Invitational Participant Review

Fantastic experience. It was my first taste at going into London with a professional services firm and getting the opportunity to network with potential recruiters and fellow enthuiastic students. Very exciting being invited along to something run by a hige firm such as EY and something which I have found very useful on my CV since attending.

On the day I was made to feel very welcome. I was surprised because Corporate Finance has a reputation for bgin quite cut throat and I wasn't too sure what to expect. I learnt quickly that if you just walk in being confident then nothing can go wrong! However, following up with EY after the event I was very let down. I was told that I would be fast tracked through their application process for their Leadership Academy and they never replied to anny of my emails.

There were 4 workshops so I gained a great deal from each and from the day as a whole. It gave me new insights into networking and how to conduct myself in a professional environment. All of the mentors were really friendly, as were the EY staff present on the day. Everyone was happy for you to ask questions, find out more about the day and the company.

Everything that I took away from the day has been really useful when I have been applying for other insights/internships/jobs. It was a really useful starting point, and my first time that I was put under real pressure in a professional environment. Definitely something I will always remember. It's been a really good thing to talk about in my interviews and applications when going for internships, and something which my current firm held in very high regard.

Very well organised day. Small networking session so we got to know each other before we went up the tower. We were greated by really friendly staff and were given a quick tour, no hassle and no fuss, everything went smoothly. The workshops were all completed and run to time, and networking was relaxed but structured.

Very friendly. Staff from Milbank tower, EY, external mentors and other students were all lovely. Everyone was in the same boat and we all wanted to get the same thing out of it. Couldn't have had a better day. I took so much away from it and I still keep in contact with a lot of people I met on the day, thoroughly enjoyed!

As it was only an insight day there wasn't any training, there was no need. But in terms of personal development, they brought in four external mentors which were all fantastic (and costly...I imagine!) EY were happy to pay for expenses and food, they obviously really wanted us all there, we were treated as potential recruits.

There was a lot of people from EY itself to help answer our questions in the networking session. Positions were from all over the company and all different levels, the head of recruitment was present, graduates, auditors, tax etc. It was a great insight into the company. The Head of Recruitment also gave a short presentation about the firm.

Whilst a lot was mentioned about culture on the day, I felt like nothing compares to actually experiencing it. Whenever I think about EY now, I always think of a very friendly, welcoming and professional firm. Whilst I was disappointed with the follow up service, on the day I couldn't fault anyone and I would still like to work for them in the future.

Very useful. As the Head of Recruitment gave a presentation into life at the firm, we were told about training that we would receive should we choose to work with them in the future, and also what the different roles involved. This was relevant not just for EY, but for all different professional services firms, most notably the big 4 (EY, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC).

I was reimbursed my expenses for going to London and back right from my university. This included bus, taxi and train fares, and actually made the journey possible for me. I was also offered a hotel room for 1 night in London should I have needed it (I regretted not accepting the offer when I had to get up so early on the morning!). We were also provided with food and booze on the day, as well as addition materials used for the workshops and for future reference.

The whole day was designed for networking and personal development so there was plenty of opportunities to network and meet other employees. They were very well structured and as there was only 100 students, we were all able to find someone to talk to and ask questions at some point throughout the sessions.

They were very well structured and as there was only 100 students, we were all able to find someone to talk to and ask questions at some point throughout the sessions. Some of the sessions were also staggered so if we wanted to talk to someone one-on-one then we were given the opportunity to do so. We were also provided with business cards so we were all able to keep in touch when we left.

Yes, employees were very open about their lives and what they did outside of work. It was nice to hear that most of them did still actually have a life. It went to show that whilst some of the rumours about finance and the related industries are true, they're by no means the majority. I have now met bankers, accountants, analysts etc that, yes, all work hard, but do still time to have a family and social life.

Definitely. Without a doubt, I would always recommend this insight to a mate. I learnt so much from all the workshops, it was just a lot of fun going up to London with such a massive firm and meeting new people. Even if they didn't get much out of the workshops, it's just a great opportunity to put on your CV and also, another chance to meet City employers.