it and I am hoping the hours will calm down soon. I have worked on a number of big client names which looks excellent on my portfolio which is always something to be aware of.

Due to EY's vision 2020, we are constantly reminded that in order to meet the targets we have set for ourselves the intakes for grads, school leavers and all other staff needs to increase in size year on year - which highlights the importance of not only the higher senior people but the level 1 and 2 staff in the firm. Feedback systems are in place to encourage constructive feedback from each team you work on, which help a lot as it usually takes someone senior to help you to understand what is required of you in the future to come.

The programme is very structured and organised efficiently, upon starting the programme our intake was placed immediately in an induction week, followed by a service line specific training (i.e. Audit, Tax, Corporate finance etc.) week, then into 2 weeks of college before our first day in the office which worked out being 1 month into the programme. We are all assigned "buddy's" who is someone on the same exact course in the same service line and department as you but a year above you, who remains as your buddy for the whole programme. They are there to provide support and answer any questions that you may feel you'd rather ask someone closer to your level than a senior. We are also assigned councillors who are senior people in the firm who handle feedback meetings and any changes in clients, issues, questions etc. you may have.

We are sent to college for multiple weeks before our exams, as well as given online learning tools via a portal including online web courses. It is easy to ask questions as we are given the tutor's email address, which is always a positive.

The support from EY since ive been at the firm has been great, although I haven't encountered any problems in able to provide insight to how well they have been dealt with - which is always a good thing.

The salary for a school leaver works out as very good during the year besides busy season when your expected to usually work 50 hours+ a week depending on your client, and therefore the hourly rate can end up being embarrassing.

There are constantly EY socials, ranging from small team drinks to nationwide EY events held in hotels and rented premises. Providing social opportunities to meet new people and network with those more senior than yourself. Additional benefits of the firm include discounted gym membership prices which seem to be taken up by many at the firm.

Yes

Great name on CV due to it being a professional giant. Friendly culture and good promotion opportunities.

Expect Long hours during busy season and lots of hard work, which hopefully should pay off in the end!