Audit Associate Review

Going into KPMG I had no experience of working in a professional services firm and was expecting to be doing mundane tasks for the 4 weeks I was there. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to be given lots of responsibility and many interesting tasks; this made the internship very enjoyable.

Everyone in the office was very friendly and happy for me to do tasks for them. I always felt valued by all members of the team no matter what level they were in the organisation. It was nice to be appreciated whilst I was working there and getting messages of thanks after I had completed each task helped me grow in confidence as the weeks progressed.

The office layout in KPMG is open plan and this really helps you to feel part of the team. Each day I sat near to my assigned buddy in each department and I felt very comfortable approaching them to ask questions. My buddy would often check up on me and make sure i had work to do and see if I had any issues.

How busy I was varied from day to day. I changed department every week and in the first day of each week it tended to be a bit slow as i assimilated to the department. For the rest of the week I had plenty to do and often worked beyond my prescribed work hours of 9 to 5; this however was my choice and not forced upon me. I think the amount of work you get will depend on how keen you are, If you want to be busy everyday then you will be.

I was surprised at the amount of responsibility I was given. Every day I worked on client projects, and I also attended client meetings. Some work was trivial but other parts were crucial to a project. My views were always taken into account and I felt like an active member of the project team.

The internship was an invaluable insight into KPMG and to how the organisation operated, it has made me sure of wanting to pursue a career there. The skills I developed over the internship will help me in any job I have in the future, but I also feel as though I would have a head start at a professional services firm, after working at KPMG for 4 weeks.

KPMG advertises itself as the friendly firm and I can say after experiencing it that it is completely true. Everyone in the office works hard but also the various departments have a community feel to them.

I worked in three departments, I had a buddy in each department who acted as my point of contact and who introduced me to the next department. The internship felt organised and I didn't feel in the way at any point.

The first three days of the internship are spent at the KPMG Tax business school in London. Here we learnt about the different areas of tax that we would be working in once we went to the office. This was a great experience and was one of the highlights of the internship.

KPMG has a clear structure and chatting to the people within the organisation, it is clear you are encouraged to set yourself goals for career progression and they will help you to achieve them.

Whilst at the Tax school for the first three days there was a really good atmosphere between the candidates, we went out for drinks and had an evening meal together; as a few of us were staying in a hotel that KPMG provided. At the KPMG office I was the only intern in my department each week and so I didn't spend any time with other candidates, however I felt very comfortable chatting to the members of each department and going to lunch with them.

I worked in the Leeds office and the prices for food and drinks are very reasonable. I do not know about the cost of living as I commuted each day.

The night life in Leeds is good and vibrant. I went out for drinks on a Thursday and many of the local Bars were full and a lot of the people there had come straight from work.

Whilst I was there the Tax division held a picnic at the local park. I was unable to attend but I understand everyone was allowed to leave the office at 3 on Friday if they had finished their work and they played rounders and various games.