Trainee Associate Review

My role as an auditor is to check a firms financial statements are true and fair. My daily tasks usually invoices what me senior tells me to do, usually on excel picking samples and performing substantive procedures (ie tests on transactions of part of the financial statements such as debtors. My daily interactions includes speaking to the client and I am not really involved in projects other than the audit itself.

Whilst studying for my ACA and passing 2 exams so far, we have internal training courses that allow us to thrive within the accounting environment. Within these we are taught social skills through group exercises and how to use software such as excel. Throughout my apprenticeship so far, my excel skills have improved significantly. I would say this is the most useful tool not just for this job but for my future as well.

Audit as a job, for me, is up and down. Sometimes I think I have a fantastic job but at other moments it can be really bad. During busy season (for us this is January to March) it is by far the worst. We work very late (9 till 9 - or maybe longer) and do not get any compensation in our pay. Therefore my enjoyment of the programme depends what period of the year it is - however there will be busy periods which ever job you are in. However, the recruitment team do a good job in the sense that they employ nice people. Therefore, it is a very friendly environment.

I do feel valued at EY. Considering this is my first year, I am always included in everything and colleagues higher up such as managers and seniors treat me as well as anybody else.

Our structure is very well organised, however I would like to see it shorter than 5 years for other school leaver programmes. I feel like we are counted slightly below graduates in the fact that they complete exams earlier and get higher pay for exactly the same work. However, some exams for school leavers are organised so you would have to revise over Christmas which is awful if you want to enjoy the time with your family. I have been writing to the exams to see if we can take it in November but it has not been confirmed yet. Other than this slight issue, the programme as a whole is organised very well, hence my score as a seven.

They have been great so far. However, due to only having two exams there is not much support needed.

The support that EY has given me has been great so far. Most of my questions my audit team will help me out with and therefore I have not had to contact anybody else.

As a school leaver, the salary is not enough to stay up in London and enjoy money to spend at the same time. Therefore I am having to commute 1 hour 30 minutes every day. The travel costs itself are £550 a month however as my parents do not charge me rent this is much cheaper. I would like to see a large rise for the next years closer to the graduates. As I have said before, at EY school leavers do exactly the same work and get paid a much much lower wage. However, this is the same at any firm you go to. During busy season, our pay for the hours we work is just terrible and something should be done about it.

Yes there are lots of events such as various sports teams and voluntary initiatives. EY have offered me the chance to join these but due to the commute I am not able to.

Yes

It is an exciting firm to be part of with great future job prospects. It is an investment in yourself for the future.

I haven't met a horrible person whilst working at EY, so don't be afraid. The application process is simple and painless. I would have liked to be told about the fact that as an auditor you are only in the office in rare occasions. other than that you are travelling about London to client sites.